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Prof. Nikolaos Katsoulas
University of Thessaly, Department of Agriculture Crop Production and Rural Env

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0 Aquaponics
0 Greenhouse
0 Renewable Energy
0 water management
0 microalgae

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microclimate
transpiration
water management
microalgae
Aquaponics
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Journal article
Published: 26 July 2021 in Sustainability
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This work aims at using the Computational Fluid Dynamic (CFD) approach to study the distributed microclimate in the leaf boundary layer of greenhouse crops. Understanding the interactions in this microclimate of this natural habitat of plant pests (i.e., boundary layer of leaves), is a prerequisite for their control through targeted climate management for sustainable greenhouse production. The temperature and humidity simulations, inside the greenhouse, were performed using CFD code which has been adapted to simulate the plant activity within each mesh in the crop canopy. The air temperature and air humidity profiles within the boundary layer of leaves were deduced from the local surrounding climate parameters, based on an analytical approach, encapsulated in a Used Defined Function (UDF), and dynamically linked to the CFD solver, a work that forms an innovative and original task. Thus, this model represents a new approach to investigate the microclimate in the boundary layer of leaves under greenhouses, which resolves the issue of the inaccessibility of this area by the conventionnel measurement tools. The findings clearly showed that (i) contrarily to what might be expected, the microclimate parameters within the boundary layer of leaves are different from the surrounding climate in the greenhouse. This is particularly visible during photoperiods when the plant’s transpiration activity is at its maximum and that (ii) the climatic parameters in the leaf boundary layer are more coupled with leaf surfaces than with those of greenhouse air. These results can help developing localized intervention strategies on the microclimate within boundary layer of plant leaves, leading to improved and sustainable pest control management. The developed climatic strategies will make it possible to optimize resources use efficiency.

ACS Style

Hicham Fatnassi; Thierry Boulard; Christine Poncet; Nikolaos Katsoulas; Thomas Bartzanas; Murat Kacira; Habtamu Giday; In-Bok Lee. Computational Fluid Dynamics Modelling of the Microclimate within the Boundary Layer of Leaves Leading to Improved Pest Control Management and Low-Input Greenhouse. Sustainability 2021, 13, 8310 .

AMA Style

Hicham Fatnassi, Thierry Boulard, Christine Poncet, Nikolaos Katsoulas, Thomas Bartzanas, Murat Kacira, Habtamu Giday, In-Bok Lee. Computational Fluid Dynamics Modelling of the Microclimate within the Boundary Layer of Leaves Leading to Improved Pest Control Management and Low-Input Greenhouse. Sustainability. 2021; 13 (15):8310.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Hicham Fatnassi; Thierry Boulard; Christine Poncet; Nikolaos Katsoulas; Thomas Bartzanas; Murat Kacira; Habtamu Giday; In-Bok Lee. 2021. "Computational Fluid Dynamics Modelling of the Microclimate within the Boundary Layer of Leaves Leading to Improved Pest Control Management and Low-Input Greenhouse." Sustainability 13, no. 15: 8310.

Journal article
Published: 21 July 2021 in Horticulturae
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In a cascade hydroponic system, the used nutrient solution drained from a primary crop is directed to a secondary crop, enhancing resource-use efficiency while minimizing waste. Nevertheless, the inevitably increased EC of the drainage solution requires salinity-tolerant crops. The present study explored the salinity-tolerance thresholds of basil to evaluate its potential use as a secondary crop in a cascade system. Two distinct but complemented approaches were used; the first experiment examined basil response to increased levels of salinity (5, 10 and 15 dS m−1, compared with 2 dS m−1 of control) to identify the limits, and the second experiment employed a cascade system with cucumber as a primary crop to monitor basil responses to the drainage solution of 3.2 dS m−1. Growth, ascorbate content, nutrient concentration, and total amino acid concentration and profile were determined in both experiments. Various aspects of basil growth and biochemical performance collectively indicated the 5 dS m−1 salinity level as the upper limit/threshold of tolerance to stress. Higher salinity levels considerably suppressed fresh weight production, though the total concentration of amino acids showed a sevenfold increase under 15 dS m−1 and 4.5-fold under 5 and 10 dS m−1 compared to the control. The performance of basil in the cascade system was subject to a compromise between a reduction of fresh produce and an increase of total amino acids and ascorbate content. This outcome indicated that basil performed well under the conditions and the system employed in the present study, and might be a good candidate for use as a secondary crop in cascade-hydroponics systems.

ACS Style

Denisa Avdouli; Johannes Max; Nikolaos Katsoulas; Efi Levizou. Basil as Secondary Crop in Cascade Hydroponics: Exploring Salinity Tolerance Limits in Terms of Growth, Amino Acid Profile, and Nutrient Composition. Horticulturae 2021, 7, 203 .

AMA Style

Denisa Avdouli, Johannes Max, Nikolaos Katsoulas, Efi Levizou. Basil as Secondary Crop in Cascade Hydroponics: Exploring Salinity Tolerance Limits in Terms of Growth, Amino Acid Profile, and Nutrient Composition. Horticulturae. 2021; 7 (8):203.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Denisa Avdouli; Johannes Max; Nikolaos Katsoulas; Efi Levizou. 2021. "Basil as Secondary Crop in Cascade Hydroponics: Exploring Salinity Tolerance Limits in Terms of Growth, Amino Acid Profile, and Nutrient Composition." Horticulturae 7, no. 8: 203.

