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Dr. Damianos Neocleous
Agricultural Research Institute of Cyprus

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0 Horticulture
0 Plant Nutrition
0 agricultural
0 Hydroponics and Soiless Culture
0 Applied Plant Physiology

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Journal article
Published: 24 June 2021 in Environmental and Experimental Botany
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Cr(VI) is known to induce hormesis in plants. Nevertheless, its effects on the quality of agricultural produce are poorly studied. In the present study, tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) plants were exposed to incremental Cr(VI) concentrations through irrigation with water containing K2Cr2O7 in escalating concentrations (0.05, 0.5, 1, 5 and 10 mg L−1), aiming at investigating potential mediated effects on (1) yield, (2) stress responses in leaves, (3) the biosafety of fruits and (4) the mediated alterations in tomato fruit quality attributes. Plants in all Cr(VI) treatments displayed similar phenotype, with no modulations in fruit setting. Plants irrigated with water containing 10 mg L-1 K2Cr2O7 had lower photosynthetic pigment concentration and suffered from oxidative stress in their leaves (evidenced by increased MDA and H2O2 content). Elevated Cr(VI) treatments (5 or 10 mg L-1 K2Cr2O7) resulted in the production of fruits with lower weight and smaller size, along with increased ripening index and soluble solids, lycopene, β-carotene and soluble carbohydrate (fructose, sucrose, total sugars) content. Alterations in fruit quality attributes were at least in part corroborated by the abundance of transcripts related to sucrose (SlSuSys, SlLin5, SlLin6, SlLin7) and carotenoid (SlZDS, SlCRTISO, SlbLCY) biosynthesis. The concentration of total Cr in all fruit samples was far below the maximum permissible limits, thus indicating safety for human consumption. Overall, results presented herein provide novel evidence that Cr(VI) can exert significant effects on the quality of agricultural produce at the biochemical and molecular level, indicating that Cr(VI)-contaminated water should be cautiously used after rigorous investigation.

ACS Style

Anastasis Christou; Egli C. Georgiadou; Andreas M. Zissimos; Irene C. Christoforou; Christos Christofi; Damianos Neocleous; Panagiotis Dalias; Andreas Ioannou; Vasileios Fotopoulos. Uptake of hexavalent chromium by tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) plants and mediated effects on their physiology and productivity, along with fruit quality and safety. Environmental and Experimental Botany 2021, 189, 104564 .

AMA Style

Anastasis Christou, Egli C. Georgiadou, Andreas M. Zissimos, Irene C. Christoforou, Christos Christofi, Damianos Neocleous, Panagiotis Dalias, Andreas Ioannou, Vasileios Fotopoulos. Uptake of hexavalent chromium by tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) plants and mediated effects on their physiology and productivity, along with fruit quality and safety. Environmental and Experimental Botany. 2021; 189 ():104564.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Anastasis Christou; Egli C. Georgiadou; Andreas M. Zissimos; Irene C. Christoforou; Christos Christofi; Damianos Neocleous; Panagiotis Dalias; Andreas Ioannou; Vasileios Fotopoulos. 2021. "Uptake of hexavalent chromium by tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) plants and mediated effects on their physiology and productivity, along with fruit quality and safety." Environmental and Experimental Botany 189, no. : 104564.

Journal article
Published: 17 December 2020 in Agronomy
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Aerodynamic and canopy resistances have long been considered to be of key interest in model equation parameterization, particularly for the accurate estimation of crop evapotranspiration. However, model parameters applied in greenhouses showed variation affected by the micrometeorological environment. Three experiments were carried out in a plastic greenhouse to evaluate microclimate effects on resistances of a soilless cucumber crop. The regression analysis of canopy-to-air temperature (Tc − Ta) difference on air vapor pressure deficit (VPD) was substituted into the energy balance equation for the estimation of aerodynamic and canopy resistance values. As expected, a fan and pad evaporative cooling system proved to be the more efficient method of decreasing crop temperature (Tc) compared to the forced air ventilation system. The estimated transpiration by the Penman–Monteith model based on calculated aerodynamic and canopy resistance values successfully validated values measured with lysimeters in different growing periods. In this article, we report for the first time the calculation of aerodynamic and canopy resistance values inside a greenhouse based on equations for an open field that were found in the literature. Results may be helpful in Mediterranean greenhouses for direct determinations of plant water evaporative demand and smart climate control systems.

ACS Style

Georgios Nikolaou; Damianos Neocleous; Evangelini Kitta; Nikolaos Katsoulas. Estimation of Aerodynamic and Canopy Resistances in a Mediterranean Greenhouse Based on Instantaneous Leaf Temperature Measurements. Agronomy 2020, 10, 1985 .

AMA Style

Georgios Nikolaou, Damianos Neocleous, Evangelini Kitta, Nikolaos Katsoulas. Estimation of Aerodynamic and Canopy Resistances in a Mediterranean Greenhouse Based on Instantaneous Leaf Temperature Measurements. Agronomy. 2020; 10 (12):1985.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Georgios Nikolaou; Damianos Neocleous; Evangelini Kitta; Nikolaos Katsoulas. 2020. "Estimation of Aerodynamic and Canopy Resistances in a Mediterranean Greenhouse Based on Instantaneous Leaf Temperature Measurements." Agronomy 10, no. 12: 1985.

