Degree Course: Agricultural and Environmental Science Syllabus for A.Y. 2022/2023  

Physiology of microbial growth, biofilm growth and control of biofilm formation in soils and in the rhizosphere. Bacterial metabolism: aerobic and anaerobic respiration, fermentation. Nutritional types.
Microbial ecology of rhizopheric soil: microbial rhizospheric ratio, selective microbial enrichment for crop rotation. Microbial selection of zymogen.
Microrganisms and biogeochemical cycling of elements: nitrifiers, diazotrophic bacteria, denitrifiers (nitrogen fixing bacteria), ammonium producing microorganisms. Microbial ecology of decomposition, humus formation and mineralization of soil organic matter (SOM). Priming of SOM and r/K co-metabolic effects. Sustainable agronomic biostimulation of soil and microbiome in rhizospheric habitats by mean of organic farming, organic amendments and soil tillage.
Microrganisms for sustainable agriculture and environmental management: arbuscular mycorrhizae (Glomus spp.); plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR and Probiotic bacteria). Relevant phenotypic traits for PGPR and plant inocula application: rhizosphere competence, production of auxin-like compounds, P solubilization, Iron chelation, production of bacteriocins. PGPR as facultative endophytes: Azospirillum spp., Burkholderia spp., Pseudomonas spp. Biostimulants and microbial biofertilizers for phytostimulation. Application of PGPR and mycorrhizae in sustainable cropping systems, in the intercropping and horticulture.
Nitrogen fixation in free living bacteria and by Rhizobium-Leguminosae symbiosis. Rhizobial biology and ecology in free living state and as symbionts: nodules formation and nitrogen fixation. Management of crop systems and effects of the accessions on rhizobial activity. Strain isolation by means of plants as host trap and management of rhizobial effectiveness in isolates for inocula application: edaphic adaptation of symbiosis (cross row technique). Production and co-formulation of rhizobial inocula for commercial application.
Microbial spoliage of silage and bacterial inocula in food safety. Composting of plant biomass and methanogenic microbioma in soil and for biogas production from waste.
Basic knowledge for bacterial characterization and microbial monitoring in soil and rhizosphere.

Microbiologia Agroambientale (a cura di B. Biavati, C. Sorlini), CEA Ed. 2008 ISBN 978-88-408-1383-7.
II° Edizione CEA-ZANICHELLI ISBN 978-8808-18054-4. Through the Moodle platform, the "lecture notes" (slides), lecture notes and scientific articles for consultation will be made available to frame the detail of the role of microbiology for agricultural management with special emphasis for soil management.

General features of agricultural mechanization and the different development models.
Classification of different types of agricultural equipment: functional, energy and organizational features of farm machines and their use in the field.
Equipments for primary and secondary tillage and seedbed preparation, for fertilization, for seeding, for cultivation operations, for the distribution of pesticides and herbicides, for harvesting and storage of forage and fodder, for harvesting of grain, of industrial crops, of fruit and vegetables. Machines and systems for the preservation of products. Mechanization for precision farming.

Slides delle lezioni scaricabili dalla piattaforma Moodle.
M. Lazzari, F. Mazzetto – Meccanica e meccanizzazione dei processi produttivi agricoli. Reda, Torino, 2016

ELEMENTS OF CARTOGRAPHY
Reference systems and the main systems of map projection
Geographic coordinates
Representation systems: UTM and Gauss Boaga.
Altimetry and digital terrain models.
Italian Cartography IGM
Map reading
ANALYSIS OF PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT
CLIMATE
Weather variables and their measurement: solar radiation, air temperature, air humidity, atmospheric pressure, wind, rainfall.
Climate and territorial processes: climatic indices, process indicators
SOIL
Origin and characteristics of soils
Soil and territorial processes:
Soil-water relations,
surface runoff,
water erosion, methods of calculation and control strategies
Soil/Land usability:
limiting factors and evaluation methods (land capability, land suitability)
WATER
River systems:
hydrographic network, elements of morphometry, zoning longitudinal and transverse
River systems and territorial processes:
water quality, IBE, IFF
Lake systems:
characteristics and morphology of the lakes
Lake systems and territorial processes:
eutrophication
Underground aquifers:
characteristics and definitions
Underground aquifers and territorial processes:
alteration of the quality of groundwater, and vulnerability assessment methods (DRASTIC, SINTACS)
AGRICULTURAL NON POINT SOURCES OF POLLUTION
mobility of nutrients and pesticides in water and soil,
methods and models for assessing (GLEAMS).
Methods and strategies for control and mitigation
Best Management Pratices (BMP) definition.

Leone A., Ambiente e pianificazione. Analisi, processi, sostenibilità, Franco Angeli Ed., Milano 2011
On moodle platform will be available articles and useful material

- The evolution of system theory in different branches of science;
- The cropping system: definition, structure, operating, objectives, limitations, elasticity, safety and model analysis;
- Analysis of the interactions between farming regimes (conventional, organic, irrigated, rainfed), locations (plain, hill, mountain), environments with limitations (parks, suburban strips, degraded lands, areas with high soil erosion risk) and cropping systems;
- Description and analysis of some cropping systems: e.g. cereals, industrial crops, forage, horticultural, fruit crops and for energy production.