Journal article
Published: 20 July 2021 in Computers and Electronics in Agriculture
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Nowadays, there is a great need and public concern for reduced use of hazardous pesticides in horticulture and implementation of alternative approaches for rational pests and diseases suppression. This goal is approached by integrating crop protection measures and non-chemical measures or applying crop protection products only when needed, thus eliminating unnecessary applications. In addition, preventive farm management methods such as optimal management of the aerial environment in greenhouses with sufficient installed technology may provide adequate disease suppression, as the grower can avoid conditions that favour pests and fungus development. Aim of this study is the development of a web-based decision support system (DSS) that estimates the risk for a fungi disease outbreak in a greenhouse. The disease development risk assessment is based on disease models already available in the literature that correlate the rate of disease development to crop microclimate conditions and cultivation practices. Up to now such models were mainly used for the disease development risk assessment based on past or historical data. A strong point of the work is related to the fact that the DSS makes use of the outside climate forecast to predict the greenhouse microclimate conditions during a set of days that will follow. Then, based on the predicted microclimate inside the greenhouse the Botrytis disease development models are used to assess the potential risk for disease development in a greenhouse tomato crop during the following days. The greenhouse microclimate is estimated based on the outside weather forecast for the region of the greenhouse, the greenhouse energy and vapour balance, the greenhouse control concept and methodology, the climate control equipment and the greenhouse climate set points. The last part of the DSS, contains a tactical and strategical tool that, according to the risk assessment, suggests climate control actions to prevent fungi development for preventive and optimal disease control. Such a DSS can then be included in disease management systems to assist growers to decide when to proceed to a certain action in order to modify the conditions that favour the development of a disease, or if necessary, when to apply the proper permitted plant protection products. In this work, the development of the DSS and the results of the validation process of the microclimate predicted values are presented.

ACS Style

Nikolaos Katsoulas; Dimitrios Antoniadis; Andreas Nikitas. A web-based system for fungus disease risk assessment in greenhouses: System development. Computers and Electronics in Agriculture 2021, 188, 106326 .

AMA Style

Nikolaos Katsoulas, Dimitrios Antoniadis, Andreas Nikitas. A web-based system for fungus disease risk assessment in greenhouses: System development. Computers and Electronics in Agriculture. 2021; 188 ():106326.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Nikolaos Katsoulas; Dimitrios Antoniadis; Andreas Nikitas. 2021. "A web-based system for fungus disease risk assessment in greenhouses: System development." Computers and Electronics in Agriculture 188, no. : 106326.

Journal article
Published: 03 June 2021 in PeerJ
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The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of three daily fish feeding frequencies, two, four and eight times per day (FF2, FF4, and FF8, respectively) on growth performance of sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax)and lettuce plants (Lactuca sativa) reared in aquaponics. 171 juvenile sea bass with an average body weight of 6.80 ± 0.095 g were used, together with 24 lettuce plants with an average initial height of 11.78 ± 0.074 cm over a 45-day trial period. FF2 fish group showed a significantly lower final weight, weight gain and specific growth rate than the FF4 and FF8 groups. Voluntary feed intake was similar for all the three feeding frequencies treatmens (p > 0.05). No plant mortality was observed during the 45-day study period. All three aquaponic systems resulted in a similar leaf fresh weight and fresh and dry aerial biomass. The results of the present study showed that the FF4 or FF8 feeding frequency contributes to the more efficient utilization of nutrients for better growth of sea bass adapted to fresh water while successfully supporting plant growth to a marketable biomass.

ACS Style

Paraskevi Stathopoulou; Panagiotis Berillis; Nikolaos Vlahos; Eleni Nikouli; Konstantinos A. Kormas; Efi Levizou; Nikolaos Katsoulas; Eleni Mente. Freshwater-adapted sea bass Dicentrarchus labrax feeding frequency impact in a lettuce Lactuca sativa aquaponics system. PeerJ 2021, 9, e11522 .

AMA Style

Paraskevi Stathopoulou, Panagiotis Berillis, Nikolaos Vlahos, Eleni Nikouli, Konstantinos A. Kormas, Efi Levizou, Nikolaos Katsoulas, Eleni Mente. Freshwater-adapted sea bass Dicentrarchus labrax feeding frequency impact in a lettuce Lactuca sativa aquaponics system. PeerJ. 2021; 9 ():e11522.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Paraskevi Stathopoulou; Panagiotis Berillis; Nikolaos Vlahos; Eleni Nikouli; Konstantinos A. Kormas; Efi Levizou; Nikolaos Katsoulas; Eleni Mente. 2021. "Freshwater-adapted sea bass Dicentrarchus labrax feeding frequency impact in a lettuce Lactuca sativa aquaponics system." PeerJ 9, no. : e11522.

