Agro-eco-systems, agronomy and the agronomist (3 h)
Growth, development and crop productivity (7 h): environmental and genetic factor governing crop growth and development; potential, attainable and actual yield, filling the gaps.
Crop ecology (26 h):
Aerial environment: radiation, humidity, temperature, wind, rainfall, weather and climate
Soil : soil formation, organic matter, mineral components, physical properties
Water relations: flow of water through a crop, evapotranspiration and its components, evaporation from a drying soil, water available for a crop, water stress.
Resource management (28 h):
Water management: estimation and management of water supply, irrigation scheduling, irrigation methods, salinity.
Soil management: plant nutrition, management of soil fertility, tillage, drainage, protection from erosion
Weed control
Monoculture, mixtures, intercropping
Precision farming
Modeling crop systems
Introduction to the main crops (6 h): cereals, pulses and forages

Laboratories (10 h):
Exercises
Excursion to the experimental farm ‘Mauro Deidda’: experimental trials, cereals, pulses, forage crops, meteorological station, instruments for the measure of radiation interception, canopy temperature, leaf area index, soil humidity ecc.
Excursion to an horticultural farm at and to the experimental farm of Santa Lucia: weeds, machinery, experimental trials