Short Course: Water Resource Management and Irrigation Innovations
DAFNE Department, Tuscia University, Viterbo, Italy
June, 30, 2025 – July, 4, 2025
Language: English
Organized by the University of Tuscia, Department of Agriculture and Forest Sciences, from June 30 to July 4, 2025, this intensive course offers a comprehensive overview of technologies and strategies for sustainable water management in agriculture. Through seminars, hands-on exercises, and visits to leading agricultural and industrial sites, participants will deepen their knowledge of hydrological software, innovative irrigation techniques, water stress management, and precision agriculture solutions. The course combines theory and practice, adopting an interdisciplinary approach that integrates agronomy, hydrology, and engineering.
The course is open to a maximum of 25 participants from Central Asian countries (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan) and is supported by Ca’ Foscari University of Venice, Department of Asian and North African Studies, under the umbrella of the Italy-Central Asia Knowledge Networks.
For information:
Prof. Andrea Petroselli, petro@unitus.it
Detailed Program of the Course Link
Day 1 – Monday, June 30, 2025. Seminars on sustainable water resource management and irrigation, visit to the Didactic-Experimental Agricultural Farm. Lecturers: University of Tuscia (Andrea Petroselli, Ciro Apollonio). Language: English.
Morning (09:00-12:00): The seminar on sustainable water resource management and the use of hydrological and hydraulic software will focus on crucial topics for modern agriculture, which faces increasing environmental and climatic challenges. Advanced water management techniques, such as drip irrigation, will be presented, comparing traditional irrigation methods with innovative solutions. The integrated approach between agronomy, hydrology, and hydraulic engineering will be central, aiming to optimize water resource use and reduce waste. The seminar will also include training on advanced software for rainfall-runoff modeling (EBA4SUB). Finally, the results of a study on hydrants for irrigation use will be presented.
Afternoon (14:00-16:00): Guided tour of the University’s Didactic-Experimental Agricultural Farm.
Participants will visit the University of Tuscia’s Agricultural Farm, with a particular focus on water resource management strategies applied in the field. Various irrigation systems in operation, such as automatic drip irrigation, and precision technologies that optimize water use will be observed. The visit will also cover biodiversity conservation practices, exploring how careful water management is essential not only for agricultural productivity but also for environmental protection and the conservation of local flora.
Day 2 – Tuesday, July 1, 2025. Visit to the Didactic-Experimental Agricultural Farm on water stress management and practical exercises on hydrological software (STORAGE, EBA4SUB). Lecturers: University of Tuscia (Mariateresa Cardarelli, Marzia Leporino, Antonio El Chami, Andrea Petroselli, Ciro Apollonio). Language: English.
Morning (09:00-12:00): The first part of the day includes a visit to the Didactic-Experimental Farm to observe greenhouse trials conducted by the horticulture research group on water stress management. Experimental protocols will be described, and a demonstration will be conducted on the use of a high-throughput phenotyping platform for stress monitoring. Morphological data and spectral indices resulting from plant phenotyping will be discussed. A seminar on water stress mitigation strategies in modern horticulture will follow, including case studies.
Afternoon (14:00-16:00): Practical session on the use of the software introduced on the first day (EBA4SUB). Participants will apply the knowledge gained during the seminars in a hands-on session demonstrating how to use the software for real-time hydrological and hydraulic simulations. Concrete scenarios will be simulated, such as managing an irrigation zone during a drought or heavy rainfall, and the potential of these tools for informed water management decision-making will be explored.
Day 3 – Wednesday, July 2, 2025- Technological innovation in the irrigation sector. Visit to TORO Irrigation, Fiano Romano (Rome). Lecturers: University of Tuscia (Andrea Petroselli, Ciro Apollonio) with TORO Irrigation personnel. Language: Italian with English translation.
Morning and Afternoon (09:00-16:00): The day will be entirely dedicated to technological innovation in irrigation. Participants will visit the headquarters of TORO Irrigation in Fiano Romano, one of the world’s leading companies in the production of advanced irrigation systems. During the tour of the production plants and assembly lines, participants will get a close look at the technologies used to develop highly efficient irrigation systems. Innovative materials, such as polyethylene pipes and electronic valves that enhance reliability and durability, will be explored.
The focus will be on the latest innovations in efficiency and sustainability, including the use of advanced sensors to monitor real-time soil moisture, weather conditions, and water consumption, as well as smart solutions that automate and optimize irrigation. A workshop with the R&D team at TORO will provide a deep dive into advanced irrigation management software, with special attention to remote monitoring solutions and data analysis for efficient agricultural water management. During the visit, the H2OCAD irrigation design software (English version) will be illustrated and delivered free of charge and for indefinite use.
Day 4 – Thursday, July 3, 2025. Applied research and agronomic experimentation. Visit to ARSIAL, Tarquinia (Viterbo). Lecturers: University of Tuscia (Andrea Petroselli, Ciro Apollonio) with ARSIAL personnel. Language: Italian with English translation.
Morning and Afternoon (09:00-16:00): The day will focus on applied research and agronomic experimentation with a visit to ARSIAL (Regional Agency for Agricultural Development and Innovation of Lazio) in Tarquinia. ARSIAL is a research center dedicated to developing innovative techniques for sustainable water resource management in agriculture. Participants will explore ongoing experiments on new irrigation techniques, such as zonal irrigation and the use of IoT technologies for continuous soil and water monitoring. A comparison between traditional irrigation methods, such as surface irrigation, and modern technologies that aim to reduce water consumption while maintaining high productivity will be discussed. Special attention will be given to research on drought-resistant crops and adaptation strategies to climate change, such as soil moisture conservation techniques and precision irrigation systems.
Day 5 – Friday, July 4, 2025. Irrigation and precision agriculture. Visit to Maccarese SpA Agricultural Company (Fiumicino, Rome). Lecturers: University of Tuscia (Andrea Petroselli, Raffaele Casa, Ciro Apollonio) with Maccarese Agricultural Company personnel. Language: Italian with English translation.
Morning and Afternoon (09:00-16:00): The final day of the program will focus on water management using technologically advanced tools within the framework of digital and precision agriculture. Participants will visit Maccarese SpA Agricultural Company in Fiumicino (Rome), a 3,240-hectare farm owned by Edizioni Holding of the Benetton Group, located on flat, irrigated land. The main crops include cereals (triticale, durum wheat, soft wheat, barley), corn, alfalfa, and protein crops. Since 2018, the farm has also featured a high-density almond plantation (approximately 2,200 trees/ha) covering about 150 hectares. The farm utilizes digital decision support systems (DSS) and water monitoring services, along with pheromone-based phototraps for pest control. Additionally, the farm operates a dairy cattle farm with 1,400 milking cows and two biogas plants. Maccarese SpA has extensive experience in precision agriculture and livestock farming technologies, and the visit will allow participants to learn from these experiences firsthand.