Tree Growing Strategies
A.Y. 2023/2024
Learning objectives
Woody plant cultivation strategies for fruitculture, ornamental and broadleaves trees for timber and biomass, addressing the main farming tecniques, integrated and organic.
Expected learning outcomes
Plant growing of woody trees with skills for the cultivation under diverse horticultural strategies.
Lesson period: First semester
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
First semester
All lectures and related materials (handouts) are already uploaded on Microsoft Teams at the start of the course. Students are kindly asked to listen to the recordings BEFORE attending the lectures, which will be synchronous delivered by on Teams. During the lectures, the specific contents will be briefly presented (therefore not presented in details), while ample space will be given to clarifications and interventions by students (requests for clarification may be sent even before the lecture is carried out) .
Course syllabus
Basic facts of fruit growing: origin and development. Main technical-scientific stepss of the fruit and wine industries evolution up to the present. Current problems in fruit-viticulture: addresses, priorities and approaches.
Notes on the evolution of the defense strategies against biotic stresses up to the iIntegrated fruit production systems: the inspiring principles; regulatory and application aspects, main guidelines.
Organic agriculture: legislative aspects and guiding principles; importance in Italy; general rules; problematic aspects; case studies in fruitculture. Biodynamic fruit growing: the guiding principles.
Viticulture zoning: definition. Objectives, criteria and methodology
The denominations of origin: the main national and European legislation; the production guidelines: application aspects. Trademarks and brands: by process and by product.
Timber production, the Italian situation;. forestry and arboriculture: their peculiarities. The characteristics of wood: intrinsic variability and anatomical-morphological aspects. Wood arboriculture: field management influencing wood the quality; . the technological characteristics of wood. The main wood assortments and their destination. Wood production for short rotation forestry (SRF): generalities and objectives, models and critical aspects.
Environmental arboriculture: fields of interest: purposes.
The various types of urban 'green'. Ornamental and landscape arboriculture: the criteria for species / cultivar choosing. The criteria for the plantation system and the problems related to the urban environment; the principles of training and pruning; wood decay and tree reactions; assessment of tree stability in the urban environment: visual and instrumental methods.
Case studies on tree crop cultivation, either from the fruit, timber and urban/landscape forestry industries.
Notes on the evolution of the defense strategies against biotic stresses up to the iIntegrated fruit production systems: the inspiring principles; regulatory and application aspects, main guidelines.
Organic agriculture: legislative aspects and guiding principles; importance in Italy; general rules; problematic aspects; case studies in fruitculture. Biodynamic fruit growing: the guiding principles.
Viticulture zoning: definition. Objectives, criteria and methodology
The denominations of origin: the main national and European legislation; the production guidelines: application aspects. Trademarks and brands: by process and by product.
Timber production, the Italian situation;. forestry and arboriculture: their peculiarities. The characteristics of wood: intrinsic variability and anatomical-morphological aspects. Wood arboriculture: field management influencing wood the quality; . the technological characteristics of wood. The main wood assortments and their destination. Wood production for short rotation forestry (SRF): generalities and objectives, models and critical aspects.
Environmental arboriculture: fields of interest: purposes.
The various types of urban 'green'. Ornamental and landscape arboriculture: the criteria for species / cultivar choosing. The criteria for the plantation system and the problems related to the urban environment; the principles of training and pruning; wood decay and tree reactions; assessment of tree stability in the urban environment: visual and instrumental methods.
Case studies on tree crop cultivation, either from the fruit, timber and urban/landscape forestry industries.
Prerequisites for admission
Fundamentals of arboriculture (tree crops science): morphology and biology elements of the cultivated tree; the genetic bases of the varietal variability and propagation (cultivar and clone concepts); the agronomic bases of cultivation (orchard management) tree-physical relationship) and the influence on product quality (fruit, timber, ornamental use).
