Unit AGRICULTURAL CHEMISTRY
- Course
- Agricultural and environmental sciences
- Study-unit Code
- 80783109
- Curriculum
- Agricoltura sostenibile
- Teacher
- Daniele Del Buono
- Teachers
-
- Daniele Del Buono
- Daniela Pezzolla (Codocenza)
- Giovanni Gigliotti (Codocenza)
- Hours
- 45 ore - Daniele Del Buono
- 9 ore (Codocenza) - Daniela Pezzolla
- 27 ore (Codocenza) - Giovanni Gigliotti
- CFU
- 9
- Course Regulation
- Coorte 2023
- Offered
- 2024/25
- Learning activities
- Caratterizzante
- Area
- Discipline della produzione vegetale
- Academic discipline
- AGR/13
- Type of study-unit
- Type of learning activities
- Attività formativa monodisciplinare
- Language of instruction
- Italian
- Contents
- “Agricultural Chemistry” is a discipline that targets both the soil and the plant, as considered to be part of a unitary system that aims to optimize the characteristics of one according to the needs of the other. The course setting is aimed at achieving this goal.
In the plant part, emphasis is placed on the main metabolic processes that take place in it (photosynthesis, C metabolism, lipid and nitrogen metabolism), thus providing students with the basics to be able, in subsequent courses, to understand the nature of the nutritional, water and environmental requirements of the plant and, on the basis of possible anomalies, to carry out agronomical practices that can correct them.
In the soil part, emphasis is placed on the genesis and chemical composition of its constituents, on the colloidal properties, on the element retention power, soil pH and buffer strength. Finally, factors affecting soil fertility are examined, trying to suggest methods that can minimize any criticality. - Reference texts
- R. PINTON et al. (Coordinatori). Fondamenti di biochimica agraria. Patron Editore Bologna, 2016.
LEHNINGER (by Nelson and Cox). Principles of Biochemistry. Freeman and company, New York.
M. BUSINELLI. Chimica del Suolo. Morlacchi editore, Perugia, 2009.
P. SEQUI, C. CIAVATTA, T. MIANO. Fondamenti di Chimica del Suolo. Patron Editore, 2017.
K. TAN Principles of soil chemistry. CRC Press, Boca Raton, London, New York, 2010.
SLIDES in UNISTUDIUM "Chimica Agraria" SAA - Educational objectives
- The main objective of the course is to provide students with the basic knowledge of Agricultural Chemistry, a discipline that covers both the soil and the plant as considered part of a unitary system, and which aims to optimize the characteristics of the one in function of the needs of the other.
The main acquisitions will cover:
1. the biological and biochemical context in which each molecule, reaction or metabolic pathway is located.
2. the role of enzymes as catalysts of reactions in living organisms.
3. the chemical aspects of photosynthesis in different plant species.
4. the chemical aspects of the main anabolic and catabolic processes of carbohydrates, lipids and proteins.
5. the role of ATP as a source of energy for metabolic processes
6. the importance of coupled reactions for carrying out endoergonic processes in living organisms.
7. the chemical assimilation mechanisms of elements necessary for plant development and metabolism.
8. the soil as a substrate for plant growth.
9. the role of soil colloids as fertility factors.
10. the soil retention power for nutrients.
11. the soil ability to retain pollutants by avoiding groundwater contamination.
12. the soil resource control in agronomic and environmental field.
13. the relationships between soil and plant.
14. the pH role in conditioning soil nutritional characteristics.
15. the soil buffering ability.
The main skills (i.e. the ability to apply acquired knowledge) will be:
- to be able to use a scientific method of investigation, also in relation to application problems.
- to be capable and convincing in exposing their own professional assessments.
- to be able to carry out professional advice concerning fertility and the vulnerability of the soil pollutants. - Prerequisites
- In order to understand, interpret and know how to apply theoretical principles and analytical techniques, subject of this course, it is necessary to have successfully passed the “Chemistry” examination (I year). Knowledge of the basic principles of general and organic chemistry is an indispensable prerequisite for the student who wants to attend this course; such preliminary knowledge is also required for non-attending students to be able to successfully undertake the study of the course, using the teaching material (UNISTUDIUM UNIPG Chimica Agraria).
