Learning outcomes

Knowledge and skills related to mechanization of the most important growing operations and main elements to run mechanization in wine growing.

Program

Unit 1 (12 hours )
Main features of specialized tractors for wine growing, microcaterpillars and polifunctional looms. Engine, gear box, plant, power take off, stability, dynamic balance.

Unit 2 (16 hours)
- Vineyard settlement, round preparation, transplanters, pole drivers and typologies different settlement tools.
- Running ground: machinery for working interrow and underrrow, grass, fertilizers and running of tree bush pruning.
- Grape crop running: hand and easy pruning, dry pruner, trimmers, tipping machines, linking of buds/shoots, leaf removers.
- Pesticide distributions: machines for pesticide treatments, atomizers, dusters, antidryfting spayers.
- Crop: mechanic easier and grape harvester. Grape means of transport.
Unit 3 (8 hours)
Selection criteria and usage machinery: work times and capability, useful periods, demandable surface, operations costs. Notes on precision wine growing.
Unit 4 (12 hours)
Practical exercises and exhausting exercises on the most important topics and themes dealt with the units, audiovisual aids and projections with guided visit to farms producing machinery for vineyards and wine growing.

Advised bibliography:
- R. DEMALDE’. Moduli di meccanica agraria e meccanizzazione agricola, Poseidonia, Bologna, 2003.
- L. H. FERMANDEZ-CANO-J, H. TOGORES. Ingenierìa y Mecanizaciòn Vitìcola, Ediciones Mundi-Prensa, Madrid, Barcelona, México, 2001.
- A. MARTINET. Matériel viticole, Edition Feret, Bordeux, 1999.
- E. BALDINI, C. INTRIERI. Viticoltura meccanizzata, Edizioni Edagricole de Il Sole 24 Ore, Bologna, 2004.
- Material supplied by the teacher during lessons (articles, publications).

Examination Methods

Profit assessment will be done through oral testing.