FRUITCULTURE
Academic Year 2024/2025 - Docente: MARIO DI GUARDORisultati di apprendimento attesi
The course is aimed at elucidating the main aspectes related to tree crops with particular emphasis on those characterizing the Mediterranean area. For each crops, the botanical characterisation, the choice of the scion and rootstock, and the agronomical management of the orchard will be discussed to provide a chomprensive overview toward the obtainement of high quality and sustainable productions.
At the end of the course, the student will be able to tackle the principal choices related to the set-up and the menagement of a productive orchard.
Course Structure
The course consists of 28 hours of lectures and 28 hours of practical activities (focus on specific topics related to the object of the course and/or technical visit).
In compliance with current regulations, students can request a meeting to arrange different strategies based on specific needs.
Students can refer also to prof. Anna De Angelis (contact person for CInAP, center for inclusivity and disability services)
Required Prerequisites
Knowledge of the physiology and morphology of tree crops
Attendance of Lessons
Detailed Course Content
FIRST PART.
Introduction to the course: importance of fruit arboriculture in the world and in Italy.
Recalls of General Arboriculture: cultivar, clone, clonal selection. Hybridization, mutagenesis. Quality and fruit production.
Nursery and genetic certification. Fruiting cycle and fruit ripening. Classification criteria of fruit trees.
SECOND PART.
Monographic treatment of the following species:
- pomaceae (apple and pear)
- stone fruit (apricot, cherry, peach, plum)
- nuts (almond, hazelnut, chestnut, pistachio, walnut)
- actinidia
- subtropical fruit trees (avocado, cherimoya, mango)
Monographic treatment of the above species will be carried out according to the following outline: origin and botanical taxonomy; distribution in Italy and the world; floral and fruiting biology; cultivar classification criteria, goals of genetic improvement; environmental needs and vocation; propagation and rootstocks. Training forms and pruning. Planting distances. Soil tillage, fertilization, water requirements and irrigation. Thinning. Maturity indexes and harvesting. Hints on post-harvest issues.
PART THREE.
Hints of: citriculture, oliveiculture and viticulture.
Hints of wood arboriculture: peculiarities of silviculture and wood arboriculture; botanical species of major interest; technological characters of wood and influence of cultivation practices; environmental needs and vocation.
Hints of ornamental arboriculture: purposes and characteristics, main botanical species.
Textbook Information
Text_1: The Most Important Fruit Crops in the Mediterranean Basin - Position Paper. Editors: Daniele Bassi, Marco Cirilli and Laura Bellini. Milano University press. ISBN 979-12-5510-109-3
Text_2: The Encyclopedia of Fruit & Nuts. Jules Janick and Robert E. Paull. CABI, ISBN 0-85199-638-8
Text_3: The fruit woody species (Descrpitor list). ARSIA • Agenzia Regionale per lo Sviluppo e l’Innovazione nel settore Agricolo-forestale. ISBN 88-8295-084-0
Text_4: Concepts for Understanding Fruit Trees. T.M. DeJong. CABI, ISBN-13: 9781800620865
Text_5: Learning material provided by the teacher
Course Planning
| Subjects | Text References | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Importance of fruit arboriculture in the world and in Italy | Text 4 and Text 5 |
| 2 | Recalls of General Arboriculture | Text 4 and Text 5 |
| 3 | Nursery and genetic certification. | Text 4 and Text 5 |
| 4 | Fruiting cycle and fruit ripening | Text 4 and Text 5 |
| 5 | Classification criteria of fruit trees. | Text 3 and Text 5 |
| 6 | Pomaceae (apple and pear) | Text 2, Text 3 and Text 5 |
| 7 | Stone fruits (peach, apricot, cherry, plum) | Text 1, Text 2, Text 3 and Text 5 |
| 8 | Nuts (almond, hazelnut, chestnut, pistachio, walnut) | Text 1, Text 2, Text 3 and Text 5 |
| 9 | Actinidia | Text 2, Text 3 and Text 5 |
| 10 | Subtropical fruit trees (avocado, cherimoya, mango) | Text 2 and Text 5 |
| 11 | Hints of: citriculture | Text 1, Text 2, Text 3 and Text 5 |
| 12 | Hints of oliveiculture | Text 1, Text 2, Text 3 and Text 5 |
| 13 | Hints of viticulture | Text 1, Text 2, Text 3 and Text 5 |
| 14 | Hints of wood arboriculture and ornamental arboricolture | Text 5 |
Learning Assessment
Learning Assessment Procedures
The evaluation will be carried out through an oral exam at the end of the course. For both exams, the evaluation will be based on the knowledges on the specific topics of the course developed by the student. The ability of presenting the topics with adequate language properties.
The marks reflect the student preparation as outlined below:
<18
knowledge and comprehension of the topic: significan lacks in comprehension
Analysis skills: Not adequate with frequent generalisations
Proper use of references: Not appropriate
18-20
knowledge and comprehension of the topic: barely sufficient
Analysis skills: barely sufficient
Proper use of references: barely sufficient
21-23
knowledge and comprehension of the topic: Fairly satisfactory
Analysis skills: able to perform correct analysis
Proper use of references: use of standard reference
24-26
knowledge and comprehension of the topic: satisfactory
Analysis skills: good analysis skills, topics are presented with coherence
Proper use of references: use of standard reference
27-29
knowledge and comprehension of the topic: good
Analysis skills: remarkable analysis skills
Proper use of references: remarkable use of references
30-30L
knowledge and comprehension of the topic: Excelent
Analysis skills: excelent analysis skills
Proper use of references: excelent use of references
Examples of frequently asked questions and / or exercises
1. Discussion of a crop chosen by the candidate
2. Agronomic aspects related to a species included in the program
3. Varietal panorama of one of the species included in the program
4. Methods of propagation and rootstocks f one of the species included in the program