Journal article
Published: 09 November 2020 in Chemosphere
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Plants exposed to toxic Cr(VI) concentrations show reduced biomass production and yield. The present study examined (1) the impacts of increasing Cr(VI) exposure (0.05, 0.5, 1, 5 and 10 mg L−1 K2Cr2O7 in irrigation water) on the growth and development, yield, and stress physiology of two important crop species, such as wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.), and (2) the associated human health risks due to the consumption of these commodities. Plants in all Cr(VI) treatments preserved similar growth rates and phenotypes with control, untreated plants, with no remarkable modulations in biomass yield (fresh/dry weight, plant height, straw/grain weight). Grains harvested from plants exposed to all Cr(VI) treatments had increased size and 1000 grain weight, partially suggesting hormetic effect. Elevated K2Cr2O7 concentrations (5 and 10 mg L−1) resulted in increased photosynthetic pigments’ levels in lettuce leaves. Lipid peroxidation and H2O2 content also revealed the absence of oxidative stress in lettuce plants. Non-carcinogenic (target hazard quotient) and carcinogenic risks from the consumption of these commodities grown under the conditions described in this study were found de minimis. However, more studies are needed in order to obtain more solid information on the safety of Cr(VI)-contaminated water irrigation.

ACS Style

Anastasis Christou; Egli C. Georgiadou; Andreas M. Zissimos; Irene C. Christoforou; Christos Christofi; Damianos Neocleous; Panagiotis Dalias; Vasileios Fotopoulos. Uptake of hexavalent chromium by Lactuca sativa and Triticum aestivum plants and mediated effects on their performance, linked with associated public health risks. Chemosphere 2020, 267, 128912 .

AMA Style

Anastasis Christou, Egli C. Georgiadou, Andreas M. Zissimos, Irene C. Christoforou, Christos Christofi, Damianos Neocleous, Panagiotis Dalias, Vasileios Fotopoulos. Uptake of hexavalent chromium by Lactuca sativa and Triticum aestivum plants and mediated effects on their performance, linked with associated public health risks. Chemosphere. 2020; 267 ():128912.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Anastasis Christou; Egli C. Georgiadou; Andreas M. Zissimos; Irene C. Christoforou; Christos Christofi; Damianos Neocleous; Panagiotis Dalias; Vasileios Fotopoulos. 2020. "Uptake of hexavalent chromium by Lactuca sativa and Triticum aestivum plants and mediated effects on their performance, linked with associated public health risks." Chemosphere 267, no. : 128912.

Journal article
Published: 20 August 2020 in Environmental Pollution
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Chromium has been proven to be extremely phytotoxic. This study explored the impacts of increasing Cr(VI) exposure (up to 10 mg L-1 K2Cr2O7) on the growth and development of alfalfa plants and adaptation responses employed, in an environmentally relevant context. The threshold concentration of K2Cr2O7 in irrigation water beyond which stress responses are initiated is 1 mg L-1. Lower Cr(VI) exposure (0.5 mg L-1 K2Cr2O7) induced hormesis, evident through increased biomass and larger leaves, likely mediated by increased NO content (supported by elevated NR enzymatic activity and overexpression of NR and ndh genes). Elevated Cr(VI) exposure (5 and 10 mg L-1 K2Cr2O7) resulted in reduced biomass and smaller leaves, and lower levels of photosynthetic pigment (10 mg L-1 K2Cr2O7). Higher levels of lipid peroxidation, H2O2 and NO contents in these plants suggested nitro-oxidative stress. Stress responses included increased SOD and CAT enzymatic activities, further supported to some extent by MnSOD, FeSOD, Cu/ZnSOD and CAT transcripts levels. GST7 and GST17 gene expression patterns, as well as proline content, P5CS enzymatic activity and corresponding P5CS and P5CR gene expression levels emphasized the role of proline and GSTs in the adaptation responses. Results highlight the importance of managing Cr(VI) levels in irrigation water.

ACS Style

Anastasis Christou; Egli C. Georgiadou; Andreas M. Zissimos; Irene C. Christoforou; Christos Christofi; Damianos Neocleous; Panagiotis Dalias; Sofia O.C.A. Torrado; Ariadne Argyraki; Vasileios Fotopoulos. Hexavalent chromium leads to differential hormetic or damaging effects in alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) plants in a concentration-dependent manner by regulating nitro-oxidative and proline metabolism. Environmental Pollution 2020, 267, 115379 .

