Sustainable Cropping Systems
A.Y. 2023/2024
Learning objectives
To provide theoretical and applicative tools for the management of herbaceous cultivation systems and the planning of efficient and sustainable production itineraries.
Develop advanced knowledge on models for the analysis of crop systems and for the planning of management interventions.
To convey a quantitative and process-based view of soil-crop-atmosphere interactions, useful for sustainable production management.
Develop the ability to apply modeling to crops of market interest, with the aim of improving productivity, sustainability and the compliance of products with specific quality requirements required by the transformation or distribution chains.
Develop advanced knowledge on models for the analysis of crop systems and for the planning of management interventions.
To convey a quantitative and process-based view of soil-crop-atmosphere interactions, useful for sustainable production management.
Develop the ability to apply modeling to crops of market interest, with the aim of improving productivity, sustainability and the compliance of products with specific quality requirements required by the transformation or distribution chains.
Expected learning outcomes
Ability to compare, choose, program operations and to manage the parameters of crop systems, adapting them to particular production contexts and specific company objectives.
Ability to apply agronomic models with objectives to support decisions in the choices of production direction and in the sustainable management of production processes.
Ability to define particular technical production itineraries in relation to specific supply chain and market objectives.
Ability to apply agronomic models with objectives to support decisions in the choices of production direction and in the sustainable management of production processes.
Ability to define particular technical production itineraries in relation to specific supply chain and market objectives.
Lesson period: year
Assessment methods: Esame
Assessment result: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Single course
This course can be attended as a single course.
Course syllabus and organization
Single session
Responsible
Lesson period
year
Prerequisites for admission
The concepts of these disciplines, from the BSc, are needed in this course:
· Mathematics, chemistry, physics
· Botany
· Plant physiology
· Soil science
· Agronomy and agrometeorology
· Arable crop cultivation
· Information and communication technology
· Statistics
All the agronomic concepts can be reviewed using these books, available in the University Library:
Villalobos, F.J., Fereres, E. (Eds.), 2016. Principles of Agronomy for Sustainable Agriculture. Springer International Publishing, Cham. doi:10.1007/978-3-319-46116-8
Connor, D.J., Loomis, R.S., Cassman, K.G., 2011. Crop Ecology: Productivity and Management in Agricultural Systems, 2nd ed. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. doi:10.1017/CBO9780511974199
· Mathematics, chemistry, physics
· Botany
· Plant physiology
· Soil science
· Agronomy and agrometeorology
· Arable crop cultivation
· Information and communication technology
· Statistics
All the agronomic concepts can be reviewed using these books, available in the University Library:
Villalobos, F.J., Fereres, E. (Eds.), 2016. Principles of Agronomy for Sustainable Agriculture. Springer International Publishing, Cham. doi:10.1007/978-3-319-46116-8
Connor, D.J., Loomis, R.S., Cassman, K.G., 2011. Crop Ecology: Productivity and Management in Agricultural Systems, 2nd ed. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. doi:10.1017/CBO9780511974199
Assessment methods and Criteria
Written examination of 1.5 hours, with questions and exercises on the entire programme of the part "Modelling for soil and crop management". The optimal length of an answer ranges from a few lines to a whole page written by hand, depending on the question or exercise. The mark is assigned by averaging the marks of each answer.
The written exam is supplemented by a final oral exam, which will begin with the discussion of a personal project of agronomic innovation on a topic agreed with the professors, and will continue with a verification of the contents of the teaching unit of Crop systems and supply chains. The mark will be recorded at the end of the oral exam.
The evaluation of both exams considers: a) the use of adequate language; b) the correctness of the contents; c) the completeness of the answers; d) critical thinking. Missing contents reduce the mark. Excess contents are not evaluated. In the exercises it is important to use the proper order of magnitude for the variables and the parameters. Units must always be specified. A pocket calculator can be used for the exercises in the written examination.
There will be at least:
· Two exam dates at the end of each semester (Jun-Jul, Jan-Feb)
· An exam date during the intermediate exams period (Apr, Nov)
· An exam date in September
How to study: a) participate to the lectures and the practicals; b) study your lecture notes, the slides, the papers and the books; c) revise the exercises done during the practicals; d) use the models in conditions other than those proposed during the practicals.
