AGRI 601_Irrigation and Irrigation Systems

Course Content

Lectures

  1. Introduction
  2. Soil properties – Soil moisture – Infiltration
  3. Evapotranspiration (Part I)
  4. Evapotranspiration (Part II)
  5. Simplified methods of evapotranspiration estimation
  6. Crop water needs – Crop evapotranspiration
  7. Crop water needs – Irrigation scheduling
  8. Surface irrigation
  9. Sprinkler irrigation
  10. Micro-irrigation (Part I)
  11. Micro-irrigation (Part II)
  12. Quality of irrigation water
  13. Precision irrigation

Laboratory exercises

  • Laboratory exercise 1: Infiltration experiment and estimation of the infiltration equations using the graphical method and the least squares method
  • Laboratory exercise 2: Evapotranspiration estimation using the methods: FAO-56 Penman-Montheith, Hargreaves-Samani and Parametric
  • Laboratory exercise 3: Sprinkler system design study (Part I): Layouts, sprinkler types, irrigation uniformity, selection of sprinklers, irrigation materials and parts
  • Laboratory exercise 4: Sprinkler system design study (Part II): Hydraulic computations of laterals, main lines and pump selection
  • Laboratory exercise 5: Drip irrigation system design study (Part I): Layouts, emitter types, drip lines, irrigation parameters, irrigation materials and parts
  • Laboratory exercise 6: Drip irrigation system design study (Part II): Hydraulic computations of laterals, main lines and pump selection
Detailed Course Outline
AGRI 602_Specialized Pomology

Course Content

Lectures

  1. Apple tree cultivation: Morphological – anatomical elements, ecological requirements, rootstocks, cultivational practices, harvest, postharvest optimized processes.
  2. Pear and Quince trees cultivation: Morphological – anatomical elements, ecological requirements, rootstocks, cultivational practices, harvest, postharvest optimized processes.
  3. Peach tree cultivation: Morphological – anatomical elements, ecological requirements, rootstocks, cultivational practices, harvest, postharvest optimized processes.
  4. Apricot tree cultivation: Morphological – anatomical elements, ecological requirements, rootstocks, cultivational practices, harvest, postharvest optimized processes.
  5. Plum tree cultivation: Morphological – anatomical elements, ecological requirements, rootstocks, cultivational practices, harvest, postharvest optimized processes.
  6. Cherry and Sour cherry tree cultivation: Morphological – anatomical elements, ecological requirements, rootstocks, cultivational practices, harvest, postharvest optimized processes.
  7. Almond tree cultivation: Morphological – anatomical elements, ecological requirements, rootstocks, cultivational practices, harvest, postharvest optimized processes.
  8. Walnut tree cultivation: Morphological – anatomical elements, ecological requirements, rootstocks, cultivational practices, harvest, postharvest optimized processes.
  9. Pistachio tree cultivation Morphological – anatomical elements, ecological requirements, rootstocks, cultivational practices, harvest, postharvest optimized processes.
  10. Chestnut tree and hazelnut cultivation: Morphological – anatomical elements, ecological requirements, rootstocks, cultivational practices, harvest, postharvest optimized processes.
  11. Kiwi-fruit cultivation: Morphological – anatomical elements, ecological requirements, rootstocks, cultivational practices, harvest, postharvest optimized processes.
  12. Fig tree and pomegranate cultivation: Morphological – anatomical elements, ecological requirements, rootstocks, cultivational practices, harvest, postharvest optimized processes.
  13. Loquat tree and dogwood cultivation: Morphological – anatomical elements, ecological requirements, rootstocks, cultivational practices, harvest, postharvest optimized processes.

Laboratory exercises

  1. High density orchard establishment.
  2. Selection for best scions/rootstocks and grafting method per tree species
  3. Apple, Pear and Quince pruning
  4. Stone fruits pruning
  5. Fruit thinning
  6. Qualitative characteristics for pome and stone fruits
Detailed Course Outline
AGRI 603 Agricultural Experimentation

Course Content

Lectures

  1. An introduction to agricultural experimentation. Basic concepts and definitions.
  2. The experimental plot. Size and shape of experimental plots and blocks. Heterogeneity of experimental field, examples.
  3. Field experiments, greenhouse experiments, laboratory testing. Randomization – Replication – Field testing
  4. Analysis of Variance, confidence intervals, Type I and II errors.
  5. Single factor designs. Complete randomized design. Design, construction of an experiment, comparing means, Analysis of data extracting results. Examples.
  6. Randomized Block Design. Design, construction of an experiment, comparing means, Analysis of data extracting results. Examples.
  7. The Latin square design. Design, construction of an experiment, comparing means, Analysis of data extracting results. Examples.
  8. Subsampling, anterior and posterior comparisons
  9. Factorial designs. Pros and cons of factorial analysis. Test of assumptions. Examples.
  10. Correlation analysis
  11. Linear Regression Analysis
  12. Split plot experiments: Design, construction of an experiment, comparing means, Analysis of data extracting results. Examples.
  13. Data transformation.
Detailed Course Outline
AGRI 604_Advanced Agricultural Zoology – Entomology

Course Content

Lectures

  1. Insect: Important Orders for agriculture
  2. Description, Hosts, Geographical Distribution, Biology, Damage and Fighting.
  3. Description, Hosts, Geographical Distribution, Biology, Damage and Treatment.
  4. Description, Hosts, Geographical Distribution, Biology, Damage and Treatment.
  5. Description, Hosts, Geographical Distribution, Biology, Damage and Treatment.
  6. Description, Hosts, Geographical Distribution, Biology, Damage and Treatment.
  7. Description, Hosts, Geographical Distribution, Biology, Damage and Treatment.
  8. Description, Hosts, Geographical Distribution, Biology, Damage and Treatment.
  9. Plant parasitic nematodes infesting vegetable and ornamental species. Description, Hosts, Geographical Distribution, Biology, Damage and Treatment.
  10. Description, Hosts, Geographical Distribution, Biology, Damage and Treatment.
  11. Other important pests of agriculture.
  12. Natural enemies and integrated management of pests and diseases of vegetable and ornamental species.
  13. Post harvest pests.

