88208 - Soil Fertility And Plant Biochemistry

Learning outcomes

Course Unit 1. Soil fertility (total 3 cfu). The students at the end of the course will be able to evaluate soil fertility from a physical, chemical and biochemical point of view. In addition, they will also be aware of how to manage soil fertility and increase it, if necessary, according to the productivity goal set and environmental indicators.

Course Unit 2. Secondary metabolism of horticultural plants (3 cfu). The purpose of the course is to give students a basic understanding of the main biosynthetic pathways and chemical composition of secondary metabolites; the potential market use of these metabolites; and the eco-physiological function of such metabolites in plants.

Course contents

Course Unit 1. Soil fertility.

Biogeochemical cycles:

Nitrogen: fixation, mineralization, immobilization, organication, nitrification and denitrification.

Phosphate: immobilization and mineralization of phosphorus;

Sulphur: reduction of sulphate and oxidation of Sulphur.

Potassium, Calcium, Magnesium and Iron.

Mineral and organic fertilizers and factors affecting their availability

Amendants

Chelates

Recycling and use of biomass from agro-waste in agriculture.

 

Course Unit 2. Secondary metabolism of horticultural plants

Primary metabolism vs secondary metabolism.

The classes of secondary metabolites and functions:

Terpenes and biosynthetic pathway

Alkaloids and biosynthetic pathway

Phenols and biosynthetic pathway

 

 

Readings/Bibliography

Biochemistry of plant secondary metabolism / edited by Michael Wink Sheffield : Sheffield academic; Boca Raton, Fla.: CRC, 1999

Mengel K. and Kirkby E. A. (2001). Principles of Plant Nutrition. 5th Edition. Pp. 849. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht, Boston, London.

Marschner H. (1995). Mineral Nutrition of Higher Plants. 2nd Ed. Academic Press

Teaching methods

The course consists of lectures (36 hours) and seminars (24 hours) offered by visiting professors from other institutions to complement the lectures.

Assessment methods

The final assessment consists of an oral presentation on two topics on soil fertility and plant biochemistry. The duration of the exam is approximately 20 minutes.

The grade is given considering the overall preparation of the student and, in detail, on the property of language, the ability to make connections between the two topics and analytical ability

Teaching tools

The lecture content presented during the lesson will be shared with the students in the Class and uploaded to Online – IOL

Office hours

See the website of Ornella Francioso