- Teaching methods
- The course will be organized in:
- classroom teaching aimed at developing theoretical skills;
- classroom exercises in order to determine the amounts of energy changes associated with reactions in the cells and the evaluations of energy balances related to carbohydrates and lipids metabolism;
- Laboratory experiments aimed to estimate the content of plant pigments and proteins and determine the activity of some enzymes. - Other information
- Student reception will be held every afternoon Monday through Friday from 2:30 to 4 p.m. at the RU of Agricultural Chemistry.
- Learning verification modality
- The examination will consist of a final test (about 40 minutes) to verify the students' level of knowledge and understanding of the theoretical and methodological contents of the program. The discussion will cover some course topics, including bioenergetics, protein structure and catalysis, photosynthesis, primary metabolism, plant nitrogen cycle, DNA and RNA, and protein biosynthesis.
Student evaluation
18-21: sufficient knowledge of the basic topics of the course; sufficient understanding of the concepts.
22-24: good knowledge of the course topics;
good understanding of the concepts.
25-27: very good knowledge of the course topics;
very good understanding of the concepts.
28-30: excellent knowledge of the course topics;
excellent understanding of the concepts.
The examination will also test the student's ability to communicate and explain the topics covered by the course. Lastly, it will assess the student's ability to apply the knowledge acquired to solve practical cases, working out solutions independently.
For information on support services for students with disabilities, visit http://www.unipg.it/disabilita-e-dsa - Extended program
- Bioenergetics and enzyme catalysis. Elements of thermodynamics and biochemical reactions. Concepts of enthalpy, entropy and free energy, exergonic and endergonic reactions and their coupling. Concept of metabolism and energy flows in catabolic and anabolic phases. Mechanism of enzyme catalysis, structure and characteristics of the enzymes, the Michaelis-Menten theory and definition of the kinetic parameters of an enzyme. Inhibition and regulation of enzyme activity. Isoenzymes, allosteric enzymes and zymogens. Mechanism of action and biochemical role of hydrolases, oxidoreductases, transferases, lyases, isomerases and ligases.
Photosynthesis and carbohydrate synthesis: Photosynthetic pigments. Role of the light and the reaction of Hill. The photosystems and photosynthetic electron transport. Cyclic and non-cyclic photophosphorylation. CO2 fixation and the Calvin cycle. Photorespiration. Formation of monosaccharides, oligosaccharides and polysaccharides.
Respiration and carbohydrate metabolism: glycolysis and fermentation processes. The way of the phosphogluconate. Gluconeogenesis. Citric acid cycle and glyoxylate way. Respiratory chain and oxidative phosphorylation. The energy yield of fermentation processes and respiratory systems.
The metabolism of fatty substances: Nature and chemical structure of fatty substances. Biogenesis of fatty acids, glycerides and the related energy requirements. Catabolism of fatty acids and triglycerides. Energy and nutrient budgets in the catabolism of fatty acids and glycerides. Biochemical role and metabolism of phospholipids, sphingolipids and sterols.
Metabolism of nitrogen compounds: Notes on the nitrogen cycle in nature. Biochemical aspects of nitrogen fixation, nitrate reduction, and insert on carbon structures of ammonia. Formation of amino acids and proteins. Protein catabolism: proteolysis, oxidative degradation of amino acids and nitrogen mineralization.
Nucleic acids: DNA structure. DNA replication: the role of DNA polymerase, helicase, topoisomerase, primase and DNA ligase. DNA repair. Structure and synthesis of RNA, the role of RNA polymerase, transcription and post-transcriptional modifications. Genetic code and its translation into protein synthesis. - Obiettivi Agenda 2030 per lo sviluppo sostenibile
- Obiettivi: 2 (Fame zero), 3 (Salute e benessere), 15 (la vita sulla terra)