AMA Style

Anastasis Christou, Egli C. Georgiadou, Andreas M. Zissimos, Irene C. Christoforou, Christos Christofi, Damianos Neocleous, Panagiotis Dalias, Sofia O.C.A. Torrado, Ariadne Argyraki, Vasileios Fotopoulos. Hexavalent chromium leads to differential hormetic or damaging effects in alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) plants in a concentration-dependent manner by regulating nitro-oxidative and proline metabolism. Environmental Pollution. 2020; 267 ():115379.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Anastasis Christou; Egli C. Georgiadou; Andreas M. Zissimos; Irene C. Christoforou; Christos Christofi; Damianos Neocleous; Panagiotis Dalias; Sofia O.C.A. Torrado; Ariadne Argyraki; Vasileios Fotopoulos. 2020. "Hexavalent chromium leads to differential hormetic or damaging effects in alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) plants in a concentration-dependent manner by regulating nitro-oxidative and proline metabolism." Environmental Pollution 267, no. : 115379.

Review
Published: 01 August 2020 in Agronomy
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The sustainability of irrigated agriculture is threatening due to adverse climate change, given future projections that every one in four people on Earth might be suffering from extreme water scarcity by the year 2025. Pressurized irrigation systems and appropriate irrigation schedules can increase water productivity (i.e., product yield per unit volume of water consumed by the crop) and reduce the evaporative or system loss of water as opposed to traditional surface irrigation methods. However, in water-scarce countries, irrigation management frequently becomes a complex task. Deficit irrigation and the use of non-conventional water resources (e.g., wastewater, brackish groundwater) has been adopted in many cases as part of a climate change mitigation measures to tackle the water poverty issue. Protected cultivation systems such as greenhouses or screenhouses equipped with artificial intelligence systems present another sustainable option for improving water productivity and may help to alleviate water scarcity in these countries. This article presents a comprehensive review of the literature, which deals with sustainable irrigation for open-field and protected cultivation systems under the impact of climatic change in vulnerable areas, including the Mediterranean region.

ACS Style

Georgios Nikolaou; Damianos Neocleous; Anastasis Christou; Evangelini Kitta; Nikolaos Katsoulas. Implementing Sustainable Irrigation in Water-Scarce Regions under the Impact of Climate Change. Agronomy 2020, 10, 1120 .

AMA Style

Georgios Nikolaou, Damianos Neocleous, Anastasis Christou, Evangelini Kitta, Nikolaos Katsoulas. Implementing Sustainable Irrigation in Water-Scarce Regions under the Impact of Climate Change. Agronomy. 2020; 10 (8):1120.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Georgios Nikolaou; Damianos Neocleous; Anastasis Christou; Evangelini Kitta; Nikolaos Katsoulas. 2020. "Implementing Sustainable Irrigation in Water-Scarce Regions under the Impact of Climate Change." Agronomy 10, no. 8: 1120.

Journal article
Published: 19 June 2020 in Agronomy
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In this study, we investigated the effect of individual and combined applications of manganese (Mn) and zinc (Zn) chelates on common bean grown in hydroponics (nutrient film technique—NFT) on physiological and agronomical responses. Inorganic sulphate forms of Mn and Zn were compared to their synthetic chelate forms, in the replenishment nutrient solution (RNS). Nutrient (N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Fe, Mn, Zn and Cu) to water uptake ratios (termed uptake concentrations; UCs), growth, pods yield and quality, photosynthetic parameters and tissue nutrient status were evaluated in different cropping seasons (spring-summer and autumn-winter crops). Mean UCs of nutrients ranged as follows: 10.1–12.4 (N), 0.8–1.0 (P), 5.2–5.6 (K), 1.8–2.2 (Ca), 0.9–1.0 (Mg) mmol L−1; 12.2–13.4 (Fe), 5.2–5.6 (Mn), 4.4–4.9 (Zn), 0.9–1.0 (Cu) μmol L−1. Tissue macronutrient status remained unaffected in both seasons, however, Mn chelates in the RNS affected Fe within plants. Pod yield and quality, growth, photosynthesis and water uptake did not differ among treatments; however, seasonal variations are presented. Results suggest that the chelate forms of Mn and/or Zn in the refill solution for NFT-grown beans do not lead to any changes, adding superiority in the yield, photosynthesis, and nutritional status of the crops compared to their mineral forms.

ACS Style

Damianos Neocleous; Georgios Nikolaou; Georgia Ntatsi; Dimitrios Savvas. Impact of Chelated or Inorganic Manganese and Zinc Applications in Closed Hydroponic Bean Crops on Growth, Yield, Photosynthesis, and Nutrient Uptake. Agronomy 2020, 10, 881 .

AMA Style

Damianos Neocleous, Georgios Nikolaou, Georgia Ntatsi, Dimitrios Savvas. Impact of Chelated or Inorganic Manganese and Zinc Applications in Closed Hydroponic Bean Crops on Growth, Yield, Photosynthesis, and Nutrient Uptake. Agronomy. 2020; 10 (6):881.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Damianos Neocleous; Georgios Nikolaou; Georgia Ntatsi; Dimitrios Savvas. 2020. "Impact of Chelated or Inorganic Manganese and Zinc Applications in Closed Hydroponic Bean Crops on Growth, Yield, Photosynthesis, and Nutrient Uptake." Agronomy 10, no. 6: 881.

