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Agri-Tech: Technologies for a sustainable agriculture
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A.A. 2025/26
Course Language
Inglese
Degree programme(s)
1st degree and Bachelor-level of the Bologna process in Ingegneria Per L'Ambiente E Il Territorio - Torino
1st degree and Bachelor-level of the Bologna process in Ingegneria Meccanica (Mechanical Engineering) - Torino
1st degree and Bachelor-level of the Bologna process in Design E Comunicazione - Torino
1st degree and Bachelor-level of the Bologna process in Ingegneria Informatica (Computer Engineering) - Torino
1st degree and Bachelor-level of the Bologna process in Electronic And Communications Engineering (Ingegneria Elettronica E Delle Comunicazioni) - Torino
1st degree and Bachelor-level of the Bologna process in Ingegneria Dei Materiali - Torino
1st degree and Bachelor-level of the Bologna process in Architettura (Architecture) - Torino
1st degree and Bachelor-level of the Bologna process in Ingegneria Elettrica - Torino
1st degree and Bachelor-level of the Bologna process in Ingegneria Aerospaziale - Torino
1st degree and Bachelor-level of the Bologna process in Ingegneria Biomedica - Torino
1st degree and Bachelor-level of the Bologna process in Ingegneria Chimica E Alimentare - Torino
1st degree and Bachelor-level of the Bologna process in Ingegneria Civile - Torino
1st degree and Bachelor-level of the Bologna process in Ingegneria Edile - Torino
1st degree and Bachelor-level of the Bologna process in Ingegneria Energetica - Torino
1st degree and Bachelor-level of the Bologna process in Ingegneria Meccanica - Torino
1st degree and Bachelor-level of the Bologna process in Matematica Per L'Ingegneria - Torino
1st degree and Bachelor-level of the Bologna process in Ingegneria Elettronica - Torino
1st degree and Bachelor-level of the Bologna process in Ingegneria Informatica - Torino
1st degree and Bachelor-level of the Bologna process in Ingegneria Fisica - Torino
1st degree and Bachelor-level of the Bologna process in Ingegneria Del Cinema E Dei Mezzi Di Comunicazione - Torino
1st degree and Bachelor-level of the Bologna process in Ingegneria Gestionale - Torino
1st degree and Bachelor-level of the Bologna process in Ingegneria Gestionale - Torino
1st degree and Bachelor-level of the Bologna process in Architettura - Torino
1st degree and Bachelor-level of the Bologna process in Civil And Environmental Engineering - Torino
1st degree and Bachelor-level of the Bologna process in Design Sostenibile Per Il Sistema Alimentare - Torino/Parma
Course structure
| Teaching | Hours |
|---|
Lecturers
| Teacher | Status | SSD | h.Les | h.Ex | h.Lab | h.Tut | Years teaching |
|---|
Co-lectures
Context
| SSD | CFU | Activities | Area context | FIS/03 ICAR/02 ICAR/03 ING-INF/01 |
1 2 2 1 |
D - A scelta dello studente D - A scelta dello studente D - A scelta dello studente D - A scelta dello studente |
A scelta dello studente A scelta dello studente A scelta dello studente A scelta dello studente |
|---|
2024/25
The course focuses on advanced technological solutions in the agricultural field aimed at integrating a sustainable use of the natural resources, a reduced impact on the environmental compartments, and the promotion of circular approaches, maximizing crop production, also in line with the EU Farm to Fork strategy and Common Agricultural Policy. The course will introduce the students to the key resources and needs of agriculture, identifying critical aspects with potential negative environmental effects (e.g. water use, contamination by agrochemicals, soil depletion, etc.). The most advanced technological solutions available to overcome such criticalities will be presented. Hands-on field activities will also be organized.
