Lecturers: Mirco Rodeghiero, Michele Perazzolli, Ilaria Pertot

Summary: The course will give an overview about soil quality and its determination in order to optimize sustainable crop production.

Module 1 (4 hours): Applied metagenomic for the assessment of soil microbiological quality. The module will illustrate novel approaches for the assessment of fungal, bacterial and oomycete taxa hosted in soils based on amplicon sequencing studies and methods for the functional recognition of potential microbiological properties and their contribution to the soil microbiological quality.

Skills acquired: knowledge on soil microbiological quality and practical applications.

Module 2 (4 hours): The module will describe soil chemical fertility in relation to the needs and optimal growing conditions of different crops and orchards. Chemical indicators (organic C, soil N, macro/micronutrients, pH, cation exchange capacity, base saturation percentage, calcium carbonate content, electric conductivity, toxic elements) and their diagnostic significance will be described. The main and more useful soil quality indexes will be illustrated with some practical examples on their application, with particular reference to meso- and macro-faunal communities. A special focus will be deserved to QBS-ar and QBS-e Indexes with reference to arthropod and earthworms communities respectively.

Skills acquired: knowledge on indexes of soil biological quality.

Module 3 (8 hours): Soil fertility and the carbon cycle.
The module will illustrate the soil carbon cycle in agricultural and forest systems and the soil carbon storage capacity. The links between the nitrogen cycle and the carbon cycle will be analyzed. The main methods to calculate the soil carbon balance, including soil respiration measuring systems, will be described. A discussion about soil carbon and global
warming will complete the module.     

Skills acquired: knowledge on soil carbon balance and soil respiration assessment.

Course Schedule

Evaluation procedure:

- Research paper (major written assignment and short written assignment)
- Scientific dissemination (major oral assignment)
- Data analysis and/or Outreach (practical assignments