Research article
Published: 08 January 2021 in Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture
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BACKGROUND The use of water containing Ca(HCO3)2 at excessively high concentrations in closed hydroponic crops can cause Ca2+ accumulation in the recycled nutrient solution (NS) and concomitantly negatively affect yield and product quality. The aim of the study was to determine maximum Ca2+ concentrations that do not harm the crop and to simulate the pattern of Ca2+ accumulation when the Ca2+ concentration in the irrigation water, and concomitantly in the replenishment nutrient solutions (RNS), is excessive. In the current study, irrigation water containing 1.5, 3.0, 4.5 and 6.0 mmol L‐1 Ca2+ was used to prepare the RNS supplied to pepper cultivated in a closed hydroponic system. RESULTS At 1.5 mmol L‐1 Ca2+, no Ca2+ accumulation was observed in the recirculating NS. However, at 3.0, 4.5 and 6.0 mmol L‐1 in the irrigation water, the Ca2+ concentration in the recirculating NS, increased by the latter cropping stages to 17, 28 and 37 mmol L‐1, corresponding to 6.4, 9.0 and 10.8 dS m‐1. The accumulation of Ca2+ in the recirculating NS affected both tissue nutrient concentrations and uptake concentrations of Ca2+, SO42‐ and Mg2+, but this was not the case for N+ and K+. Growth, yield and plant water uptake were restricted at moderate (3.0 and 4.5 mmol L‐1) and high (6.0 mmol L‐1) external Ca2+ levels. CONCLUSION In soilless pepper crops with zero discharge of fertigation effluents, the Ca2+ concentration in the irrigation water and the RNS should be lower than 3.0 mmol L‐1 to avoid yield restrictions due to salinity.

ACS Style

Andreas Ropokis; Georgia Ntatsi; Youssef Rouphael; Anastasios Kotsiras; Constantinos Kittas; Nikolaos Katsoulas; Dimitrios Savvas. Responses of sweet pepper ( Capsicum annum L.) cultivated in a closed hydroponic system to variable calcium concentrations in the nutrient solution. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture 2021, 101, 4342 -4349.

AMA Style

Andreas Ropokis, Georgia Ntatsi, Youssef Rouphael, Anastasios Kotsiras, Constantinos Kittas, Nikolaos Katsoulas, Dimitrios Savvas. Responses of sweet pepper ( Capsicum annum L.) cultivated in a closed hydroponic system to variable calcium concentrations in the nutrient solution. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture. 2021; 101 (10):4342-4349.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Andreas Ropokis; Georgia Ntatsi; Youssef Rouphael; Anastasios Kotsiras; Constantinos Kittas; Nikolaos Katsoulas; Dimitrios Savvas. 2021. "Responses of sweet pepper ( Capsicum annum L.) cultivated in a closed hydroponic system to variable calcium concentrations in the nutrient solution." Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture 101, no. 10: 4342-4349.

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: 13 November 2020 in Horticulturae
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The circular economy in agriculture aims to reduce waste while also making best use of residues by using economically viable processes and procedures to increase their value. In this study a two-level cascade cultivation system was set up under greenhouse conditions. The research was focused on the identification of crop species as secondary crops and the development/iterative optimization of cultivation practices. For this purpose, different crop-combinations with a primary and different secondary crops were investigated using different system-layouts. Measurements were carried out during two cultivation periods. During the 1st Period a combination of cucumber (Cucumis sativus) as primary crop, with rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis), basil (Ocimum basilicum), and peppermint (Mentha piperita) as secondary crops, was evaluated. In the 2nd Period the drainage of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) plants was re-used to irrigate spearmint (Mentha spicata), dill (Anethum graveolens), celery (Apium graveolens) and parsley (Petroselinum crispum) plants. In both periods, different fertigation management strategies based on the drainage solution of the primary crop were employed. The use of the cascade hydroponic system improved both crop water and nutrient use efficiency. Notably, the NO3 disposal was about 40% less as compared to a monoculture. Average fresh water consumption of secondary crop plants irrigated with diluted drainage solution was reduced by 30% in comparison to plants irrigated with fresh water.

ACS Style

Angeliki Elvanidi; Cinthya Benitez Reascos; Elissavet Gourzoulidou; Alexander Kunze; Johannes Max; Nikolaos Katsoulas. Implementation of the Circular Economy Concept in Greenhouse Hydroponics for Ultimate Use of Water and Nutrients. Horticulturae 2020, 6, 83 .

AMA Style

Angeliki Elvanidi, Cinthya Benitez Reascos, Elissavet Gourzoulidou, Alexander Kunze, Johannes Max, Nikolaos Katsoulas. Implementation of the Circular Economy Concept in Greenhouse Hydroponics for Ultimate Use of Water and Nutrients. Horticulturae. 2020; 6 (4):83.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Angeliki Elvanidi; Cinthya Benitez Reascos; Elissavet Gourzoulidou; Alexander Kunze; Johannes Max; Nikolaos Katsoulas. 2020. "Implementation of the Circular Economy Concept in Greenhouse Hydroponics for Ultimate Use of Water and Nutrients." Horticulturae 6, no. 4: 83.