The written exam is supplemented by a final oral exam, which will begin with the discussion of a personal project of agronomic innovation on a topic agreed with the professors, and will continue with a verification of the contents of the teaching unit of Crop systems and supply chains. The mark will be recorded at the end of the oral exam.
The evaluation of both exams considers: a) the use of adequate language; b) the correctness of the contents; c) the completeness of the answers; d) critical thinking. Missing contents reduce the mark. Excess contents are not evaluated. In the exercises it is important to use the proper order of magnitude for the variables and the parameters. Units must always be specified. A pocket calculator can be used for the exercises in the written examination.
There will be at least:
· Two exam dates at the end of each semester (Jun-Jul, Jan-Feb)
· An exam date during the intermediate exams period (Apr, Nov)
· An exam date in September
How to study: a) participate to the lectures and the practicals; b) study your lecture notes, the slides, the papers and the books; c) revise the exercises done during the practicals; d) use the models in conditions other than those proposed during the practicals.
Modelling for soil and crop management
Course syllabus
These are the topics of this class, in chronological order:
1. Mechanistic simulation of dynamic systems (1 ECTS).
2. Simulation of crop development (0.5 ECTS).
3. Simulation of crop productivity (1.5 ECTS).
4. Simulation of carbon and nutrient dynamics in the soil-crop system (2 ECTS).
5. Integrated simulation models of cropping systems (0.5 ECTS).
6. Model calibration and validation (0.5 ECTS).
1. Mechanistic simulation of dynamic systems (1 ECTS).
2. Simulation of crop development (0.5 ECTS).
3. Simulation of crop productivity (1.5 ECTS).
4. Simulation of carbon and nutrient dynamics in the soil-crop system (2 ECTS).
5. Integrated simulation models of cropping systems (0.5 ECTS).
6. Model calibration and validation (0.5 ECTS).
Teaching methods
There will be:
(a) Lectures to present all the topics of the programme.
(b) Computer practicals to apply - using a spreadsheet - all the concepts learnt during the lectures. Development of a project on a case study to achieve a unifying point of view on the topics.
(c) Group discussions to stimulate active learning.
The practicals are very important. They consist in a practical application of the concepts presented during the lectures and therefore allow a better assimilation of all the concepts. Moreover, the orders of magnitude of variables and parameters can be easily grasped.
You are strongly invited not to study the concepts by heart. This will allow in the future to extend what you have learnt to other cases that are similar to those presented in this course, and to obtain a critical view. One way to do so is to read not only the lecture notes but also the articles and books that are suggested. Moreover, doing various exercises allows to verify that all the concepts are clear.
(a) Lectures to present all the topics of the programme.
(b) Computer practicals to apply - using a spreadsheet - all the concepts learnt during the lectures. Development of a project on a case study to achieve a unifying point of view on the topics.
(c) Group discussions to stimulate active learning.
The practicals are very important. They consist in a practical application of the concepts presented during the lectures and therefore allow a better assimilation of all the concepts. Moreover, the orders of magnitude of variables and parameters can be easily grasped.
You are strongly invited not to study the concepts by heart. This will allow in the future to extend what you have learnt to other cases that are similar to those presented in this course, and to obtain a critical view. One way to do so is to read not only the lecture notes but also the articles and books that are suggested. Moreover, doing various exercises allows to verify that all the concepts are clear.
Teaching Resources
A textbook for this course does not exist. An accurate selection of book chapters, articles and web pages, together with the slides, is available on moodle. Most material is in English.
The material is the same for students who attend the classes and for students not attending.
The material is suggested for free consultation by the students; they are not used during lectures and practicals.
