Unit PRECISION AGRICULTURE

FERTILISATION AND IRRIGATION ECO-SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT

Code	80025206
CFU	5
Teacher	Francesco Tei
Teachers	Francesco Tei
Hours	45 ore - Francesco Tei
Learning activities	Caratterizzante
Area	Discipline della produzione
Academic discipline	AGR/02
Type of study-unit	Obbligatorio (Required)
Language of instruction	Italian
Contents	Crop nutritional and fertilisation balances. Water and irrigation requirements. On-field/on-farm assessment of crop and soil nutrient and water status. Fertigation. Soilless cultures.
Reference texts	Tei F., Nicola S., Benincasa P. (2017) Advances in Research on Fertilization Management of Vegetable Crops, Springer International Publishing AG, Cham, Switzerland, 302 pp. Allen R.G., Pereira L.S., Raes D., Smith M. (1998) Irrigation and drainage FAO paper 56 - Crop evapotranspiration - Guidelines for computing crop water requirements, FAO (Rome). Pimpini F. (2001) Principi tecnico-agronomici della fertirrigazione e del fuori suolo. Veneto Agricoltura, Tipografia Garbin, Padova, 204 pagg. Slides of the lectures.
Educational objectives	This study unit will allow students: 1) to grasp knowledge on principles, systems and methods on the sustainable management of fertilisation and irrigation of crops; 2) to acquire ability in elaborating nutritional and fertilisation balances, water and irrigation balances, in using on field/on farm monitoring systems and methods of soil and crop nutritional and water status, in managing fertigation in field and in greenhouse.
Prerequisites	In order to be able to understand and apply the majority of the techniques described within the study unit the student must have acquired during the 3-year Degree Course knowledge of the following courses: Mathematics, Physics, General and Inorganic Chemistry, Agronomy, Agro-ecology, Hydraulics and he/she has successfully passed the exams "Pedology and Agricultural Chemistry" and "Landscape survey and mapping" of the 1st semester.
Teaching methods	Lectures concerning all the subject of the course, practice in lab (elaboration of nutritional and fertilisation balances; elaboration of water and irrigation balances; measurements of soil and crop nutritional status; determination of nutrient solution for fertigation) and practice in the Field-Lab of the Research Unit of Agronomy and Arable Crops of the DSA3 in Papiano (measurements of soil and crop water status by TDR probe sensor, capacitive probe sensors; tensiometers; suction lysimeters). Means to help teaching and learning: - Overheads, slides and videos - Technical and scientific papers - Reference Books Learning means (besides attendance to lectures): - Study on reference books - Reading of technical and scientific papers provided by the teacher - Practicing for technical abilities on field crops - Practicing for technical and professional abilities on hypotetical farm context.
Other information	The frequency of the lessons, although not compulsory, is deeply recommended because the integration of theoretical and practical lectures makes easier learning and ability of problem solving. Prof. Francesco Tei - Dept of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences, Research Unit of Agronomy and Crop Sciences. Tel:075 585 6320 E-mail: francesco.tei@unipg.it Assistance for students: Monday- Friday 9 - 13 or at any other time by an appointment to be fixed in due time by email or telephone.
Learning verification modality	The exam consists of an interview of about 20 minutes aimed to ascertain knowledge level and understanding and problem solving ability acquired by the student on theoretical and practical contents as indicated in the study unit program. The oral exam will also test the student communication skills and his/her autonomy in the organization and exposure of the theoretical-practical topics.
Extended program	Nutritional and fertilisation balances: definition; crop nutritional requirements; soil supply (mineral nutrients available at the beginning of crop cycle; mineral nutrients from crop residues; nutrients from soil organic matter mineralisation); losses (leaching, denitrification, volatilization, immobilisation; nutrients supply by fertilisation (fertilisation systems and methods; fertilisation efficiency). On field/on farm monitoring systems and methods of soil and crop nutritional status; sampling; methods of estimating the crop nutrient requirements. Water and irrigation balances: evapo-transpiration (ET) definition and determination; estimation and measurement of the reference ET (ETo); crop coefficients (single and double); calculation of the ET under standard conditions (ETc) and under non-standard conditions (ETc adj); irrigation systems and methods (notes); irrigation efficiency; calculation of water and irrigation crop requirements; irrigation technical parameters (notes). On field/on farm monitoring systems and methods of soil and crop water status: lab analysis; TDR probe sensor; capacitive probe sensors; tensiometers; lysimeters; spettroscopy (notes). Fertigation: equipments (supply, filtering, distribution, mixing); systems and methods; nutrient solutions. Soil-less cultures: systems without and with substrate; open and closed systems; substrates: types, physical and chemical characteristics; substrate-container system (air-water relationship); irrigation and nutrition management. Practicals: elaboration of Nutritional and fertilisation balances; elaboration of Water and irrigation balances; measurements of soil and crop nutritional status by SPAD, ion-specific sensors; measurements of soil and crop water status by TDR probe sensor, capacitive probe sensors; tensiometers; suction lysimeters; determination of nutrient solution for fertigation; fertigation management in open field and in greenhouse.

