Effects of Plant Density and Row Arrangement on Weed Management and Yield in Organic Cabbage Crop (Brassica oleracea var. capitata L.)

Cabbage is an important vegetable crop species. To obtain high yield of cabbage, good weed management practice must be implemented. A field experiment was conducted to determine the effects of plant density and row arrangement on weed flora and yield of a cabbage crop under Mediterranean climatic conditions. A randomized complete block design was employed with 4 replicates per treatment (single rows 60 cm x 40 cm, single rows 70 cm x 30 cm, single rows 50 cm x 34 cm and paired-rows: the distances between two rows in a pair and between two consecutive paired-rows were 25 cm and 85 cm, respectively, and plant-to-plant spacing was 40 cm; 58,800 plants ha-1). The intercepted PAR by the cabbage canopy increased with increases in plant density to about 59,000 plants ha-1 and this increased interception of PAR resulted in a decrease in weed biomass. Weed density and weed biomass decreased with increasing plant populations. There were also no significant differences between paired-rows and single row pattern at high density. Moreover, plant density affected cabbage yield. The highest yield (10.54 t∙ha-1) was observed in the paired-rows planting pattern and the next highest in the single-rows 50 x 34 cm. Our results indicate that paired-rows cabbage production is feasible and the control of various weeds was better in paired-rows than single-rows pattern at lower cabbage density

Effects of Tomato Pomace Composts on Yield and Quality of Processing Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.)

Organic farming encourages the use of organic waste materials as substitutes for chemical fertilizers. Tomato pomace presents an alternative to inorganic fertilizer. A field experiment was carried out to evaluate the influence of tomato pomace composts and nitrogen fertilization on agronomic and quality parameters of the processing tomato. The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design with three replications and five fertilization treatments (untreated, nitrogen fertilizer, tomato pomace with biocyclic humus soil, tomato pomace with manure and tomato pomace with plant residues). The results showed that the highest average fruit weight and fruit yield (163.4 t/ha) were found in plots subjected to nitrogen fertilization, while the highest total soluble solids content (4.29 °Brix), and L* and a* colour parameters, important quality parameters to processing tomato industry, were obtained through the application of tomato pomace mixed with biocyclic humus soil making organic tomatoes suitable for processing tomato industry

Evaluation of the critical control points of the most important crops based on the greek agriculture certification systems

