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Dr. Sonia Cacini
CREA Research Center for vegetale and ornamental crops

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Research Keywords & Expertise

0 Irrigation
0 Ecophysiology and abiotic stress
0 Plant nutrition and fertilization
0 Horticulture, greenhouse
0 Ornamental and floriculture crop production

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Journal article
Published: 03 August 2021 in Scientia Horticulturae
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One of the major challenges for nursery growers is replacing peat with more sustainable materials that may also represent a worthy strategy to recycle organic refuse. Among organic matrices, coconut coir dust, green compost, and stabilized wood fibre are considered promising alternative to peat because of their suitable physical-chemical characteristics. These matrices were used to prepare substrate mixtures designed to achieve physical characteristics similar to those of the standard peat-based substrates usually adopted by growers (peat:pumice, 70:30 v v−1). An experiment was carried out in open field with Leucanthemum vulgare Lam., a plant species that could be used for ecological restoration, by using both the native and the ornamental variety of the same species (L. vulgare cv. ‘Filigran’), the latter as test plants. Six different growing media were tested: (i) peat:pumice 70:30 v v−1 (PP), used as commercial control; (ii) coconut coir dust:pumice, 70:30 v v−1 (CP); (iii) coconut coir dust:green compost 55:45 v v−1 (CGC); (iv) coconut coir dust:stabilized wood fibre 60:40 v v−1 (CW); v) green compost:stabilized wood fibre 30:70 v v−1 (GCW) and, (vi) coconut coir dust:green compost:stabilized wood fibre 40:30:30 v v−1 (CGCW). Plant biomass, biometric parameters, plant and matrix/substrate mineral content, and mineral composition of water drained out from pots were measured as main performance indicators of plants and growing media. All the tested peat-free substrates, with the exception of GCW, adequately supported plant growth and quality. Moreover, CP and CGCW improved some of the investigated biomass and biometric parameters compared with the control treatment. Substrates containing green compost were found to improve plant nutrition, because of the high availability of mineral elements in the raw material.

ACS Style

Sara Di Lonardo; Sonia Cacini; Luca Becucci; Anna Lenzi; Simone Orsenigo; Lino Zubani; Graziano Rossi; Patrizia Zaccheo; Daniele Massa. Testing new peat-free substrate mixtures for the cultivation of perennial herbaceous species: A case study on Leucanthemum vulgare Lam. Scientia Horticulturae 2021, 289, 110472 .

AMA Style

Sara Di Lonardo, Sonia Cacini, Luca Becucci, Anna Lenzi, Simone Orsenigo, Lino Zubani, Graziano Rossi, Patrizia Zaccheo, Daniele Massa. Testing new peat-free substrate mixtures for the cultivation of perennial herbaceous species: A case study on Leucanthemum vulgare Lam. Scientia Horticulturae. 2021; 289 ():110472.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Sara Di Lonardo; Sonia Cacini; Luca Becucci; Anna Lenzi; Simone Orsenigo; Lino Zubani; Graziano Rossi; Patrizia Zaccheo; Daniele Massa. 2021. "Testing new peat-free substrate mixtures for the cultivation of perennial herbaceous species: A case study on Leucanthemum vulgare Lam." Scientia Horticulturae 289, no. : 110472.

Journal article
Published: 11 July 2021 in Plant Physiology and Biochemistry
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Edible flowers are becoming popular as a nutraceutical and functional food that can contribute to human nutrition with high antioxidant molecules and mineral elements. While comparative studies between different flower species have been performed, less is known about the best agronomical practices to increase yield and nutraceutical proprieties of blooms. Silicon stimulates plant resistance against stress and promotes plant growth while non-thermal plasma (NTP) technology has been applied for the disinfection and decontamination of water, as well as for increasing plant production and quality. The application of silicon and NTP technology through nutrient solution and spraying was investigated in edible flowers given that the combination of these treatments may play a role in promoting their nutritional and nutraceutical proprieties. The treatments were applied on two varieties of Begonia cucullata Willd. (white and red flowers) to explore their effects on different flower pigmentations. Plants with red flowers showed higher nutraceutical proprieties than the white ones but yielded a lower flower number. While the NTP treatment did not improve flower yield and quality, the silicon treatment increased anthocyanins and dry weight percentage in red flowers. NTP treatment increased zinc concentration, while it decreased potassium, magnesium, and manganese, and increased silicon concentration in white flowers. The combination of silicon and NTP showed negative effects on some nutraceutical proprieties of red flowers thus highlighting that the two treatments cannot be combined in edible flower production. In conclusion, the positive effect of silicon use in edible flower production has been demonstrated while the NTP technology showed contrasting results and its use should be explored in greater depth, including a consideration of its role in biotic attack prevention and reduced chemical input.