Review
Published: 08 November 2020 in Agronomy
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Several greenhouse energy saving technologies and management strategies have been developed in order to meet the needs for implementation of production systems with low and efficient energy use and low CO2 emissions. Towards this aim, a number of greenhouse concepts that make use of these technologies have been developed and tested, such as the closed greenhouse, the solar greenhouse, the energy-producing greenhouse, and others. The closed or semi-closed greenhouse concept is widely accepted as a concept to achieve the targets for energy saving and low CO2 emissions. A major difference of this concept to a conventional greenhouse is that climate control by window ventilation is partially or completely replaced by systems that treat the air, regulate the air exchange between inside and outside, and in few cases collect and store the excess heat load in order to be reused at a later time. A semi-closed greenhouse allows temperature, humidity, and CO2 concentration to be controlled independently, during heating as well as cooling mode function. Among others, semi-closed greenhouses offer possibilities for better control of greenhouse environment, for increasing water use efficiency by decreasing the evaporation losses via ventilation and for reducing the pesticide use by decreasing the entry of insects and fungal spores in the greenhouse through the ventilation openings. The aim of this review is to focus on the design, control, and performance aspects of semi-closed greenhouse systems which use either (a) an air treatment corridor with evaporative cooling pad connected with an air distribution system with perforated polyethylene tubes or (b) decentralized air treatment units distributed inside the greenhouse. It gives on overview of the principles of the semi-closed greenhouse, the potential energy consumption and the expected savings. Additionally, it gives insight into the climate conditions in relation to the conventional greenhouse, crop growth, water consumption, and pest control.

ACS Style

Athanasios Sapounas; Nikolaos Katsoulas; Bart Slager; Robert Bezemer; Charlotte Lelieveld. Design, Control, and Performance Aspects of Semi-Closed Greenhouses. Agronomy 2020, 10, 1739 .

AMA Style

Athanasios Sapounas, Nikolaos Katsoulas, Bart Slager, Robert Bezemer, Charlotte Lelieveld. Design, Control, and Performance Aspects of Semi-Closed Greenhouses. Agronomy. 2020; 10 (11):1739.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Athanasios Sapounas; Nikolaos Katsoulas; Bart Slager; Robert Bezemer; Charlotte Lelieveld. 2020. "Design, Control, and Performance Aspects of Semi-Closed Greenhouses." Agronomy 10, no. 11: 1739.

Review
Published: 22 October 2020 in Atmosphere
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Urban outdoor thermal conditions, and its impacts on the health and well-being for the city inhabitants have reached increased attention among biometeorological studies during the last two decades. Children are considered more sensitive and vulnerable to hot ambient conditions compared to adults, and are affected strongly by their thermal environment. One of the urban outdoor environments that children spend almost one third of their school time is the schoolyard. The aims of the present manuscript were to review studies conducted worldwide, in order to present the biophysical characteristics of the typical design of the urban schoolyard. This was done to assess, in terms of bioclimatology, the interactions between the thermal environment and the children’s body, to discuss the adverse effects of thermal environment on children, especially the case of heat stress, and to propose measures that could be applied to improve the thermal environment of schoolyards, focusing on vegetation. Human thermal comfort monitoring tools are mainly developed for adults, thus, further research is needed to adapt them to children. The schemes that are usually followed to design urban schoolyards create conditions that favour the exposure of children to excessive heat, inducing high health risks to them. The literature survey showed that typical urban schoolyard design (i.e., dense surface materials, absence of trees) triggered high surface temperatures (that may exceed 58 °C) and increased absorption of radiative heat load (that may exceed 64 °C in terms of Mean Radiant Temperature) during a clear day with intense solar radiation. Furthermore, vegetation cover has a positive impact on schoolyard’s microclimate, by improving thermal comfort and reducing heat stress perception of children. Design options for urban schoolyards and strategies that can mitigate the adverse effects of heat stress are proposed with focus on vegetation cover that affect positively their thermal environment and improve their aesthetic and functionality.

ACS Style

Dimitrios Antoniadis; Nikolaos Katsoulas; Dimitris Papanastasiou. Thermal Environment of Urban Schoolyards: Current and Future Design with Respect to Children’s Thermal Comfort. Atmosphere 2020, 11, 1144 .

AMA Style

Dimitrios Antoniadis, Nikolaos Katsoulas, Dimitris Papanastasiou. Thermal Environment of Urban Schoolyards: Current and Future Design with Respect to Children’s Thermal Comfort. Atmosphere. 2020; 11 (11):1144.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Dimitrios Antoniadis; Nikolaos Katsoulas; Dimitris Papanastasiou. 2020. "Thermal Environment of Urban Schoolyards: Current and Future Design with Respect to Children’s Thermal Comfort." Atmosphere 11, no. 11: 1144.

Journal article
Published: 07 October 2020 in Organic Agriculture
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The use of several plant protection inputs of mineral origin, such as copper, sulphur or mineral oils is seen as contentious by many consumers and stakeholders within the organic sector. Although the use of these inputs is legal in organic systems and also applied in non-organic agriculture, their use by organic growers raises questions for organic practice, which aspires to be free from toxic, non-renewable chemicals. Data on the current use of permitted plant protection inputs is currently scarce, especially in horticulture where chemical inputs deserve special attention since horticultural products are often readily edible. A mapping of the use of copper, sulphur and mineral oils was conducted by collecting expert knowledge across 10 European countries during May–October 2018, i.e. before the limitation of copper use to 4 kg ha−1 year−1 from February 1, 2019. Results show that copper is widely used by Mediterranean organic growers in citrus, olive, tomato and potato production. The annual limit of 6 kg ha−1 year−1 was not always respected. We also found that tomato producers apply high amounts of copper in winter crops in greenhouses. Mineral oils are applied to control scales, mites and whiteflies. Sulphur is also commonly used by organic vegetable growers, especially in greenhouses. We conclude that the high usage found in various different crops (especially Mediterranean crops) confirms the need for researching alternatives.

