Crop production

Academic Year 2017/2018 - 1° Year
Teaching Staff Credit Value: 12
Scientific field
  • AGR/02 - Agronomy and field crops
  • AGR/03 - Arboriculture and Fruitculture
Taught classes: 70 hours
Term / Semester:

Learning Objectives

  • Agronomy and field crops

    The aim of this module is to provide the basic knowledge about the environmental, biological and agronomic factors that may affect the yield and quality of the main herbaceous crops in the Mediterranean environment. Through the topics discussed the student will develop, with an integrated approach, the scientific and technical skills upon the cultivation of the main herbaceous species, whose final product could be destined for fresh market and/or agro-industrial processing in relation to its qualitative features.

  • Fruit tree crops

    The course aims to provide students with the knowledge necessary to assess the quality of fruit products. The topics treated are related to the fruit metabolism during the growth, maturation and storage processes.


Detailed Course Content

  • Agronomy and field crops

    Objectives and contents of the module. Ecosystem and agroecosystem concepts.

    The agricultural plant production and the influence of the biotic and abiotic factors. The characteristics of production: product categories, yield, harvest index, harvest time, final destination and product quality.

    Classification of the qualitative characteristics for foodstuffs. Role of the natural factors (soil, atmosphere, plant) and agronomic management (cultivar choice, fertilization, irrigation, crop protection, etc.) on the quality of plant production.

    Main aspects (economic-agricultural importance, botanical characteristics, biology, environmental requirements), cultivation technique, product utilization and quality characteristics of the following herbaceous crops for the Mediterranean environment:

    - Cereals and pseudo-cereals (wheat, barley, buckwheat)

    - Leguminous crops (lentil, chickpea, bean, pea)

    - Sunflower

    - Open field horticultural crops (potato, globe artichoke)

    - Industrial crops (tomato)

  • Fruit tree crops

    Botanical and commercial classification of fruits. Fruiting cycle and ripening physiology. Fruiting biology, ripening calendar, nutraceutical characteristics, main cultivars attitude for direct consumption and processing in citrus, olive, grape, pome and stone fruits, nuts, strawberry. Postharvest ripening and maturity indices of fruits.


Textbook Information

  • Agronomy and field crops
    1. Giardini L. A come Agronomia. Pàtron Ed.
    2. Ceccon P., Fagnano M., Grignani C., Monti M., Orlandini S. Agronomia. Edises Ed.
    3. Baldoni R., Giardini L. (coord.). Coltivazioni erbacee – Cereali e proteaginose. Pàtron Ed.
    4. Baldoni R., Giardini L. (coord.). Coltivazioni erbacee – Piante oleifere, da zucchero, da fibra, orticole ed aromatiche. Pàtron Ed.

    Didactic materials provided by the professor (lecture notes, PowerPoint presentations)

  • Fruit tree crops
    1. Arboricoltura generale e speciale. Rolando Valli. Calderini Edagricole, 2001
    2. Arboricoltura generale. A cura di S. Sansavini. Patron editore, 2012
    3. Manuale di OrtoFrutticoltura. A cura di Sansavini S., Ranalli P. Edagricole, 2012
    4. Le piante dell’uomo. P. Viggiani, G. Pezzi. Edagricole, 2002
    5. Volumi "Coltura & Cultura". Bayer Cropscience (pero, vite, pesco, melo, ulivo, fragola, agrumi)
    6. Sussidi didattici forniti dal docente (dispense sugli argomenti trattati)