Unit BIOTECHNOLOGIES APPLIED TO CROP AND SEED PRODUCTION
- Course
- Agricultural and environmental biotechnology
- Study-unit Code
- A002237
- Curriculum
- In all curricula
- Teacher
- Paolo Benincasa
- Teachers
-
- Paolo Benincasa
- Hours
- 54 ore - Paolo Benincasa
- CFU
- 6
- Course Regulation
- Coorte 2021
- Offered
- 2022/23
- Learning activities
- Caratterizzante
- Area
- Discipline biotecnologiche agrarie
- Academic discipline
- AGR/02
- Type of study-unit
- Obbligatorio (Required)
- Type of learning activities
- Attività formativa monodisciplinare
- Language of instruction
- English
- Contents
- Elements of crop ecology and physiology. Elements of agronomical techniques.
Classification of arable crops and description of peculiarities (morphology, biology, cultivation) of each group.
Seed biology. Seed technology (selection, treatments, priming, storage).
Regulations, certification, seed analysis.
Seed crops: wheat, maize, sugarbeet, alfalfa as case studies - Reference texts
- Drafts by the lecturer
Bewley, J.D., Bradford, K., Hilhorst, H., Nonogaki, H. 2013. Seeds: Physiology of Development, Germination and Dormancy. Springer-Verlag, New York, 3rd Edition. 392 pp.
Sadras V., Calderini D. 2014. Crop Physiology: Applications for Genetic Improvement and Agronomy. Academic Press, 564 pp. eBook ISBN: 9780124169791.
Papers from scientific and technical journals - Educational objectives
- The aim of the course is to provide students with knowledge concerning some elements of crop science and technology, an overview on arable crops, and the principal aspects of seed biology and production as sectors where to apply biotechnologies. Considering that BSc background of students is heterogeneous and variable year by year, the teacher will evaluate case by case on wheather just recall or explain in detail topics concerning crop science and technology.
- Prerequisites
- Prerequisites: in order to understand the principal aspects of crop cultivation and seed production as sectors where to use advanced biotechnologies, students need to have got knowledge and competence on plant biology and physiology. Knowledge of these topics represents an important prerequisite for the students who wishes to attend lessons and/or study at home and pass the exam.
- Teaching methods
- Lectures on all subjects of the course.
Practice in the classroom. practical cases on the subject of the course will be submitted to students and solved with the assistance of the teacher
Practice in farms and ongoing crops, and in seed factories. These practices, some of which require visits to open field crops in farms or visits in seed factories, will be organized depending on weather conditions and/or with the activity of hosting structures. Based on previous years, the visits should be one to three, one of which should consist of a visit to the Field -Lab of the R.U. of Agronomy and Arable Crops of the DSA3 in Papiano and the the Farm of Casalina. Moreover, students will be allowed to visit the plots with most of the species cultivated in the fields located in the DSA3 (close to teaching rooms) and the Seed lab to carry out further practice.
Means to help teaching and learning:
Overheads, slides and videos
Technical and scientific papers provided by the teacher
Reference books
Seeds and plants of about 70 plant species
Drafts of the lectures - Other information
- Prof. Paolo Benincasa Dept of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences, Section of Agronomy and Arable Crops Tel:75 585 6325 E-mail: paolo.benincasa@unipg.it Assistance for students: Monday 9.30 -11.30. Moreover Prof. Benincasa is available every day provided an appointment is fixed in due time by email or telephone.
- Learning verification modality
- The assessment of learning for this module will be carried out during the official exam, orally in 40-50 minutes, by means of open questions and open answers on five among the following subjects: elements of crop ecology and physiology, elements of agronomical technique, peculiarities of different groups of crops, principal aspects of conventional and organic systems, fundamentals of seed biology and physiology, seed selection technology, seed priming, regulation on seed trade and certification, analysis of seeds, seed crops. The oral trial will allow to asses student's knowledge and comprehension of subjects and his communication skills with appropriate terms and autonomous organization and description of theoretical subjects. Moreover the trial will allow to assess the abilities of the student, i.e. his skills in applying knowledge to solve practical tasks by developing his own solutions.
