96971 - Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Soil-Plant System

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course, the student acquires the basic knowledge of chemistry and biochemistry of the soil-plant system related to the mechanisms of nutrition. Consequently, the student is able to manage the mechanisms that regulate the flow of the elements in the soil plant system, and is therefore able to prepare plans for the maintenance and preservation of fertility and soil functionality also in relation to the environment and landscape.

Course contents

A) Prerequisites

The student who accesses this teaching has a good preparation in the fundamentals of mathematics, physics, chemistry and plant biology.

B) Teaching units

Unit 1 - Soil Chemistry (Total teaching unit 22 hours)
1.1 Constituents of soil
2.1 Physical chemical properties of soil
3.1 Biochemistry of the Soil
4.1 Acid and saline soils

Unit 2 - Biochemistry of soil-plant interaction (total units 22 hours)
2.1 Nutrients in soil and rhizosphere
2.2 Trans-membrane transport of nutrients
2.3 Specific mechanisms of absorption
2.4 Chemical analysis of soil

Unit 3 - Practices (total teaching unit 16 hours)

Readings/Bibliography

Fondamenti di Biochimica Agraria - Patron EDITORE

Fondamenti di Chimica del Suolo - Patron EDITORE

Teaching methods

The course is divided into two parts:


1) Frontal teaching: through the administration of the teaching units in the classroom.


2) Practices: the student participates in laboratory experiments that aim to provide analytical parameters useful for the prediction of chemical and biological processes that characterize a given soil.

Assessment methods

The final assesment of the skills will takes place through an oral examination

Teaching tools

the teaching will be done in classroom and practices in lab.

Office hours

See the website of Claudio Marzadori