FRUITCULTURE

The course is aimed at elucidating the main aspectes related to tree crops. 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. In line with the Dublin Descriptors, at the end of the course the student will have acquired:

1. Knowledge and understanding. Knowledge of the botanical taxonomy, floral and fruiting biology, and ecophysiological requirements of the main temperate and subtropical fruit species. Understanding of the criteria underpinning cultivar and rootstock classification, the objectives of breeding programmes, and the technical basis of orchard management practices (training and pruning systems, planting density, soil management, fertilisation, irrigation, thinning, harvest and post-harvest).

2. Applying knowledge and understanding. Ability to apply the acquired knowledge to the design and management of a productive orchard: selecting species, cultivar and rootstock combinations appropriate to a given pedoclimatic context, defining the planting layout and training system, and scheduling the main cultural operations across the fruiting cycle. Ability to interpret maturity indices in order to define the harvest date.

3. Making judgements. Ability to critically evaluate alternative technical options and to justify the choices made, weighing agronomic, qualitative, economic and environmental sustainability criteria. Ability to identify the limiting factors of a given production system and to assess, on the basis of technical and scientific sources (including descriptor lists and specialised literature), the most suitable corrective strategies.

4. Communication skills. Ability to present and discuss the topics of the course with appropriate technical and scientific terminology, addressing both specialist and non-specialist audiences (growers, technicians, nursery operators, supply-chain actors), and to support arguments with pertinent references and data.

5. Learning skills. Ability to independently update knowledge by consulting scientific literature, technical documentation, germplasm descriptor lists and sector databases, thereby acquiring the methodological autonomy required for further study, for research activity and for professional practice in the fruit-growing sector.

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).

If the course is delivered in blended or remote mode, appropriate adjustments may be made to the above, in order to ensure consistency with the syllabus

To better understand the topics of the course it is important to have some prior knowledge of the physiology and morphology of tree crops

Attending the classes is not mandatory, but strongly recommended, as it facilities the learning process and contributes to the achievement of the learning objectives.

FIRST SECTION.

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 SECTION.

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.

THIRD SECTION.

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.

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

1. Agronomic aspects related to a species included in the program

2. Varietal panorama of one of the species included in the program

3. Methods of propagation and rootstocks f one of the species included in the program