Journal article
Published: 27 May 2020 in Atmosphere
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Smart farming based on Internet of Things (IoT) technologies enables crop farmers to collect real-time data related to irrigation and plant protection processes, aiming to increase production volume, improve product quality, and predict diseases, while optimizing resources and farming processes. IoT devices can collect vast amounts of environmental, soil, and crop performance data, thus building time series data that can be analyzed to forecast and compute recommendations and deliver critical information to farmers in real time. In this sense, the added-value from the farmers’ perspective is that such smart farming techniques have the potential to deliver a more sustainable agricultural production, based on a more precise and resource-efficient approach in the complex and versatile agricultural environment. The aim of this study is to investigate possible advantages of applying the Smart Farming as a Service (SFaaS) paradigm, aiming to support small-scale farmers, by taking over the technological investment burden and offering next generation farming advice through the combined utilization of heterogeneous information sources. The overall results of the pilot application demonstrate a potential reduction of up to 22% on total irrigation needs and important optimization opportunities on pesticides use efficiency. The current work offers opportunities for innovation targeting and climate change adaptation options (new agricultural technologies), and could help farmers to reduce their ecological footprint.

ACS Style

George Adamides; Nikos Kalatzis; Andreas Stylianou; Nikolaos Marianos; Fotis Chatzipapadopoulos; Marianthi Giannakopoulou; George Papadavid; Vassilis Vassiliou; Damianos Neocleous. Smart Farming Techniques for Climate Change Adaptation in Cyprus. Atmosphere 2020, 11, 557 .

AMA Style

George Adamides, Nikos Kalatzis, Andreas Stylianou, Nikolaos Marianos, Fotis Chatzipapadopoulos, Marianthi Giannakopoulou, George Papadavid, Vassilis Vassiliou, Damianos Neocleous. Smart Farming Techniques for Climate Change Adaptation in Cyprus. Atmosphere. 2020; 11 (6):557.

Chicago/Turabian Style

George Adamides; Nikos Kalatzis; Andreas Stylianou; Nikolaos Marianos; Fotis Chatzipapadopoulos; Marianthi Giannakopoulou; George Papadavid; Vassilis Vassiliou; Damianos Neocleous. 2020. "Smart Farming Techniques for Climate Change Adaptation in Cyprus." Atmosphere 11, no. 6: 557.

Journal article
Published: 20 March 2020 in Atmosphere
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This study was conducted in order to investigate possible quality changes in Cyprus’ groundwater resources over a 10-year period of pumping and to check the suitability of primary irrigation water. Water samples (n = 890) from private wells in agricultural areas were analyzed from 2009 to 2018 to determine various physicochemical properties. The sodium adsorption ratio (SAR) and residual sodium carbonate (RSC) were also calculated to evaluate potential soil degradation issues. Sodium, chloride and sulphate were found to be the predominant ions in groundwater. Quality evaluation showed possible restrictions in groundwater use for irrigation in relation to its salt content and the toxicity of specific ions having adverse effects on sensitive and several moderately sensitive crops. In particular, an increasing trend was observed in pumped groundwater for boron ion concentrations. Nevertheless, all samples evaluated were suitable for irrigation in terms of soil sodicitation and soil infiltration rate. This study indicates that in order to maintain long-term agricultural sustainability it is imperative to develop strategic plants to mitigate the adverse effects of water-pumped quality deterioration on soils and crops. Precision agriculture techniques may be adapted for better water and nutrient input/output management, thus protecting groundwater from salinization in agricultural areas. These results, among others, may be a useful tool to enhance the ability of Cyprus’s agricultural water sector to adapt to observed and anticipated climate impacts.

ACS Style

Georgios Nikolaou; Damianos Neocleous; Christos Christophi; Theodosia Heracleous; Marinos Markou. Irrigation Groundwater Quality Characteristics: A Case Study of Cyprus. Atmosphere 2020, 11, 302 .

AMA Style

Georgios Nikolaou, Damianos Neocleous, Christos Christophi, Theodosia Heracleous, Marinos Markou. Irrigation Groundwater Quality Characteristics: A Case Study of Cyprus. Atmosphere. 2020; 11 (3):302.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Georgios Nikolaou; Damianos Neocleous; Christos Christophi; Theodosia Heracleous; Marinos Markou. 2020. "Irrigation Groundwater Quality Characteristics: A Case Study of Cyprus." Atmosphere 11, no. 3: 302.

Journal article
Published: 01 February 2020 in Acta Horticulturae
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ACS Style

N. Katsoulas; Georgios Nikolaou; Damianos Neocleous; C. Kittas. Microclimate and cucumber crop transpiration in a greenhouse cooled by pad and fan system. Acta Horticulturae 2020, 235 -240.

AMA Style

N. Katsoulas, Georgios Nikolaou, Damianos Neocleous, C. Kittas. Microclimate and cucumber crop transpiration in a greenhouse cooled by pad and fan system. Acta Horticulturae. 2020; (1271):235-240.