The course focuses on advanced technological solutions in the agricultural field aimed at integrating a sustainable use of the natural resources, a reduced impact on the environmental compartments, and the promotion of circular approaches, maximizing crop production, also in line with the EU Farm to Fork strategy and Common Agricultural Policy. The course will introduce the students to the key resources and needs of agriculture, identifying critical aspects with potential negative environmental effects (e.g. water use, contamination by agrochemicals, soil depletion, etc.). The most advanced technological solutions available to overcome such criticalities will be presented. Hands-on field activities will also be organized.
The course aims to provide the students with the following learning outcomes:
- Develop an interdisciplinary approach to criticalities and technological solutions in agriculture;
- Develop key capabilities in systemic design of approaches and technologies for the monitoring and the optimization of crop production;
- Identify and contextualize the key problems associated to a sustainable use of resources;
- Identify, compare and select the most effective technological solutions for the reduction of the impacts of crop production.
The course aims to provide the students with the following learning outcomes:
- Develop an interdisciplinary approach to criticalities and technological solutions in agriculture;
- Develop key capabilities in systemic design of approaches and technologies for the monitoring and the optimization of crop production;
- Identify and contextualize the key problems associated to a sustainable use of resources;
- Identify, compare and select the most effective technological solutions for the reduction of the impacts of crop production.
None
The students must have a background in chemistry (chemical reactions, chemical equilibria, mass balances), physics I and II (all topics)
The topics covered in the course include:
1. Introduction to AgriTech: overview of key resources and identification of forcings and criticisms driving Agritech innovation.
1a. Water, soil, energy, nutrients, landscape: spatial and temporal availability (incl. land use change).
1b. Fundamentals of precipitation and soil moisture, rainwater harvesting, groundwater exploitation.
1c. Climate forcings, variability and trends, climate change effects. Availability vs requirements, sustainability analysis, overexploitation of resources.
1d. Agrochemicals: environmental fate and impacts.
2. Technologies for monitoring, automation and environmental impacts reduction
2a. The tools: smart sensors for plant, water, air and soil monitoring; ICT, IoT and remote sensing/control, data elaboration and transfer; soil mapping using indirect geophysics and remote sensing methods, drones and UAV.
2b. The applications: irrigation systems, infrastructures and control; advanced technologies for controlled and optimized irrigation; technologies for monitoring, mapping and limiting the environmental spreading of agrochemicals: smart sensors and nano-carriers.
3. Sustainable management in agriculture:
3a. circularity in agricultural production (valorization and re-use of agricultural waste, transition toward a circular agriculture);
3b. assessment and monitoring of greenhouse gasses release from cropland;
3c. CAP, Green Deal, Farm to Fork directives, Water Reuse: EU and extra-EU rules and future trends (“where are we going”)
4. AgriTech frontiers: current trends, open issues and new technologies. Overview of key topics of applied research currently developed at Politecnico.
The topics covered in the course include:
1. Introduction to AgriTech: identification of forcings and criticisms driving Agritech innovation.
2. Overview of key resources, their exploitation and protection and associated challenges:
2a. Water, soil, energy, nutrients, landscape: spatial and temporal availability (incl. land use change).
2b. Fundamentals of precipitation and soil moisture, rainwater harvesting, groundwater exploitation.
2c. Climate forcings, variability and trends, climate change effects. Availability vs requirements, sustainability analysis, overexploitation of resources.
2d. Agrochemicals: environmental fate and impacts. Technological innovations for optimized agrochemical use.
3. Technologies for monitoring, automation and environmental impacts reduction
3a. The tools: smart sensors for plant, water, air and soil monitoring; ICT, IoT and remote sensing/control, data elaboration and transfer; soil mapping using indirect geophysics and remote sensing methods, drones and UAV.
3b. The applications: advanced technologies for controlled and optimized irrigation; technologies for monitoring, mapping and limiting the environmental spreading of agrochemicals: smart sensors and nano-carriers.
4. Sustainable management in agriculture:
4a. Circularity in agricultural production (valorization and re-use of agricultural waste, transition toward a circular agriculture) and sustainable intensification;
4b. Carbon farming and certified carbon credits;
4c. Assessment and monitoring of greenhouse gasses release from cropland;
4d. CAP, Green Deal, Farm to Fork directives, Water Reuse: EU and extra-EU rules and future trends (“where are we going”)
4. AgriTech frontiers: current trends, open issues and new technologies. Overview of key topics of applied research currently developed at Politecnico.