ACS Style

Silvia Traversari; Laura Pistelli; Bianca Del Ministro; Sonia Cacini; Giulia Costamagna; Marco Ginepro; Ilaria Marchioni; Alessandro Orlandini; Daniele Massa. Combined effect of silicon and non-thermal plasma treatments on yield, mineral content, and nutraceutical proprieties of edible flowers of Begonia cucullata. Plant Physiology and Biochemistry 2021, 166, 1014 -1021.

AMA Style

Silvia Traversari, Laura Pistelli, Bianca Del Ministro, Sonia Cacini, Giulia Costamagna, Marco Ginepro, Ilaria Marchioni, Alessandro Orlandini, Daniele Massa. Combined effect of silicon and non-thermal plasma treatments on yield, mineral content, and nutraceutical proprieties of edible flowers of Begonia cucullata. Plant Physiology and Biochemistry. 2021; 166 ():1014-1021.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Silvia Traversari; Laura Pistelli; Bianca Del Ministro; Sonia Cacini; Giulia Costamagna; Marco Ginepro; Ilaria Marchioni; Alessandro Orlandini; Daniele Massa. 2021. "Combined effect of silicon and non-thermal plasma treatments on yield, mineral content, and nutraceutical proprieties of edible flowers of Begonia cucullata." Plant Physiology and Biochemistry 166, no. : 1014-1021.

Review
Published: 18 June 2021 in Agronomy
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Vegetable and ornamental crops require high input demand to adequately support their standard commercial quality and yield. For these crops, a very high level of agronomic use efficiency of many productive factors can be achieved in soilless culture. For example, the benefits derived from the adoption of soilless closed loops for the recirculation of the nutrient solution are well known as a benchmark of excellence for nutrient and water use efficiency. The challenges that we now face are as follows: (i) making soilless systems more inclusive of sustainable and eco-friendly growing substrates, possibly available at a local level; (ii) replacing chemicals with more sustainable products (e.g., organic active compounds) as much as possible for plant nutrition and protection. These goals can be addressed by following different approaches, but the adoption of peat-free organic substrates may play a central role. This work investigates four organic materials, i.e., biochar, coir, green compost, and wood fibers, to assess their role in plant nutrition and protection when used as components for the preparation of growing media in the soilless cultivation of containerized crops. In further detail, the work highlights how these materials may support normal agronomic practices.

ACS Style

Giulia Atzori; Catello Pane; Massimo Zaccardelli; Sonia Cacini; Daniele Massa. The Role of Peat-Free Organic Substrates in the Sustainable Management of Soilless Cultivations. Agronomy 2021, 11, 1236 .

AMA Style

Giulia Atzori, Catello Pane, Massimo Zaccardelli, Sonia Cacini, Daniele Massa. The Role of Peat-Free Organic Substrates in the Sustainable Management of Soilless Cultivations. Agronomy. 2021; 11 (6):1236.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Giulia Atzori; Catello Pane; Massimo Zaccardelli; Sonia Cacini; Daniele Massa. 2021. "The Role of Peat-Free Organic Substrates in the Sustainable Management of Soilless Cultivations." Agronomy 11, no. 6: 1236.

Journal article
Published: 29 April 2021 in Crop Protection
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Roses (Rosa spp.) are widely cultivated in Italy for ornamental and aesthetic purposes. In autumn 2020, petal brown spots on rose buds especially on petals were observed in outdoor potted plants in Tuscany (Italy), causing aesthetic damage compromising marketability of cut flowers. A study about morphological and phylogenetic features of the disease-associated fungus, followed by a pathogenicity assay according to Koch's postulate, was carried out. The recently described Fusarium clavum (FIESC 5) was found to be the causal agent of petal brown spot disease on rose buds in Tuscany, Italy.

