General Agronomy

The learning objectives are to:
- Obtain an integrated view of factors that contribute to crop management and of crop utilisation in cropping system.
- Know and understand crop management techniques and their effects on productivity and environment.
- Know and understand the techniques to set up, manage and evaluate cropping systems in terms of productivity, sustainability and control of environmental impact.
- Know and understand crop management techniques of some important arable crops.
Based on the basic disciplines of previous semesters, in this course the student knows and understands agronomic management techniques of cropping systems. This body of knowledge, integrated by more specific disciplines acquired later on, is a key tool to carry out a productive, environmental and economic evaluation of cropping systems.

At the end of the course the student will be able to:
- Quantitatively and temporally define a crop management protocol.
- Compare and choose tillage techniques, including conservation agriculture practices.
- Prepare a nutrient management plan.
- Calculate a simple soil organic matter budget.
- Prepare a weed management plan.
- Define the crop management protocol of a few arable crops, taking into account the constraints set by soil, climate and yield targets.
- Communicate this knowledge in writing and orally.
- Acquire autonomously new knowledge in this domain (e.g. know and understand crop management technique of an arable crop not covered in this course).