79423 - Pomology And Nursery Management

Learning outcomes

For the main fruit species, students have acquired skills related to the knowledge about the variety lists, the evolution of cultivated varieties, traits (maturation calendar, fruit characteristics, flower biology , resistances, etc.) and sustainability.

Course contents

Pomology

Biological bases of biodiversity in fruit tree species; Genetic resources: identification, maintenance and use of germplasm; Historical evolution of pomology (description of naturalists, pomological profiles, genetic fingerprints); Phenotypic and molecular taxonomy; formulation of the genetic identity card for the new varieties (fingerprinting); Molecular markers as a tool for variety identification. Use of descriptors: breeding, varietal registration, European protection, patents and trademarks. descriptors for the main fruit species (apple, pear, peach, apricot)

Nursery management

Importance of the nursery activity in Italy. Organization of nursery activities. Regulation of nursery activities. The new Community rules on phytosanitary matters. Certified plants and CAC plants. Genetic controls in nursery certification. Propagation by seeds in fruit tree species: applicative aspects. Propagation by cutting and layering. Propagation by grafting: period of execution and types of grafts. Graft disaffinity. Tree production in the nursery. Principles of micropropagation. Potted trees and soil substrates.  Propagation of strawberries.

Readings/Bibliography

Handouts and publications provided by the teacher. All lectures are given to the students as pdf or ppt through the teacher's webpage.

Teaching methods

The course is divided into frontal lectures (for 60% of the hours) and exercises (the other 40% of the hours).These consist of study visits at the Experimental station of Cadriano, in other germplasm collections or in private companies.

Assessment methods

The CI course consists of two modules. The first (Pomology) and the second (Nursery techniques and management) both of 3 CFU. Therefore, the evaluation of the integrated course jointly takes into account the level of knowledge and skills acquired by the student in relation to the contents of all the aforementioned courses. The oral exam will be 30 minutes long and questions will be pertinent to the lecture topics and the supplementary activities.

Teaching tools

All the lessons are carried out with the help of ppt presentations in ppt. Seminars of colleagues from other Italian and foreign universities and experts from private (involved in fruit quality processes) will be organised.

Office hours

See the website of Luca Dondini

See the website of Brunella Morandi