The teacher-searchers

Plant Sciences and Agronomy Department

Agronomy, Physiology & Plant improvement

• Basics of agricultural techniques
• The farm in context
• Soil science
• Agronomy, soil-plant functioning
• Crop production management
• Fundamentals of agronomy

• Sustainable agricultural systems
• Nutrient cycling in agroecosystems
• The agroecological transition
• The circular economy
• Biowaste recovery
• Biofertilizers

• PhD in Science and Technology, Universidad Nacional de General Sarmiento, Buenos Aires (Argentina).
• Agricultural engineer, Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, Mar del Plata (Argentina).

Joint head of the ACIA DA (Support, Consultancy and Innovation in Agriculture specific area of interest)

• 2021–2022: Composter, Les Alchimistes Occiterra (Toulouse), local collection and transformation of biowaste into compost, training and awareness-raising on composting.
• 2020–2021: Project management consultant, JUA Engineering Ecology, scientific follow-up of a soil bioremediation protocol.
• 2018–2019: Research Officer, ESSRG, case study: impact of public policies on soybean development and expansion in Argentina (H2020 TRUE project).
• 2017–2018: Consultant, United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), scientific study on the state of the art of global agri-food systems and their impact on natural resources and the environment.
• 2014–2017: Thesis, UNGS (Buenos Aires): “Nutrient cycles in Argentine agroecosystems. Towards a virtual soil indicator”
• 2011–2013: Research Associate, The Plant & Food Research Institute (New Zealand), management of breeding and selection programs for kiwifruit (Actinidia spp.).
• 2009–2011: Lecturer, National University of Mar del Plata (Argentina), agricultural engineering course, teaching weed science, support for research activities.
• 2008–2009: Agricultural technician, UNMDP-INTA, technical monitoring of peri-urban agroecological family farms.

• Balázs, B., Kelemen, E., Centofanti, T., Díaz de Astarloa, D., Szakál, D., Rees, B., Maaß, H., Schmidt, V., Sabine Zikeli, C., Trstenjak, M., Topol, J., Hamann, K., Iannetta, P., Squire, G., Tran, F., Vickers, R., Oliviera, B., Varandas, E. (2019). Co-production of the policy assessment. Transition paths to sustainable legume-based systems in Europe (TRUE).
• Pengue, W., Gemmill-Herren, B., Balázs, B., Ortega, E., Viglizzo, E., Acevedo, F., Díaz, D.N., Díaz de Astarloa, D.A., Fernandez, R., Garibaldi, L.A., Giampetro, M., Goldberg, A., Khosla, A., Westhoek, H. (2018). ‘Eco-agrifood systems’: today’s realities and tomorrow’s challenges. In TEEB for Agriculture & Food: Scientific and Economic Foundations. Geneva: UN Environment.
• Díaz de Astarloa, D.A., Pengue, W.A. (2018). Nutrient metabolism of agricultural production in Argentina: NPK flows from 1961 to 2015. Ecol. Econ. 147: 74–83.
• Díaz de Astarloa, D.A., Pengue, W.A. (2016). Soils Health and Agriculture Sustainability: Nutrients Metabolism in Argentina. The 4th International One Health Congress and the 6th Biennial Congress of the International Association for Ecology and Health. Melbourne, Australia. December 3–7, 2016.
• Pengue, W.A., Rodríguez, A.F., Díaz de Astarloa, D.A. (2015). Rural metabolism, virtual soil and agro-ecosystem stability. Environment and Argentina Congress: Interdisciplinary Focus for Environmental Sustainability. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Buenos Aires. December 1–4, 2015. Buenos Aires, Argentina.