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Project Goal: Developing legume-based value chain in Europe
Current Stage: Data collection
Project Goal: Innovative solutions for integrated weed management
Current Stage: Data collection
Vineyards are among the land uses with the highest soil degradation rate in Mediterranean Europe, mainly due to intensive tillage management. Therefore, practices able to foster soil health are critical to promote sustainable wine production. We studied the following treatments in two organic farms in Chianti Classico (Italy): conventional tillage, spontaneous vegetation, pigeon bean (Vicia faba var. minor) incorporated in spring and a mixture of barley (Hordeum vulgare) and squarrosum clover (Trifolium squarrosum), both incorporated and left as mulch. An innovative approach, based on gamma-ray and apparent electrical conductivity, was used to account for the fine-scale soil variability that was included in the statistical model. Mulched groundcovers were associated with higher soil organic matter compared to tillage, already after two years. An increased N availability was found under all groundcovers compared with tillage. The effect of soil management practices on P2O5 strongly varied across farms and years, while it was not statistically significant on K availability. Spontaneous vegetation positively influenced the soil structure index, soil penetration resistance and soil biological health. The results show that mulched groundcovers can improve soil health already in the short term, thereby potentially increasing the sustainability of the wine sector.
Dylan Warren Raffa; Daniele Antichi; Stefano Carlesi; Christian Frasconi; Simone Marini; Simone Priori; Paolo Bàrberi. Groundcover Mulching in Mediterranean Vineyards Improves Soil Chemical, Physical and Biological Health Already in the Short Term. Agronomy 2021, 11, 787 .
AMA StyleDylan Warren Raffa, Daniele Antichi, Stefano Carlesi, Christian Frasconi, Simone Marini, Simone Priori, Paolo Bàrberi. Groundcover Mulching in Mediterranean Vineyards Improves Soil Chemical, Physical and Biological Health Already in the Short Term. Agronomy. 2021; 11 (4):787.
Chicago/Turabian StyleDylan Warren Raffa; Daniele Antichi; Stefano Carlesi; Christian Frasconi; Simone Marini; Simone Priori; Paolo Bàrberi. 2021. "Groundcover Mulching in Mediterranean Vineyards Improves Soil Chemical, Physical and Biological Health Already in the Short Term." Agronomy 11, no. 4: 787.
The work aimed to discriminate among different soil management treatments in terms of beneficial effects by high-resolution thermal and spectral vegetation imagery using an unmanned aerial vehicle and open-source GIS software. Five soil management treatments were applied in two organic vineyards (cv. Sangiovese) from Chianti Classico terroir (Tuscany, Italy) during two experimental years. The treatments tested consisted of conventional tillage, spontaneous vegetation, pigeon bean (Vicia faba var. minor Beck) incorporated in spring, mixture of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) and clover (Trifolium squarrosum L.) incorporated or left as dead mulch in late spring. The images acquired remotely were analyzed through map-algebra and map-statistics in QGIS and correlated with field ecophysiological measurements. The surface temperature, crop water stress index (CWSI) and normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) of each vine row under treatments were compared based on frequency distribution functions and statistics descriptors of position. The spectral vegetation and thermal-based indices were significantly correlated with the respective leaf area index (R2 = 0.89) and stem water potential measurements (R2=0.59), and thus are an expression of the crop vigor and water status. The gravel and active limestone soil components determined the spatial variability of vine biophysical (e.g., canopy vigor) and physiological characteristics (e.g., vine chlorophyll content) in both farms. The vine canopy surface temperature, and CWSI were lower on the spontaneous and pigeon bean treatments in both farms, thus evidencing less physiological stress on the vine rows derived from the cover crop residual effect. In conclusion, the proposed methodology showed the capacity to discriminate across soil management practices and map the spatial variability within vineyards. The methodology could serve as a simple and non-invasive tool for precision soil management in rainfed vineyards to guide producers on using the most efficient and profitable practice.
Àngela Puig Sirera; Daniele Antichi; Dylan Warren Raffa; Giovanni Rallo. Application of Remote Sensing Techniques to Discriminate the Effect of Different Soil Management Treatments over Rainfed Vineyards in Chianti Terroir. Remote Sensing 2021, 13, 716 .
AMA StyleÀngela Puig Sirera, Daniele Antichi, Dylan Warren Raffa, Giovanni Rallo. Application of Remote Sensing Techniques to Discriminate the Effect of Different Soil Management Treatments over Rainfed Vineyards in Chianti Terroir. Remote Sensing. 2021; 13 (4):716.
Chicago/Turabian StyleÀngela Puig Sirera; Daniele Antichi; Dylan Warren Raffa; Giovanni Rallo. 2021. "Application of Remote Sensing Techniques to Discriminate the Effect of Different Soil Management Treatments over Rainfed Vineyards in Chianti Terroir." Remote Sensing 13, no. 4: 716.
