Soil-water relations, infiltration, soil moisture retention curve, water flow in saturated and unsaturated soil, crop-water and irrigation requirements, irrigation parameters, irrigation water distribution and scheduling, irrigation methods and their characteristics. Pumps. Soil laboratory texture analysis (pipette method). Soil sampling method.
Papers and manuals of the FAO available on internet: Crop water
requirements, Irrigation and drainage paper n° 24; Trickle irrigation,
Irrigation and drainage paper n° 14; Localized irrigation, Irrigation and
drainage paper n° 36.
Booktexts on Irrigation, hydrology, irrigation hydraulics.
Material available on the Moodle Platform (University of Florence) edited
by P. Trucchi
Learning Objectives
Provide students with the necessary knowledges for irrigation network
design, operation and management in the tropical and subtropical Countries.
Total hours of the course (including the time spent in attending lectures,
seminars, private study, examinations, etc): 225 (9 x 25)
Hours reserved to private study and other indivual formative activities:
153
Contact hours for: Lectures (hours): 72 (=9 x 8)
Contact hours for: Laboratory-field/practice (hours):22 (=72 x 30%)
Type of Assessment
Students are requested to present a real field case concerning irrigation.
Course program
Hydrodynamics (orifices, weirs, channels and pipes) for the design of the irrigation network; soil-water relations, infiltration, soil moisture retention curve, water flow in saturated and unsaturated soil, crop-water and irrigation requirements, irrigation parameters, irrigation water distribution and scheduling; selection of the irrigation method. All the topics cited above will be applied taking into account the sustainable design, operation, management and evaluation of the irrigation systems.