Department of Food Production

LEVEL: III

SEMESTER: 2 

COURSE TITLE: SUSTAINABLE VEGETABLE PRODUCTION (To alternate with AGCP 3102 Sustainable Fruit Crop Production)

NUMBER OF CREDITS: 3

PRE-REQUISITES: AGCP 2101 and AGRI 2001

COURSE DESCRIPTION: Importance of vegetables in human nutrition; the vegetable industry globally with special reference to tropical vegetables; Caribbean industry; classification of vegetables; growth and development and environmental requirements; production practices; ecological soil management - use of living barriers, ground cover, contour ploughing and conservation; composting; deficiencies and diagnosis; nutrition and fertilization; water management and irrigation methods; diagnosis and IPM/ecological management of pests, diseases and weeds of vegetables; sustainable vegetable production systems, including permaculture, protected production and hydroponics; key vegetable crop groups: leafy vegetables, solanaceous fruits, cucurbits, legumes and stems; mushroom production; harvest and postharvest handling; marketing of vegetables; economics of vegetable production; hydroponics and protected production.

ASSESSMENT: Coursework: 70 % Final examination: 30 %