Cover crops (CC) have been proposed as a promising ecological tool to manage weeds and increase crop productivity. We hypothesized that the repeated use of CC could increase crop yield directly through nitrogen release and/or indirectly through a modification of weed communities. Data were collected on CC biomass, weed biomass, weed community composition, and crop yield during one complete rotation cycle (CC-sunflower-durum wheat-CC-maize-durum wheat) from 2011 to 2015, 18 years after the beginning of a long-term, single-site, split-split plot experiment focusing on tillage systems (conventional (CT) vs. reduced (RT)), nitrogen rates and CC species (Brassica juncea (L.) Czern. (Bj), Vicia villosa Roth (Vv), Trifolium squarrosum L. (Ts) and a winter baresoil control (C)). Univariate response variables were analyzed with generalized mixed effect models and community data were analyzed with multivariate linear models. During the fallow period, Bj suppressed weed biomass (with respect to C) by 79, 75, 34, and 28 % in CT:2012, RT:2012, CT:2014 and RT: 2014, respectively, whereas Vv only suppressed weed biomass by 69 and 37 % in CT and RT in 2012, respectively. Greater weed suppression for Bj than Vv or Ts at lower levels of CC productivity (200 g dry biomass m−²) was attributed to the importance of CC traits such as nitrophily, allelopathy and/or quick soil coverage. The weed suppressive effect of CC during the fallow period was greater in CT (βslope = −0.28) than in RT (βslope = −0.16), possibly due to contrasted weed flora and/or CC growth dynamics. Tillage and herbicides overrode the potential effect of CC on weed communities in the subsequent crops. The integration of a highly productive legume CC, such as Vv, allowed to increase maize productivity (with respect to C) by 65 % in absence of N fertilisation and by 23 % at the lowest N fertilisation level. CC effects on sunflower and durum wheat yield were limited due to dry weather conditions and quick nitrogen release in time, respectively. These results highlight the importance of legume CC for sustaining crop productivity while reducing nitrogen fertilisation. Further studies need to identify less intensive weed management practices that can complement potential CC effects rather than override them.
Guillaume Adeux; Stéphane Cordeau; Daniele Antichi; Stefano Carlesi; Marco Mazzoncini; Nicolas Munier-Jolain; Paolo Bàrberi. Cover crops promote crop productivity but do not enhance weed management in tillage-based cropping systems. European Journal of Agronomy 2020, 123, 126221 .
AMA StyleGuillaume Adeux, Stéphane Cordeau, Daniele Antichi, Stefano Carlesi, Marco Mazzoncini, Nicolas Munier-Jolain, Paolo Bàrberi. Cover crops promote crop productivity but do not enhance weed management in tillage-based cropping systems. European Journal of Agronomy. 2020; 123 ():126221.
Chicago/Turabian StyleGuillaume Adeux; Stéphane Cordeau; Daniele Antichi; Stefano Carlesi; Marco Mazzoncini; Nicolas Munier-Jolain; Paolo Bàrberi. 2020. "Cover crops promote crop productivity but do not enhance weed management in tillage-based cropping systems." European Journal of Agronomy 123, no. : 126221.
In the European Union, the setting of Operational Groups (OG) is supported by the European Innovation Partnership to tackle specific problems and favor innovation in agriculture. They constitute an important aspect of the current Common Agricultural Policy. Increasing or maintaining soil organic carbon (SOC) content under arable farming has been acknowledged as a primary target of European agriculture. SOC-preserving agriculture needs its techniques to be tailored to local conditions, namely, the combination of factors related to the environment (climate and soil characteristics), to the farming system (land use type, farm specialization, crop management), but also to the social and cultural context (market and availability of production means, subsidies, farmers’ education, propensity for innovation and change). In this paper we present inspirational ideas and show success examples of local adaptations strategies to increase or maintain SOC content in soils under arable farming in Europe. They include: · Adoption of soil management strategies to improve SOC storage in irrigated systems. · Precision farming and other high-tech solutions able to generate local diagnosis and adaptive strategies for increasing SOC and reducing greenhouse gasses emissions. · Innovative strategies for extending soil cover periods and introducing cover crops in rotations in areas with limited water availability or prone to harsh weather conditions. · Management of rainfed and low input crops to maintain and increase SOC in dry climates and erosive prone soils. These case studies could facilitate the setting up of OGs and the application of innovative practices in different European countries.
E.A.C. Costantini; D. Antichi; M. Almagro; K. Hedlund; G. Sarno; I. Virto. Local adaptation strategies to increase or maintain soil organic carbon content under arable farming in Europe: Inspirational ideas for setting operational groups within the European innovation partnership. Journal of Rural Studies 2020, 79, 102 -115.
AMA StyleE.A.C. Costantini, D. Antichi, M. Almagro, K. Hedlund, G. Sarno, I. Virto. Local adaptation strategies to increase or maintain soil organic carbon content under arable farming in Europe: Inspirational ideas for setting operational groups within the European innovation partnership. Journal of Rural Studies. 2020; 79 ():102-115.
Chicago/Turabian StyleE.A.C. Costantini; D. Antichi; M. Almagro; K. Hedlund; G. Sarno; I. Virto. 2020. "Local adaptation strategies to increase or maintain soil organic carbon content under arable farming in Europe: Inspirational ideas for setting operational groups within the European innovation partnership." Journal of Rural Studies 79, no. : 102-115.
The objectives of this paper are to present the dynamic of organic food and farming (OFF) research and innovation, to outline challenges in deploying programs and accessing funding, and to define key actions to foster the development of tailored quality research on organic farming in Italy. The baseline starts from the main outcomes that emerged during the World Café held in the frame of the Salone Internazionale del biologico e del naturale (SANA Expo) in 2018, where the Italian OFF research community met to build a convergence on scope and modus operandi in the research endeavor. These outcomes were examined in the light of the key features of the research and innovation projects funded in Italy in the last 10 years, respectively by the Italian Ministry of Agriculture and the regional administrations through the innovation support instruments in the Rural Development Plan programming periods. In the period 2009–2018, 70 research projects for a total funding of 21.081 million € (<0.1% of the value of the sector) were launched, addressing nine different topic areas. Over a similar period (2007–2019), 53 regional innovation projects addressing organic farming were activated for a total budget of 14.299 million € (<10% of the entire available funding). The implementation of interventions in the research and the innovation areas were often scattered in terms of the topics, disciplines, and types of supply chain/network addressed. The relatively high share of multi/interdisciplinary research and innovation projects as well as the acknowledgement of the multi-actor approach as a fundamental step toward co-research and co-innovation were upshots that emerged from our analysis. The outcomes of this study can be used by competent national and the regional authorities to design their future research and innovation policies and interventions.
Stefano Canali; Daniele Antichi; Simona Cristiano; Mariangela Diacono; Valentina Ferrante; Paola Migliorini; Francesco Riva; Alessandra Trinchera; Raffaele Zanoli; Luca Colombo. Levers and Obstacles of Effective Research and Innovation for Organic Food and Farming in Italy. Agronomy 2020, 10, 1181 .
AMA StyleStefano Canali, Daniele Antichi, Simona Cristiano, Mariangela Diacono, Valentina Ferrante, Paola Migliorini, Francesco Riva, Alessandra Trinchera, Raffaele Zanoli, Luca Colombo. Levers and Obstacles of Effective Research and Innovation for Organic Food and Farming in Italy. Agronomy. 2020; 10 (8):1181.
Chicago/Turabian StyleStefano Canali; Daniele Antichi; Simona Cristiano; Mariangela Diacono; Valentina Ferrante; Paola Migliorini; Francesco Riva; Alessandra Trinchera; Raffaele Zanoli; Luca Colombo. 2020. "Levers and Obstacles of Effective Research and Innovation for Organic Food and Farming in Italy." Agronomy 10, no. 8: 1181.
The sustainability of current farming systems has been questioned in the last decades, especially in terms of the environmental impact and mitigation of global warming. Also, the organic sector, which is supposed to impact less on the environment than other more intensive systems, is looking for innovative solutions to improve its environmental sustainability. Promisingly, the integration of organic management practices with conservation agriculture techniques may help to increase environmental sustainability of food production. However, little is known about the possible impact of conservation agriculture on the content of bioactive compounds in cash crops. For this reason, a two-year rotation experiment used 7 cash crops (4 leafy vegetables and 3 fruit crops) to compare integrated (INT), organic farming (ORG), and organic no-tillage (ORG+) systems to evaluate the possible influence of cropping systems on the nutritional/nutraceutical values of the obtained fruits and leafy vegetables. The results pointed out specific responses based on the species as well as the year of cultivation. However, cultivation with the ORG+ cropping system resulted in effective obtainment of fruits and vegetables with higher levels of bioactive compounds in several cases (11 out 16 observations). The ORG+ cropping system results are particularly promising for leafy vegetable cultivation, especially when ORG+ is carried out on a multi-year basis. Aware that the obtained data should be consolidated with longer-term experiments, we conclude that this dataset may represent a good starting point to support conservation agriculture systems as a possible sustainable strategy to obtain products with higher levels of bioactive compounds.
Costanza Ceccanti; Marco Landi; Daniele Antichi; Lucia Guidi; Luigi Manfrini; Michele Monti; Giacomo Tosti; Christian Frasconi. Bioactive Properties of Fruits and Leafy Vegetables Managed with Integrated, Organic, and Organic No-Tillage Practices in the Mediterranean Area: A Two-Year Rotation Experiment. Agronomy 2020, 10, 1 .
AMA StyleCostanza Ceccanti, Marco Landi, Daniele Antichi, Lucia Guidi, Luigi Manfrini, Michele Monti, Giacomo Tosti, Christian Frasconi. Bioactive Properties of Fruits and Leafy Vegetables Managed with Integrated, Organic, and Organic No-Tillage Practices in the Mediterranean Area: A Two-Year Rotation Experiment. Agronomy. 2020; 10 (6):1.
Chicago/Turabian StyleCostanza Ceccanti; Marco Landi; Daniele Antichi; Lucia Guidi; Luigi Manfrini; Michele Monti; Giacomo Tosti; Christian Frasconi. 2020. "Bioactive Properties of Fruits and Leafy Vegetables Managed with Integrated, Organic, and Organic No-Tillage Practices in the Mediterranean Area: A Two-Year Rotation Experiment." Agronomy 10, no. 6: 1.
The establishment of permanent cover crops is becoming a common practice in vineyard floor management. Turfgrass science may provide species and techniques with a high potential for improving the sustainability of vineyard floor management. Based on this assumption, an experiment was carried out during 2018 and 2019 at the Donna Olimpia Vineyard, Bolgheri, Italy. The trial aimed at comparing an innovative floor management system based on a turf-type cultivar of bermudagrass mown with an autonomous mower with a conventional floor management system. Ground cover percentage, energy consumption, CO2 emissions, grapevine water status, leaf nitrogen content, fruit yield and must composition have been assessed in order to perform the comparison. The innovative vineyard floor management produced an almost complete ground cover (98%) at the end of the second growing season, with the resident species reduced to a small percentage (4%). Resident species growing under-trellis were efficiently controlled without herbicide applications. A lower primary energy consumption and a reduction in CO2 emissions were observed for the innovative management system compared to the conventional management system. Grapevine water status, leaf chlorophyll content, soil–plant analyses development (SPAD), fruit yields and must composition were similar between the different soil management systems. Based on results obtained in this trial, turf-type bermudagrass and innovative mowing machines may contribute to enhance the sustainability of vineyard floor management.
Simone Magni; Mino Sportelli; Nicola Grossi; Marco Volterrani; Alberto Minelli; Michel Pirchio; Marco Fontanelli; Christian Frasconi; Monica Gaetani; Luisa Martelloni; Andrea Peruzzi; Michele Raffaelli; Marco Mazzoncini; Daniele Antichi; Giovanni Caruso; Giacomo Palai; Alberto Materazzi; Gabriele Vittori; Lisa Caturegli. Autonomous Mowing and Turf-Type Bermudagrass as Innovations for An Environment-Friendly Floor Management of a Vineyard in Coastal Tuscany. Agriculture 2020, 10, 189 .
AMA StyleSimone Magni, Mino Sportelli, Nicola Grossi, Marco Volterrani, Alberto Minelli, Michel Pirchio, Marco Fontanelli, Christian Frasconi, Monica Gaetani, Luisa Martelloni, Andrea Peruzzi, Michele Raffaelli, Marco Mazzoncini, Daniele Antichi, Giovanni Caruso, Giacomo Palai, Alberto Materazzi, Gabriele Vittori, Lisa Caturegli. Autonomous Mowing and Turf-Type Bermudagrass as Innovations for An Environment-Friendly Floor Management of a Vineyard in Coastal Tuscany. Agriculture. 2020; 10 (5):189.
Chicago/Turabian StyleSimone Magni; Mino Sportelli; Nicola Grossi; Marco Volterrani; Alberto Minelli; Michel Pirchio; Marco Fontanelli; Christian Frasconi; Monica Gaetani; Luisa Martelloni; Andrea Peruzzi; Michele Raffaelli; Marco Mazzoncini; Daniele Antichi; Giovanni Caruso; Giacomo Palai; Alberto Materazzi; Gabriele Vittori; Lisa Caturegli. 2020. "Autonomous Mowing and Turf-Type Bermudagrass as Innovations for An Environment-Friendly Floor Management of a Vineyard in Coastal Tuscany." Agriculture 10, no. 5: 189.
We would like to make the following correction to the published paper
John M. Holland; Philippe Jeanneret; Anna-Camilla Moonen; Wopke Van Der Werf; Walter A. H. Rossing; Daniele Antichi; Martin H. Entling; Brice Giffard; Herman Helsen; Mark Szalai; Carlo Rega; Caroline Gibert; Eve Veromann. Erratum: Holland, J.M., et al. Approaches to Identify the Value of Seminatural Habitats for Conservation Biological Control. Insects 2020, 11, 195. Insects 2020, 11, 272 .
AMA StyleJohn M. Holland, Philippe Jeanneret, Anna-Camilla Moonen, Wopke Van Der Werf, Walter A. H. Rossing, Daniele Antichi, Martin H. Entling, Brice Giffard, Herman Helsen, Mark Szalai, Carlo Rega, Caroline Gibert, Eve Veromann. Erratum: Holland, J.M., et al. Approaches to Identify the Value of Seminatural Habitats for Conservation Biological Control. Insects 2020, 11, 195. Insects. 2020; 11 (5):272.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJohn M. Holland; Philippe Jeanneret; Anna-Camilla Moonen; Wopke Van Der Werf; Walter A. H. Rossing; Daniele Antichi; Martin H. Entling; Brice Giffard; Herman Helsen; Mark Szalai; Carlo Rega; Caroline Gibert; Eve Veromann. 2020. "Erratum: Holland, J.M., et al. Approaches to Identify the Value of Seminatural Habitats for Conservation Biological Control. Insects 2020, 11, 195." Insects 11, no. 5: 272.
Invertebrates perform many vital functions in agricultural production, but many taxa are in decline, including pest natural enemies. Action is needed to increase their abundance if more sustainable agricultural systems are to be achieved. Conservation biological control (CBC) is a key component of integrated pest management yet has failed to be widely adopted in mainstream agriculture. Approaches to improving conservation biological control have been largely ad hoc. Two approaches are described to improve this process, one based upon pest natural enemy ecology and resource provision while the other focusses on the ecosystem service delivery using the QuESSA (Quantification of Ecological Services for Sustainable Agriculture) project as an example. In this project, a predictive scoring system was developed to show the potential of five seminatural habitat categories to provide biological control, from which predictive maps were generated for Europe. Actual biological control was measured in a series of case studies using sentinel systems (insect or seed prey), trade-offs between ecosystem services were explored, and heatmaps of biological control were generated. The overall conclusion from the QuESSA project was that results were context specific, indicating that more targeted approaches to CBC are needed. This may include designing new habitats or modifying existing habitats to support the types of natural enemies required for specific crops or pests.
John M. Holland; Philippe Jeanneret; Anna-Camilla Moonen; Wopke Van Der Werf; Walter A.H. Rossing; Daniele Antichi; Martin H. Entling; Brice Giffard; Herman Helsen; Mark Szalai; Carlo Rega; Caroline Gibert; Eve Veromann. Approaches to Identify the Value of Seminatural Habitats for Conservation Biological Control. Insects 2020, 11, 195 .
AMA StyleJohn M. Holland, Philippe Jeanneret, Anna-Camilla Moonen, Wopke Van Der Werf, Walter A.H. Rossing, Daniele Antichi, Martin H. Entling, Brice Giffard, Herman Helsen, Mark Szalai, Carlo Rega, Caroline Gibert, Eve Veromann. Approaches to Identify the Value of Seminatural Habitats for Conservation Biological Control. Insects. 2020; 11 (3):195.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJohn M. Holland; Philippe Jeanneret; Anna-Camilla Moonen; Wopke Van Der Werf; Walter A.H. Rossing; Daniele Antichi; Martin H. Entling; Brice Giffard; Herman Helsen; Mark Szalai; Carlo Rega; Caroline Gibert; Eve Veromann. 2020. "Approaches to Identify the Value of Seminatural Habitats for Conservation Biological Control." Insects 11, no. 3: 195.
Organic farming systems are considered not compatible with conservation tillage mainly because of the reliance of conservative systems on herbicides. In this three-year field experiment, we tested the performances of an innovative vegetable organic and conservative system (ORG+) combining the use of cover crops (exploited as either living or dead mulch) and no-till techniques. This system was compared to “business-as-usual” organic farming (ORG) and integrated farming system (INT) based on the same crop sequence: savoy cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. sabauda L. cv. Famosa), spring lettuce (Lactuca sativa L. cv. Justine), fennel (Foeniculum vulgare Mill. Cv. Montebianco), and summer lettuce (Lactuca sativa L. cv. Ballerina RZ). The results of crop yield parameters and weed abundance contribute to spotlight potentialities and weaknesses of organic-conservative management of field vegetables. In particular, ORG+ caused significant yield depletion for all the crops and revealed suboptimal weed control and N availability. The agroecosystem services provided by the cover crops grown in the ORG+ as dead mulch or living mulch were affected by weather conditions and not always resulted in significant crop gain. Nevertheless, interesting results in terms of P availability and reduced N surplus encourage further development of the system targeting more sustainable organic vegetable production.
Daniele Antichi; Massimo Sbrana; Luisa Martelloni; Lara Abou Chehade; Marco Fontanelli; Michele Raffaelli; Marco Mazzoncini; Andrea Peruzzi; Christian Frasconi. Agronomic Performances of Organic Field Vegetables Managed with Conservation Agriculture Techniques: A Study from Central Italy. Agronomy 2019, 9, 810 .
AMA StyleDaniele Antichi, Massimo Sbrana, Luisa Martelloni, Lara Abou Chehade, Marco Fontanelli, Michele Raffaelli, Marco Mazzoncini, Andrea Peruzzi, Christian Frasconi. Agronomic Performances of Organic Field Vegetables Managed with Conservation Agriculture Techniques: A Study from Central Italy. Agronomy. 2019; 9 (12):810.
Chicago/Turabian StyleDaniele Antichi; Massimo Sbrana; Luisa Martelloni; Lara Abou Chehade; Marco Fontanelli; Michele Raffaelli; Marco Mazzoncini; Andrea Peruzzi; Christian Frasconi. 2019. "Agronomic Performances of Organic Field Vegetables Managed with Conservation Agriculture Techniques: A Study from Central Italy." Agronomy 9, no. 12: 810.
Inside a long-term agronomic trial aimed at evaluating the effects of organic and low-input conventional management systems on soil fertility and arable crop production, we selected six fields bordered by hedgerows, three under each management system. Here, we analyzed the carabid assemblages and the slug abundance. Samplings took place in five different periods, across 1 yr of observations. The carabid abundances were similar in organic and conventional fields. The Shannon-Wiener diversity index (H') showed a higher value in the conventional fields, although in the organic fields, a higher number of species were observed. The multivariate analysis described similar carabid communities, but excluding the period factor, it showed a significant influence of the management system. There was no difference between the captures of traps placed along the hedgerow and in the middle, whereas in the conventional fields, the hedgerow traps captured a higher number of specimens, showing a role of the hedgerow as carabid reservoir. The slugs were present mainly while green manure was grown on the organic fields where also Poecilus cupreus Linné, 1758 (Coleoptera: Carabidae) was captured abundantly.
Elisabetta Rossi; Daniele Antichi; Augusto Loni; Roberto Canovai; Massimo Sbrana; Marco Mazzoncini. Ground Beetle (Coleoptera: Carabidae) Assemblages and Slug Abundance in Agricultural Fields Under Organic and Low-Input Conventional Management Within a Long-Term Agronomic Trial in Central Italy. Environmental Entomology 2019, 1 .
AMA StyleElisabetta Rossi, Daniele Antichi, Augusto Loni, Roberto Canovai, Massimo Sbrana, Marco Mazzoncini. Ground Beetle (Coleoptera: Carabidae) Assemblages and Slug Abundance in Agricultural Fields Under Organic and Low-Input Conventional Management Within a Long-Term Agronomic Trial in Central Italy. Environmental Entomology. 2019; ():1.
Chicago/Turabian StyleElisabetta Rossi; Daniele Antichi; Augusto Loni; Roberto Canovai; Massimo Sbrana; Marco Mazzoncini. 2019. "Ground Beetle (Coleoptera: Carabidae) Assemblages and Slug Abundance in Agricultural Fields Under Organic and Low-Input Conventional Management Within a Long-Term Agronomic Trial in Central Italy." Environmental Entomology , no. : 1.
No-till practices reduce soil erosion, conserve soil organic carbon, and enhance soil fertility. Yet, many factors could limit their adoption in organic farming. The present study investigated the effects of tillage and cover cropping on weed biomass, plant growth, yield, and fruit quality of an organic processing tomato (Solanum lycopersicon L. var. Elba F1) over two seasons (2015–2017). We compared systems where processing tomato was transplanted on i) tilled soil following or not a winter cover crop (Trifolium squarrosum L.) and with/without a biodegradable plastic mulch; and ii) no-till where clover was used, after rolling and flaming, as dead mulch. Tomato in no-till suffered from high weed competition and low soil nitrogen availability leading to lower plant growth, N uptake, and yield components with respect to tilled systems. The total yield in no-till declined to 6.8 and 18.3 t ha−1 in 2016 and 2017, respectively, with at least a 65% decrease compared to tilled clover-based systems. No evidence of growth-limiting soil compaction was noticed but a slightly higher soil resistance was in the no-till topsoil. Tillage and cover crop residues did not significantly change tomato quality (pH, total soluble solids, firmness). The incorporation of clover as green manure was generally more advantageous over no-till. This was partly due to the low performance of the cover crop where improvement may limit the obstacles (i.e., N supply and weed infestation) and enable the implementation of no-till in organic vegetable systems.
Lara Abou Chehade; Daniele Antichi; Luisa Martelloni; Christian Frasconi; Massimo Sbrana; Marco Mazzoncini; Andrea Peruzzi; Abou Chehade. Evaluation of the Agronomic Performance of Organic Processing Tomato as Affected by Different Cover Crop Residues Management. Agronomy 2019, 9, 504 .
AMA StyleLara Abou Chehade, Daniele Antichi, Luisa Martelloni, Christian Frasconi, Massimo Sbrana, Marco Mazzoncini, Andrea Peruzzi, Abou Chehade. Evaluation of the Agronomic Performance of Organic Processing Tomato as Affected by Different Cover Crop Residues Management. Agronomy. 2019; 9 (9):504.
Chicago/Turabian StyleLara Abou Chehade; Daniele Antichi; Luisa Martelloni; Christian Frasconi; Massimo Sbrana; Marco Mazzoncini; Andrea Peruzzi; Abou Chehade. 2019. "Evaluation of the Agronomic Performance of Organic Processing Tomato as Affected by Different Cover Crop Residues Management." Agronomy 9, no. 9: 504.
A combination of organic and conservation approaches have not been widely tested, neither considering agronomic implications nor the impacts on the environment. Focussing on the effect of agricultural practices on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from soil, the hypothesis of this research is that the organic conservation system (ORG+) may reduce emissions of N2O, CH4 and CO2 from soil, compared to an integrated farming system (INT) and an organic (ORG) system in a two-year irrigated vegetable crop rotation set up in 2014, in a Mediterranean environment. The crop rotation included: Savoy cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. sabauda L. cv. Famosa), spring lettuce (Lactuca sativa L. cv. Justine), fennel (Foeniculum vulgare Mill. cv. Montebianco) and summer lettuce (L. sativa cv. Ballerina). Fluxes from soil of N2O, CH4 and CO2 were measured from October 2014 to July 2016 with the flow-through non-steady state chamber technique using a mobile instrument equipped with high precision analysers. Both cumulative and daily N2O emissions were mainly lower in ORG+ than in INT and ORG. All the cropping systems acted as a sink of CH4, with no significant differences among treatments. The ORG and ORG+ systems accounted for higher cumulative and daily CO2 emissions than INT, maybe due to the stimulating effect on soil respiration of organic material (fertilizers/plant biomass) supplied in ORG and ORG+. Overall, the integration of conservation and organic agriculture showed a tendency for higher CO2 emissions and lower N2O emissions than the other treatments, without any clear results on its potential for mitigating GHG emissions from soil.
Simona Bosco; Iride Volpi; Daniele Antichi; Giorgio Ragaglini; Christian Frasconi. Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Soil Cultivated with Vegetables in Crop Rotation under Integrated, Organic and Organic Conservation Management in a Mediterranean Environment. Agronomy 2019, 9, 446 .
AMA StyleSimona Bosco, Iride Volpi, Daniele Antichi, Giorgio Ragaglini, Christian Frasconi. Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Soil Cultivated with Vegetables in Crop Rotation under Integrated, Organic and Organic Conservation Management in a Mediterranean Environment. Agronomy. 2019; 9 (8):446.
Chicago/Turabian StyleSimona Bosco; Iride Volpi; Daniele Antichi; Giorgio Ragaglini; Christian Frasconi. 2019. "Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Soil Cultivated with Vegetables in Crop Rotation under Integrated, Organic and Organic Conservation Management in a Mediterranean Environment." Agronomy 9, no. 8: 446.
Green manure and compost-enriched in phosphorus can promote the sustainability of cropping systems by increasing soil fertility over the long term. They can also be used to manage crop/weed interactions, a key element in guaranteeing an appropriate level of satisfactory crop yields. We studied how green manuring with hairy vetch (Vicia villosa Roth.) and the application of different types of phosphorous-enriched compost affect weed/maize (Zea mays L.) interactions in an organic stockless Mediterranean agroecosystem for two consecutive dry years. Green manure stimulated the expression of maize traits related to a higher competitive ability against weeds, such as early growth, height and leaf area index, while the effect of compost was less clear. Regarding crop/weed competition, both green manuring and a phosphorus-enriched compost application gave a significant advantage to maize. Neither green manure nor compost increased total weed density and biomass compared to the control. Green manuring significantly affected the weed community composition. The relative density of ruderal and competitive-ruderal species (according to Grime's classification) was higher in plots where the green manure was applied. The use of green manure, together with novel composting techniques, significantly affected crop/weed competitive interactions, favoring maize, but also creating favorable conditions for unwanted weed species such as competitive-ruderals. Increasing nitrogen availability in the early growth stages of maize through green manuring can increase crop competitive ability. However, this may not suffice to preserve the system from future weed problems, should potentially detrimental species be selected. Dedicated strategies for the control of emerging weed species may thus be needed.
Stefano Carlesi; Federica Bigongiali; Daniele Antichi; Corrado Ciaccia; Fabio Tittarelli; Stefano Canali; Paolo Bàrberi. Green manure and phosphorus fertilization affect weed community composition and crop/weed competition in organic maize. Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems 2019, 35, 493 -502.
AMA StyleStefano Carlesi, Federica Bigongiali, Daniele Antichi, Corrado Ciaccia, Fabio Tittarelli, Stefano Canali, Paolo Bàrberi. Green manure and phosphorus fertilization affect weed community composition and crop/weed competition in organic maize. Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems. 2019; 35 (5):493-502.
Chicago/Turabian StyleStefano Carlesi; Federica Bigongiali; Daniele Antichi; Corrado Ciaccia; Fabio Tittarelli; Stefano Canali; Paolo Bàrberi. 2019. "Green manure and phosphorus fertilization affect weed community composition and crop/weed competition in organic maize." Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems 35, no. 5: 493-502.
The termination of cover crops in conventional no-till systems is mostly conducted mechanically in combination with herbicides. Combining flaming and roller crimpers could be a viable solution to avoid using herbicides for cover crop termination in farming systems where herbicides are banned, or at least to reduce their use in an integrated management approach. This research tested the effects of flaming used in combination with three different types of roller crimpers to terminate a fall-sown cover crop mixture of winter pea and barley. The cover crop termination rate was visually assessed in terms of percentage of green cover provided by cover crop plants at different intervals from the termination date, and estimated using a log-logistic non-linear regression model with four parameters. Machine performance data are also reported. The results show that, irrespective of the roller type, flaming significantly boosted the effect of the roller crimpers. In fact, an economic threshold for cover crop suppression of 85% was reached only when the rollers were used in combination with flaming. Nevertheless, none of the methods were able to reach the 100% of cover crop suppression. In some case, the combined use of flaming and roller crimpers allowed reaching the 90% of cover crop devitalisation, which happened six weeks after the termination date. More importantly, the use of flaming in combination with rollers shortened the time needed to achieve the estimated levels of devitalisation, compared with the rollers used alone. We conclude that flaming is an effective tool to increase the effectiveness of roller crimpers. Nevertheless, further research is needed to identify solutions to overcome the barrier of the high operational costs of flaming, which is constraining its wider adoption by farmers. Future studies could focus, for instance, on the development of a new prototype of combined machine for crimping and flaming the cover crops simultaneously, which could potentially reduce the operational costs.
Christian Frasconi; Luisa Martelloni; Daniele Antichi; Michele Raffaelli; Marco Fontanelli; Andrea Peruzzi; Paolo Benincasa; Giacomo Tosti. Combining roller crimpers and flaming for the termination of cover crops in herbicide-free no-till cropping systems. PLOS ONE 2019, 14, e0211573 .
AMA StyleChristian Frasconi, Luisa Martelloni, Daniele Antichi, Michele Raffaelli, Marco Fontanelli, Andrea Peruzzi, Paolo Benincasa, Giacomo Tosti. Combining roller crimpers and flaming for the termination of cover crops in herbicide-free no-till cropping systems. PLOS ONE. 2019; 14 (2):e0211573.
Chicago/Turabian StyleChristian Frasconi; Luisa Martelloni; Daniele Antichi; Michele Raffaelli; Marco Fontanelli; Andrea Peruzzi; Paolo Benincasa; Giacomo Tosti. 2019. "Combining roller crimpers and flaming for the termination of cover crops in herbicide-free no-till cropping systems." PLOS ONE 14, no. 2: e0211573.
Besides improving soil properties and N availability, N2-fixing crops may also mitigate soil N2O emissions, by reducing N fertilizer requirements. That said, the N released in their root exudates and through the decomposition of their residues may increase N2O emissions. Agricultural practices like tillage that affect soil parameters are known to influence the processes that lead to N2O production. However, the combined effect of the tillage system used and the crop type being cultivated on soil N2O emissions remains unclear, especially in a Mediterranean climate. A two-year study was carried out on a faba bean (Vicia faba L. var. minor Beck) crop as part of a long-term tillage experiment (> 20 years) in a Mediterranean environment. We evaluated the effects of two tillage systems, ploughing (P) and minimum tillage (MT), on the following parameters: N2O emissions, grain yield, N assimilated in plant biomass and biological N2 fixation. Our results showed grain yield to be higher in MT than P in the first year and roughly similar in the second. Moreover, cumulative N2O emissions were lower in MT than P in both years (up to −80%). Indeed, MT was identified in our environment as a sustainable means of achieving N2O emissions mitigation while also maximizing grain yield. Furthermore, the percentage of N derived from N2 fixation (Ndfa%) in plants stood at 80% on average, affected by tillage only in the second year, with higher values in P than MT. Moreover, a positive relationship between N2 fixation and N2O emissions was reported, particularly in P, and during the fallow period.
Iride Volpi; Daniele Antichi; Per Lennart Ambus; Enrico Bonari; Nicoletta Nassi O Di Nasso; Simona Bosco. Minimum tillage mitigated soil N2O emissions and maximized crop yield in faba bean in a Mediterranean environment. Soil and Tillage Research 2018, 178, 11 -21.
AMA StyleIride Volpi, Daniele Antichi, Per Lennart Ambus, Enrico Bonari, Nicoletta Nassi O Di Nasso, Simona Bosco. Minimum tillage mitigated soil N2O emissions and maximized crop yield in faba bean in a Mediterranean environment. Soil and Tillage Research. 2018; 178 ():11-21.
Chicago/Turabian StyleIride Volpi; Daniele Antichi; Per Lennart Ambus; Enrico Bonari; Nicoletta Nassi O Di Nasso; Simona Bosco. 2018. "Minimum tillage mitigated soil N2O emissions and maximized crop yield in faba bean in a Mediterranean environment." Soil and Tillage Research 178, no. : 11-21.
In this study, we investigate the suitability of hydrochar, produced at industrial scale by hydrothermal carbonization of municipal woody and herbaceous prunings, to be used as soil amendment and peat substitute in organic growth medium for horticulture. Fresh hydrochar and the products of two different hydrochar post-treatments (i.e., washing and aging) were compared in terms of potential phytotoxicity throughout physicochemical characterization and germination tests, performed with a sensitive species (Lactuca sativa). The results showed that the fresh hydrochar obtained from municipal green wastes complies with the Italian regulated parameters for the use as soil amendment. Moreover, hydrochar exhibits biological activity and a high content in organic C, Ca, and other micronutrients (Mg, Zn, Cu, Na, Cl). On the other hand, post-treatments are needed before application of hydrochar as peat substitute in potting mix, since appreciable phytotoxic effects on lettuce seed germination and radicle length of plantlets were observed (e.g., germination percentage of 56% and 54%, with 5 and 10 wt % of hydrochar in the blend, respectively). The inhibition of germination could be mainly attributed to the presence of polyphenols (tannins) and volatile fatty acids, which were most effectively removed through the aging post-treatment.
Monica Puccini; Lucia Ceccarini; Daniele Antichi; Maurizia Seggiani; Silvia Tavarini; Marisa Hernandez Latorre; Sandra Vitolo. Hydrothermal Carbonization of Municipal Woody and Herbaceous Prunings: Hydrochar Valorisation as Soil Amendment and Growth Medium for Horticulture. Sustainability 2018, 10, 846 .
AMA StyleMonica Puccini, Lucia Ceccarini, Daniele Antichi, Maurizia Seggiani, Silvia Tavarini, Marisa Hernandez Latorre, Sandra Vitolo. Hydrothermal Carbonization of Municipal Woody and Herbaceous Prunings: Hydrochar Valorisation as Soil Amendment and Growth Medium for Horticulture. Sustainability. 2018; 10 (3):846.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMonica Puccini; Lucia Ceccarini; Daniele Antichi; Maurizia Seggiani; Silvia Tavarini; Marisa Hernandez Latorre; Sandra Vitolo. 2018. "Hydrothermal Carbonization of Municipal Woody and Herbaceous Prunings: Hydrochar Valorisation as Soil Amendment and Growth Medium for Horticulture." Sustainability 10, no. 3: 846.
The risks of soil erosion and nutrient leaching can be considered appreciable in short rotation coppices especially in the first growth phases because of the absence of any plant cover. The temporary intercropping with legumes or grasses used as cover crops can help to overcome these environmental issues. The present research work aims to evaluate the effects of the introduction of cover crops in a short rotation poplar (Populus deltoides W. Bartram ex Marshall) with two-year harvest cycle. The plantation was located in a Typic Xerofluvent, silty-loam soil of the coastal Central Italy. Two different species of cover crops, Trifolium subterraneum L. (TS) and Lolium perenne L. (LP), were compared along with an untreated control, colonised by spontaneous vegetation (CO). Several plant and soil parameters were evaluated: the above ground biomass and nutrient accumulation for the three different soil cover types, the nitrate and water content in two soil layers (0.00-0.30 and 0.30-0.60 m), the poplar yield and nutrient content in branches and leaves. TS returned to the soil about 70 kg ha–1 of nitrogen at the end of its biological cycle, thanks to the high N content (over 2%) and to the noticeable amount of dry matter produced (3.46 t ha–1 of dry matter). This value was considerably higher than those of the LP (23 kg ha–1 of N) or CO (10 kg ha–1). The different amount of nitrogen returned to the soil affected both nitrate concentration in topsoil (0.00-0.30 m) and accumulation of nitrogen in poplar organs. Concerning phosphorous, the differences among treatments were less evident and the amount of P returned to the soil ranged from 2 (CO) to 10 (TS) kg ha–1. However, the effect of soil cover type on P uptake in poplar was still appreciable. Generally, the soil water content was slightly affected by the soil cover types. Indeed, the differences between the cover crops and the control became significant only in the shallowest soil layer and over the summer season. In the first year, LP induced a significant decrease in poplar yield (10.1 t ha–1 of dry matter) in comparison with TS (14.7 t ha–1) and CO (13.4 t ha–1), whereas in the second year there were no significant differences among treatments due to the weak regrowth of cover crops. These results show how to make it feasible a long lasting coexistence between cover crops and SRC, a clever design of agro-forestry systems is therefore needed.
Nicola Silvestri; Vittoria Giannini; Daniele Antichi. Intercropping cover crops with a poplar short rotation coppice: Effects on nutrient uptake and biomass production. Italian Journal of Agronomy 2018, 11, 126 -133.
AMA StyleNicola Silvestri, Vittoria Giannini, Daniele Antichi. Intercropping cover crops with a poplar short rotation coppice: Effects on nutrient uptake and biomass production. Italian Journal of Agronomy. 2018; 11 ():126-133.
Chicago/Turabian StyleNicola Silvestri; Vittoria Giannini; Daniele Antichi. 2018. "Intercropping cover crops with a poplar short rotation coppice: Effects on nutrient uptake and biomass production." Italian Journal of Agronomy 11, no. : 126-133.