The thesis follows two parallel lines that will connect after the recording and analysis of all collected and available data and information. Both directions are based on the recording and analysis of specific data, which were chosen because they are important critical control points.The first direction concerns the measurements and analysis of important elements in both soil and water samples. The samples were collected from different parts of Greece and came from different cultures and three agricultural systems (Organic, Integrated and Conventional Agriculture). The elements measured were pH, salinity, nitrites (N-NO2-), Nitrate (N-NO3-), Potassium (K+), ammonium (N-NH4+), Phosphates (Po4-), Copper (Cu) and sulfate (SO4-). Additionally, we used data provided by the DIO, a Greek organic certification body, in order to analyze the existence of active substances in organic agriculture in Greece as well as their concentrations.The second direction concerns the collection and analysis of information collected through interviews and questionnaires, for the situation in all three agricultural systems in Greece, a practice which is common in comparing farming systems. For our survey, we used unstructured in depth interviews, while the questions covered the relationship between the three agricultural systems, their critical control points, solutions to their problems, evaluation of them as well as their future in Greek agriculture. A total of 25 interviews with different people from different areas of agriculture were conducted. Among those interviewed were academics, directors of certification bodies, agriculture journalists, directors of cooperatives and others. Also, we collected 200 questionnaires, which were completed by people involved in the agricultural sector, consisted of questions covering a wide range of information regarding both the people involved in the agriculture and the agricultural systems themselves.The analysis of all the thesis results revealed that the most important critical control points of the three agricultural systems are summarized as follows:•The soil of the crop (applies to all three agricultural systems).•The water used (applies to all three agricultural systems).•The monitoring of the certification bodies (applies to Organic Agriculture).•Acaricides and herbicides (applies to Organic Agriculture).•Subsidies (applies to Organic Agriculture).•The pricing of agriculture products (applies to Integrated Agriculture).•The state controls (applies to Conventional Agriculture).•Distribution networks of agriculture products (applies to Organic Agriculture).•The identity of agriculture products (applies to Integrated Agriculture).•Bureaucracy (applies to Organic and Integrated Agriculture).•The fragmentation of land (applies to Conventional Agriculture).Η διατριβή ακολουθεί δύο παράλληλες κατευθύνσεις οι οποίες θα συνδεθούν μετά το πέρας της καταγραφής και ανάλυσης όλων των συλλεγμένων και διαθέσιμων στοιχείων και πληροφοριών. Και οι δύο κατευθύνσεις βασίζονται στην καταγραφή και ανάλυση συγκεκριμένων στοιχείων, τα οποία επιλέχθηκαν λόγω του ότι αποτελούν σημαντικά κρίσιμά σημεία ελέγχου. Η πρώτη κατεύθυνση αφορά μετρήσεις και αναλύσεις σημαντικών στοιχείων τόσο σε δείγματα εδάφους όσο και σε δείγματα νερού. Τα δείγματα συλλέχθηκαν από διαφορετικά μέρη της Ελλάδος και προέρχονταν από διαφορετικές καλλιέργειες και των τριών συστημάτων καλλιέργειας (Βιολογική Γεωργία, Ολοκληρωμένη Διαχείριση και Συμβατική Γεωργία). Τα στοιχεία που μετρήθηκαν ήταν το pH, η αλατότητα, τα Νιτρώδη (N-NO2-), τα Νιτρικά (N-NO3-), το Κάλιο (K+), τα Αμμωνιακά (N-NH4+), τα Φωσφορικά (PO4-), ο Χαλκός (Cu) και τα Θειικά (SO4-). Επιπρόσθετα, χρησιμοποιήσαμε στοιχεία που μας διέθεσε ο πιστοποιητικός οργανισμός ΔΗΩ, προκειμένου να αναλύσουμε την ύπαρξη δραστικών ουσιών σε βιολογικές καλλιέργειες ανά την Ελλάδα, καθώς και τις συγκεντρώσεις αυτών.Η δεύτερη κατεύθυνση αφορά τη συλλογή και ανάλυση των πληροφοριών που συλλέχθηκαν, μέσω συνεντεύξεων και ερωτηματολογίων, για την κατάσταση που επικρατεί στους τόσο στη ΒΓ όσο και στην ΟΔ και ΣΓ στην Ελλάδα, πρακτική η οποία είναι σύνηθες στην σύγκριση συστημάτων καλλιέργειας. Στην παρούσα χρησιμοποιήσαμε μη δομημένες συνεντεύξεις σε βάθος, ενώ οι ερωτήσεις αφορούσαν την σχέση μεταξύ των τριών συστημάτων καλλιέργειας, τα κρίσιμα σημεία ελέγχου τους, τις λύσεις των προβλημάτων που εμφανίζουν, την αξιολόγησή τους αλλά και το μέλλον που έχουν στην Ελληνική γεωργία. Συνολικά πραγματοποιήθηκαν συνεντεύξεις από 25 διαφορετικά άτομα, από διάφορους τομείς, σχετικούς πάντα με την γεωργία και δη με τα συστήματα πιστοποίησης. Στο σύνολο των ατόμων που συμμετείχαν στις συνεντεύξεις ήταν Πανεπιστημιακοί, διευθυντές πιστοποιητικών οργανισμών, δημοσιογράφοι γεωργικών θεμάτων, πρόεδροι συνεταιρισμών και άλλοι. Εν συνεχεία, συλλέξαμε 200 ερωτηματολόγια, τα οποία συμπληρώθηκαν από άτομα εμπλεκόμενα στον γεωργικό τομέα, και τα οποία περιελάμβαναν ερωτήσεις που κάλυπταν μεγάλο φάσμα πληροφοριών τόσο αναφορικά με τους ενασχολούμενους με την γεωργία όσο και με τα ίδια τα συστήματα καλλιέργειας.Από την ανάλυση όλων των αποτελεσμάτων της παρούσας προέκυψε ότι τα πλέον σημαντικά κρίσιμα σημεία ελέγχου των τριών συστημάτων καλλιέργειας συνοψίζονται στα ακόλουθα:•Το έδαφος των καλλιεργειών (αφορά και τα τρία συστήματα καλλιέργειας).•Το χρησιμοποιούμενο νερό (αφορά και τα τρία συστήματα καλλιέργειας).•Ο έλεγχος από τους πιστοποιητικούς οργανισμούς (αφορά αποκλειστικά την ΒΓ).•Τα ακαρεοκτόνα και τα ζιζανιοκτόνα (αφορά την Βιολογική Γεωργία).•Οι επιδοτήσεις (αφορά την Βιολογική Γεωργία).•Η τιμολόγηση των αγροτικών προϊόντων (αφορά την Ολοκληρωμένη Διαχείριση).•Οι κρατικοί έλεγχοι (αφορά την Συμβατική Γεωργία).•Τα δίκτυα διανομής των αγροτικών προϊόντων (αφορά την Βιολογική Γεωργία).•Η ταυτότητα των προϊόντων της Ολοκληρωμένης Διαχείρισης (αφορά την Ολοκληρωμένη Διαχείριση).•Η γραφειοκρατία (αφορά την Βιολογική Γεωργία και την Ολοκληρωμένη Διαχείριση).•Ο πολυτεμαχισμός των εκτάσεων (αφορά την Συμβατική Γεωργία)

