Tropical horticulture 

Profesor coordonator:

Mihai Frumușelu

Student:Florina Gheorghiceanu

Ciugulea Mihaela

Turnagiu Oana

Grupa 8213 IMAPA

București 2015

Is a branch of horticulture that studies and cultivates plants in the tropics, the equatorial regions of the world. "TropHort" is

an abbreviation for Tropical Horticulture.Tropical Horticulture covers plants such as perennial woody plants (arboriculture), ornamentals (floriculture), vegetables (

olericulture), and fruits (pomology) including grapes (viticulture). The origin of many of these crops is not in the

tropics but in temperate zones.

Their adoption to tropical climatic conditions is an objective of breeding. Many important crops, however, are indigenous to the tropics. The latter

embrace perennial crops such as oil palm, vegetables including okra, field crops such as rice and sugarcane, and particularly fruits including pineapple,

banana, papaya, and mango.

Since the tropics represent 36% of the Earth's surface and 20% of its land surface, the potential of tropical horticulture is tremendous. In contrast to temperate regions, environmental conditions in the tropics are defined less

by seasonal temperature fluctuations and more by seasonality of precipitation. Thus the climate in the greater part of the tropics is

characterized by distinct wet and dry seasons, although such variation is less in locations close to the equator (±5° latitude). Temperature conditions within the tropics are affected by altitude, in which contrasting warmer and colder climate areas in the tropics can be differentiated, and highland areas in the tropics can consequently be more favourable for production of temperate

plant species than lowland areas are.

TYPES OF PLANTS

Both vascular and non-vascular plants grow in tropical environments. Plants indigenous to the tropics are usually cold sensitive and adapted to receiving high levels of solar radiation. 

They are sensitive to small variations in photoperiod ("short day" plants), and can be adapted to extended drought, high precipitation and/or distinct wet and dry seasons. High night temperatures are a major hindrance to adopting temperate crops (e.g., tomatoes) to 

the tropical lowlands. Furthermore, such conditions promote high respiration rates of plants, resulting in comparably lower net photosynthesis rates.

The Tropical Horticulture curriculum is designed to provide students with a well-rounded background in horticultural science with special emphasis on the

production of tropical and subtropical crops. The program offers a wide selection of courses, each providing the student with both the theoretical and the hands-on approach to learning the subject matter. Required and elective

horticulture courses cover a wide range of topics such as nursery management, floriculture, orchid culture, tropical landscaping, vegetable crop

production, tropical fruit production, and many more.

Students are provided with the necessary skills and knowledge required for employment and postgraduate education. Hands-on participation is an

integral part of each course and strengthens the students’ ability to apply theory. Courses such as plant tissue culture, weed science, and others will

generally be accepted as graduate level courses.

Elective courses utilize state-of-the-art technology in areas

such as aseptic micro-propagation (plant tissue culture)

and hydroponics. In addition to these specialized courses,

the Tropical Horticulture curriculum is based on a solid

core of traditional horticultural courses where students

learn basic horticultural techniques such as grafting,

pruning, pest management, and cultivating crops that are

of economic interest in the tropics.

Additionally, students will broaden their experience through required and

elective courses from other agriculture areas of specializations. Graduates

from this program typically find employment as entrepreneurs, research

associates, teachers, extension agents, grounds superintendents, agriculture

products sales representatives, plant quarantine inspectors, and agriculture

technicians. Graduates are highly skilled in managing, producing, and

marketing horticultural crops.

Student Learning OutcomesThorough familiarity with the principles of horticulture and sustainable production of

fruit, vegetable, and ornamental crops in the tropics.Identify and analyze the factors that affect crop production including the emerging

body of knowledge in plant growth and development and the contribution of climatic, environmental, and edaphic factors.

Advanced skills in the actual growing and marketing of crops that illustrate economic viability and sustainability of agricultural practices.

Interact effectively with all stakeholders of agricultural development in the community and participate in outreach programs that demonstrate cultural sensitivity

and integration of new agricultural technologies with indigenous knowledge.

• en.wikipedia.org

• www.hgtvgardens.com

• www.pbase.com• http://hilo.hawaii.edu/

Bibliography