29369 - Food Crop Ecology and Productions

Learning outcomes

At the end of this course the student is expected to have knowledge about food crops in the appropriate productive and geographical context. Known the main food field and vegetable crops, with special respect to quality and technological traits and their determinants

Course contents

Ecology of food crops

Opening lecture. Explanation of the course structure and modality of the exam.

Fundamentals of plant morphology.

The plant cell. Structure, components and modifications.

Plant tissues. Meristems, parenchyms, vessels, mechanical, teguments. Function and average composition in relation to food uses.

Elements of organography. Vegetative organs: leaf, stem, roots: morphology, functions and transformations; composition in relation to food uses. Reproductive organs: the flower; the reproductive cycle of Angiosperms. The fruit: types, functions and composition in relation to food uses.

Elements of Crop ecophysiology

Main ecophysiological processes, environmental factors and their effects.

Plants as organic matter producers. Photosynthesis. CO2 diffusion; photochemical and biochemical processes; Calvin cycle - reminders. Photorespiration. Solar radiation: characteristics and distribution. Light interception; LAI. Relation between intercepted radiation and C=2 assimilation. C3 and C4 species. Effects of CO2 and temperature. Assimilation of a crop and potential CO2 and carbohydrate assimilation. Respiration: glycolysis, Krebs cycle, electron transport - reminders. Maintenance and growth respiration: definition and quantification. Biomass conversion and biomass growth.

Development and phenology. Temperature: distribution and effects on plants; definition of development. Relations between temperature and development, control factors, assimilate partitioning. Determinate and indeterminate growth. Biological forms.

Plant-environment water and nutrient relations. The soil; relation between soil phases; water balance; atmospheric water inputs. Evapotranspiration. Radiation balance, net radiation, effects on evapotranspiration. Soil chemical fertility; essential elements; organic matter. Chemical fertility; state and balance of N, P, K; N forms in the plants, nitrates.

Relations between organisms and practical consequences. Exponential growth phase; competition and its effect on final yield. relations between crop plants and other organisms; problematic of chemical treatments; acute and chronic toxicity: tolerance limit.

Genetic structure of plant populations. Structure fo the genome. Genetic character transmission. Autogamy and allogamy and plant population structure.

Second part (Field crops)

For the species included, at different detail levels, knowledge of:

• utilised part, its composition and quality characters
• Food uses and main technological characteristics
• diffusion and importance
• elements of morphology and ecology
• main environmental and growing factors affecting quality

Presentation. Introduction and elements of systematics and botanical nomenclature.

Cereals. General traits and elements of systematics. Graminaceae: general characters, inflorescence morphology. Morphology and composition of the kernel. Cool and warm season cereals.

Wheats. Genus Triticum: evolution and cultivated forms. The cycle, kernels growth. Bread and durum wheat: quality characters; commercial quality; milling quality. proteins; amylasic activity; gluten content and quality. technological quality; Chopin alveogram, farinogram. Durum wheat quality. Elements of growing techniques.

Barley. Feed an malt barley; quality traits for malt production.

Other winter cereals: oats, rye, minor wheats.

Buckwheat.

Rice. Forms, quality characters; elements of first processing; elements of growing techniques.

Corn. Forms and uses. Humid and dry milling, products and related quality characters. ; elements of growing techniques.

Oilseed crops. general traits. Processing and main quality traits. Main quality and yield characters of soybeans, sunflower, rapeseed. Elements on other strategic oilseed crops: palm, coconut, groundnut, and minor ones: sesame, safflower, linseed, cottonseed. Elements about non food oilseed crops.

Food legumes. General traits and quality characters. Direct food uses and industrial processing. main quality traits and production of peas and common beans. Elements about horse beans, lentil, chickpeas, cowpeas.

Sugar crops. Sugar beet: quality and yield characters. Elements about sugar cane.

Starchy crops. General traits. Potato: composition, quality traits, post harvest physiology; uses and types; growing cycle. Elements about tropical crops.

Vegetables for direct consumption or processing. Tomato. Composition and quality traits, with special respect for processing tomato. Cycle and production organisation. Other Solanaceae: sweet and pungent pepper.

Cucurbitaceae. General traits; vegetable and industry cucumber; elements about melon, watermelon, squashes.

Brassicaceae. General traits; Brassica oleracea: forms, quality and uses. Element of other species.

Leafy industrial species: spinach, beet, chicory.

Asteraceae. Artichoke: quality, uses and cycle. Chicories: types, uses; lettuces.

Alliaceae: onion and other species.

Daucaceae: carrot and other species.

Aspects of herbs, spices and dye plants.

Practical

Quality determinations on wheat (conditioned by hosting at a private firm): specific weight, hardness, gluten, Chopin alveogram, Brabender farinogram.

Quality determinations on vegetable and fruit crops. Sugar and titratable acidity, pH. texture (penetrometer, tenderometer); colour.

Identification of cereal, oliseed and legume fruit and seeds and first processing products.

Visits to farms and processing plants, variable from year to year.

Readings/Bibliography

Some reference textbooks swill be indicated during the course. However, the students are advised to use the given material and lecture content

Teaching methods

Standard classroom lectures with power point presentation (also on line for 2020).

Lab practical

Assessment methods

Oral exam. with generally 3 questions. Weight: 20% plant morphology and physiology; 20% crop ecology; 60% field crops. All the parts must attain a sufficient mark (18) for the exam to be passed.

Teaching tools

Power point slides: given to students at the beginning of the lecture cycle:

Didactic lab in Cesena

Office hours

See the website of Luigi Filippo D'Antuono

See the website of Sara Bosi