ACS Style

N. Katsoulas; A.-K. Løes; D. Andrivon; G. Cirvilleri; M. de Cara; A. Kir; L. Knebl; K. Malińska; F. W. Oudshoorn; H. Willer; U. Schmutz. Current use of copper, mineral oils and sulphur for plant protection in organic horticultural crops across 10 European countries. Organic Agriculture 2020, 10, 159 -171.

AMA Style

N. Katsoulas, A.-K. Løes, D. Andrivon, G. Cirvilleri, M. de Cara, A. Kir, L. Knebl, K. Malińska, F. W. Oudshoorn, H. Willer, U. Schmutz. Current use of copper, mineral oils and sulphur for plant protection in organic horticultural crops across 10 European countries. Organic Agriculture. 2020; 10 (S1):159-171.

Chicago/Turabian Style

N. Katsoulas; A.-K. Løes; D. Andrivon; G. Cirvilleri; M. de Cara; A. Kir; L. Knebl; K. Malińska; F. W. Oudshoorn; H. Willer; U. Schmutz. 2020. "Current use of copper, mineral oils and sulphur for plant protection in organic horticultural crops across 10 European countries." Organic Agriculture 10, no. S1: 159-171.

Journal article
Published: 27 August 2020 in Sustainability
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A three-year experiment was carried out in Central Greece to assess the use of different tillage practices (Conventional, Reduced, and No tillage) for seedbed preparation, in a double cropping per year rotation of irrigated and rainfed energy crops for biomass production for first- and second-generation biofuel production. A life cycle assessment (LCA) study was performed for the first year of crop rotation to evaluate the environmental impact of using different tillage practices, identifying the processes with greater influence on the overall environmental burden (hotspots) and demonstrating the potential environmental benefits from the land management change. LCA results revealed that fertilizer application and diesel fuel consumption, as well as their production stages, were the hot-spot processes for each treatment. In the present study, different tillage treatments compared using mass- and area-based functional unit (FU), revealing that reduced tillage, using strip tillage for spring crop and disc harrow for winter crops, and no tillage treatment had the best environmental performance, respectively. Comparison between the prevailing in the area monoculture cotton crop with the proposed double energy crop rotation adopting conservation tillage practices, using mass and energy value FU, showed that cotton crop had higher environmental impact.

ACS Style

Anna Vatsanidou; Christos Kavalaris; Spyros Fountas; Nikolaos Katsoulas; Theofanis Gemtos. A Life Cycle Assessment of Biomass Production from Energy Crops in Crop Rotation Using Different Tillage System. Sustainability 2020, 12, 6978 .

AMA Style

Anna Vatsanidou, Christos Kavalaris, Spyros Fountas, Nikolaos Katsoulas, Theofanis Gemtos. A Life Cycle Assessment of Biomass Production from Energy Crops in Crop Rotation Using Different Tillage System. Sustainability. 2020; 12 (17):6978.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Anna Vatsanidou; Christos Kavalaris; Spyros Fountas; Nikolaos Katsoulas; Theofanis Gemtos. 2020. "A Life Cycle Assessment of Biomass Production from Energy Crops in Crop Rotation Using Different Tillage System." Sustainability 12, no. 17: 6978.

Journal article
Published: 25 August 2020 in Sustainability
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Precision Agriculture (PA) is a crop site-specific management system that aims for sustainability, adopting agricultural practices more friendly to the environment, like the variable rate application (VRA) technique. Many studies have dealt with the effectiveness of VRA to reduce nitrogen (N) fertilizer, while achieving increased profit and productivity. However, only limited attention was given to VRA’s environmental impact. In this study an International Organization for Standardization (ISO) based Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) performed to identify the environmental effects of N VRA on a small pear orchard, compared to the conventional uniform application. A Cradle to Gate system with a functional unit (FU) of 1 kg of pears was analyzed including high quality primary data of two productive years, including also the non-productive years, as well as all the emissions during pear growing and the supply chains of all inputs, projecting them to the lifespan of the orchard. A methodology was adopted, modelling individual years and averaging over the orchard’s lifetime. Results showed that Climate change, Water scarcity, Fossil fuels and Particulate formation were the most contributing impact categories to the overall environmental impact of the pear orchard lifespan, where climate change and particulates were largely determined by CO2, N2O, and NH3 emissions to the air from fertilizer production and application, and as CO2 from tractor use. Concerning fertilization practice, when VRA was combined with a high yield year, this resulted in significantly reduced environmental impact. LCA evaluating an alternative fertilizer management system in a Greek pear orchard revealed the environmental impact reduction potential of that system.

ACS Style

Anna Vatsanidou; Spyros Fountas; Vasileios Liakos; George Nanos; Nikolaos Katsoulas; Theofanis Gemtos. Life Cycle Assessment of Variable Rate Fertilizer Application in a Pear Orchard. Sustainability 2020, 12, 6893 .

AMA Style

Anna Vatsanidou, Spyros Fountas, Vasileios Liakos, George Nanos, Nikolaos Katsoulas, Theofanis Gemtos. Life Cycle Assessment of Variable Rate Fertilizer Application in a Pear Orchard. Sustainability. 2020; 12 (17):6893.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Anna Vatsanidou; Spyros Fountas; Vasileios Liakos; George Nanos; Nikolaos Katsoulas; Theofanis Gemtos. 2020. "Life Cycle Assessment of Variable Rate Fertilizer Application in a Pear Orchard." Sustainability 12, no. 17: 6893.