ACS Style

Gelsomina Manganiello; Silvia Traversari; Beatrice Nesi; Sonia Cacini; Catello Pane. Rose: A new host plant of Fusarium clavum (F. incarnatum-equiseti species complex 5) causing brown spot of petals. Crop Protection 2021, 146, 105675 .

AMA Style

Gelsomina Manganiello, Silvia Traversari, Beatrice Nesi, Sonia Cacini, Catello Pane. Rose: A new host plant of Fusarium clavum (F. incarnatum-equiseti species complex 5) causing brown spot of petals. Crop Protection. 2021; 146 ():105675.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Gelsomina Manganiello; Silvia Traversari; Beatrice Nesi; Sonia Cacini; Catello Pane. 2021. "Rose: A new host plant of Fusarium clavum (F. incarnatum-equiseti species complex 5) causing brown spot of petals." Crop Protection 146, no. : 105675.

Journal article
Published: 27 April 2021 in Agronomy
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Professional peat-free substrates for ornamental plant production are increasingly required by nursery growers. Most promising materials are green compost, coconut coir dust, and woody fibre, used alone or in mixtures. One of the major concerns is pH, usually higher than optimal. In this work, a method based on a three-step procedure was adopted to acidify three organic matrices alone or in mixtures and to individuate the most suitable product, between iron(II) sulphate 7-hydrate and elemental sulphur chips. Firstly, the determination of the buffering capacity by dilution with sulphuric acid was carried out to determine dosages. Afterwards, an incubation trial of 84 (iron(II) sulphate) or 120 days (sulphur chips) was conducted on matrices and substrate mixtures with calculated doses in a climatic chamber maintained at 21 °C. Iron(II) sulphate resulted not suitable because it caused a rapid, but not lasting, pH lowering and an excessive electrical conductivity (EC) increase. Sulphur chips could instead guarantee an adequate and lasting pH lowering. These results were then validated in the open field trial on matrices and substrates. The proposed acidification methodology could be considered in developing new substrates, but the rapidity of pH acidification and EC increase on plant and mineral nutrition should be further investigated.

ACS Style

Sonia Cacini; Sara Di Lonardo; Simone Orsenigo; Daniele Massa. Managing pH of Organic Matrices and New Commercial Substrates for Ornamental Plant Production: A Methodological Approach. Agronomy 2021, 11, 851 .

AMA Style

Sonia Cacini, Sara Di Lonardo, Simone Orsenigo, Daniele Massa. Managing pH of Organic Matrices and New Commercial Substrates for Ornamental Plant Production: A Methodological Approach. Agronomy. 2021; 11 (5):851.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Sonia Cacini; Sara Di Lonardo; Simone Orsenigo; Daniele Massa. 2021. "Managing pH of Organic Matrices and New Commercial Substrates for Ornamental Plant Production: A Methodological Approach." Agronomy 11, no. 5: 851.

Journal article
Published: 02 April 2021 in Plants
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Non-thermal plasma (NTP) appears a promising strategy for supporting crop protection, increasing yield and quality, and promoting environmental safety through a decrease in chemical use. However, very few NTP applications on containerized crops are reported under operational growing conditions and in combination with eco-friendly growing media and fertigation management. In this work, NTP technology is applied to the nutrient solution used for the production of gerbera plants grown in peat or green compost, as an alternative substrate to peat, and with standard or low fertilization. NTP treatment promotes fresh leaf and flower biomass production in plants grown in peat and nutrient adsorption in those grown in both substrates, except for Fe, while decreasing dry plant matter. However, it causes a decrease in the leaf and flower biomasses of plants grown in compost, showing a substrate-dependent effect under a low fertilization regime. In general, the limitation in compost was probably caused by the high-substrate alkalinization that commonly interferes with gerbera growth. Under low fertilization, a reduction in the photosynthetic capacity further penalizes plant growth in compost. A lower level of fertilization also decreases gerbera quality, highlighting that Ca, Mg, Mn, and Fe could be reduced with respect to standard fertilization.

ACS Style

Samantha Cannazzaro; Silvia Traversari; Sonia Cacini; Sara Di Lonardo; Catello Pane; Gianluca Burchi; Daniele Massa. Non-Thermal Plasma Treatment Influences Shoot Biomass, Flower Production and Nutrition of Gerbera Plants Depending on Substrate Composition and Fertigation Level. Plants 2021, 10, 689 .

AMA Style

Samantha Cannazzaro, Silvia Traversari, Sonia Cacini, Sara Di Lonardo, Catello Pane, Gianluca Burchi, Daniele Massa. Non-Thermal Plasma Treatment Influences Shoot Biomass, Flower Production and Nutrition of Gerbera Plants Depending on Substrate Composition and Fertigation Level. Plants. 2021; 10 (4):689.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Samantha Cannazzaro; Silvia Traversari; Sonia Cacini; Sara Di Lonardo; Catello Pane; Gianluca Burchi; Daniele Massa. 2021. "Non-Thermal Plasma Treatment Influences Shoot Biomass, Flower Production and Nutrition of Gerbera Plants Depending on Substrate Composition and Fertigation Level." Plants 10, no. 4: 689.

Review
Published: 26 March 2021 in Sustainability
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Ornamental plant production constitutes an important sector of the horticultural industry worldwide and fungal infections, that dramatically affect the aesthetic quality of plants, can cause serious economic and crop losses. The need to reduce the use of pesticides for controlling fungal outbreaks requires the development of new sustainable strategies for pathogen control. In particular, early and accurate large-scale detection of occurring symptoms is critical to face the ambitious challenge of an effective, energy-saving, and precise disease management. Here, the new trends in digital-based detection and available tools to treat fungal infections are presented in comparison with conventional practices. Recent advances in molecular biology tools, spectroscopic and imaging technologies and fungal risk models based on microclimate trends are examined. The revised spectroscopic and imaging technologies were tested through a case study on rose plants showing important fungal diseases (i.e., spot spectroscopy, hyperspectral, multispectral, and thermal imaging, fluorescence sensors). The final aim was the examination of conventional practices and current e-tools to gain the early detection of plant diseases, the identification of timing and spacing for their proper management, reduction in crop losses through environmentally friendly and sustainable production systems. Moreover, future perspectives for enhancing the integration of all these approaches are discussed.

ACS Style

Silvia Traversari; Sonia Cacini; Angelica Galieni; Beatrice Nesi; Nicola Nicastro; Catello Pane. Precision Agriculture Digital Technologies for Sustainable Fungal Disease Management of Ornamental Plants. Sustainability 2021, 13, 3707 .

AMA Style

Silvia Traversari, Sonia Cacini, Angelica Galieni, Beatrice Nesi, Nicola Nicastro, Catello Pane. Precision Agriculture Digital Technologies for Sustainable Fungal Disease Management of Ornamental Plants. Sustainability. 2021; 13 (7):3707.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Silvia Traversari; Sonia Cacini; Angelica Galieni; Beatrice Nesi; Nicola Nicastro; Catello Pane. 2021. "Precision Agriculture Digital Technologies for Sustainable Fungal Disease Management of Ornamental Plants." Sustainability 13, no. 7: 3707.

Journal article
Published: 24 August 2020 in Scientia Horticulturae
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The production of ornamental potted plants usually involves high inputs of agrochemicals. However, high sustainability is now key to nursery production through the re-use of organic and inorganic waste material. The new European Waste Directives introduced ambitious goals to transform waste disposal from a need into an opportunity in order to create an economy capable of safeguarding the environment and promoting social awareness (Directive EU 2018/851). In this work, two different rose cultivars, the shrub ‘Knock Out®’ and the groundcover rose ‘The Fairy’, were grown using one of two waste products as growing media components and nutrition sources: i) a glass matrix-based fertilizer (GMF) added to the control substrate at a rate of 2 g L−1, and ii) a compost (CMP) derived from urban refuse, in partial replacement of the peat used for the control growing media (20 % v v−1). The effects on physico-chemical characteristics of the substrate on plant growth, tissue characteristics and plant mineral nutrition were assessed after a cultivation cycle of 330 days, from spring 2011 to spring 2012. Neither of the two treatments affected the substrate’s physical properties compared with the control. However, the content of essential nutrients, Al, Na and heavy metals increased, with some concerns regarding trace heavy metals, especially in relation to the compost. The two cultivars responded differently to the treatments, in terms of growth and tissue characteristics, compared with the control. GMF resulted in a higher availability of essential nutrients, Al, Na and heavy metals. In the GMF treatment, the root-to-shoot ratio was 1.6 times higher than both the control and CMP treatment in ‘The Fairy’ rose. Chlorophyll content was on average -17.12 % in GMF, compared with the control and CMP treatment, in ‘Knock Out®’ rose. CMP induced biomass accumulation, but with unexpected effects on the specific leaf area.

ACS Style

Sonia Cacini; Simona Rinaldi; Daniele Massa; Beatrice Nesi; Rosanna Epifani; Alessandra Trinchera. The effect of a glass matrix fertilizer and compost amendment on plant growth and mineral nutrition of two container-grown Rose spp. cultivars. Scientia Horticulturae 2020, 274, 109660 .

AMA Style

Sonia Cacini, Simona Rinaldi, Daniele Massa, Beatrice Nesi, Rosanna Epifani, Alessandra Trinchera. The effect of a glass matrix fertilizer and compost amendment on plant growth and mineral nutrition of two container-grown Rose spp. cultivars. Scientia Horticulturae. 2020; 274 ():109660.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Sonia Cacini; Simona Rinaldi; Daniele Massa; Beatrice Nesi; Rosanna Epifani; Alessandra Trinchera. 2020. "The effect of a glass matrix fertilizer and compost amendment on plant growth and mineral nutrition of two container-grown Rose spp. cultivars." Scientia Horticulturae 274, no. : 109660.

Journal article
Published: 08 February 2020 in Energies
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Protected horticulture is a high energy-consuming sector in which the optimization of energy use and cost for heating facilities is strategic in achieving high environmental and economic sustainability of production. The main aim of the project was to evaluate the use of a heat pump for basal heating as an alternative technology to grow crops with reduced canopies, such as basil. During the test, an area of the greenhouse contained two systems of coaxial pipes circulating warm water from a heat pump and a condensing boiler. These pipes were placed above the growing media. At the same time, a separate area of the same greenhouse contained a traditional heating system consisting of an air heater, the solution commonly used to heat greenhouses. Microclimatic conditions and energy consumption were analyzed for the three heating technologies. The energy analysis of the three experimental heating options showed that all of them could ensure suitable thermal conditions for cultivation in the winter period. Overall, the results confirmed the energy saving resulting from the adoption of the heat pump, underlining the importance of this device in terms of the support that the energy-saving goal receives.

ACS Style

Chiara Terrosi; Sonia Cacini; Gianluca Burchi; Maurizio Cutini; Massimo Brambilla; Carlo Bisaglia; Daniele Massa; Marco Fedrizzi. Evaluation of Compressor Heat Pump for Root Zone Heating as an Alternative Heating Source for Leafy Vegetable Cultivation. Energies 2020, 13, 745 .

AMA Style

Chiara Terrosi, Sonia Cacini, Gianluca Burchi, Maurizio Cutini, Massimo Brambilla, Carlo Bisaglia, Daniele Massa, Marco Fedrizzi. Evaluation of Compressor Heat Pump for Root Zone Heating as an Alternative Heating Source for Leafy Vegetable Cultivation. Energies. 2020; 13 (3):745.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Chiara Terrosi; Sonia Cacini; Gianluca Burchi; Maurizio Cutini; Massimo Brambilla; Carlo Bisaglia; Daniele Massa; Marco Fedrizzi. 2020. "Evaluation of Compressor Heat Pump for Root Zone Heating as an Alternative Heating Source for Leafy Vegetable Cultivation." Energies 13, no. 3: 745.