88208 - Soil Fertility And Plant Biochemistry

Learning outcomes

The course will provide a comprehensive knowledge of plant and soil chemistry. The student will achieve the ability to evaluate and manage soil fertility to increase crop production and quality and, at the same time, minimize the environmental impact. The student will also acquire the basic knowledge on the analysis and bioactivity of the major plant secondary metabolites.

Course contents

Course Unit 1. Soil fertility (total 3 cfu). The student at the end of the course will get the ability to evaluate the soil fertility from a physical, chemical and biochemical viewpoint. Students shall be able to manage it and to increase it, if necessary, according to the target of production fixed and environmental aspects.

Biogeochemical cycles:

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

Phosphate: immobilization and mineralization of phosphorus; influence of pH

Sulphur: reduction of sulphate and oxidation of Sulphur.

Potassium, Calcium, Magnesium and Iron.

Fertilizers and factors affecting fertilizers uses:

Mineral fertilizers

Organic fertilizers

Amendants

Chelates

Recycling and use of biomasses of agro-industrial origin in agriculture

Organic farming.

Course Unit 2. Secondary metabolism of horticultural plants (3 cfu). The course covers different classes of bioactive substances.

Primary metabolism vs secondary metabolism.

The classes of secondary metabolites and functions:

Terpenes and biosynthesis

Alkaloids and biosynthesis

Phenols and biosynthesis

Analytical methods: Principle of IR and Raman Spectroscopy

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 practices (24 hours) represented by seminars offered by visiting professors from other institutions, to integrate the instructor's lectures.

 

Assessment methods

Final exam is a seminar on an argument related to a specific topic of both unit course. The duration of the presentation is estimated at around 30 minutes. The final grade is assigned based on the degree of preparation of the student and especially about its capabilities and critical connection between different subjects

Teaching tools

The teaching material presented during the lesson will be uploaded to https://iol.unibo.it/ . Username and password are reserved for students enrolled at the University of Bologna

Office hours

See the website of Ornella Francioso