Chicago/Turabian Style

N. Katsoulas; Georgios Nikolaou; Damianos Neocleous; C. Kittas. 2020. "Microclimate and cucumber crop transpiration in a greenhouse cooled by pad and fan system." Acta Horticulturae , no. 1271: 235-240.

Journal article
Published: 08 November 2019 in Agronomy
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This study was commissioned to study the effect of the growing season on the antioxidant components of greenhouse sweet pepper crops, which is of scientific interest because of their possible beneficial health effects. The total antioxidant activity (estimated by ferric reducing antioxidant power-FRAP assay) major antioxidants (ascorbic acid, phenolics and carotenoids) and taste fruit quality characteristics (soluble solids, titratable acidity, dry matter and sugars) were recorded in soilless-grown sweet pepper cultivars of red, orange, yellow and green color at four harvesting season months, i.e., February (winter), May (spring), July (summer) and October (autumn). The results showed seasonal variations in antioxidant components and activity of pepper fruits. In most cases measured parameters showed higher values in spring (May) and summer (July) compared with winter (February) and autumn (October) growing seasons. This study indicates that during late autumn and winter, lower levels of solar irradiance, ultraviolet radiation and temperature in Mediterranean greenhouses can be insufficient to stimulate phytochemicals production in peppers; thus, plant–light interception must be more actively managed.

ACS Style

Damianos Neocleous; Georgios Nikolaou. Antioxidant Seasonal Changes in Soilless Greenhouse Sweet Peppers. Agronomy 2019, 9, 730 .

AMA Style

Damianos Neocleous, Georgios Nikolaou. Antioxidant Seasonal Changes in Soilless Greenhouse Sweet Peppers. Agronomy. 2019; 9 (11):730.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Damianos Neocleous; Georgios Nikolaou. 2019. "Antioxidant Seasonal Changes in Soilless Greenhouse Sweet Peppers." Agronomy 9, no. 11: 730.

Book chapter
Published: 10 September 2019 in Managing soil health for sustainable agriculture Volume 1
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ACS Style

Dimitrios Savvas; Damianos Neocleous; Natural Resources And Environment Ministry Of Agriculture. Developments in soilless/hydroponic cultivation of vegetables. Managing soil health for sustainable agriculture Volume 1 2019, 211 -243.

AMA Style

Dimitrios Savvas, Damianos Neocleous, Natural Resources And Environment Ministry Of Agriculture. Developments in soilless/hydroponic cultivation of vegetables. Managing soil health for sustainable agriculture Volume 1. 2019; ():211-243.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Dimitrios Savvas; Damianos Neocleous; Natural Resources And Environment Ministry Of Agriculture. 2019. "Developments in soilless/hydroponic cultivation of vegetables." Managing soil health for sustainable agriculture Volume 1 , no. : 211-243.

Journal article
Published: 11 June 2019 in Agronomy
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Two experiments were conducted in different cropping seasons under Mediterranean climatic conditions to investigate the impact of two cooling systems (fan-pad evaporative as opposed to fan ventilation) on greenhouse microclimate and soilless cucumber growth. The second objective of the experiment was to determine the most appropriate irrigation regime (between 0.24 and 0.32 L m−2) in relation to crop water uptake and greenhouse fertigation effluents. The use of a fan ventilation system enhanced the vapor pressure deficit; thus, the crop transpiration improved by 60% in relation to the transpiration rates of plants grown under the fan-pad system. Higher transpiration rates alleviated the heat load as the external–inside greenhouse air differences declined from 6.2 °C to 3 °C. The leaf–air temperature differential indicated that plants were not facing any water stress conditions for both cooling systems tested; however, fan ventilation reduced drainage emissions outflows (95% decrease) compared with evaporative cooling. Results also demonstrated that an irrigation regime of 0.24 L m−2 can be applied successfully in soilless cucumber crops, keeping the drainage to a minimum (20% of the nutrient solution supply). These results suggest that fan ventilation cooling system in conjugation with an appropriate irrigation regime prevents overheating and minimizes the nutrient and water losses in spring-grown soilless cucumber crops in Mediterranean greenhouses without compromising yield.

ACS Style

Georgios Nikolaou; Damianos Neocleous; Nikolaos Katsoulas; Constantinos Kittas. Effects of Cooling Systems on Greenhouse Microclimate and Cucumber Growth under Mediterranean Climatic Conditions. Agronomy 2019, 9, 300 .

AMA Style

Georgios Nikolaou, Damianos Neocleous, Nikolaos Katsoulas, Constantinos Kittas. Effects of Cooling Systems on Greenhouse Microclimate and Cucumber Growth under Mediterranean Climatic Conditions. Agronomy. 2019; 9 (6):300.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Georgios Nikolaou; Damianos Neocleous; Nikolaos Katsoulas; Constantinos Kittas. 2019. "Effects of Cooling Systems on Greenhouse Microclimate and Cucumber Growth under Mediterranean Climatic Conditions." Agronomy 9, no. 6: 300.

