B021508 - LABORATORY

English

Part by Ferrise-Dalla Marta: exercise for assessing the productive potential of a crop as a function of the variability of environmental conditions and production factors.
Part by Trucchi: Infiltration, soil-water potential, retention curves, soil-water movement. Design of irrigation system. Soil texture.
Part by Penna: soil moisture analysis: sensor presentation, field installation, probe calibration, basic statistical analysis of soil moisture values over time and space.

FAO Papers and manuals available on internet: Crop waterrequirements, Irrigation and drainage paper n° 24; Trickle irrigation,Irrigation and drainage paper n° 14; Localized irrigation, Irrigation and
drainage paper n° 36. On-line material (Moodle platform) and available during classes.

Provide students with tools and methodologies to study the role of environment and management on crop productivity, to acquire knowledge on irrigation network design and soil moisture analysis. Skills acquired (at the end of the course): knowledge about the use of main tools for determining the response of crops to environment (soil and climate) and management, about methods to measure soil moisture and irrigation network.

Knowledge of hydraulics, irrigation (irrigation, methods, materials), hydrology, pedology, agronomy.

Total hours of the course (including the time spent in attending lectures, seminars, private study, examinations, etc): 225.Hours reserved to private study and other indivual formative activities: 153Contact hours for: Lectures (hours): 72 (=9 x 8)Contact hours for: Laboratory-field/practice (hours): 22 (=72 x 30%)

Given the practical approach of the course, students are strongly encouraged to attend classes.

Tests, data processing, oral presentationsExam: There is not a final evaluation test. However, students will be asked to prepare a short presentation or report with a critical analysys of the obtained results obtained.

Part by Ferrise-Dalla Marta: b Part by Trucchi: hydrodynamics for the design of an irrigation network; soil-water relations, infiltration, soil moisture retention curve, water flow in soil, crop-water and irrigation requirements, irrigation parameters, irrigation water distribution and scheduling.Part by Penna: Introduction to soil moisture and soil moisture monitoring. Measuring soil moisture in the field. Probe calibration. Online soil moisture products. Time series analysis. Influence of irrigation and rain. Analysis of response time. Statistical analysis: comparison of values at different depths; correlation and regression; normality test; comparison of means/medians; box-plot. Presentation of the report template.