SCV0901 - INNOVATIVE APPROACHES FOR A SUSTAINABLE PLANT PRODUCTION

courses

ID:

SCV0901

Duration (hours):

52

CFU:

SSD:

FISIOLOGIA VEGETALE

Year:

2025

Date/time interval

Primo Semestre (21/09/2025 - 16/01/2026)

Course Objectives

At the end of the course the student will understand the need for sustainable agriculture to protect the environment, natural resources and biodiversity while increasing production. The student will therefore learn how to reduce the environmental impact of agriculture through sustainable crop protection, which includes biological control and the use of innovative and sustainable compounds such as peptides, biopesticides and volatile organic compounds. The course also aims to provide knowledge on the use of natural biostimulants to support plant growth and development. At the end of the course, the student will have a basic knowledge of current and future applications of precision agriculture and the use of smart sensors and big data to monitor crop health. The student will be able to evaluate the possibility of using robotic solutions for non-selective and selective operations such as seeding, weeding, pruning and harvesting. Finally, the student will have a general understanding of plant genetic improvement and its importance in developing new, better cultivated varieties to increase the sustainability of agriculture.

Course Prerequisites

A basic knowledge of plant biology and physiology is useful for understanding the topics covered during the course.

Teaching Methods

- Theoretical classroom sessions covering the main topics of the course, supported by Power Point presentations. - In-depth seminars given by teachers, technicians or industry experts - Laboratory exercises related to the classroom content. Twelve hours of practical activities (three practical activities of four hours each). All details of the laboratory activities will be given to the students during the first lesson. - Educational visits to agricultural companies, research institutes and other bodies in the sector, where some of the topics covered in class will be analysed in detail.

Assessment Methods

The evaluation consists of an oral exam. The student will be asked some questions, both broad and more specific, one of which is chosen. The objective of the exam is to verify the level of achievement of the previously indicated training objectives, evaluating the level of knowledge and depth of the topics addressed. For the purposes of the assessment, the teacher will take into account the student's ability to: - articulate the speech with clarity, precision, relevance and properties of language - argue and make connections between the teaching contents and compare different aspects covered during the course - critically re-elaborate the contents The vote is expressed in 30/30.

The following topics will be covered in class: - Sustainable agriculture: meaning, principles and techniques - Sustainable crop protection: biopesticides - Sustainable crop protection: biological control - Sustainable crop protection: volatile organic compounds - Natural biostimulants in agriculture - Symbiotic fungi and beneficial bacteria for sustainable agriculture - Precision agriculture - Smart sensors and big data for crop health monitoring - Automation in agriculture and robotics applied to agricultural systems - Genetic improvement of crops - Organic and biodynamic farming