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The present work aims to explore the potential to improve quality of purslane microgreens by combining water salinity and LED lighting during their cultivation. Purslane plants were grown in a growth chamber with light insulated compartments, under different lighting sources on a 16 h d−1 photoperiod—fluorescent lamps (FL) and two LED treatments, including a red and blue (RB)) spectrum and a red, blue and far red (RB+IR) LED lights spectrum—while providing all of them a light intensity of 150 µmol m−2 s−1. Plants were exposed to two salinity treatments, by adding 0 or 80 mM NaCl. Biomass, cation and anions, total phenolics (TPC) and flavonoids content (TFC), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), total chlorophylls (Chl) and carotenoids content (Car) and fatty acids were determined. The results showed that yield was increased by 21% both in RB and RB+FR lights compared to FL and in salinity compared to non-salinity conditions. The nitrate content was reduced by 81% and 91% when microgreens were grown under RB and RB+FR, respectively, as compared to FL light, and by 9.5% under saline conditions as compared with non-salinity conditions. The lowest oxalate contents were obtained with the combinations of RB or RB+FR lighting and salinity. The content of Cl and Na in the leaves were also reduced when microgreens were grown under RB and RB+FR lights under saline conditions. Microgreens grown under RB light reached the highest TPC, while salinity reduced TFC, Chl and Car. Finally, the fatty acid content was not affected by light or salinity, but these factors slightly influenced their composition. It is concluded that the use of RB and RB+FR lights in saline conditions is of potential use in purslane microgreens production, since it improves the yield and quality of the product, reducing the content of anti-nutritional compounds.
Almudena Giménez; María Martínez-Ballesta; Catalina Egea-Gilabert; Perla Gómez; Francisco Artés-Hernández; Giuseppina Pennisi; Francesco Orsini; Andrea Crepaldi; Juan Fernández. Combined Effect of Salinity and LED Lights on the Yield and Quality of Purslane (Portulaca oleracea L.) Microgreens. Horticulturae 2021, 7, 180 .
AMA StyleAlmudena Giménez, María Martínez-Ballesta, Catalina Egea-Gilabert, Perla Gómez, Francisco Artés-Hernández, Giuseppina Pennisi, Francesco Orsini, Andrea Crepaldi, Juan Fernández. Combined Effect of Salinity and LED Lights on the Yield and Quality of Purslane (Portulaca oleracea L.) Microgreens. Horticulturae. 2021; 7 (7):180.
Chicago/Turabian StyleAlmudena Giménez; María Martínez-Ballesta; Catalina Egea-Gilabert; Perla Gómez; Francisco Artés-Hernández; Giuseppina Pennisi; Francesco Orsini; Andrea Crepaldi; Juan Fernández. 2021. "Combined Effect of Salinity and LED Lights on the Yield and Quality of Purslane (Portulaca oleracea L.) Microgreens." Horticulturae 7, no. 7: 180.
In indoor vertical farms, energy consumption represents a bottleneck for both a system’s affordability and environmental footprint. Although switching frequency (sf) represents a crucial factor in determining the efficacy of light emitting diodes (LED) lighting systems in converting electricity into light, the impact of sf is still underexplored. The aim of this work was to investigate the effect of LEDs sf on the productive and qualitative responses of lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.), also considering the resource use efficiency. Plants were grown for 14 days under red and blue LEDs (215 μmol m−2 s−1 and 16/8 h light/dark, with a red:blue ratio of 3) characterized by two different sf for the blue diode, namely high sf (850 kHz) and low sf (293 kHz). A fluorescent light (same light intensity and photoperiod) was included. LED sf did not alter plant morphological parameters, including fresh or dry biomass, leaf number, leaf area, or water use efficiency. A low sf increased the energy use efficiency (EUE) by 40% as compared to high sf. The latter enhanced the leaf antioxidant capacity, as a consequence of increased concentrations of caftaric and chicoric acids, isoquercetin, and luteolin, consistent with the upregulation of a few genes related to the biosynthetic pathway of phenolic compounds (4C3H and DFR). The study highlights that different sf may significantly affect the EUE as well as crop nutritional properties.
