AGRONOMIA GENERALE E COLTIVAZIONI ERBACEE

Academic Year 2024/2025 - Teacher: Paolo GUARNACCIA

Expected Learning Outcomes

At the end of the training course, the student will acquire basic scientific and technical skills on natural factors of plant production and the technical and biological interventions able to regulate them to obtain from the cultivation of plants planned production in quantity, quality, and time, respecting the protection of the environment. In addition, the student will acquire scientific and technical skills on the main herbaceous species of interest for the Mediterranean environment for appropriate knowledge and proper cultivation. At the end of the training course, through writing a paper and a computer presentation, the student will have critical skills and judgment for evaluating herbaceous crops. The student can continue his studies and professional activity independently, having acquired valuable skills for designing and implementing a sustainable and productive agroecosystem.

Course Structure

During the course, students will prepare a paper on a specific topic of the programme, individually or in groups. The paper will be presented during the exercises towards the end of the course. The final examination is oral and includes the recognition of herbaceous seeds, discussion of the paper and further questions on other topics foreseen in the course. The learning verification can also be done online, if conditions require it.

Information for students with disabilities and/or learning disorders.

As a guarantee of equal opportunities and in compliance with current regulations, students can ask for a personal interview to plan any compensatory and/or dispensatory measures based on their specific needs and on the learning objectives of the discipline. It is also possible to refer to the departmental contacts of CInAP (Center for Active and Participatory Inclusion - Services for Disabilities and/or learning disorders). If conditions require teaching given in a hybrid mode or remotely, necessary changes may be introduced to what was previously stated to comply with the program.

Required Prerequisites

General biology knowledge.

Attendance of Lessons

Attendance is not mandatory, but it is strongly recommended.

Detailed Course Content

General agronomy: history of agriculture; agriculture and environment; plant production, the quality of agri-food products and the factors influencing it; the concept of ecosystem and agro-ecosystem; climate: classifications, The main elements, and relationships with agricultural plant production; plant growth, development, and productivity; farmland and its intrinsic and extrinsic characteristics; soil organic matter; the concept of fertility; the functions of agricultural land habitability and measures to regulate them: mass, heat, softness, hygiene conditions; soil working; water-soil relations; irrigation and quality of irrigated waters; drought management; water management and hydro-agricultural arrangements; crop rotation; sustainable cropping systems; control of spontaneous flora; nutrition of the agricultural soil; propagation of cultivated plants and characteristics of the breeding body.

Field crops: economic importance of arable crops; classification criteria and methods; cereals: common and durum wheat; barley, maize, sorghum, rice, minor cereals, pseudo-cereals; grain legumes: bean, chickpea, lentil, bean, lupin, chipper, pea, soya; oilseeds crops: rape, sunflower, brassica; field vegetables: artichoke, potato, tomato; fibre crops: flax, hemp, cotton; biomass for energy crops.

Textbook Information

- Teaching materials of the teacher

- Giardini L., 2012. L’agronomia per conservare il futuro. Pàtron.

- Ceccon P., Fagnano M., Grignani C., Monti M., Orlandini S. (editors), 2017. Agronomia. EdiSES

- Mosca G e Reyneri A. (editors), 2023. Coltivazioni erbacee. Edagricole - Università e Formazione

Course Planning

	Subjects	Text References
1	History of agriculture. Agriculture and the environment.	Teaching material provided by the teacher
2	Concept of ecosystem and agroecosystem. Modifications induced by human interventions in the agroecosystem.	Teaching material provided by the teacher
3	Yield and its components. The quality of agri-food products and the factors that influence it.	Teaching material provided by the teacher
4	The atmosphere. Definition, classification, factors and elements of climate. Solar radiation, temperature, precipitation and their relationship to cultivated plants.	Teaching material provided by the teacher
5	Soil intrinsic and extrinsic characteristics. Habitability functions: mass, heat, softness, hygienic conditions. Water-soil relations. Soil hydraulic-agricultural arrangements. Dryland farming. Irrigation. Organic matter of the soil and the concept of fertility. Soil tillage.	Teaching material provided by the teacher
6	Soil nutritional functions. Nutrients. Fertilization. Management of spontaneous flora.	Teaching material provided by the teacher
7	The reproductive body: intrinsic and extrinsic characteristics. Choice of the reproductive body. Crop rotation and its environmental significance. Sustainable crop systems.	Teaching material provided by the teacher
8	Economic importance of herbaceous crops. Criteria and methods of classification.	Teaching material provided by the teacher
9	Cereals: wheat, barley, maize, sorghum, rice, minor cereals, pseudo-cereals.	Teaching material provided by the teacher
10	Legumes: fava, chickpea, lentil, bean, lupin, cicerchia, pea, soya.	Teaching material provided by the teacher
11	Oilseeds: rape, sunflower, sesame, flax.	Teaching material provided by the teacher
12	Vegetables: artichoke, potato, tomato.	Teaching material provided by the teacher
13	Fibre crops: flax, hemp, cotton	Teaching material provided by the teacher
14	Biomass crops for energy.	Teaching material provided by the teacher

Learning Assessment

Learning Assessment Procedures

The assessment of learning will be carried out through an oral interview. The assessment of student preparation will be based on the following criteria:

- Knowledge and understanding of the topic

- Analytical, synthesis and exposure skills

- Ability to reason through a systemic approach

- Appropriate use of references

The student evaluation will be carried out according to the following grid:

Not suitable: insufficient knowledge and ability

18-20: Sufficient knowledge

21-23: discrete knowledge and skills

24-26: Good knowledge and skills

27-29: Distinct knowledge and skills

30-30 and praise: excellent knowledge and skills

Examples of frequently asked questions and / or exercises

General agronomy:

1. Ecosystem and agroecosystem.

2. Characteristics of the soil.

3, Conditions of habitability of the soil.

4. Water-soil relations.

5. Factors and elements of the climate.

6. Hydraulic-agricultural arrangements.

7. Control of spontaneous flora.

8. Dry farming.

9. Irrigation

10. Plant nutrition.

Herbaceous crops:

1. Diffusion, economic and agricultural importance of a crop.

2. Botanical description and main phenological stages.

3. Cultivation techniques.

4. Main varieties and yields.

5. Harvest time and use of the product.

Degree Course in

Management of Mediterranean agricultural production systems