Learning objectives
To provide the student with elementary knowledge relating to the process of plant production, with special reference to the processes of plant growth and development, maturation, harvest and storage of feed. Basics on the effects of agricultural practices on crop production (yield, quality, digestibility) and on feed harvest, conditioning and storage.
Prerequisites
Botany
Course unit content
INTRODUCTION TO PLANT PRODUCTION. Factors of production. Origins of agriculture and of cultivated crops. Yield and quality.
GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT. Development and dry matter partitioning. Analysis and growth indexes (canopy).
SEED PROPAGATION. Seed characteristics and germination in field crops. Dormancy. Sowing and sowing machinery.
CLIMATIC VARIABLES: radiation, temperature, rainfall. Crop injury by high and low temperatures.
PLANTS AND WATER: crop needs. Soil available water. Field capacity and wilting point. Effects of drought and water flooding. Irrigation methods and their efficiency.
PLANT NUTRITION. Main nutrients; excess and deficiency. Antagonisms. Interactions. Macronutrients: nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, sulphur.
FERTILISATION. The main available mineral fertilisers. Organic fertilisers. Fertirrigation. Crop needs.
WEEDS AND HERBICIDES. Agronomic and chemical weed control. Effects of herbicides on plants and their behaviour in the soil.
SOIL: physical, chemical and biological properties. Management of water flooding. Drainage.
ROOT SYSTEMS. Development of root systems in field crops. Methods of root investigation. Indexes of root growth.
SOIL TILLAGE. Preparatory and complementary tillage operations. Plough and ploughing. Other tillage tools. Alternative techniques.
AGRICULTURAL SYSTEMS: Monoculture, polyculture; intercropping; crop rotation. Organic farming. Cover crops.
PLANT AND SOIL WATER. Hydrologic cycle. Goals of soil water management. Irrigated crop production.
INTRODUCTION TO CROP PRODUCTION: cereals and legumes. Mais and soybean as examples.
FORAGES: meadows and pastures of Gramineous and Leguminous. Forage harvest.
Full programme
INTRODUCTION TO PLANT PRODUCTION. Factors of production. Origins of agriculture and of cultivated crops. Yield and quality.
GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT. Development and dry matter partitioning. Analysis and growth indexes (canopy).
SEED PROPAGATION. Seed characteristics and germination in field crops. Dormancy. Sowing and sowing machinery.
CLIMATIC VARIABLES: radiation, temperature, rainfall. Crop injury by high and low temperatures.
PLANTS AND WATER: crop needs. Soil available water. Field capacity and wilting point. Effects of drought and water flooding. Irrigation methods and their efficiency.
PLANT NUTRITION. Main nutrients; excess and deficiency. Antagonisms. Interactions. Macronutrients: nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, sulphur.
FERTILISATION. The main available mineral fertilisers. Organic fertilisers. Fertirrigation. Crop needs.
WEEDS AND HERBICIDES. Agronomic and chemical weed control. Effects of herbicides on plants and their behaviour in the soil.
SOIL: physical, chemical and biological properties.
ROOT SYSTEMS. Development of root systems in field crops. Methods of root investigation. Indexes of root growth.
SOIL TILLAGE. Preparatory and complementary tillage operations. Plough and ploughing. Other tillage tools. Alternative techniques.
AGRICULTURAL SYSTEMS: Monoculture, polyculture; intercropping; crop rotation. Organic farming. Cover crops.
PLANT AND SOIL WATER. Hydrologic cycle. Goals of soil water management. Irrigated crop production.
INTRODUCTION TO CROP PRODUCTION: cereals and legumes. Maize and Soy.
FORAGES: meadows and pastures of Gramineous and Leguminous. Forage harvest and storage.
Tractor and forage harvest machinery.
Bibliography
FFabbri A., 2001 - Produzioni Vegetali. Edagricole.
Fabbri A., 2004 – Dispense integrative di Meccanica agraria e Foraggicoltura.
Testi consigliati per approfondimenti:
Sapia F. A., e Benevenuti V., 2011 - Le piante foraggere. Per una gestione sostenibile del terreno e il mantenimento e ripristino dei pascoli. Armando Editore.
Ligabue M., Tabaglio V., Betti S., 2005 – Le piante foraggere. Ed. L’Informatore Agrario, Verona.
Bonciarelli F. 1995 – Coltivazioni erbacee da pieno campo. Edagricole, Bologna.
Baldoni R., Giardini L. (a cura di), 2001 - Coltivazioni erbacee. III ed. - Vol. III - Foraggere e tappeti erbosi. Edagricole, Bologna.
Bodria L., Pellizzi G., Piccarolo P., 2013 - Meccanica e meccanizzazione agricola. Edagricole, Bologna
Teaching methods
Lectures and practical lessons.
Assessment methods and criteria
Oral exam - The exam consists of three questions on the following parts of the program:
1 - Agronomy
2 - Forage growing
3 - Agricultural mechanics.
Question 1 weighs 50% on the vote, the other two 25% each.
The exam is passed when a correct answer is given to the three questions.
Other information
No