Evaluation grid
18-21: sufficient knowledge at least of basic subjects, sufficient comprehension of concepts.
22-24: good and wide knowledge of subjects, good comprehension of concepts, pretty good use of specific terminology, sufficient skill in applying knowledge to practical cases under the guide of the teacher.
25-27: complete knowgledge of subjects, very good comprehension of concepts, pretty good speaking ability with appropriate use of specific terminology, pretty good ability in examining and synthesysing subjects, quite good abilities in applying knowledge to practical cases, pretty good ability in elaborating solutions with some limited help from the teacher.
28-30: complete knowledge of subjects, very good comprehension of concepts, high speaking ability with appropriate use of specific terminology, high ability in examining and synthesising subjects, good abilities in applying knowledge to practical cases, good ability in elaborating solutions autonomously.
Risultati d'apprendimento previsti:
Knowledge (most important issues)
1. Knowledge on elements of crop ecology and physiology
2. Knowledge on elements of agronomical techniques
3. Knowledge on main botanical and biological traits of arable crops
4. Knowledge on climate and soil requirements of main arable crop species
5. knowledge on principal abiotic and biotic diseases of arable crop species
6. Knowledge on aims and pespectives of plant breeding for arable crop species
7. Knowledge on environmental and health implications of agricultural production
8. knowledge on seed biology and the physiology of germination
9. knowledge on seed technology
10. knowledge on seed production chains
11. knowledge on regulation for production, marketing and analysis of seeds
12. Knowledge on the possible sectors for the application of biotechnologies in seed production
13. Knowledge on traditional and advanced analytical means in seed production also aimed to detect GMO
14. Knowledge of basic and applied research activity in grain crop and seed production
15. Knowledge of professional and project activities
Abilities (most important issues)
1. Ability to understand agronomical issues
2. How to assess and evaluate cultivar traits
3. Ability to understand the effect of agronomical techniques on agro-ecosystems
4. How to interact and implement with agronomists in multidisciplinary activities and projects
5. How to control agro-ecosystems by adopting advanced biotechnologies
6. How to work in autonomy and responsibility in a project
7. How to develop ideas and projects and how to manage technical and scientific projects on seed production
8. How to analyse and synthesize a subject
9. how to organize and plan a subject
10. How to solve problem
11. Communication skills
Behaviours (most important issues)
1. Consciousness of ethical and social implications of our own actions
2. Consciousness of environmental implications of our own actions
3. Consciousness of our own responsibilities
4. Consciousness of the need for a continuous update and integration of our own technical and scientific formation - Extended program
- A) Crop Science and Technology
Crop ecology (climate and soil factors);
Crop physiology (crop photosynthesis, growth, development and yield, competition between plants and plant organs, yield components, crop plasticity)
Aimes and typologies of cultivation techniques and productive and environmental implications (elements of soil drainage, tillage, sowing, fertilization, weed control, crop protection, harvest and product utilization, crop residues management)
Classification of crops and description of peculiarities (botanical, biological, agronomical) of different groups: cereals, grain legumes, olicrops, fiber crops, sugar crops, forage crops, vegetables, herbs, hornamental crops. During this description, basic elements of crop science will be given.
Principles of conventional and organic systems
B) Seeds and seed production
Description of seeds of main arable crop species;
Seed biology: physiology of germination, seed vitality vigour, dormancy;
Seed Technology: seed selection, chemical treatments, coating, pelletting, priming, storage
Regulations for seed production and marketing, culttivar registration and certification. Seed analysis.
Seed production: seed crops of wheat, maize, sugarbeet and alfalfa as case studies.
Practical tasks
Identification of seeds and plant of studied species
Solving of practical cases concerning arable crops
Observation on grain and seed crops under way and on cultivation operations and assessment of problems in management of cultivation techniques in the farm
Seed processing, machineries, assessment of process problems both at the seed lab of the DSA3 and in seed industries
Lab techniques for seed analysis