29369 - Food Crop Ecology and Productions

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course, the student possesses the knowledge on food crops in the appropriate productive and geographical context. He knows the main herbaceous food crops, with particular regard to the qualitative and technological characteristics and the factors affecting them.

Course contents

The course of Ecology of vegetable production and herbaceous crops represents one of the modules of the integrated course of Vegetable production. The course is made up of two parts: the first, "Ecology of vegetable production" is preparatory to both the second part and the "fruit science" module. and therefore it is carried out in the first half of the academic year. This part provides elements of: plant morphology and crop ecology, with particular regard to the main functions of plants and their role as primary producers of organic matter, as a basis for nutrition. In addition its preparatory function, this part also has the purpose of making the student aware of the factors that determine and can limit the production of food raw materials, in relation to the environmental areas. The second part, Herbaceous crops, belongs to the professional sphere. It aims to illustrate the main herbaceous food crops of temperate zones, with particular regard to: diffusion and importance, elements of morphology and ecology,  used plant parts, composition and qualitative characteristics; food destinations and main technological characteristics, main environmental and cultural factors determining quality.

Course contents

Ecology of food crops (first semester)

Introduction: program description, exam and grading method.

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.

Hints on 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.

Fundamentals 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. Photorespiration. Solar radiation: characteristics and distribution. Light interception; LAI. Relation between intercepted radiation and CO2 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. Maintenance and growth respiration: definition and quantification. Biomass conversion and biomass growth.

Development and phenology. Temperature: distribution and effects on plants; definition of plant development. Relations between temperature and plant growth, 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. Hints on genome structure. Autogamy, allogamy and plant population structure.

Herbaceous crops (second semester)

For each examined food crop, the following issues will be addressed:

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

Presentation. Introduction and hints on systematics and botanical nomenclature.

Cereals. General traits and systematics. Graminaceae: general characteristics, 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 characteristics; commercial quality; milling quality, proteins; amylasic activity; gluten content and quality, technological quality; Chopin alveogram, farinogram. Durum wheat quality. Hints on cropping techniques.

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

Other winter cereals: oats, rye, minor wheats. Pseudocereals: buckwheat.

Rice. traits, quality characteristics; hints on first processing; hints on cropping techniques.

Corn. traits and uses. Humid and dry milling, products and related quality characteristics; elements of cropping techniques.

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

Food legumes. General traits and quality characteristics. Direct food uses and industrial processing. Main quality traits and production of peas and common beans. Hints on horse beans, lentil, chickpeas, cowpeas.

Sugar crops. Sugar beet: quality and yield characters. Hints on sugar cane.

Potato: composition, quality traits, post harvest physiology; uses and types; growing cycle.

Vegetables for direct consumption or processing. Tomato. Composition and quality traits, with special respect for processing tomato. Cycle and production.

Cucurbitaceae. General traits; vegetable and industry cucumber; hints on melon, watermelon, squashes.

Brassicaceae. General traits; Brassica oleracea: forms, quality and uses. Hints on 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 (second semester)

Acquisition of knowledge and manual skills for the basic qualitative determination of cereals, with particular regard to wheat and fruit and vegetable species

Quality determinations on wheat (conditioned by the availability of the hosting private company): specific weight, hardness, gluten, Chopin alveogram, Brabender farinogram.

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

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

Frontal lessons

The lectures are held in the classroom, at planned times, assisted by the projection of didactic material. The standard lesson time lasts 45 minutes.

Practical lessons

The practical lessons consist of: laboratory exercises and / or guided tours in farms (according to the availability of the farms).

Assessment methods

The course is organized in two modules. Therefore, the evaluation of the course takes into account jointly the level of knowledge and skills acquired by the student in relation to the contents of both modules.

The assessment of learning takes place only through the final examination, which is aimed to verify the acquisition of expected knowledge and skills by an oral exam.

The student can choose whether to take the oral exam of Modules 1 and 2 separately (i.e. in different sessions) or in the same session. Passing the oral exam relating to Module 1 is a prerequisite for taking the exam relating to Module 2.

Students can book for the oral exam only using the methods provided by the Alma Esami system. The exams are proposed within the special sessions for current students and throughout the academic year for students who have not completed university exams within the set time period.

Teaching tools

The material presented during the lessons (powerpoint slides) is available to students on the VIRTUALE teaching platform

Didactic laboratory at Cesena facilities

Office hours

See the website of Ilaria Marotti

See the website of Sara Bosi