Laboratory exercises 

  1. Demonstration of principles of sampling to search for entomological infestations
  2. Observation of olive infestations by insects/mites.
  3. Observation of citrus infestations by insects/mites.
  4. Observation of horticultural insect/mite infestations.
  5. Observation of root attacks by plant parasitic nematodes.
  6. Observation of post-harvest infestations.
Detailed Course Outline
AGRI 605_Special Topics in Field Crops

Course Content

Lectures

  1. Corn, Sorghum, Millet: General characteristics, botany, ecological and agronomical requirements, cultivation practices.
  2. Rice: General characteristics, botany, ecological and agronomical requirements, cultivation practices.
  3. Bean: General characteristics, botany, ecological and agronomical requirements, cultivation practices.
  4. Lentil: General characteristics, botany, ecological and agronomical requirements, cultivation practices.
  5. Pea, Broad bean, Chickpea: General characteristics, botany, ecological and agronomical requirements, cultivation practices.
  6. Grass pea – Lupin, Soya: General characteristics, botany, ecological and agronomical requirements, cultivation practices.
  7. Alfalfa, Clover, Vicia: General characteristics, botany, ecological and agronomical requirements, cultivation practices.
  8. Cotton: General characteristics, trends, varieties, adaptation, agronomical requirements, cultivation practices, harvest and quality.
  9. Tobacco: General characteristics, trends, varieties, adaptation, agronomical requirements, cultivation practices, harvest and quality.
  10. Sugarbeet: General characteristics, trends, varieties, adaptation, agronomical requirements, cultivation practices, harvest and quality.
  11. Sunflower, Hop: General characteristics, trends, varieties, adaptation, agronomical requirements, cultivation practices, harvest and quality.
  12. Cannabis, Sesame, Castor bean: General characteristics, trends, varieties, adaptation, agronomical requirements, cultivation practices, harvest and quality.
  13. Industrial tomato: General characteristics, trends, varieties, adaptation, agronomical requirements, cultivation practices, harvest and quality.

Laboratory exercises

  1. Biological cycle markers for field crops.
  2. Plant growth markers.
  3. Irrigation and fertilization regimes for field crops.
  4. Seed identification of field crops.
  5. Development cereal demonstration farm.
  6. Development industrial field crop demonstration farm.
Detailed Course Outline
AGRI 606_Renewable Energy in Agriculture

Course Content

Lectures

  1. Energy sources. Energy needs. Energy conversions. Solar radiation. Wind energy. Geothermal energy. Hydroelectric, wave and tidal energy. Other renewable and “soft” energies. Energy needs of agriculture.
  2. Fossil fuels and conventional energy sources. Energy and natural resources, Greenhouse effect, greenhouse gas emissions
  3. Energy from the sun. Collection systems and methods for the analysis of solar radiation – Solar collectors. Types, function, performance grades, calculations. – Installations for heating water for use, space heating and drying of agricultural products with solar panels. – The solar collector for space cooling, water pumping and electricity generation. Heat storage methods.
  4. Production of heat and electricity from solar energy. Direct production of electricity from solar energy – photovoltaic conversion. Types of photovoltaic systems and related components. Measurements and Estimation of Solar radiation Power. Photovoltaic systems performance. Agri-voltaics
  5. 5. Wind energy. Mechanical and electrical power generation systems from the wind. – Observing and measuring sizes during wind turbine operation.
  6. Biomass. Sources of biomass. Biomass collection and management. Thermodynamic conversion by combustion. Thermochemical conversion. Biochemical conversion. Cogeneration of heat and electricity (CHP). Biomass potential estimation for bioenergy production, Biofuels for transport.
  7. Energy crops. Designing of pilot crops with adaptation to the prevailing agricultural techniques, Planting and management of crops, Economic assessment of the production of energy crops by cost analysis of the various stages of production and management of the crop. Environmental assessment of energy crops
  8. Geothermy. Geothermal fields, Technologies for the exploitation of geothermal energy for the production of electricity and space heating. District heating. Heat pumps
  9. Hydrodynamic energy and electricity generation. Small hydroelectric projects
  10. Physics of non-conventional energy sources. Energy saving-rational use of energy. Hydrogen as a fuel. Fuel cells. Financial analysis of energy systems. Directions for the development of energy sources in the future.
  11. Climate change and impacts on agriculture. Greenhouse Effect. European Green Deal
  12. Economic and technical consideration of renewable energy sources. Energy economics and the energy system
  13. Field trips

Laboratory exercises

  • Solar energy applications (thermal collector efficiency, efficiency charts, etc.)
  • Electricity generation from photovoltaic systems
  • Production of biofuels from energy crops
  • Use of biofuels to produce mechanical work and heat and electricity
  • Combined heat and power plant based on the potential of agricultural residues
  • Calculation of electrical/thermal energy from agricultural crop residues
Detailed Course Outline