The course includes classes on the abovementioned topics, short exercises in the classroom for the direct application of the theory topics, and practical activities in the field (including soil characterization and field measurement of key soil parameters, sensor installation and data loading, drone monitoring). The data collected during the field activities will be elaborated during classes. To this aim, the students will be divided into groups, each focusing on a specific topic, and will work throughout the course to prepare a final presentation in front of the class.
A seminar will also be organized involving experts of the AgriTech field in order to present and discuss upcoming trends and needs in the sector.
The course includes classes on the abovementioned topics, short exercises in the classroom for the direct application of the theory topics, and practical activities in the field (including soil characterization and field measurement of key soil parameters, sensor installation and data loading, drone monitoring). The data collected during the field activities will be elaborated during classes.
At the end of the ocurse, the students will be divided into groups, each focusing on a specific topic including (a) data elaboration and (b) a theory focus. The groups will elaborate the assigned data, search in the literature for the theory focus, and prepare a short presentation which will be hold in front of the class at the end of the course and will be part of the exam.
A pdf print of the slides of all lectures will be uploaded in the student portal. No further readings will be required for the exam.
Not compulsory in-depth readings:
- Yong, R.N., Nakano, M., & Pusch, R. (2012). Environmental Soil Properties and Behaviour (1st ed.). CRC Press. https://doi.org/10.1201/b11658
- Selected scientific papers uploaded in the student portal.
A pdf print of the slides of all lectures will be uploaded in the student portal. No further readings will be required for the exam.
Not compulsory in-depth readings:
- Yong, R.N., Nakano, M., & Pusch, R. (2012). Environmental Soil Properties and Behaviour (1st ed.). CRC Press. https://doi.org/10.1201/b11658
- Selected scientific papers and reports uploaded in the student portal.
Slides; Libro di testo;
Lecture slides; Text book;
Modalità di esame: Prova scritta (in aula); Prova orale obbligatoria;
Exam: Written test; Compulsory oral exam;
...
The final exam will include:
- An individual written exam covering the topics of the lectures. No books nor personal notes allowed. Maximum score: 24
- A group presentation of the field activities, held in front of the class in the last week of the lectures. Maximum score: 8
The final mark will be the sum of the two.
Gli studenti e le studentesse con disabilità o con Disturbi Specifici di Apprendimento (DSA), oltre alla segnalazione tramite procedura informatizzata, sono invitati a comunicare anche direttamente al/la docente titolare dell'insegnamento, con un preavviso non inferiore ad una settimana dall'avvio della sessione d'esame, gli strumenti compensativi concordati con l'Unità Special Needs, al fine di permettere al/la docente la declinazione più idonea in riferimento alla specifica tipologia di esame.
Exam: Written test; Compulsory oral exam;
The final exam will include:
- An individual written exam (1.5 hours) covering the topics of the lectures. The exam includes one question per each macro-topic covered in the course. Questions either require short open (essay) answer or multiple chioce answers. No books nor personal notes allowed. Maximum score: 24
- A group presentation (10 minutes presentation + 5 minutes questions) held in front of the class at the end of the course. The students will be divided into inter-disciplinary groups in the last weeks of the ocurse, and each of them will study more into details one of the topics presented during the ocurse. The activities will include (a) an exercise/data elaboration and (b) an in-depth literature review on a specific topic related to the exercise. The final result will be a presentation of the literature and results of the groups in front of the class. Maximum score: 8
The final mark will be the sum of the two.
In addition to the message sent by the online system, students with disabilities or Specific Learning Disorders (SLD) are invited to directly inform the professor in charge of the course about the special arrangements for the exam that have been agreed with the Special Needs Unit. The professor has to be informed at least one week before the beginning of the examination session in order to provide students with the most suitable arrangements for each specific type of exam.