Agronomy and Herbaceous crops
Module General Agronomy

Academic Year 2022/2023 - Teacher: Salvatore COSENTINO

Expected Learning Outcomes

At the end of the training course The student acquires the basic scientific and technical skills on the natural factors of plant production and the technical and biological interventions capable of regulating them, in order to obtain from the cultivation of plants programmed productions in quantity and quality and well distributed. over time, respecting the protection of the environment. At the end of the course the student will be able to apply the general principles underlying plant production and supervise the operations of choice and preparation of the reproductive body, choice and preparation of the cultivation environment. At the end of the training course the student, through the analysis of the seeds and the preparation of a paper and a computer presentation, will possess the critical and judgment skills for the evaluation of herbaceous cultivation systems. The student will be able to communicate what he has learned having developed communication skills by presenting a topic of the course to his colleagues in the course. At the end of the course the student will have the ability to continue the study independently after the course of study having acquired skills useful for the preparation of a productive agroecosystem.

Course Structure

During the course students will be divided into groups that will prepare together a thesis on an agronomic topic. The thesis will be presented during the exercises towards the end of the course.. The final exam is oral and includes the recognition of seeds of herbaceous crops (about 50), the discussion of the thesis and further questions on other agronomic topics provided for in the course. The assessment of learning can also be carried out electronically, if the conditions require it

Required Prerequisites

Knowledge of general biology, general and organic chemistry, soil fertility and plant nutrition, agricultural genetics and general agronomy.

Attendance of Lessons

Attendance during the course will take place in presence and is strongly recommended

Detailed Course Content

The content of the course is articulated as follows. Agriculture and man: historical stages. Agriculture-environment relations. Objectives and contents of General Agronomy. Crop production, the quality of agri-food products and the factors that influence it. Concept of ecosystem and agroecosystem. The climate and its classifications: main elements (solar radiation, temperature, precipitation, relative humidity, evapotranspiration) and relations with agricultural crop production. Growth, development and productivity. The agricultural soil and its characteristics: A) Intrinsic: origin, constitution, stratification, position and exposure, color; B) Extrinsic: structure, biological characteristics, chemical characteristics, plasticity, toughness, adhesiveness. The organic matter of the soil. Concept of fertility. Habitability functions of the agricultural soil: mass and interventions for its regulation, heat, softness, hygienic conditions. Tillage. Water-to-soil ratios, water potential, hydrological constants and measurement of soil moisture. Irrigation (irrigation purposes, methods and variables)  and quality of irrigated water. Elements of aridoculture. Water regulation and hydraulic-agrarian arrangements. Crop rotation and its agronomic and environmental significance. Notes on cultivation systems. Notes on the fight against weeds. Functions of nutrition of the agricultural soil: nutrients, fertilizers and fertilization technique, fertilization and product quality. Fertilization plan. Environmental impact of fertilization. Notes on the propagation of cultivated plants and on the characteristics of the breeding body



Textbook Information

Lecture notes, bibliographic materials and indications of online consultation material provided by the teacher

Text 1: Giardini Luigi, 2012. L’agronomia per conservare il futuro. Pàtron.
Text 2: Ceccon Paolo, Fagnano Massimo, Grignani Carlo, Monti Michele, Orlandini Simone (a cura di), 2017. Agronomia. EdiSES

Course Planning

 SubjectsText References
1Presentation of the course. Agriculture and man: historical stages. Agriculture-environment relations. Objectives and contents of General Agronomy. Structuring of the discipline.
2Concept of ecosystem. Concept of agroecosystem. Modifications induced by anthropogenic interventions in the agroecosystem: nature of inputs and outputs and consequences on the balances between the components of the system.
3The atmosphere. Definitions of climate. Factors and elements of the climate. Climate classifications.
4Solar radiation and its relationships with cultivated plants.
5Temperature and its relationships with cultivated plants. The thermal sums. Thermoperiodism, vernalization, devernalization, dormancy.
6Precipitation and their relationships with cultivated plants. Relative humidity. Evapotranspiration.
7The agrarian soil. Intrinsic characteristics of the soil: the origin, constitution, stratification, laying and exposure, color.
8The agrarian soil. Extrinsic characteristics of the soil. Structure, biological conditions, chemical conditions, plasticity, adhesiveness, toughness.
9Functions of habitability of agricultural soil: mass, softness, capacity of the soil for air and water.
10Water-soil relations. Water potential of the soil and its components. The hydrological constants of the soil and the water available to plants.
11Soil conservation and contour farming
12Dry farming
13Irrigation. Purposes of irrigation, time of irrigation intervention, irrigation methods. Quality of irrigated water.
14Soil organic matter. Concept of fertility.
15Soil tillage
16Functions of nutrition of the agrarian soil. Nutrients. Correctives, fertilizers and soil improvers. Fertilization program.
17Elements of the fight against weeds
18Elements of the control of weeds
19Choice of breeding body: Crop rotation and its environmental significance. Notes on cultivation systems.
20The yield and its components. Unit of measurement of yield. The quality of agri-food products and the factors that influence it

Learning Assessment

Learning Assessment Procedures

Verification of learning takes place through an oral examination. The evaluation of the student's preparation will take place on the basis of the following criteria: learning ability and level of depth of the topics covered, properties of synthesis and exposition, and the student's ability to reason. The vote follows the following scheme: Unsuitable Knowledge and understanding of the topic: Important shortcomings. Significant inaccuracies Analysis and synthesis skills: Irrelevant. Frequent generalizations. Inability to synthesize Use of references: Completely inappropriate 18-20 Knowledge and understanding of the topic: At the threshold level. Obvious imperfections Ability to analyze and synthesize: Just enough skills Use of references: As appropriate 21-23 Knowledge and understanding of the topic: Routine knowledge Analysis and synthesis skills: It is capable of correct analysis and synthesis. Argue logically and consistently Use of references: Use standard references 24-26 Knowledge and understanding of the topic: Good knowledge Analysis and synthesis skills: Has good analysis and synthesis skills. The arguments are expressed consistently Use of references: Use standard references 27-29 Knowledge and understanding of the topic: Knowledge more than good Ability to analyze and synthesize: He has considerable abilities of analysis and synthesis Use of references: Has explored the topics 30-30L Knowledge and understanding of the topic: Excellent knowledge Ability to analyze and synthesize: He has considerable abilities of analysis and synthesis. Use of references: Important insights.

Examples of frequently asked questions and / or exercises

1 Soil texture

2 Soil structure

3 Water-to-soil relationships

4 Evapotranspiration

5 Factors and elements of climate

6 Quality of irrigated water

7 Hygienic conditions

8 Hydraulic-agrarian arrangements

9 The seeds

10 Notes on the fight against weeds

11 Ecosystem and agroecosystem

12 Aridoculture

13 Irrigation methods

14 Tillage

15 Leaf area index (LAI)