Laboratory in sustainability of agricultural mechanization

The sustainability of mechanical operations that allow agricultural and forestry production is a very important objective in all production scenarios: from those directed towards the production of commodities, to those mainly oriented towards self-consumption. In both cases, agricultural mechanization must be an input factor based on technical solutions that - in addition to ensuring greater productivity - minimize environmental impacts and comply with the circular economy criterion.
The aim of the course is to bring students to the understanding of the problems related to the correct choice and sustainable management of agricultural machinery, in different operating conditions.
In particular, the course will cover: (i) knowledge of the main agricultural machines and their functionality; (ii) criteria for their operational choice, (iii) parameters related to environmental impacts during their use.

Students will acquire skills and tools for rational choice and proper management of agricultural machinery. At the end of the course, the student should be able to:
- know the main options offered by the market to mechanize the agricultural operation.
- make a proper choice of the machines best suited to the reference operating scenario.
- compute the economic sustainability of mechanical operations and evaluate the parameters related to their impact on the environment.
- develop a project on a case study, write a Technical Report on the obtained results, illustrate, and discuss them.