ALGAL AND FUNGAL AGROTECHNOLOGIES
Academic year and teacher
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- Versione italiana
- Academic year
- 2022/2023
- Teacher
- COSTANZA BALDISSEROTTO
- Credits
- 6
- Didactic period
- Secondo Semestre
- SSD
- BIO/01
Training objectives
- The main objective of the course is to provide students with adequate knowledge on the importance of organisms, such as algae and fungi, in agriculture and fish farming. In particular, learning this discipline will allow the student to be able to relate the basic knowledge (systematics, morpho-physiology and reproduction) referred to these organisms with technological applications, including innovative ones, for agriculture and fish farming. In this way the student will be able to understand the role of algae and fungi in the agro-industrial sector and in the breeding of fish and shellfish.
Knowledge and understanding:
The student:
- know the terminology used in plant biology correctly;
- knows the possible relationships between basic plant biology and applied plant biology;
- knows the importance of algae and fungi in the agro-industry and fish farming sectors;
- knows the current problems that require a reduction in the consumption of energy and natural resources.
Ability to apply knowledge and understanding
The student:
- will know how to correctly use the terminology used in plant biology;
- knows how to frame the role of specific plant organisms, such as algae and fungi, in sectors such as agro-industrial, fish and animal feed;
- will know how to transfer the notions learned from basic plant biology into experimental activities;
- manages to formulate hypotheses to answer the problems that also require a reduction in the consumption of energy and natural resources. Prerequisites
- No formal propedeuticity is present. However, the student should know fundamental notions of General Botany and Plant Physiology.
Course programme
- The course includes recorded lectures (supported by in-depth meetings organized by the lecturer based on students' needs). It could include also some laboratory activities and/or seminars held by experts in the sector of the production of products based on algae and fungi for the agricultural sector, for the agro-industry, for animal feed in fish farming and for animal feed in general.
The lectures will address the following topics:
Cyanobacteria: morpho-physiology. Importance of some cyanobacteria for the agricultural sector, for the agro-industry, for fish farming and animal feed. Method of cultivation.
Algae: taxonomy, morphology, reproduction. Importance in the agricultural, agro-industrial, fish and animal feed sectors in general. Microalgae cultivation methods: indoor, outdoor, in photobioreactors and in open ponds. Autotrophy, heterotrophy, mixotrophy.
Fungi: taxonomy, morphology, reproduction. Their importance in the agricultural, agro-industrial, fish and animal feed sectors. Parasitic fungi in agriculture. Importance of saprophytic and symbiotic fungi. Didactic methods
- The lectures will be in the form of pre-recorded lessons. They could alternate with laboratory practice and seminars held by experts and concerning the arguments taught during the course. Visits to companies may be planned.
Learning assessment procedures
- The objective of the exam is to verify the level of knowledge and depth of the topics of the course program and the reasoning skills developed by the student. The evaluation is expressed out of thirty (minimum grade 18).
The exam will consist of a question on the topics of the course, and a short oral report of an article in English related to the contents of the course and provided by the teacher. Reference texts
- For general topics in the field of plant biology or referred to cyanobacteria, algae and fungi, it is proposed: “Fondamenti di Botanica generale: teoria e pratica di laboratorio” Pancaldi et al. McGraw Hill or "selected chapel from "Botanica Generale e Diversità Vegetale" Pasqua et al. PICCIN.
