79249 - ENVIRONMENTAL AGRONOMY AND WEED SCIENCE

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course, the student has acquired the basic elements for the study of the agronomic and environmental analysis of the territory and agricultural ecosystems and the practical-applicative elements for the management of weed flora in silvopastoral, forestry, recreational and non-agricultural areas . In particular, the student is able to: know and apply agronomic techniques for the environmental protection of the territory; manage spontaneous flora in agricultural and non-agricultural areas; recognize the main weeds.

Course contents

79249 - ENVIRONMENTAL AGRONOMY AND MALERBOLOGY

1.0 General information on wild flora of the agroecosystem: species concept, binomial classification, hierarchical structure of classification systems, Cronquist and APGIII classification, main botanical families, botanical and cultivated plant nomenclature code. Concepts of flora, plant communities, vegetation, ecosystem and landscape. Peculiarities of weed flora and anthropocentric concept of their undesirability.

2.0 Classifications of weed flora: thermal and photoperiodic needs, biological cycle, survival strategies, gamic and agamic methods of re-colonization of the various ecological niches of the agro-ecosystem. R and K strategies, Grime classification, Raunkiær classification, Hellenberg indices. Holo-parasitic and hemi-parasitic plants. Xerophytic, hydrophytic, pioneer flora. Notes and examples of liana flora, allergenic flora. Origin of the various species: native, archaeophyte, neophyte, recent and remote exotic weeds.

3.0 Concepts of competition, allelopathy: Mechanisms of radical and aerial competition, allelopathic interactions. Agronomic strategies to shift the balance of weed-crop interaction to the advantage of the latter.

4.0 Recognition of spontaneous flora: Botanical, ecological and agronomic aspects of the spontaneous flora of the most important botanical families: Asteraceae, Amaryllidaceae, Aizoaceae, Alismataceae, Amaranthaceae, Apiaceae, Apocynaceae, Araceae, Araliaceae, Aristolochiaceae, Aschlepiadaceae, Boraginaceae, Brassicaceae, Cactaceae, Cannabaceae , Campanulaceae, Capparaceae, Caryophyllaceae, Chenopodiaceae, Cistaceae, Convolvulaceae, Crassulaceae, Cucurbitaceae, Cyperaceae, Dipsacaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Equisetaceae, Ericaceae, Fabaceae, Gentianaceae, Geraniaceae, Hypericaceae, Iridaceae, Lamiaceae, Liliaceae, Lythraceae, Linaceae, Malvaceae, Oenotheraceae, Orchidaceae , Orobancaceae, Oxalidaceae, Papaveraceae, Phytolaccaceae, Plantaginaceae, Poaceae, Polygonaceae, Portulacaceae, Primulaceae, Ranunculaceae, Resedaceae, Rosaceae, Rubiaceae, Scrophulariaceae, Simarubaceae, Solanaceae, Urticaceae, Valerianaceae, Verbenaceae, Violaceae, Zygophyllaceae.

5.0 Seedlings identification of the main weeds.

6.0 Modes of gene flow of weed flora: autogamous, anemogamous and entomogamous flora.

7.0 Gamic reproduction: Ecology of germination, dormancy and longevity of seeds.

8.0 Agamic reproduction: agamic propagation organs (stolons, rhizomes, tubers, bulbs). Apomixis and viviparia. Examples of the various mechanisms of vegetative reproduction in some of the major botanical families such as Poaceae, Asteraceae, Liliaceae, Cyperaceae, Convolvulaceae, Rosaceae, Oxalidaceae, Iridaceae and Ranunculaceae.

9.0 Mechanisms of dissemination: biotic (endo-zoochory, epi-zoochory, myrmechory, autochory), abiotic (anemochory, hydrochory, barochory) and anthropochory.

10.0 Conventional management of weed flora: active ingredients and periods of use of commercial herbicides, mechanisms of action, selectivity, tolerance, resistance.

11.0 Biological management of wees: preventive agronomic, mechanical, physical, natural substances, living organisms.

12.0 Analysis of the seed bank: analysis methods, agronomic usefulness, "long-term" floristic monitoring, importance of the degree of burial, pre-emergence growth, recognition of the seeds of the main plant species.

13.0 Toxic and poisonous flora: Examples of toxicity and poisonousness in various species with particular evidence of botanical families rich in species with dangers for the health of humans and animals. Notes on the chemical categories that cause toxicity with notes on the related mechanisms of action.

14.0 Climate and soil: ecological and agronomic aspects.

15.0 Analysis of the main forms of agriculture: Conventional, integrated, organic, biodynamic, "zero residue", sustainable agriculture, notes on urban agriculture. Agriculture with genetically modified plants.

16.0 Environmental agronomy: ecological aspects, differences and similarities between ecology and agronomy, environmental criticalities of the various cropping systems of plains, hills and mountains, sustainability indicators, importance of the biodiversity of the agroecosystem.

17.0 Wild flora as agro-ecological indicator: pH, texture, temperature, water availability, salinity, previous agronomic management.

18.0 Cover crops: agro-ecological multi-functionality and agronomic potential for the weed management.

19.0 Environmental impact of agriculture

19.1 Pollution from pesticides, nitrates and phosphates

19.2 Pesticide residues in agricultural products

19.3 Soil erodibility

19.4 Eutrophication of surrounding ecosystems

20.0 Environmental impact of agriculture and mitigation strategies: Pollution of surface and deep waters from pesticides, nitrates and phosphates, Diffuse and point pollution: agricultural measures

Readings/Bibliography

PDFs of the lessons will be made available

Teaching methods

lessons in the classroom, in  field and  laboratory

Assessment methods

Frontal oral exam of approximately 30 minutes with questions on both environmental agronomy and malerbology.

Optional: the candidate can start with a very short Power Point report on a case study of his/her interest and/or experience on a topic related to the program.

Teaching tools

Any publications on "focus" of interest to the candidate about some aspect of the program will be made available.

Office hours

See the website of Stefano Benvenuti