PRECISION IRRIGATION EFFICIENT TECHNOLOGIES

Code	A002188
CFU	3
Teacher	Alessandra Vinci
Teachers	Alessandra Vinci
Hours	27 ore - Alessandra Vinci
Learning activities	Affine/integrativa
Area	Attività formative affini o integrative
Academic discipline	AGR/08
Type of study-unit	Obbligatorio (Required)
Language of instruction	Italian, English
Contents	The knowledge and skills necessary to select and apply new technologies aimed at the sustainable and efficient use of water resources for irrigation and for the design and sizing of irrigation systems will be acquired, in order to meet the sustainability requirements related to European policies water-saving (WFD - 2000/60 / EC). The student will also have to acquire specific knowledge on the maintenance and operation of irrigation systems, with particular reference to sprinkler systems and surface and sub-surface micro-irrigation. The topics relating to spatial data processing methodologies will be studied in-depth, which forms the basis for the planning of targeted and localized field interventions making the production process sustainable both in economic and environmental terms. The student will be able to use these tools for the design of irrigation systems aimed at the application of variable rate technologies and for the subsequent real-time management of irrigation even remotely.
Reference texts	Notes provided from the lecturer R. Casa, 2016, Agricoltura di Precisione, Edagricole
Educational objectives	Elaboration of water and irrigation balances, the design, maintenance and operation of irrigation systems, with particular reference to sprinkler systems and superficial and sub-superficial micro-irrigation and the sustainable and efficient use of water resources for irrigation purposes, in order to meet the sustainability requirements related to European water-saving policies (WFD - 2000/60 / EC).
Teaching methods	theoretical and practical lessons
Learning verification modality	oral exam
Extended program	Precision irrigation and concept of irrigation efficiency. Thematic maps, spatial variability of data, management of spatial variability, methods and techniques for surveying soil characteristics, nature of spatial data, spatial and temporal variability, sampling plans and techniques, fundamentals of geostatistics, management zones. Irrigation systems for precision irrigation, characteristics of sprinkler and micro-irrigation systems, materials, components, technological and management aspects. Design aspects of irrigation, hydraulic problems, practical formulas, pressure, the diameter of pipes, management of the irrigation system, uniformity of wetting. Automation and robotization of irrigation systems, variable rate irrigation (VRI) technologies. Irrigation service, integrated systems, sensor networks for real-time and remote data acquisition in the field, information processing, transfer of processed information to irrigation systems, or users. Adaptive control methods aimed at optimizing processes. Calibration of interpretative models of remotely acquired data and models for estimating irrigation needs.

PRECISION FARMING

Code	80202003
CFU	2
Teacher	Alessandra Vinci
Teachers	Alessandra Vinci
Hours	18 ore - Alessandra Vinci
Learning activities	Affine/integrativa
Area	Attività formative affini o integrative
Academic discipline	AGR/09
Type of study-unit	Obbligatorio (Required)
Language of instruction	Italian
Contents	Global positioning and navigation systems. Remote sensing. The mapping of productions. The variability of homogeneous areas. The technologies for variable application. Final considerations on precision agriculture.
Reference texts	Notes provided from the lecturer R. Casa, 2016, Agricoltura di Precisione, Edagricole
Educational objectives	The student must have basic knowledge of the main technological systems, applied to agricultural machinery, capable of achieving precision agriculture.
Teaching methods	theoretical and practical lessons
Learning verification modality	oral exam
Extended program	The agricultural tractor and precision agriculture. Global positioning systems. GPS: signal characteristics, errors, differential correction, receiver and antennas, applications in agriculture. Other navigation systems. Reference systems. Remote sensing: electromagnetic spectrum, sensors, platforms, data correction, technical and economic considerations. The mapping of productions: procedures for good mapping, sensors, problems and costs. The variability of homogeneous zones: spatial and temporal variability. Technologies for variable application: components and examples. Conclusive considerations: the potential, advantages and disadvantages of precision agriculture, costs.