Journal article
Published: 12 April 2019 in Scientia Horticulturae
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In this study, we investigated the impact of phosphorus (P) supply levels (0.8, 1.3 and 1.8 mM) in two green leaf lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) types, namely ‘Romaine’ (cv. Nader), and ‘Lollo’ (cv. Bionda) grown in a recirculating nutrient solution. The biomass yield of the Romaine type was reduced by 15% at the lowest P supply (0.8 mM) and plants showed reduced photosynthetic function (i.e., net photosynthesis, stomatal conductance, quantum yield and electron flow) and increased root/shoot ratio. On the other hand, the Lollo type maintained photosynthetic rates and biomass accumulation in all cases and proved less sensitive to low P levels in the NS. At the lowest P supply, the P concentration in the recirculating solution declined to 0.1 mM and showed a decline in leaf P and Ca concentrations and an increase in total sugar and nitrate content, depending on the cultivar. Also, lowering P supply boosted P-use efficiency (kg biomass kg−1 P supply) in both types of lettuce. Nutrient to water uptake ratios of macro nutrients N, P, K, Ca and Mg were determined as follows: (i) 16.0, 1.3, 9.1, 3.1 and 0.9 mmol L−1, respectively for Romaine, and (ii) 16.4, 1.3, 9.1, 3.3 and 0.9 mmol L−1, respectively for Lollo. The current experimental results suggest that, reducing the P supply to lower levels than those currently recommended for lettuce crops grown in closed hydroponics considerably improves the P use efficiency in Mediterranean greenhouses without compromising yield.

ACS Style

Damianos Neocleous; Dimitrios Savvas. The effects of phosphorus supply limitation on photosynthesis, biomass production, nutritional quality, and mineral nutrition in lettuce grown in a recirculating nutrient solution. Scientia Horticulturae 2019, 252, 379 -387.

AMA Style

Damianos Neocleous, Dimitrios Savvas. The effects of phosphorus supply limitation on photosynthesis, biomass production, nutritional quality, and mineral nutrition in lettuce grown in a recirculating nutrient solution. Scientia Horticulturae. 2019; 252 ():379-387.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Damianos Neocleous; Dimitrios Savvas. 2019. "The effects of phosphorus supply limitation on photosynthesis, biomass production, nutritional quality, and mineral nutrition in lettuce grown in a recirculating nutrient solution." Scientia Horticulturae 252, no. : 379-387.

Review
Published: 15 January 2019 in Horticulturae
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Precision agricultural greenhouse systems indicate considerable scope for improvement of irrigation management practices, since growers typically irrigate crops based on their personal experience. Soil-based greenhouse crop irrigation management requires estimation on a daily basis, whereas soilless systems must be estimated on an hourly or even shorter interval schedule. Historically, irrigation scheduling methods have been based on soil or substrate monitoring, dependent on climate or time with each having both strengths and weaknesses. Recently, plant-based monitoring or plant reflectance-derived indices have been developed, yet their potential is limited for estimating the irrigation rate in order to apply proper irrigation scheduling. Optimization of irrigation practices imposes different irrigation approaches, based on prevailing greenhouse environments, considering plant-water-soil relationships. This article presents a comprehensive review of the literature, which deals with irrigation scheduling approaches applied for soil and soilless greenhouse production systems. Irrigation decisions are categorized according to whether or not an automatic irrigation control has the ability to support a feedback irrigation decision system. The need for further development of neural networks systems is required.

ACS Style

Georgios Nikolaou; Damianos Neocleous; Nikolaos Katsoulas; Constantinos Kittas. Irrigation of Greenhouse Crops. Horticulturae 2019, 5, 7 .

AMA Style

Georgios Nikolaou, Damianos Neocleous, Nikolaos Katsoulas, Constantinos Kittas. Irrigation of Greenhouse Crops. Horticulturae. 2019; 5 (1):7.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Georgios Nikolaou; Damianos Neocleous; Nikolaos Katsoulas; Constantinos Kittas. 2019. "Irrigation of Greenhouse Crops." Horticulturae 5, no. 1: 7.

Brief report
Published: 21 December 2018 in Agriculture
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The study aimed at investigating eventual deviations from typical recommendations of irrigation water application to crops in Cyprus given the undeniable changes in recent weather conditions. It focused on the seasonal or monthly changes in crop evapotranspiration (ETc) and net irrigation requirements (NIR) of a number of permanent and annual crops over two consecutive overlapping periods (1976–2000 and 1990–2014). While the differences in the seasonal ETc and NIR estimates were not statistically significant between the studied periods, differences were identified via a month-by-month comparison. In March, the water demands of crops appeared to be significantly greater during the recent past in relation to 1976–2000, while for NIR, March showed statistically significant increases and September showed significant decreases. Consequently, the adjustment of irrigation schedules to climate change by farmers should not rely on annual trends as an eventual mismatch of monthly crop water needs with irrigation water supply might affect the critical growth stages of crops with a disproportionately greater negative impact on yields and quality. The clear increase in irrigation needs in March coincides with the most sensitive growth stage of irrigated potato crops in Cyprus. Therefore, the results may serve as a useful tool for current and future adaptation measures.