Journal article
Published: 24 August 2020 in Nanomaterials
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Insect proof nets are widely used in agriculture as mechanical and physical barriers to regulate pest populations in a greenhouse. However, their integration in the greenhouse ventilation openings is highly associated with the decrease of air flow and the adequate ventilation. Thus, there is need for alternative pest management tools that do not impair adequate ventilation. In the present study, we tested four net formulations of relatively large mesh size coated with SiO2 nanoparticles, namely, ED3, ED3-P, ED5, and ED5-P to evaluate their insecticidal properties against adults of Aphis fabae and Sitophilus oryzae and larvae of Tribolium confusum. ED3 and ED5 nets were coated with SiO2 nanoparticles of different diameter, while in the case of ED3-P and ED5-P, paraffin was added to increase the mass of the deposited particles on the net’s surface. In the first series of bioassays, the knockdown and mortality rates of these species were evaluated after exposure to the aforementioned net formulations for 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 60, 90, and 180 min. In the second series of bioassays, knockdown and mortality of these species were recorded after 1, 7, and 10 days of post-exposure to the nets for different time intervals (15, 30, and 60 min). Based on our results, all nets significantly affected A. fabae, since all insects were dead at the 1-day post-exposure period to the silica-treated nets. Conversely, at the same interval, no effect on either S. oryzae adults or T. confusum larvae was observed. However, in the case of S. oryzae, the efficacy of all nets reached 100% 7 days after the exposure, even for adults that had been initially exposed for 15 min to the treated nets. Among the species tested, T. confusum larvae exhibited the lowest mortality rate, which did not exceed 34% at the 10 days of post-exposure interval. Our work underlines the efficacy of treated nets in pest management programs, under different application scenarios, at the pre- and post-harvest stages of agricultural commodities.

ACS Style

Paraskevi Agrafioti; Sofia Faliagka; Evagelia Lampiri; Merle Orth; Mark Pätzel; Nikolaos Katsoulas; Christos Athanassiou. Evaluation of Silica-Coated Insect Proof Nets for the Control of Aphis fabae, Sitophilus oryzae, and Tribolium confusum. Nanomaterials 2020, 10, 1658 .

AMA Style

Paraskevi Agrafioti, Sofia Faliagka, Evagelia Lampiri, Merle Orth, Mark Pätzel, Nikolaos Katsoulas, Christos Athanassiou. Evaluation of Silica-Coated Insect Proof Nets for the Control of Aphis fabae, Sitophilus oryzae, and Tribolium confusum. Nanomaterials. 2020; 10 (9):1658.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Paraskevi Agrafioti; Sofia Faliagka; Evagelia Lampiri; Merle Orth; Mark Pätzel; Nikolaos Katsoulas; Christos Athanassiou. 2020. "Evaluation of Silica-Coated Insect Proof Nets for the Control of Aphis fabae, Sitophilus oryzae, and Tribolium confusum." Nanomaterials 10, no. 9: 1658.

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.

Review
Published: 15 July 2020 in Agronomy
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Pure polyethylene (PE) is enriched with several additives to make it a smart application material in protected cultivation, as a cover material for either greenhouses or screenhouses. When this material completely or partially absorbs ultraviolet (UV) solar radiation, then it is called UV blocking material. The current work presents a review on the effects of the UV blocking covering materials on crop growth and development. Despite the passage of several years and the evolution of the design technology of plastic greenhouse covers, UV blocking materials have not ceased to be a rather interesting technique for the protection of several vegetable and ornamental species. Much of the research on UV blocking materials focuses on their indisputable effect on reducing the activity of pests and viral-related diseases, rather than on the effects on the crop physiology itself. In the present paper, representative studies dealing with the effect of the UV blocking materials on the agronomic factors of different crops are presented and discussed. The results reveal that UV blocking materials have mainly positive effects on the different plant physiological functions, such as photosynthesis and transpiration rate, and on growth characteristics, while they might have a negative effect on the production and content of secondary compounds, as anthocyanins and total phenolics.

ACS Style

Nikolaos Katsoulas; Anastasia Bari; Chryssoula Papaioannou. Plant Responses to UV Blocking Greenhouse Covering Materials: A Review. Agronomy 2020, 10, 1021 .

AMA Style

Nikolaos Katsoulas, Anastasia Bari, Chryssoula Papaioannou. Plant Responses to UV Blocking Greenhouse Covering Materials: A Review. Agronomy. 2020; 10 (7):1021.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Nikolaos Katsoulas; Anastasia Bari; Chryssoula Papaioannou. 2020. "Plant Responses to UV Blocking Greenhouse Covering Materials: A Review." Agronomy 10, no. 7: 1021.

