Herbaceous Cropping Systems

The course presents conceptual and IT tools for advance analyses of herbaceous cropping systems at different spatial scales with the aim of optimizing their management. For each spatial scale, the most suitable tools for analyzing and evaluating the systems studied will be presented. The first spatial level, the field, considers the integrated evaluation of cropping systems of interest through the analysis of some case studies and the production of irrigation and fertilization plans with simulation models. This spatial level takes also into account some advanced and recent techniques for crop protection against biotic and a-biotic injuries. The second spatial level, the farm, uses agroecological indicators to optimize the temporal and spatial distribution of crops and to optimize the energy fluxes within the farm system. The techniques used in the two previous levels can be used also at large scale (e.g., province, region, catchment). The third spatial level considered applies some of the concepts presented and discussed in the previous levels to the analysis of cropping systems at continental scale. The system for crop monitoring and yield forecasting developed and used by the European Commission for supporting the CAP will be presented. Part of the course will be about a topic considered relevant for the analysis and management of cropping systems and for which the current knowledge is considered insufficient. The topic will be chosen by the students among some teacher's proposals and analized by carrying out a specific research project, dividing the students in workpackages and coherently organizing the activities of analysis/research/dissemination.