ACS Style

Panagiotis Dalias; Anastasis Christou; Damianos Neocleous. Adjustment of Irrigation Schedules as a Strategy to Mitigate Climate Change Impacts on Agriculture in Cyprus. Agriculture 2018, 9, 4 .

AMA Style

Panagiotis Dalias, Anastasis Christou, Damianos Neocleous. Adjustment of Irrigation Schedules as a Strategy to Mitigate Climate Change Impacts on Agriculture in Cyprus. Agriculture. 2018; 9 (1):4.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Panagiotis Dalias; Anastasis Christou; Damianos Neocleous. 2018. "Adjustment of Irrigation Schedules as a Strategy to Mitigate Climate Change Impacts on Agriculture in Cyprus." Agriculture 9, no. 1: 4.

Journal article
Published: 01 April 2018 in Agricultural Water Management
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Soilless zucchini (Cucurbita pepo L.) crops were grown in two distinct cropping periods (spring-summer; SS and autumn-winter; AW) using irrigation water with different Ca2+ concentrations (1.5, 3, 4.5 and 6 mM). The objectives of this study were to: (i) mathematically correlate the accumulation of Ca2+ in the root environment with the respective Ca2+/water uptake ratio (namely uptake concentration; UC), and (ii) determine the UC of macronutrients (i.e., N, P, K, Ca and Mg) under these conditions. Equations of the literature, initially developed to predict NaCl accumulation in a closed hydroponic system, were further extended to fit experimental results. The evolution of Ca2+ accumulation in the drainage exhibited a sigmoid pattern with time and the relationship between the concentration of Ca2+ in the root zone and the corresponding uptake ratio Ca2+/water was better described by curvilinear functions. Validation of the model showed a very good agreement between simulated and measured values. Increasing Ca2+ levels affected both tissue concentrations and UC of Ca and N, but this was not the case for P, K, and Mg. Photosynthesis, growth, yield and plant water uptake were restricted (avg. 15% decrease) at high external Ca2+ levels, due to high total salt concentration (EC) in the recycled solution (4.2–5.5 dS m−1). Fruit quality attributes, however, remained unaffected by treatments with the exception of fruit nitrate content. The empirical model parameterized and tested in this work may serve as a tool to predict Ca2+ ion concentrations in the root environment of zucchini crops as relationships of the water absorbed by the crop. Finally, the results showed that in soilless zucchini crops with zero discharge of fertigation effluents, there is no compelling reason not to use irrigation water resources with Ca2+ concentration up to 3 mM.

ACS Style

Damianos Neocleous; Dimitrios Savvas. Modelling Ca2+ accumulation in soilless zucchini crops: Physiological and agronomical responses. Agricultural Water Management 2018, 203, 197 -206.

AMA Style

Damianos Neocleous, Dimitrios Savvas. Modelling Ca2+ accumulation in soilless zucchini crops: Physiological and agronomical responses. Agricultural Water Management. 2018; 203 ():197-206.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Damianos Neocleous; Dimitrios Savvas. 2018. "Modelling Ca2+ accumulation in soilless zucchini crops: Physiological and agronomical responses." Agricultural Water Management 203, no. : 197-206.

Journal article
Published: 01 April 2018 in Scientia Horticulturae
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ACS Style

Damianos Neocleous; Georgia Ntatsi. Seasonal variations of antioxidants and other agronomic features in soilless production of selected fresh aromatic herbs. Scientia Horticulturae 2018, 234, 290 -299.

AMA Style

Damianos Neocleous, Georgia Ntatsi. Seasonal variations of antioxidants and other agronomic features in soilless production of selected fresh aromatic herbs. Scientia Horticulturae. 2018; 234 ():290-299.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Damianos Neocleous; Georgia Ntatsi. 2018. "Seasonal variations of antioxidants and other agronomic features in soilless production of selected fresh aromatic herbs." Scientia Horticulturae 234, no. : 290-299.

Journal article
Published: 12 January 2018 in Emirates Journal of Food and Agriculture
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Three experiments (spring and autumn-winter seasons) with soilless cucumber crop (cv. Phenomeno) were conducted in order: (i) to calibrate the simplified Penman -Monteith model equation as affected by greenhouse microclimate (ii) to validate the prediction efficiency of the model at different climatic conditions and (iii) to establish a relationship between transpiration and leaf temperature. To determine Penman-Monteith model parameter variables related to the plants such as transpiration and leaf area index (LAI), so as environmental variables (i.e., radiation, temperature, humidity) were recorded. The results revealed that the determined model parameters were suitable for the whole cucumber cultivation cycle and a wide range of climatic conditions. However, parameterization of the model using autumn-winter crop data revealed superiority compared to spring data, as indicated by the correlation coefficients. Model validation showed a good fit between simulates and measures allowing implementation in commercial soilless practices. With respect to greenhouse microclimate, cooling affected daily mean air temperature and vapor pressure deficit, so as model coefficients. Leaf temperature indicated a good correlation with transpiration and the prediction equation was validated under different greenhouse climatic conditions. These results may be of value in Mediterranean greenhouses, enabling a more efficient water resource management without significant losses in agricultural productivity.

