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Valda Rondelli

Full Professor

Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences

Academic discipline: AGRI-04/B Agricultural Machinery and Mechanization

Curriculum vitae

Full professor at Alma Mater Studiorum University of Bologna, Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences (DISTAL).

Degree in Agricultural Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Bologna; phD in Agricultural Engineering, University of Bologna and research stage at the Silsoe Research Institute of Silsoe (UK), in the Chemical Application Group coordinated by the Professor Paul H. Miller; Chartered agronomist.    

Since  2008 head of the Laboratorio di Meccanica Agraria of the DISTAL, including the official  Testing Station of the Organisation for the Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) for tractor performance and ROPS strength.
Since  2022 head of the OECD Co-ordinating Centre for the Tractor Codes scheme. 

The main activity as researcher has been directed to different fields of the agricultural mechanisation. Specifically research has been carried out on: sprayers for arable crops, orchards and vineyards; spreaders for the distribution of organic fertilizers; sugarbeet harvesters evaluated in field and laboratory; mechanical distribution of beneficial organisms in the biological control of the crops, research activity based on the design of a prototype equipment patented by the University of Bologna; techniques of soil tillage to evaluate the quality and the quantity of work with respect to the energy consumption; safety characteristics of agricultural and forestry tractors and agricultural machinery, with specific attention to narrow track tractors and seat belt anchorage, and currently t safety performance of autonomous vehicles.

The research activity has been complemented with a deep testing activity carried out. The Laboratorio di Meccanica agraria is an official OECD Testing Station for all OECD Tractor Codes. The activity of the Laboratory is focused not only on the tests of tractors and agricultural machinery for performance and safety aspects, strength of the protective structures, noise level, road circulation homologation, but also in research carried out with the aim to increase the safety level for the agricultural operator.

The testing and research activity in the field of tractor safety has been integrated with the attendance of the official OECD activity related to the updating of the OECD tractor codes. Specifically this has involved being the chairperson for the OECD Official Working Group and support the OECD Secretariat for the Tractor Codes and Schemes as expert consultant.  Currently, in reason of the position as Head of the OECD Co-ordinating Centre, the support to the OECD Secretariat in the Tractor Codes scheme is complemented with the supervision of all the Test reports drafted by the Testing Stations active in the international certification system of the OECD at the aim to issue the OECD approval numbers.

 

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