This is a list of the most important sources (in brackets there is a reference to the six topics of the program):
· Connor, D.J., Loomis, R.S., Cassman, K.G., 2011. Crop Ecology: Productivity and Management in Agricultural Systems, 2nd ed. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. doi:10.1017/CBO9780511974199
· Campbell, G.S., Norman, J.M., 1998. An introduction to environmental biophysics, Springer, New York, 286 pp. [2-3]
· Stöckle, C.O., M. Donatelli, R. Nelson, 2003. CropSyst, a cropping systems simulation model. European Journal of Agronomy, 18, 289-307. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1161030102001090 [2-3-4-5]
· Manzoni, S., Porporato, A., 2009. Soil carbon and nitrogen mineralization: Theory and models across scales. Soil Biology and Biochemistry 41, 1355-1379. doi:10.1016/j.soilbio.2009.02.031: Solo paragrafo "3. Modeling decomposition and N mineralization" [4]
· Bellocchi, G., Rivington, M., Donatelli, M., Matthews, K., 2010. Validation of biophysical models: issues and methodologies. A review. Agronomy for Sustainable Development 30, 109-130. http://dx.doi.org/doi:10.1051/agro/2009001 [6]
The material is the same for students who attend the classes and for students not attending.
The material is suggested for free consultation by the students; they are not used during lectures and practicals.
This is a list of the most important sources (in brackets there is a reference to the six topics of the program):
· Connor, D.J., Loomis, R.S., Cassman, K.G., 2011. Crop Ecology: Productivity and Management in Agricultural Systems, 2nd ed. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. doi:10.1017/CBO9780511974199
· Campbell, G.S., Norman, J.M., 1998. An introduction to environmental biophysics, Springer, New York, 286 pp. [2-3]
· Stöckle, C.O., M. Donatelli, R. Nelson, 2003. CropSyst, a cropping systems simulation model. European Journal of Agronomy, 18, 289-307. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1161030102001090 [2-3-4-5]
· Manzoni, S., Porporato, A., 2009. Soil carbon and nitrogen mineralization: Theory and models across scales. Soil Biology and Biochemistry 41, 1355-1379. doi:10.1016/j.soilbio.2009.02.031: Solo paragrafo "3. Modeling decomposition and N mineralization" [4]
· Bellocchi, G., Rivington, M., Donatelli, M., Matthews, K., 2010. Validation of biophysical models: issues and methodologies. A review. Agronomy for Sustainable Development 30, 109-130. http://dx.doi.org/doi:10.1051/agro/2009001 [6]
Cropping systems and supply chains
Course syllabus
These are the topics of this class, in chronological order:
· Introduction: supply chains and cultivation protocols; the role of cropping systems models in evaluating alternative management scenarios (1.5 CFU).
· Planning of sowing or transplanting date (0.5 CFU).
· Advanced soil management (1 CFU).
· Advanced nutrient management (2 CFU).
· Advanced weed management (0.75 CFU).
· Simulation of product quality (0.25 CFU).
· Introduction: supply chains and cultivation protocols; the role of cropping systems models in evaluating alternative management scenarios (1.5 CFU).
· Planning of sowing or transplanting date (0.5 CFU).
· Advanced soil management (1 CFU).
· Advanced nutrient management (2 CFU).
· Advanced weed management (0.75 CFU).
· Simulation of product quality (0.25 CFU).
Teaching methods
See 'Modelling for soil and crop management'.
A field trip will allow to meet stakeholders from crop production chains, and to verify how they deal, having predefined objectives in mind, with crop management problems.
A field trip will allow to meet stakeholders from crop production chains, and to verify how they deal, having predefined objectives in mind, with crop management problems.
Teaching Resources
See 'Modelling for soil and crop management'.
Cropping systems and supply chains
AGR/02 - AGRONOMY AND FIELD CROPS - University credits: 6
Field activity: 8 hours
Computer room practicals: 40 hours
Lessons: 24 hours
Computer room practicals: 40 hours
Lessons: 24 hours
Professors:
Bechini Luca, Ragaglini Giorgio
Modelling for soil and crop management
AGR/02 - AGRONOMY AND FIELD CROPS - University credits: 6
Computer room practicals: 36 hours
Lessons: 30 hours
Lessons: 30 hours
Professor:
Bechini Luca
Educational website(s)
Professor(s)
Reception:
By making an appointment.
In my office (Via Celoria 2, Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie e Ambientali - Agronomia, 1st floor above "Aula 1")