Coltivazioni erbacee (three volumes). Remigio Baldoni e Luigi Giardini. Ed. Pàtron
Agricoltura blu. La via italiana dell'agricoltura conservativa. A cura di M. Pisante, Ed. Edagricole.
Verso un approccio integrato allo studio dei sistemi colturali. A cura di E. Bonari e P. Ceccon. Ed. Franco Angeli.
Lesson notes

Analysis of agro-ecological variables usefully to choosing the best of the pest control strategy. Biology of the main insects of agricultural interest. Methods of analysis, monitoring of direct and indirect damage to agricultural crops. Assessment of phenology in relation to the biology of the major insect pests. New notes on the possible introduction of alien insects. IPM and biological control of some key insect pests of crops. Insects as a resource for feed or food. During the course, they will be held several workshops with teachers, recognized scientific personalities and technical expert in IPM and biological control of insect pests.

Teaching material made available to the student on the Google Classroom UNITUS platform.
Reference texts:
Pollini A. - Manuale di Entomologia applicata - Edagricole, Bologna
Tremblay E. - Entomologia agraria - Liguori Editore. Napoli.
Maurizio Severini e Simone Pesolillo - Modelli per la difesa delle piante. Aracne Editrice.
Viggiani G. - Lotta biologica e integrata nella difesa fitosanitaria. Vol.2: Lotta integrata - Liguori Editore, Napoli, 1994
AA.VV. Edible insects: Future prospects for food and feed security. FAO Forestry Paper 171. 2013. 187 pp.

What is plant pathology, bacteria, fungi and viruses. Conventional strategies to control plant diseases: conventional pesticides (fungicides and copper salts), resistant varieties, agronomic techniques, previsional models. Innovative strategies to control plant diseases: the new green deal and the reduction of pesticides in agricolture, natural sobstitutes to conventional pesticides, natural-based molecules, antagonist microrgansism, nanotechnology, plant phenomics, genetically modified organisms. Pathogend detection: conventional and classical detection, serological methods, molecular methods, in-field methods.

Slides and papers furnished by the teacher

Theoretical bases on the main physiological cycles of fruit trees, as carbon balance, water relations, tree-light interactions. Interactions between trees and the environment influencing productivity and quality of fruit productions. Internal regulative systems at genetic and epigenetic levels, and interactions with the physiological background to induce tree plant adaptation and production of metabolites. The knowledge is integrated in the study of fruit growth physiology, with a strong approach towards actual application in the orchard. Particular attention will be paid to on: a) tree water relations, training system effect on water potentials, environment conditions and water potentials; b) tree-light energetic and regulative relations, physical properties of light and methods of detection in the orchard, genetic and physiological light signal regulation of plant development, flower induction and fruit growth, the shade avoidance response and the effect on growing practices on tree-light interactions, orchard design, c) photosynthesis, photosynthetic parameters and efficiency, environment effects on tree photosynthesis and biological adaptation, light excess and consequences on primary photo-productivity, photo-oxidation, water-water cycle and photorespiration, d) definition of growth and parameters to express its relevance in orchard, fruit growth models, fruit maturation and ripening, effect of time of thinning on the growth of fruit, thinning strategies and environment effects on fruit growth; e) the flows of fresh and dry matter that allow fruit growth, daily growth in apple, peach and in other fruit, importance of phenological stages, the xylem and phloem contribution to fruit growth, the role of transpiration in fruit growth; f) fruit quality definition, factors affecting fruit quality (genetic, biological and physiological aspects); g) main cultural management practices affecting fruit quality, pruning, fertilization, plant bioregulators, definition and bioregulators affecting ethylene emission and fruit ripening; h) methods to assess fruit quality: penetrometer, refractometer, titrator, colorimeter, NIRs, DA-Meter, electronic nose.
Hints on genetic determinants that regulate the production and quality of the metabolic pathways of secondary metabolites in the fruit. Bio-fortified food. Hints on characters of apple, pear, peach, cherry, apricot, plum, kiwi, table grape, olive.

Monografie della collana “Coltura & Cultura” (melo, pero, pesco, olivo, Vite) edite da Bayer CropScience srl Milano, Alcuni Capitoli saranno forniti dal docente
Zucconi F. Nuove tecniche per i frutteti: Fisiologia e metodi innovativi nell'allevamento di fruttiferi. Edagricole.
Arboricoltura Generale. A cura di S. Sansavini et al, 2012. Patron Editore, Bologna
Nuove frontiere dell'arboricoltura italiana. A cura di S. Sansavini. 2007. Alberto Perdisa Editore
Manuale di ortofrutticoltura. 2012. A cura di S. Sansavini e P. Ranalli. Edagricole Editore, Bologna.
Da parte del docente saranno dati delle review sui metaboliti secondari e la loro sintesi nei frutti.