ACS Style

Georgios Nikolaou; Damianos Neocleous; Constantinos Kittas Nikolaos Katsoulas. Modelling transpiration of soilless greenhouse cucumber and its relationship with leaf temperature in a Mediterranean climate. Emirates Journal of Food and Agriculture 2018, 911 -920.

AMA Style

Georgios Nikolaou, Damianos Neocleous, Constantinos Kittas Nikolaos Katsoulas. Modelling transpiration of soilless greenhouse cucumber and its relationship with leaf temperature in a Mediterranean climate. Emirates Journal of Food and Agriculture. 2018; ():911-920.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Georgios Nikolaou; Damianos Neocleous; Constantinos Kittas Nikolaos Katsoulas. 2018. "Modelling transpiration of soilless greenhouse cucumber and its relationship with leaf temperature in a Mediterranean climate." Emirates Journal of Food and Agriculture , no. : 911-920.

Journal article
Published: 06 December 2017 in Plants
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The nitrogen (N) effect of legumes is one of the main reasons for their inclusion in rotation systems and their success in rainfed agriculture of Mediterranean areas. The comparative analysis of this effect in relation to alternative systems or practices is essential for a comprehensive appreciation in their merit. This field experiment was comprised of four three-year rotation cycles. Wheat (Triticum turgidum durum) was seeded for two consecutive years after common vetch (Vicia sativa L.), treated in three different ways, and after fallow and compared with three wheat monocultures: the conventional one, the continuous straw incorporation, and the sewage sludge incorporation once every three years. Wheat grain and straw yields and N uptake were compared among treatments. Results showed that rotation systems that included vetch were the most promising for improving sustainability. Maximum N uptake and the greatest yield surpluses were obtained when wheat followed vetch incorporated during flowering. When vetch in the rotation was cut for hay or left to fill grains subsequent wheat showed also enhanced yields. Fallow affected the rotation system’s fertility due to the incorporation of volunteer plants into the soil. Sewage sludge sustained production without the need for inorganic fertilization during three years. Straw incorporation always gave the smallest yields and N harvests, presumably due to soil N immobilization.

ACS Style

Panagiotis Dalias; Damianos Neocleous. Comparative Analysis of the Nitrogen Effect of Common Agricultural Practices and Rotation Systems in a Rainfed Mediterranean Environment. Plants 2017, 6, 61 .

AMA Style

Panagiotis Dalias, Damianos Neocleous. Comparative Analysis of the Nitrogen Effect of Common Agricultural Practices and Rotation Systems in a Rainfed Mediterranean Environment. Plants. 2017; 6 (4):61.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Panagiotis Dalias; Damianos Neocleous. 2017. "Comparative Analysis of the Nitrogen Effect of Common Agricultural Practices and Rotation Systems in a Rainfed Mediterranean Environment." Plants 6, no. 4: 61.

Journal article
Published: 16 October 2017 in Emirates Journal of Food and Agriculture
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Three irrigation frequencies were applied on a soilless cucumber crop, in a greenhouse located in the coastal area of southern Cyprus. Irrigation scheduling was based on solar radiation and performed whenever accumulated solar radiation energy outside the greenhouse reached 1.3 MJ m-2 [High Irrigation Frequency (HIF)], 1.9 MJ m-2 [Medium Irrigation Frequency (MIF)] and 3.0 MJ m-2 [Low Irrigation Frequency (LIF)]. The amount of water applied was 0.192 Kg m-2, 0.288 Kg m-2 and 0.448 Kg m-2 for high, medium and low irrigation frequencies, respectively. Appropriately, the total volume of water applied was identical in each of the three cases. In order to study the effects of irrigation frequency on cucumber crops, multiple measurements were taken; the fresh and dry weight of plant organs (i.e. leaves, stem and fruit), marketable fresh yield production, and microclimate variables for a 75 day period, beginning in April and ending in June. The results revealed that the irrigation frequency did not influence the cucumber crop’s growth and production. Plants at LIF were facing water stress conditions, as estimated from leaf temperature and stem micro variation measurements. However, HIF increased the transpiration rate of the plants, resulting in less water and nutrient losses.

ACS Style

Georgios Nikolaou; Damianos Neocleous; Nikolaos Katsoulas; Constantinos Kittas. Effect of irrigation frequency on growth and production of a cucumber crop under soilless culture. Emirates Journal of Food and Agriculture 2017, 863 -871.

AMA Style

Georgios Nikolaou, Damianos Neocleous, Nikolaos Katsoulas, Constantinos Kittas. Effect of irrigation frequency on growth and production of a cucumber crop under soilless culture. Emirates Journal of Food and Agriculture. 2017; ():863-871.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Georgios Nikolaou; Damianos Neocleous; Nikolaos Katsoulas; Constantinos Kittas. 2017. "Effect of irrigation frequency on growth and production of a cucumber crop under soilless culture." Emirates Journal of Food and Agriculture , no. : 863-871.