88232 - Orchard And Vineyard Management

Learning outcomes

The course will allow the students to use the available scientific knowledge and the modern technical tools to improve the ecological sustainability of cultural management and pest control in orchards, vineyards as well as in nurseries.

Course contents

Students attending this class must possess basic knowledge of tree biology and physiology to fully understand the subjects presented during the course. These competences are obtained during the first level degree and in the first-year of the master program. The course is divided in two modules and will focus on the following topics:

A) MODULE Canopy management (prof. C. Andreotti)

· Introduction to the canopy structure (architectural models, fruiting habitus) and functionality (Teaching unit length: 2 hours)

Relation between the vegetative and reproductive cycles

Pruning as a tool to manage the competition between organs (roots, shoots, bud induction and differentiation, flowers, fruits, etc)

· Pruning techniques (Teaching unit length: 8 hours)

Dormant pruning

Summer pruning

Mechanical pruning

No pruning techniques

· Canopy training systems for low/intermediate/high density orchards (Teaching unit length: 6 hours)

Training systems for fruit trees

Training systems for grapevine

· Management of fruit load (Teaching unit length: 6 hours)

Alternate bearing and fruit thinning

Plant growth regulators to control tree growth and fruit quality

Control of ripening in grapevine

· Protection systems (Teaching unit length: 2 hours)

Shading nets, hail nets, plastic tunnel against rain, wind barriers

· Production systems in nurseries (Teaching unit length: 6 hours)

Production techniques

Nursery management and legislation

B) MODULE Soil and water management (Dr. Damiano Zanotelli)

· Mineral nutrient supply (Teaching unit length: 12 hours)

Nutrient needs

Nutrient availability

Nutrient cycling within trees and ecosystems

Soil and foliar nutrient supply; fertigation techniques

Management of nutrient-related physiological disorders

· Water management (Teaching unit length: 12 hours)

Soil water availability and water needs

Plant and soil-based methods for irrigation scheduling

Water stresses and irrigation strategies for enhancing fruit quality

Strategies to enhance WUE and reduce water losses

Regulated deficit irrigation and partial root drying

Irrigation systems

· Evaporative cooling (Teaching unit length: 1 hours)

· Orchard- and vineyard-floor Management systems (Teaching unit length: 3 hours)

Ground-cover vegetation and ground-cover systems

Weed control methods

Green Manure

· Control of soil sickness and replant problems (Teaching unit length: 2 hours)

Readings/Bibliography

Lecture slides and exercises made available after the lessons on the on-line platform of unibz; handouts and articles provided by the instructor through internet services managed by unibz. Selected chapters from Principle of modern Fruit Science (2019, ISHS), Fundamental of temperate zone tree fruit production (2005) and Apple, Botany production and uses (2003).

Teaching methods

Frontal lessons make up 60% of the time allotted to this course. The remaining 40% of the time is dedicated to lab- and field-activities, and visits.

Assessment methods

Oral exam at the end of the course on the entire program (frontal lessons and exercises/excursions). At least three questions on different subjects of the course will be asked. The assessment will be based on the comprehension of the topics, on the problem solving ability, on the ability to integrate different parts of the program knowledge and to support his/her answers with scientific arguments.

Teaching tools

Frontal lessons using ppt presentations. Exercises to calculate water and nutrient requirements and a fertilization plan. Field exercises with the use of scientific instruments. Field visits.

Office hours

See the website of Carlo Andreotti

See the website of Damiano Zanotelli