Journal article
Published: 26 June 2020 in Applied Sciences
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The simultaneous use of crude glycerol and effluent from anaerobic digestate, both wastes derived from the biofuel industry, were tested in the frame of circular economy concept, as potential low-cost nutrient sources for the cultivation of rich in docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) oil microalgae strain Schizochytrium limacinum SR21. Initially, the optimal carbon and nitrogen concentration levels for high S. limacinum biomass and lipids production were determined, in a culture media containing conventional, high cost, organic nitrogen sources (yeast extract and peptone), micronutrients and crude glycerol at varying concentrations. Then, the effect of a culture media composed of crude glycerol (as carbon source) and effluent digestate at varying proportions on biomass productivity, lipid accumulation, proximate composition, carbon assimilation and fatty acid content were determined. It was shown that the biomass and total lipid content increased considerably with varying effluent concentrations reaching 49.2 g L−1 at 48% (v/v) of effluent concentration, while the lipid yield at the same effluent concentration reached 10.15 g L−1, compared to 17.0 g L−1 dry biomass and 10.2 g L−1 lipid yield when yeast extract and peptone medium with micronutrients was used. Compared to the control treatment, the above production was obtained with 48% less inorganic salts, which are needed for the preparation of the artificial sea water. It was shown that Schizochytrium limacinum SR21 was able to remediate 40% of the total organic carbon content of the biofuel wastes, while DHA productivity remained at low levels with saturated fatty acids comprising the main fraction of total fatty acid content. The results of the present study suggest that the simultaneous use of two waste streams from the biofuel industry can serve as potential nutrient sources for the growth of Schizochytrium limacinum SR21, replacing the high cost organic nutrients and up to one half the required artificial sea water salts, but upregulation of DHA productivity through optimization of the abiotic environment is necessary for industrial application, including aqua feed production.

ACS Style

Sofoklis Bouras; Nikolaos Katsoulas; Dimitrios Antoniadis; Ioannis T. Karapanagiotidis. Use of Biofuel Industry Wastes as Alternative Nutrient Sources for DHA-Yielding Schizochytrium limacinum Production. Applied Sciences 2020, 10, 4398 .

AMA Style

Sofoklis Bouras, Nikolaos Katsoulas, Dimitrios Antoniadis, Ioannis T. Karapanagiotidis. Use of Biofuel Industry Wastes as Alternative Nutrient Sources for DHA-Yielding Schizochytrium limacinum Production. Applied Sciences. 2020; 10 (12):4398.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Sofoklis Bouras; Nikolaos Katsoulas; Dimitrios Antoniadis; Ioannis T. Karapanagiotidis. 2020. "Use of Biofuel Industry Wastes as Alternative Nutrient Sources for DHA-Yielding Schizochytrium limacinum Production." Applied Sciences 10, no. 12: 4398.

Journal article
Published: 08 April 2020 in Applied Sciences
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A solution to the problem of reduction of available photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) due to the cover with conventional opaque photovoltaics (PV) of greenhouses is the use of semitransparent PV. The question is how dense the semitransparent PV should be and how dense the coverage should be in order not to burden plant growth. The present paper assesses the effect of the use of semitransparent organic photovoltaics (OPV) on the greenhouse roof cover on the available PAR inside the greenhouse. The method used is to simulate the transmission of radiation through the cover and into the greenhouse with computational fluid dynamics (CFD) using the discrete ordinates (DO) model. Three combinations of OPV/cover that give a normal (perpendicular) transmittance to PAR of 30%, 45%, and 60%, defining the required PV covering, were examined. Then the radiation transmission during eight indicative solar days was simulated. The results are given in terms of available PAR radiation inside the greenhouse and of crop photosynthesis rate, comparing them with the results of a polyethylene cover without OPVs and external conditions. The reduction observed to the mean daily PAR radiation integral for the cases with normal PAR transmittance of 30%, 45%, and 60% in relation to the bare polyethylene (PE) was 77%, 66%, and 52%, respectively while the respective simulated reduction to the daily average photosynthesis rate was 33%, 21%, and 12%, respectively. Finally, the yearly power production from the OPV per greenhouse length meter for the cases with normal PAR transmittance of 30%, 45%, and 60% was 323, 242, and 158 kWh m−1 y−1, respectively. The results of this work could be further used for the optimization of greenhouse design for maximizing the PAR at the crop level.

ACS Style

Catherine Baxevanou; Dimitrios Fidaros; Nikolaos Katsoulas; Evangelos Mekeridis; Chrisostomos Varlamis; Alexandros Zachariadis; Stergios Logothetidis. Simulation of Radiation and Crop Activity in a Greenhouse Covered with Semitransparent Organic Photovoltaics. Applied Sciences 2020, 10, 2550 .

AMA Style

Catherine Baxevanou, Dimitrios Fidaros, Nikolaos Katsoulas, Evangelos Mekeridis, Chrisostomos Varlamis, Alexandros Zachariadis, Stergios Logothetidis. Simulation of Radiation and Crop Activity in a Greenhouse Covered with Semitransparent Organic Photovoltaics. Applied Sciences. 2020; 10 (7):2550.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Catherine Baxevanou; Dimitrios Fidaros; Nikolaos Katsoulas; Evangelos Mekeridis; Chrisostomos Varlamis; Alexandros Zachariadis; Stergios Logothetidis. 2020. "Simulation of Radiation and Crop Activity in a Greenhouse Covered with Semitransparent Organic Photovoltaics." Applied Sciences 10, no. 7: 2550.