DETERMINING FARM INCOME AND PROFITABILITY
Structure of the farm and its production techniques. Calculating the rate of return of the borrowed capital. The labor employed on farm. Farming activity. The Balance Sheet of the farm. The Income Statement of the farm. Indexes for an economic evaluation of the results of the farm. Remuneration to the inputs provided by the entrepreneur and his family. Indicators of economic viability. Indicators for evaluation sheet. The results of the farm without the Single Farm Payment (SFP)

DETERMINING PROFITABILITY, CAPITAL STRUCTURE, AND FINANCIAL SUSTAINABILITY IN A SHEEP MILK FARM.
Introduction.
General aspects of business management. Plots of land managed: costs of acquisition and construction of the plants arboreal. Amortization and repayment of debts. Calculating the rate of return of capital borrowed. The labor employed by the sheep. Farming activity. The Balance Sheet farm sheep milk. The Income Statement of farm livestock. Indicators to assess the results of the farm. The compensation to the inputs provided by the entrepreneur and his family. Indicators of economic viability. Capital and financial indicators. The results of the farm without the Single Farm Payment (SFP). The production of cash to repay the debt (FCFO-FCFE).

EVALUATION OF INVESTMENT PROJECT OF A CATTLE FARM MILK THAT REQUIRES A CONTRIBUTION TO RDP TO BUY MACHINERY.
The balance sheet in the year preceding the investment. The income statement in the year before the investment. The change in the year in which the investment is made. The change of the farm in the final year of the process. The synthetic evaluation and eligibility criteria of the business plan for the RDP of the Lazio Region.

EVALUATION OF PUBLIC FUNDING THROUGH COST-BENEFIT ANALYSIS
The Cost-Benefit Analysis. Calculating the present value of benefits and costs. Application of Cost-Benefit. The definition of the objectives. The effects of investment. The realization of a cherry orchard.

PRACTICAL EXERCISES
The practical exercises involve the analysis of real farms, whose data are extracted, completely anonymous, from the Farm Accountancy Data Network (RICA). In particular, students are guided in defining the economic structure and financial position of those farms, and in assessing their economic and financial sustainability. Students are also guided in defining the technical and economic characteristics of an investment hypothesis (arboriculture, livestock, field crops, horticulture and greenhouses, products processing, agriturism, machinery and equipment, agricultural facilities), and in assessing the economic and financial implications of its implementation.

Lecture notes by the Professor: Gabriele Dono, 2019, Agricultural Business Management and Investment Analysis (part 1 - basic elements for the economic, patrimonial and financial analysis on farms), Agricultural Business Management and Investment Analysis ( part 2a - asset and financial indicators in a dairy sheep farm), Farm Management and Investment Analysis (part 2b - Business Plan for investment in a dairy cattle farm), Farm Management and Analysis of Investments (part 3 - Cost-Benefit Analysis)

Lectures in the class: 21 hours.
Introduction to the course. Content and organization, final exam modality. Overview of agricultural research in Italy and in the global context. Data collection. Inductive and deductive methods. Basic concepts of experimental methodology. Scientific literature search: Scopus. Research gate. Web of Science.
Sampling. Descriptive statistics: frequency distributions, central indices, variability indices. Data presentation. Theoretical frequency distributions. Normal distribution. Central Limit theorem. Parametric and non-parametric tests for the comparison of means. Student's t test: assumptions, data transformation, paired and non-paired data, Fisher's F test. Comparisons of groups of means. Analysis of variance (ANOVA). Assumptions and functioning of ANOVA. ANOVA for completely randomized design (CRD) and for randomized complete blocks design (RCBD). Multiple-comparison of means from computation of least significant difference (LSD) and post-hoc tests. Experiments with 2 or more factors, concept of interaction. ANOVA for factorial and split-plot design.
Relationships between two variables: simple parametric Pearson's correlation and non-parameric Spearman's correlation, simple linear regression.

Practicals in the computer room: 27 hours.
During the practicals excercises on the topics explained during the lectures are carried out in the computer room. Real experimental data are provided, as well as a hand-out with the instruction for their analysis, and the students are encouraged to work independently for the processing of the data using MS Excel for Windows and the DSAASTAT plug-in (downloadable from the Moodle platform).

Slides of the lectures provided by the lecturer
Handouts of practicals provided by the lecturer
Books:
Monti A., 2005. "Metodologia statistica per la sperimentazione agronomica. Aspetti generali" Aracne Editore
Fowler J.; Cohen Louis, 2002. “Statistica per ornitologi e naturalisti”. Franco Muzzio Editore

Additional suggested reading:
Gomez K.A., Gomez A.A., 1984. Statistical Procedures for Agricultural Research. 2nd edn. John Wiley & Sons, New York. (per gli schemi sperimentali e l'ANOVA)
Sokhal Rholf, 1995. "Biometry: The Principles and Practices of Statistics in Biological Research”