79249 - ENVIRONMENTAL AGRONOMY AND WEED SCIENCE

Learning outcomes

Lectures in presence, practical exercises in the classroom (recognition of adult wild plants, seedlings, seeds) and in the field. Recalls between scientific theory and practical reality as well as between environmental and productive objectives with the search for agro-ecological compatibility.

Course contents

ENVIRONMENTAL AGRONOMY, BIODIVERSITY AND WEED SCIENCE

1. Agroecosystems: characteristics, similarities and differences compared with natural ecosystems. General ecological and anthropogenic features of agroecosystems and their differences from natural ecosystems. Overview of the main characteristics of biomes and the concepts of climax communities and ecological succession. Distinctive features of landscape and regional agronomy. Agronomic suitability of different Italian regions. The concept of sustainable productivity. Spatial and temporal evolution of agroecosystems. Quality labels and geographical indications for food products. The concept of agronomic sustainability.
2. Agricultural systems

2.1 Intensive, extensive and integrated farming

2.2 Agriculture involving genetically modified crops

2.3 Organic farming

2.4 Biodynamic farming

2.5 Slash-and-burn agriculture

2.6 Conservation agriculture

2.7 Horizontal and vertical transhumance

2.8 Urban agriculture

3.0 Agroecosystem pollutants: environmental impacts and mitigation strategies.

4.0 Overview of the main biomes, their productivity and biodiversity. Biogeochemical cycles.

5.0 Undesirability of weed flora: quantitative, qualitative and agronomic aspects.

6.0 Classification of weed flora: thermal and photoperiodic requirements, life cycles, survival strategies, and sexual and asexual modes of recolonisation of the different ecological niches within agroecosystems. r- and K-strategies; Grime’s classification; Raunkiær’s classification; Ellenberg indicator values. Holoparasitic and hemiparasitic plants. Xerophytic, hydrophytic and pioneer flora. Overview and examples of climbing and allergenic plants. Origin of the different species: native species, archaeophytes, neophytes, and recently or historically introduced alien species.

7.0 Concepts of competition and allelopathy: mechanisms of below-ground and above-ground competition and allelopathic interactions. Agronomic strategies for shifting weed–crop interactions in favour of the crop.

8.0 Identification of wild flora: botanical, ecological and agronomic aspects of the wild flora belonging to the most important plant families.

9.0 Identification of seedlings of the main weed species.

10.0 Gene-flow mechanisms in weed flora: self-pollinated, wind-pollinated and insect-pollinated plants.

11.0 Sexual reproduction: seed-germination ecology, dormancy and longevity.

12.0 Asexual reproduction: vegetative propagation organs, including stolons, rhizomes, tubers and bulbs. Examples of vegetative reproduction mechanisms in some of the main plant families, including Poaceae, Asteraceae, Liliaceae, Cyperaceae, Convolvulaceae, Rosaceae, Oxalidaceae, Iridaceae and Ranunculaceae.

13.0 Dispersal mechanisms: biotic dispersal—including endozoochory, epizoochory, myrmecochory and autochory—and abiotic dispersal—including anemochory, hydrochory and barochory—as well as anthropochory.

14.0 Chemical weed control: application methods and timing, mechanisms of action and environmental concerns. Concepts of selectivity, tolerance and resistance. Mechanisms of action according to the HRAC (Herbicide Resistance Action Committee) classification.

15.0 Non-chemical management of weed flora in different human-modified ecosystems: mechanical, physical and agronomic methods. Natural herbicides and bioherbicides.

16.0 Soil seed-bank analysis: analytical methods, agronomic applications, long-term floristic monitoring, importance of burial depth, pre-emergence growth, and identification of the seeds of the main arable weed species.

17.0 Toxic and poisonous flora: examples of toxicity and poisoning associated with different species, with particular emphasis on plant families containing numerous species that pose risks to human and animal health. Overview of the main classes of toxic chemicals and their mechanisms of action.

18.0 Wild flora as an agroecological indicator: soil pH, texture, temperature, water availability, salinity and previous agronomic management.

19.0 Cover crops: agroecological multifunctionality and agronomic potential for weed management.

20.0 Ecosystem services provided by plant biodiversity: insect-pollinated wildflowers, bee-friendly plants, an overview of honey produced from cultivated and wild plant species, and pollinators and other beneficial insects involved in the biological control of harmful insects. Concepts of functional groups and ecological redundancy.

21.0 Assessment of agroecosystem biodiversity: Shannon (H′) and Simpson (D) indices, and agronomic strategies for enhancing the floral and faunal complexity of agroecosystems.

22.0 Strategies for restoring biodiversity in agroecosystems: wildflower strips, field margins, uncropped areas, hedgerows, mosaic landscape management and ecological corridors.

23.0 Coastal dune flora: environmental importance, biological characteristics of the main species, and strategies for restoring degraded ecosystems.

24.0 Urban weed science: biodiversity, ecological niches and sustainable management.

25.0 Ecology of chemical communication in insect-pollinated flora, including crops and weeds: attraction and deterrence strategies, extrafloral nectaries, and plant–animal mutualisms within agroecosystems.

26.0 Wild edible flora: botanical, geographical, ecological, gastronomic, nutraceutical and ethnobotanical aspects, and prospects for agronomic valorisation.

27.0 Biodiversity of local cultivars of Italian crops.

Readings/Bibliography

Baldoni, G., & Dinelli, G. (Eds.). (2024). Principi di agronomia. UTET università.

Catizone, P., & Zanin, G. (2001). Malerbologia. In Malerbologia (pp. 1-925). Patron Editore.

Viggiani, P., & Angelini, R. (1990). Erbe spontanee e infestanti: tecniche di riconoscimento: dicotiledoni. Bayer Italia.

Viggiani, P., & Angelini, R. (1998). Erbe spontanee e infestanti: tecniche di riconoscimento (Graminaceae).

Teaching methods

Lectures in presence, practical exercises in the classroom (recognition of adult wild plants, seedlings, seeds) and in the field. Recalls between scientific theory and practical reality as well as between environmental and productive objectives with the search for agro-ecological compatibility.

Assessment methods

The verification and evaluation of learning will be carried out in oral exams. In this context, some questions will be asked on the following topics: territorial agronomy, management of weed flora and recognition of weed/wild biodiversity. The student may begin the exam by presenting a brief presentation (Power Point) on a case study related to the course. This is to encourage the student to address a real problem of interest to him.

Teaching tools

Original educational-photographic material, collection of crop and weed seeds, microscope to highlight the details of the various plant elements (leaves, stems, flowers, fruits, seeds, etc.) to identify the various species.

Office hours

See the website of Stefano Benvenuti