Ree proagra - qualità dei prodotti agrari e relazioni con diversi input nutrizionali

The course aims to show the student some of the approaches used to evaluate the organoleptic properties of agricultural products. In this context, although many factors can participate to define the compositional characteristics, attention will be paid to the effects induced by different nutritional input. In this context the laboratory will focus its attention on the study of horticultural species, although the approach is also used for the analysis of cereals and fruit plants; many of the proposed analytical activities, in fact, are widely applied. Starting from the general objective, experimental activities will be carried out in plants grown under different nitrogen input, a typical situation that deeply influences the quality of many horticultural species.
The experimental activities will include several moments:
- Brief theoretical phase.
- Hydroponic cultivation of plants. At this stage, non-invasive techniques will be used to assess parameters that will help define the product's properties.
- Laboratory analytical phase. Various biochemical parameters will be determined using biochemical techniques, such as colorimetric assay, enzyme, electrophoretic and chromatographic analyses. Moreover, mass spectrometry techniques will be used.
- Analysis of the results. In this last phase, the students will proceed to the formal analysis of the results with application of the statistical tools and the drawing up of a report. The workshop will conclude with a discussion aimed at the interpretation of the results obtained through PowerPoint presentations.