96969 - Agronomic Management of Green Areas and Turf

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course, the student will acquire a proper scientific knowledge for the agronomic management of urban green, the basic agronomic knowledge for the landscape management and the basic knowledge for the management of turfgrasses. In particular, the student will be able: a) to manage the soil substrate (natural or artificial) within the context of the soil-plant-atmosphere integrated system with the aim to maintain/improve the habitability; b) to manage the vegetal species by using the proper agro-techniques (sowing, irrigation, fertilization, hydralulic layout); c) to manage the weeds by using the appropriate tools; d) to work in the sector of lawns.

Course contents

Prerequisites

The student who accesses the present course is in possession of a good preparation in the fundamentals of ecology, biology and plant biodiversity. He knows also the main pathways of the plant metabolism. These knowledge and skills are provided by the teachings of the first year.

 

Contents of the theoretical teaching units

The course is organized in two modules.

 

Module 1. Agronomic management of urban green

The first part of the module (24 h) deals with the role of general agronomy within the framework of urban green. The main goal is to present basic notions about agronomy and to use these notions for better understanding the complex relationship between agronomy and urban green. The main typologies of urban green and their functions will be illustrated. Some examples will permit to underline the role of agronomy and its potential applications within the framework of urban green. The main issues of the first part include:

1) Definition and role of agronomy;

2) Agronomy and urban green;

3) Agronomy and landscape management.

The main aim of the second part (30 hours) regards the multiple knowledge requested for a proper agronomic management of urban green. In particular, with some examples, it will be shown how the application of agronomic knowledge favors a sustainable management of urban green. The main issues of the second part include:

1) The soil substrate: general features, chemical, physical and biological properties. Techniques for modifying soil properties unfavorable for plant growth;

2) Relationships between climatic conditions and plant growth;

3) The main agro-techniques: hydraulic layouts, plowing, sowing, fertilization and irrigation;

4) Weed control: mechanical, physical and chemical tools;

5) The organic managment of urban green: the key principles

Please note that the issues related to soil, hydraulic layouts and irrigation methods, while finding evident links with other courses (eg. Irrigation, Drainage and Soil Defence), are not mere duplication, since the themes will be treated focusing on the most strictly agronomic aspects.

Module 2. Turf management and maintainance

The second module (34 h) is aimed to provide the basic elements for the realization and management of different turfgrasses (sports fields, ornamentals, recreational, technical) taking into account, beside the principal goals of turfgrass, the social-environmental context. The main issues of the second part include:

1) Artificial turfgrasses: definition, purposes;

2) Influence of the climate, with particular reference to temperature and water availability, and of the nature of the soil on the constitution and management of the turf;

3) Turf species: botanical characteristics, environmental adaptation, cool-season andwarm-season species;

4) Selection criteria of the species (monostand, blend, mix);

5) Cultivation techniques: preparation of the seedbed, planting, fertilization, irrigation, cuts, weed control, phytosanitary treatments;

6) Management techniques specific to lawns' intended use.

Readings/Bibliography

Crucial will be the use of material distributed by the teachers made available online in the form of dispensation and any lecture notes. The dispensation of the course covers the whole program. For further study and clarification, we suggest the following texts:

Bonciarelli F., U. Bonciarelli Agronomy (2003) Edagricole

Baldoni R., Giardini L. Coltivazioni erbacee. Vol. 3: Foraggere e tappeti erbosi (2002). Patron

Teaching methods

The theoretical modules consist of lectures accompanied by discussions in class with students with the aim to train the student to the  concepts of agronomic management of ornamental green areas, with emphasis on the role of agronomy in the design and maintenance.

The practical teaching activities consist in visits to gardens, with the aim to deepening from a practical point of view the concepts introduced in the classroom.

Assessment methods

The course is organized in two modules. Therefore, the evaluation of the course takes into account jointly the level of knowledge and skills acquired by the student in relation to the contents of both modules.

The assessment of learning takes place only through the final examination, which is aimed to verify the acquisition of expected knowledge and skills by a written test lasting 2 hours, without the aid of notes or books, not followed by an oral examination.

The test includes only open-ended responses, for a total of 12 questions. The test does not concern the practical parts.

Teaching tools

PC and video-projection

Office hours

See the website of Giovanni Dinelli

See the website of Ilaria Marotti