The course aims to provide the basic knowledge on the characteristics and functions of the soil and its inorganic and organic components, on the dynamics of nutrients in the soil and their availability for plants and, finally, on the role of macro- and micronutrients in plant metabolism. and their mobility in the environment. The aim of the course is to provide students with adequate knowledge of the chemical, biochemical, physiological and molecular aspects that influence, at the level of the soil-plant system (rhizosphere), the ability of plants to acquire nutrients with the aim of defining the basis for the development of biotechnological strategies, both at the level of plants and cultivation practice, aimed at achieving greater nutritional efficiency, understood as the best use of available resources, in order to optimize productivity both in good quality soils and in degraded soils. In particular, based on chemical and physical characteristics of soils, the student is expected to evaluate its fertility and interpret the data.

The main objective of the course is to provide the knowledge nedeed to understand the risks and consequences of the main threats of soil degradation of the forest environment or, more generally, of the slope. The basics of soil physics and hydrology will be provided, useful for understanding the mechanisms of erosion and other types of degradation such as compaction and desertification. The student will learn to interpret the soil maps and its derivatives, laying the foundations for a correct management and planning of the territory.