WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT AND PRECISION IRRIGATION SYSTEMS

The course aims to provide innovative tools and methods for the sustainable management of water resources in the agricultural environment. During the lessons, topics related to surface and underground hydrology, mass and energy exchanges that affect the continuous soil-plant-atmosphere system, irrigation methods and water resource management strategies aimed at saving will be discussed, including deficit irrigation strategies. The potential of reusing unconventional resources in agriculture (including urban wastewater) and natural treatment systems (constructed wetland, lagooning, etc.), aimed at the recovery of wastewater and other primary resources, will also be examined. Monitoring techniques for evaluating the water status of agro-ecosystems through satellite remote sensing and minimally invasive geo-physical methods will also be discussed.

In order to allow the student to acquire the knowledge and skills related to the in-depth study of the innovative tools and methods used for the sustainable management of water resources in the agricultural environment, the contents of the course will be divided as follows:

1. Introduction to the analysis and assessment of the sustainability of water management: integrated management of water resources, adaptive water management, the link between water, energy and food;

2. Outlines of hydrology (surface and underground) and soil hydrology. Introduction to the processes of mass and energy flow transfer in the continuous soil-plant-atmosphere system connected with the management of water resources. Methods of estimation and measurement of evapotranspiration and estimation of crop water needs;

3. Introduction to resource management techniques and methods aimed at saving water: localized irrigation, deficit irrigation strategies and reuse of unconventional resources in agriculture;

4. Introduction to the techniques for monitoring the water status of agro-ecosystems: remote sensing and proximal sensing techniques for the characterization of the vegetative vigor, the crop water status, the estimation of needs and the mapping of irrigated areas; outline of interpolation methods for the analysis and modeling of the spatial and temporal variability of the properties relevant for precision irrigation; minimally invasive techniques for monitoring the water status of the soil (such as the use of electrical resistivity tomography);

5. Precision irrigation: principles and application. Interpretation of specific site variability, precision irrigation strategies and systems, technological and experimental perspectives.

1.    Elementi di idraulica e idrologia per le scienze agrarie, ambientali e forestali. Ferro V. Milano : McGraw-Hill, 2013;

2.    L'acqua in agricoltura: gestione sostenibile della pratica irrigua. A cura di Marcello Mastrorilli, Milano: Edagricole, 2015;

3.    Agricoltura di precisione: metodi e tecnologie per migliorare l'efficienza e la sostenibilità dei sistemi colturali. A cura di Raffaele Casa, Milano: Edagricole, 2016;

4.    Advanced Remote Sensing Terrestrial Information Extraction and Applications, Editors: Shunlin Liang, Jindi Wang, Academic Press, 2020;

5.    Handbook of Agricultural Geophysics. Allred, B., Daniels, J.J., & Ehsani, M. R. (Eds.). (2008), CRC Press.;

6. Lecture notes distributed during the course.

The lecture notes and other teaching material will be available on the Studium platform (https://studium.unict.it/) and distributed during the lessons.

Students attending the course will take two written tests in progress: the first will take place in the first half of the course of each academic year, the second at the end of the course (on a date prior to that of the first official exam session).

The two tests will deal with different topics of the program, the first will focus on arguments 1-2, the second the arguments 3-5. Both written tests will include both open and / or multiple choice questions and / or exercises. The possibility of accessing the second test requires passing the first with a minimum score of 18/30.

Students who have passed the two tests will be able to directly register the the succeded exam already at the first useful session and in any case within the academic year in which the tests were carried out. The final mark out of thirty will be calculated as the arithmetic average of the mark obtained in each test.

Students who have passed only one written test, will be able to take a second written test, within the academic year in which the first test was carried out, and concerning the part of the program for which they did not pass or did not take the test.

For students who have not take or passed both written tests and for all the other exam sessions of the course, the exam will be a unique writing test concerning the whole program of the course.

All the written tests will take place exclusively in the manner described above.

 In agreement with the teacher, the possibility of carrying out a test in the form of an "oral interview" will be evaluated.

Verification of learning can also be carried out remotely, should the conditions require it . In these cases all tests (including ongoing ones) will be carried out orally.

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, reasoning skills.

The vote follows the following scheme:

Failed

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.

Describe the paradigms of sustainable management of water resources;

Describe the main types of water saving strategies in agriculture;

Describe the main remote sensing techniques for precision irrigation;

Define the methods for estimating irrigation needs;

Outline the meaning of the hydrological constants of the soil;

Describe the survey methods for monitoring the soil water status;

Describe the sensors and methods for proximal surveys of soil and crop properties;

Describe the main natural treatments for the recovery and reuse of unconventional water resources.