Journal article
Published: 24 December 2019 in Plants
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In this research, the effect of solar irradiance on Chlorella vulgaris cultivated in open bioreactors under greenhouse conditions was investigated, as well as of ratio of light intensity in the 420–520 nm range to light in the 580–680 nm range (I420–520/I580–680) and of artificial irradiation provided by red and white LED lamps in a closed flat plate laboratory bioreactor on the growth rate and composition. The increase in solar irradiance led to faster growth rates (μexp) of C. vulgaris under both environmental conditions studied in the greenhouse (in June up to 0.33 d−1 and in September up to 0.29 d−1) and higher lipid content in microalgal biomass (in June up to 25.6% and in September up to 24.7%). In the experiments conducted in the closed bioreactor, as the ratio I420–520/I580–680 increased, the specific growth rate and the biomass, protein and lipid productivities increased as well. Additionally, the increase in light intensity with red and white LED lamps resulted in faster growth rates (the μexp increased up to 0.36 d−1) and higher lipid content (up to 22.2%), while the protein, fiber, ash and moisture content remained relatively constant. Overall, the trend in biomass, lipid, and protein productivities as a function of light intensity was similar in the two systems (greenhouse and bioreactor).

ACS Style

Maria N. Metsoviti; George Papapolymerou; Ioannis T. Karapanagiotidis; Nikolaos Katsoulas. Effect of Light Intensity and Quality on Growth Rate and Composition of Chlorella vulgaris. Plants 2019, 9, 31 .

AMA Style

Maria N. Metsoviti, George Papapolymerou, Ioannis T. Karapanagiotidis, Nikolaos Katsoulas. Effect of Light Intensity and Quality on Growth Rate and Composition of Chlorella vulgaris. Plants. 2019; 9 (1):31.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Maria N. Metsoviti; George Papapolymerou; Ioannis T. Karapanagiotidis; Nikolaos Katsoulas. 2019. "Effect of Light Intensity and Quality on Growth Rate and Composition of Chlorella vulgaris." Plants 9, no. 1: 31.

Journal article
Published: 10 August 2019 in Plants
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The effect of different environmental conditions on the growth rate, biomass production, nutrient composition, and phenolic content of the microalgae species Chlorella vulgaris, Botryococcus braunii, Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, Euglena gracilis, and Nannochloropsis oculata was investigated. The experiments were conducted in open bioreactors in a greenhouse in three different periods (during October, March, and June), and in a controlled environment in a closed plant growth chamber. It was found that the growth rate and production of C. vulgaris and B. braunii was higher during March, C. reinhardtii and N. oculata grew better in June, and the growth of E. gracilis was similar in March and June. The lipid content of the biomass of all five species increased with increasing light intensity and temperature, while the nitrogen free extractable (NFE) content decreased and the protein, fiber, moisture, and ash content remained relatively unaffected. The phenolic content varied from species to species with E. gracilis having the highest and N. oculata the lowest content among the species studied. The results can be taken into account when cultivating the different microalgae studied in full scale applications, such as in open raceway bioreactors, where conditions could be adjusted to obtain the most favorable growth conditions, depending on the particular species cultivated.

ACS Style

Maria N. Metsoviti; George Papapolymerou; Ioannis T. Karapanagiotidis; Nikolaos Katsoulas. Comparison of Growth Rate and Nutrient Content of Five Microalgae Species Cultivated in Greenhouses. Plants 2019, 8, 279 .

AMA Style

Maria N. Metsoviti, George Papapolymerou, Ioannis T. Karapanagiotidis, Nikolaos Katsoulas. Comparison of Growth Rate and Nutrient Content of Five Microalgae Species Cultivated in Greenhouses. Plants. 2019; 8 (8):279.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Maria N. Metsoviti; George Papapolymerou; Ioannis T. Karapanagiotidis; Nikolaos Katsoulas. 2019. "Comparison of Growth Rate and Nutrient Content of Five Microalgae Species Cultivated in Greenhouses." Plants 8, no. 8: 279.

Review
Published: 17 July 2019 in Agronomy
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Models for the evapotranspiration of greenhouse crops are needed both for accurate irrigation and for the simulation or management of the greenhouse climate. For this purpose, several evapotranspiration models have been developed and presented, all based on the Penman–Monteith approach, the “big-leaf” model. So, on the one hand, relatively simple models have been developed for irrigation scheduling purposes, and on the other, “knowledge–mechanistic” models have been developed for climate control purposes. These models differ in the amount of detail about variables, such as stomatal and aerodynamic conductance. The aim of this review paper is to present the variables and parameters affecting greenhouse crop transpiration, and to analyze and discuss the existing models for its simulation. The common sub-models used for the simulation of crop transpiration in greenhouses (aerodynamic and stomatal conductances, and intercepted radiation) are evaluated. The worth of the multilayer models for the simulation of the mass and energy exchanges between crops and air are also analyzed and discussed. Following the presentation of the different models and approaches, it is obvious that the different applications for which these models have been developed entail varying requirements to the models, so that they cannot always be compared. Models developed in different locations (high–low latitudes or for closed or highly ventilated greenhouses) are discussed, and their sensitivity to different parameters is presented.

ACS Style

Nikolaos Katsoulas; Cecilia Stanghellini. Modelling Crop Transpiration in Greenhouses: Different Models for Different Applications. Agronomy 2019, 9, 392 .

AMA Style

Nikolaos Katsoulas, Cecilia Stanghellini. Modelling Crop Transpiration in Greenhouses: Different Models for Different Applications. Agronomy. 2019; 9 (7):392.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Nikolaos Katsoulas; Cecilia Stanghellini. 2019. "Modelling Crop Transpiration in Greenhouses: Different Models for Different Applications." Agronomy 9, no. 7: 392.