AGRONOMIA GENERALE E COLTIVAZIONI ERBACEE

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.

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.

General biology knowledge.

Attendance is not mandatory, but it is strongly recommended.

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.

- 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

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

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.