Laura Carotti; Giulia Potente; Giuseppina Pennisi; Karina Ruiz; Stefania Biondi; Andrea Crepaldi; Francesco Orsini; Giorgio Gianquinto; Fabiana Antognoni. Pulsed LED Light: Exploring the Balance between Energy Use and Nutraceutical Properties in Indoor-Grown Lettuce. Agronomy 2021, 11, 1106 .
AMA StyleLaura Carotti, Giulia Potente, Giuseppina Pennisi, Karina Ruiz, Stefania Biondi, Andrea Crepaldi, Francesco Orsini, Giorgio Gianquinto, Fabiana Antognoni. Pulsed LED Light: Exploring the Balance between Energy Use and Nutraceutical Properties in Indoor-Grown Lettuce. Agronomy. 2021; 11 (6):1106.
Chicago/Turabian StyleLaura Carotti; Giulia Potente; Giuseppina Pennisi; Karina Ruiz; Stefania Biondi; Andrea Crepaldi; Francesco Orsini; Giorgio Gianquinto; Fabiana Antognoni. 2021. "Pulsed LED Light: Exploring the Balance between Energy Use and Nutraceutical Properties in Indoor-Grown Lettuce." Agronomy 11, no. 6: 1106.
The growing population of tropical countries has led to a new awareness of the importance of vegetables as a source of essential foods and nutrients. The success of vegetable cultivation depends to a large extent on high-quality seedlings. This work aimed at evaluating the effects of different substrates and different nutrient solution concentrations on the development of lettuce and Chinese cabbage seedlings in a semi-arid tropical area. Three independent experiments were conducted at the Soil and Water Research Station at Yezin Agriculture University, Myanmar (Myanmar, 19.83° N; 96.27° E). In all experiments a randomized block design was implemented with four treatments and three repetitions. In the first experiment the adaptability of lettuce seedling to two substrates (namely a Hulls Manure mix composed by 50% of mature cattle manure and 50% of carbonized rice husk and a soil based substrate constituted by 70% local soil, 20% burned rice husk, and 10% fresh cattle manure) and two nutrient solutions with different electrical conductivities (ECs) (W0.1, stored rainwater with EC = 0.13 dS m−1 and NS1.2, nutrient solution with EC = 1.20 dS m−1) were tested. In the second and third experiments, two species (lettuce and Chinese cabbage) were assessed for their response to nutrient solution concentrations. In both crops, 4 fertigation treatments (W0.1; NS0.6; NS1.2; and NS1.8) were supplied, by modulating the concentration of a compound mineral fertilizer (15:15:15) in the following ranges: W0.1: 0 g L−1, electrical conductivity (EC) 0.13 dS m−1, NS0.6: 0.3 g L−1, EC of 0.60 dS m−1; NS1.2: 0.6 g L−1, 1.2 dS m−1 EC, and NS1.8: 0.9 g L−1, 1.8 dS m−1 EC. Adopting different substrates and applying different nutrient solutions significantly affected growth (fresh weight and leaf morphology) and some physiological parameters (stomatal conductance, leaf temperature, and leaf chlorophyll content) of lettuce and Chinese cabbage seedling. From the first experiment, the combination of the soil based substrate and NS1.2 treatments allowed us to improve the seedlings’ growth. In the second experiment, highest growth of lettuce and Chinese cabbage seedlings was associated with NS1.2 and NS1.8, respectively. The presented results allow for the optimization of both growing media and nutrient solution management when lettuce and Chinese cabbage seedling are produced in the Central Dry Zone of Myanmar.
Nicola Michelon; Giuseppina Pennisi; Nang Myint; Francesco Orsini; Giorgio Gianquinto. Optimization of Substrate and Nutrient Solution Strength for Lettuce and Chinese Cabbage Seedling Production in the Semi-Arid Environment of Central Myanmar. Horticulturae 2021, 7, 64 .
AMA StyleNicola Michelon, Giuseppina Pennisi, Nang Myint, Francesco Orsini, Giorgio Gianquinto. Optimization of Substrate and Nutrient Solution Strength for Lettuce and Chinese Cabbage Seedling Production in the Semi-Arid Environment of Central Myanmar. Horticulturae. 2021; 7 (4):64.
