02098 - General Agronomy

Course contents

A) Prerequisites
The General Agronomy course assumes a basic knowledge in Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry and Botany General. This preparation is provided by its teachings disbursed during the first year of the degree course. It therefore recommends that passing these tests before facing General Agronomy.

1. Cultivation Environment (teaching unit Total 10 hours)
1.1. Climate
Elements and climate factors. Variation, indexes and climatic classifications. Rules and means to defend the crops from bad weather.

1.2. Soil
General information on agricultural soils. Physical Properties. physical states in relation to humidity. Water relations in the complex soil-plant-atmosphere. Outline of chemical and biological properties, the atmosphere and the thermal properties. Rules and means to change the unfavorable soil conditions the life of the crop.

2. Agronomic techniques (teaching unit Total 18 hours)
2.1. Tillage
Purposes of the processing. types of tillage. main processes, secondary and ongoing cultivation. Minimum tillage and no-till.

2.2. Fertilization
Notes on organic matter and on nutrient levels in the soil. organic fertilization: soil, manure, green manure and burying of crop residues. Composting. Classification of elements nutrients from fertilizers, physical form, origin. Main organic fertilizers. Major mineral fertilizers N, P and K. Ages and methods of fertilizer distribution. decision support systems to fertilization.
2.3. Irrigation

Irrigation purposes and problems involved. Organization and irrigation parameters. irrigation systems. Times and volumes. of irrigation decision support systems.

2.4. water balance
Consequences of excess water on soil and crops. Surface and sub-surface drainage. settlement of land in the plains and in the hills.

2.5. crop propagation
Reproductive organs of gamete and asexual origin. Type of breeding material and genetic improvement hints. Treatments reproductive material. Mode field facility.

2.6. cropping systems
Bases of the alternation and crop classification. Rotation, rotation, monoculture, intercropping and catch crops.

3. Weed (Total teaching 4 hours drive)
Origin, classification, ecology and harmfulness of weeds. Indirect methods of struggle, direct and integrated. chemical herbicides: uptake, mode of action, selectivity and persistence. Periods and modes of intervention. Environmental degradation and dispersion herbicides.

4. Production and Seed Control (Total teaching 4 hours drive)
functional definition of the seed and main types. Organization of seed production chain. Aspects of seed quality. seed certification: major categories of seeds and catalog of varieties.

5. Educational Activities seminars, laboratory and in the field (24 hours total teaching units)
The seminar lectures are aimed at consolidating the knowledge acquired in previous learning units, including through exercises, practical examples and vision of additional material compared to lectures.

The laboratory activities are intended to illustrate the main analysis of agronomic importance on the ground and on the seed.
The educational activities in the field are represented by visits to the Company of the University of Bologna, to take direct contact with the material covered in class in relation to the visit of the season.
Of the time of this unit will be dedicated to meet specific training needs expressed by students.

Readings/Bibliography

Giardini, L. L'Agronomia per Conservare il Futuro. Pàtron Editore, 2012.

Giardini L. A come Agronomia. Pàtron Editore, 2003.

Bittelli, M. Class notes

Teaching methods

Class lessons and laboratories.

Assessment methods

Final written exam.

Teaching tools

Web based application, Power Point Presentation, programming languages.

Links to further information

http://www.dista.unibo.it/~bittelli/

Office hours

See the website of Marco Bittelli