Effects of shading on root and shoot development of melon (Cucubrita pepo) transplants in conventional and organic float system nurseries

Float system is a common technique of tobacco and vegetables transplant production. We evaluated the shade effect on the roots and shoots development for two float systems surgeries (CV:conventional and ORG:organic) on melon transplants. The shade had differently influenced the development of the roots and shoots of the two float systems surgeries. Roots fresh weight and surface was significant higher under shade for organic transplants and significant lower under shade for conventional transplants. Hence, shoots fresh weight and surface was significant higher under shade for organic as well as conventional transplants. Because of the described differences in roots development, the transplants which were produced in the organic float system nursery had better quality under shade in contrast to those produced in conventional float system nursery which had better quality under light. The quality of transplants is related to their behaviour during the transplanting process, their resistance to the transplanting stress and their survival in the field

TRILLION project approach on scenarios definition for citizen security services

TRILLION project proposes an open, flexible, secure and resilient socio-technical platform to foster effective collaboration of citizens and law enforcement officers. Using the TRILLION platform, citizens will be able to report crimes, suspicious behaviour and incidents, identify hazards and assist law enforcement agents through active participation for achieving better urban security management. In the context of preparation of scenarios that will serve the needs for enhanced citizen participation and improved citizen-LEA collaboration, our target is to propose a methodology towards a comprehensive definition of scenarios, accounting for all related aspects, such as technical, social, organizational and regulatory. A particular scenario from the project is used in order to demonstrate the application of the proposed methodology

TRILLION: TRusted, CItizen - LEA coILaboratIon over sOcial Networks

<p>A paper presenting the vision and general concepts of TRILLION project was presented at the conference by Prof. Charalampos Patrikakis and Dr. Aristidis Konstantas. Since the conference was organized with the support of the Greek Data Protection Authority, the participation of the project in the conference was important, as apart from presenting the project’s goals and objectives, it provided the opportunity for discussions with representatives of the Greek DPA.</p