Chicago/Turabian StyleNicola Michelon; Giuseppina Pennisi; Nang Myint; Francesco Orsini; Giorgio Gianquinto. 2021. "Optimization of Substrate and Nutrient Solution Strength for Lettuce and Chinese Cabbage Seedling Production in the Semi-Arid Environment of Central Myanmar." Horticulturae 7, no. 4: 64.
Rooftop agriculture (RA) is a building-based form of urban agriculture that includes both protected and nonprotected farming practices, such as rooftop greenhouses as well as open-air rooftop gardens and farms. The use of underexploited urban spaces on buildings for farming purposes is considered a useful strategy for targeting global concerns (e.g., the limitations in food security and land access, impacts of climate change or social exclusion). While previous studies have addressed selected RA cases and the general worldwide dissemination of RA, a systematic evaluation integrating the constantly evolving sector and its diversity (both commercial and noncommercial) is currently lacking. Here, we provide an overview of the current status of RA based on a metadata analysis of 185 publicly accessible cases. This paper summarizes the global trends and spatial distribution of RA cases and presents their main features. The results present the global distribution of different RA types over time, their diverging farming purposes and further characteristics (such as farm sizes, building typologies, growing systems, products and reported yields, activities, implementation of resource-efficient practices, or economic and social activities). The results indicate an emphasis on RA cases in North America (44% of the analyzed cases) and show that RA practices are mainly represented by open-air farms and gardens (84%), as the growing sector of rooftop greenhouses is still relatively small. Similarly, commercial cases are scarce, with the majority of RA cases targeting social-educational goals or the improvement of urban living quality. This tendency suggests a range of currently untapped business opportunities that, if developed, may contribute to the evolution of more sustainable and resilient city food systems providing fresh crops from the inner urban fabric. In conclusion, the research showed a rising global interest in RA, although stronger policy intervention is crucial to upscale RA practices to reach decisive environmental, economic and social benefits at the city level.
Elisa Appolloni; Francesco Orsini; Kathrin Specht; Susanne Thomaier; Esther Sanyé-Mengual; Giuseppina Pennisi; Giorgio Gianquinto. The global rise of urban rooftop agriculture: A review of worldwide cases. Journal of Cleaner Production 2021, 296, 126556 .
AMA StyleElisa Appolloni, Francesco Orsini, Kathrin Specht, Susanne Thomaier, Esther Sanyé-Mengual, Giuseppina Pennisi, Giorgio Gianquinto. The global rise of urban rooftop agriculture: A review of worldwide cases. Journal of Cleaner Production. 2021; 296 ():126556.
Chicago/Turabian StyleElisa Appolloni; Francesco Orsini; Kathrin Specht; Susanne Thomaier; Esther Sanyé-Mengual; Giuseppina Pennisi; Giorgio Gianquinto. 2021. "The global rise of urban rooftop agriculture: A review of worldwide cases." Journal of Cleaner Production 296, no. : 126556.
In recent years, urban agriculture (UA) projects have bloomed throughout the world, finding large applications also in the developed economies of the so-called Global North. As compared to projects in developing countries, where research has mainly targeted the contribution to food security, UA in the Global North has a stronger multifunctional connotation, and results in multiple combinations of farming purposes and business models pursued. The present review paper explores the contribution and role that UA plays in cities from the Global North, defining its functionalities toward ecosystem services (ES) provisioning and analyzing the factors that hinders and promote its regional diffusion and uptake. The manuscript integrates a description of UA growing systems, as well opportunities for crop diversification in the urban environment, and a comprehensive classification of UA business models. The distinctive features in terms of business models, farming purposes and farm size are then applied over an inventory of 470 UA projects in the Global North, allowing for a characterization and comparative analysis of distribution frequency of the different project typologies.
Francesco Orsini; Giuseppina Pennisi; Nicola Michelon; Alberto Minelli; Giovanni Bazzocchi; Esther Sanyé-Mengual; Giorgio Gianquinto. Features and Functions of Multifunctional Urban Agriculture in the Global North: A Review. Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems 2020, 4, 1 .
AMA StyleFrancesco Orsini, Giuseppina Pennisi, