Agronomy and Herbaceous cropping systems
Academic year and teacher
If you can't find the course description that you're looking for in the above list,
please see the following instructions >>
- Versione italiana
- Academic year
- 2022/2023
- Teacher
- EMANUELE RADICETTI
- Credits
- 6
- Didactic period
- Secondo Semestre
- SSD
- AGR/02
Training objectives
- The course aims to provide the student with the knowledge regarding the fundamental aspects of agronomy and agricultural systems. These aspects will be analyzed referring to production of biomass and the identification of sustainable agronomic techniques. This knowledge will help the student to understand, in respect of the soil conservation and environmental fertility, the most convenient productions of the herbaceous crops cultivated for human consumption or as a matrix for the food industry supply chains. In addition, the student will be able to participate critically in the production process, integrating the cultural choices and the lay of the land (approach) with technical management (soil tillage, plant nutrition and defense) and the evolution of zootechnical transformation of plants.
Prerequisites
- Basic knowledge of ecology, plant biology and agricultural chemistry is recommended.
Course programme
- The course is structured in two parts.
PART A (Agronomy, 3 C.F.U.): Definition and tasks of agronomy. The agro-ecosystem. Agro-climatology (solar radiation, air and soil temperature, wind, atmospheric humidity, hydrometeors, types of climate and climatic representations). Agricultural soil (organic matter and fertility), physical and chemical properties of the soil. The hydraulic arrangements of the plains and slopes. Soil tillage. Mineral and organic fertilization and fertility management (soil improvers and correctives). Crop irrigation. Weed control. Intercropping. Crop rotation.
PART B (Herbaceous crops, 3 C.F.U.): Importance and spread of the main herbaceous crops. General biological cycles, phenological phases, growth and production analysis. Cereals, classification and dissemination. Winter cereals (winter wheat and durum wheat): origin and economic importance, their inclusion in the crop systems, means and techniques of production, biotic and abiotic adversities and use. Summer cereals (maize, sorghum): origin and economic importance, their insertion in the crop systems, production means and techniques, biotic and abiotic adversities and use. Tuber plants (potato): origin and economic importance, their insertion in the cultivation systems, means and techniques of production biotic and abiotic adversities and use. Pulse crops (grain legumes): origin and economic importance, interest of the main cultivated species (pea and chickpea) their inclusion in the crop systems, means and techniques of production biotic and abiotic adversities and use. Industrial crops (soybean, sunflower, sugar-beet and industrial hemp): origin and economic importance, their inclusion in the crop systems, means and techniques of production biotic and abiotic adversities and use. Forage crops (alfa-alfa and clovers): importance and evolution of agronomical tecniques of forage crops. Didactic methods
- The course is structured in lessons and activities aimed at the acquisition of practical skills and specific language in agronomical field.
Learning assessment procedures
- The exam is aimed at verify the level of knowledge and in-depth analysis of the topics of the course and the reasoning ability developed by the student.
The exam procedure can be written or oral.
The exam is written and structured as follow:
Part A (Agronomy): 20 multiple choice questions on topics related to Agronomy. The score is 1.5 points per question (maximum score 30 points).
Part B (Herbaceous crops): 5 open questions on aspects of the cultivation technique of herbaceous crops. The score is 6 points per question (maximum score 30 points).
The evaluation is expressed in thirtieths (minimum score 18) obtained as average of scores from Part A and Part B. The exam lasts 60 minutes.
The oral test consists of an interview based on the topics of Agronomy (part A) and herbaceous crops (part B). The duration generally not less than 20 minutes. Reference texts
- Notes from the lessons and supplementary material distributed by the teacher during the course.
- Ceccon, Fagnano, Grignani, Monti, Orlandini et al. (a cura di), 2017. AGRONOMIA. EDISES
- Giardini, L.: L’agronomia per conservare il futuro, Patron Editore, Bologna, 2012;
- Baldoni R., Giardini L., (a cura di), 2000. Coltivazioni erbacee. Vol. I - Cereali e proteaginose. III ed. Pàtron Editore;
- Baldoni R., Giardini L., (a cura di), 2001. Coltivazioni erbacee. Vol. II - Piante oleifere, da zucchero, da fibra, orticole e aromatiche. III ed. Pàtron Editore;
- Baldoni R., Giardini L., (a cura di), 2002. Coltivazioni erbacee. Vol. III - Foraggere e tappeti erbosi. III ed. Pàtron Editore;