Text book:
- Sansavini, S., Costa, G., Gucci, R., Inglese, P., Ramina, A., Xiloyannis, C., and Desjardins,Y., editors. (2019). Principles of Modern Fruit Science (Leuven, Belgium: ISHS), pp.421.The following chapters in particular: 1, 3, 5, 6, 8, 10, 11,12, 13, 14, 15, 16. [https://www.ishs.org/news/principles-modern-fruit-science-ultimate-textbook-understanding-fundamentals-plant-science#:~:text=The%20title%20Principles%20of%20Modern%20Fruit%20Science%20marks,into%20the%20comprehensive%20practice%20of%20profitable%20fruit%….]
Text book:
- Sansavini, S., Costa, G., Gucci, R., Inglese, P., Ramina, A., Xiloyannis, C., and Desjardins,Y., editors. (2019). Principles of Modern Fruit Science (Leuven, Belgium: ISHS), pp.421.The following chapters in particular: 1, 3, 5, 6, 8, 10, 11,12, 13, 14, 15, 16. [https://www.ishs.org/news/principles-modern-fruit-science-ultimate-textbook-understanding-fundamentals-plant-science#:~:text=The%20title%20Principles%20of%20Modern%20Fruit%20Science%20marks,into%20the%20comprehensive%20practice%20of%20profitable%20fruit%….]
Teaching methods
Lectures and seminars (5 credits, 40 hours); Class exercises, on case studies (0.5 ECTS, 8 hours); field visits to professional companies of the related industry (0.5 ECTS, 8 hours).
Teaching Resources
1. Textbook, optional reading, an overview on Italian arboriculture (in Italian): ' Nuove frontiere dell'arboricoltura italiana'. S. Sansavini, editor. Oasi Alberto Perdisa, publisher (2007)
2. Subsidiary handouts, available on request: [email protected].
2. Subsidiary handouts, available on request: [email protected].
Assessment methods and Criteria
The exam will take place through an oral interview aimed at ascertaining the knowledge acquired by the candidate on the theoretical and technical aspects treated during the course. Basically, four issues will be discussed on:
1-Main growing systems in fruit and grape cultivation (integrated orchard management; organic management, biodinamic management; 'denomination of origin' protocols (EU regulation).
2-Horticultural and general management aspects of the arboriculture industry: broadleaves trees cultivation for timber, biomass and bio-remediation.
3- Urban forestry /ornamental trees cultivation principals.
4- A case study of a tree crop cultivation, either for fruit, timber (excluding forest trees) or ornamental/urban use.
-Evaluation criteria:
- The exam is to be repeated even with a single wrong answer
- Correct and reasoned answers, language properties (Italian and technical), ability to carry out connections: 30-30 with honors
- Correct answers, but not always appropriate language properties: from 25 to 29.
- Uncertain or incomplete responses, poor language properties or difficulties in making connections: from 18 to 24.
1-Main growing systems in fruit and grape cultivation (integrated orchard management; organic management, biodinamic management; 'denomination of origin' protocols (EU regulation).
2-Horticultural and general management aspects of the arboriculture industry: broadleaves trees cultivation for timber, biomass and bio-remediation.
3- Urban forestry /ornamental trees cultivation principals.
4- A case study of a tree crop cultivation, either for fruit, timber (excluding forest trees) or ornamental/urban use.
-Evaluation criteria:
- The exam is to be repeated even with a single wrong answer
- Correct and reasoned answers, language properties (Italian and technical), ability to carry out connections: 30-30 with honors
- Correct answers, but not always appropriate language properties: from 25 to 29.
- Uncertain or incomplete responses, poor language properties or difficulties in making connections: from 18 to 24.
AGR/03 - ARBORICULTURE AND FRUITCULTURE - University credits: 6
Field activity: 8 hours
Practicals: 8 hours
Lessons: 40 hours
Practicals: 8 hours
Lessons: 40 hours
Professors:
Bassi Daniele, Cirilli Marco
Professor(s)
Reception:
Upon appointment
Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences - Via Celoria, 2 - 20134 Milano