BIOTECHNOLOGIES OF HERBACEOUS CROPS

The teaching activity aims at building knowledge, skills and competences about the adaptation and resistance to environmental stress, the improvement of the efficiency of the use of resources and the use of biotechnologies for the sustainable energy production. In particular, at the end of the course, students will be able to:

i)                    demonstrate the knowledge and understanding of the basic concepts on the functioning of agroecosystem functions, on the genetic improvement of field crops, on the efficiency of the use of nutrients, on the resistance to abiotic stress, on the production of biofuels from field crops and on the phytoremediation of polluted soil.

ii)                   apply skills and knowledge to understand with a professional approach, possess adequate skills to conceive and support arguments aimed at the use of biotechnology skills to optimize the use of the resources, the field crops bioconversion and their use for the phytoremediation of polluted soil.

iii)                 collect and interpret data and information aimed at independently analyze the processes and effects of the interventions applied along the production chains of field crops, critically evaluating any implications of a scientific and ethical nature, as well as identifying methods and tools for planning and managing the productivity of field crops.

iv)                 communicate information, ideas, problems and solutions relating to issues of interest to the biotech sector to specialists and non-specialists using a "supply chain" and "circular" approach.

v)                   develop, with specific reference to the contents of the discipline, learning skills that allow them to continue their university studies in subsequent cycles with a high degree of autonomy.

The course will be structured as follows: 

• Lectures
• Participated lessons
• Cooperative lessons
• Analysis of case studies

If teaching is given in a mixed formula or remotely, necessary changes may be introduced to what was previously stated in order to comply with the provided and reported  syllabus.

Learning assessment may also be carried out on line, should the conditions require it.

As a guarantee of equal opportunities and in compliance with current laws, interested students can ask for a personal interview in order to plan any compensatory and/or dispensatory measures, based on their specific needs and on teaching objectives of the discipline. 
It is also possible to ask the departmental contacts of CInAP (Center for Active and Participatory Integration - Services for Disabilities and/or DSAs), in the persons of professors Giovanna Tropea Garzia and Anna De Angelis.

1. Basic knowledge on agroecosystems structure and function
2. Brief notes on biodiversity and germplasm conservation
3. Genetic improvement of herbaceous crops
4. Genetically modified plants (transferred characters and genetic control)
5. Nutrient use efficiency
6. Resistance to environmental stress
7. Biofuels production from herbaceous crops.
8. Phytoremediation of polluted soils.

1. Genomica e Biotecnologie Genetiche – Vol III (Barcaccia, Falcinelli). Liguori Editore
2. Biologia cellulare e Biotecnologie Vegetali (Pasqua G.). Piccin Editore
3. Biotecnologie sostenibili (Galbiati, Gentile, La Malfa, Tonelli). Edagricole Editore
4. Appunti del docente

The assessment of learning takes place through an oral interview. 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:

· The candidate describes the different types of environmental stress

· The candidate describes the strategies for improving the nutrient use efficiency

· The candidate describes a sustainable energy production process