The Development of Soil Science in Emilia Romagna

The academic history of soil science in the Emilia Romagna Region dates back to the beginning of XIX century and sees its first master in Filippo Re (1763–1817). Filippo Re was holder of the first public chair in Agriculture in Bologna. Several illustrious people, such as Carlo Alberto Pichat (1799–1878) and Gino Cugini (1852–1907), then took over Filippo Re’s inheritance until 1900, when the Royal School of Agriculture was founded. Here, in the academic year 1903–1904, the teachings of Agricultural Chemistry and Agricultural Geology appeared for the first time, in addition to that of Mineralogy. In 1935, the Faculty of Agriculture of the University of Bologna was founded and in academic year 1954–55 the teaching of Pedology had an official recognition. At this same time, in 1953, the Institute of Agricultural Chemistry and the Faculty of Agriculture were founded at Catholic University of Piacenza, and the first teaching in Soil Chemistry was hold. Since then, in both institutions many other academic teachings have been held in the context of both Soil Chemistry and Pedology, in line with the scientific advances and challenges related to agricultural and forest soil management and land planning. At regional level, in 1974 the Soil Service of Emilia-Romagna Region began its mission mainly related to produce soil maps, providing fundamental tools supporting regional land planning. Several soil and thematic maps have been produced (soil maps 1:250,000 and 1:50,000, map on soil organic carbon content, map of soil erosion, land capacity map, etc.), and the next future planning activities concern on the completion of the 1:50,000 soil map and the publication of the third edition of the 1:250,000 soil map. The soil science research groups at the University of Bologna and Piacenza have conducted in parallel studies on the soil organic carbon dynamics and soil quality, investigations of salt affected soils and soil–water interactions, use of organic fertilizers and amendments, soil pollution, antibiotic resistance in soil, and metabolomics profiling. Today, the challenges that the academic research groups are called to face concern in particular on the preservation and or restoration of the soil resource highlighting its functions also through novel approaches and considering future change scenarios.