02098 - General Agronomy

Learning outcomes

At the end of the lectures the student knows the agronomic techniques that can modify the most important factors that can enhance the plant productivity. He can increase the chemical, physical and biological fertility of the soil and evaluate the sustainability of agricultural practices from an economic, social and environmental point of view.

Course contents

Prerequisites

For this course the student must have a sound knowledge of fundamentals of chemistry, mathematics and biology that are taught in the first year of the course.

The course

The lectures are subdivided into theree parts. In the first one agronomy is defined: its aims, its evolutions and where information sources can be obtained. At the end the student must know the object of agronomic science, the concept of agronomic sustainability and where to find the informations to keep it.

In the second part, which is divided into three sections, the most important environmental factors, excluding climate, which is taught in agrometeorology (soil and living organisms) are addressed. The student have to know their main characteristics, their measures and how they can be modified.

In the third part the various cultural practices are examined. Of each of them the student must know the aims, the different techniques and their consequences on crop and on the environment.

The lecture addresses the following SDGs of 2030 Agenda of ONU

1.2.2.OSS2 (Zero hunger)

1.2.2.OSS12 (Responsible use and production)

1.2.13.OSS13 (Act on the climate)

1.2.15.OSS15 (The life on the Earth)

https://www.unibo.it/uniboweb/resources/people/documents/ObiettiviSviluppoSostenibile.pdf

http://efsandquality.glos.ac.uk/

The programme

The programme of the lectures is the following:

1. AGRONOMY _____ 5 h

Definition, history, and agricultural statistiques

2B. AGRICULTURAL SOIL _____ 4 h

Classification, components, soil physics and chemistry, water and air in the soil

2C. AGRICULTURAL BIOLOGY _____ 2 h

Crop plant biology, weed biology, and soil organisms biology

3. AGRONOMIC TECHNIQUES

3a. Definitions and aims _____2 h

3b Soil reclamation _____3 h

Cropping systems, soil sistemation and hydraulic reclamation

3c. Soil tillage _____ 4 h

Ploughing, minimum and no tillage, harrowing and rolling

3d. Other cropping techniques _____ 5 h

Sowing, mineral and organic fertilisation, irrigation

3e. Crop protection _____ 4 h

Weed control, insecticides and fungicides

3f. Cropping systems _____ 3 h

Crop rotations and consociation

3g. Types of Agricultures _____ 5 h

Conventional, precision and organic farming

Esercitations

Beyond the class lectures (40 h) 20 h of practical stage are added to observe some cultural practices and to discuss some recent agronomic issues. Laboratory visit and field excursions are possible.

Readings/Bibliography

· CECCON P. Agronomia - Ed. EdiSES, Napoli

· GIARDINI L. L'Agronomia per conservare il futuro - Ed. Patron, Bologna

· LANDI R. Agronomia e Ambiente - Ed. Edagricole, Bologna

. AMICABILE S. Manuale di Agricoltura III ed. - Ed. Hoepli, Milano

· Before the starting of the course, slides that are shown in the class can be copied in the pen drives of the students

For those who wish to study in English the following books can be recommended:

Introduction to Agronomy: Food, Crops, and Environment 2nd Edition by Sheaffer, Craig C. & Moncada, Kristine M.
ISBN-13: 978-1111312336
Delman Gengage Learning, 2012
[ https://www.amazon.com/Introduction-Agronomy-Food-Crops-Environment/dp/1111312338 ]

Principles of Agronomy for Sustainable Agriculture
Edition by Villalobos, Francisco J. & Fereres, Elias
ISBN 978-3-319-83445-0
Springer, 2016
[ https://www.springer.com/gp/book/9783319461151 ]

This book can be freely read at the following address:
https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/unibo/detail.action?docID=4797397
using the references of our library.

Teaching methods

Class lectures with the aid of a monitor; field excursion to visit the agricultural garden ( http://www.dista.unibo.it/Orto%20Agrario/web/WEB_Dista/Benvenuto.html ) and the didactic farm (AUB) where long term agronomic experiments are carried out ( http://www.scienzeagrarie.unibo.it/it/servizi-e-strutture/esperienze-agronomiche-a-lungo-termine-ealt )

Assessment methods

The course is a part of the integrated course 32656 General agronomy and Agroecology, together with the course 27304 Agrometeorology and agroecology. Therefore the evaluation at the end of the courses is made on the basis of the knowledge obtained by the student in both courses. The final examination is oral. It lasts about 20-30 min. On average the students are asked three questions: The first one regarding the pedo-climatic environment, another question on the sustainability of an agronomic technique and a last one on the means and methods to vary the most important envronmental charachteristics. The evaluation will be conducted on the basis of the knowledges acquired by the student and on his ability of reasoning and of expressing his thoughts.

Student can sit the exam in English language, asking for it to the professor, before starting the test.

Teaching tools

Power point presentations that are shown on the monitor. The slides will be distributed at the starting of the course on the pendrives of the students.

Office hours

See the website of Guido Baldoni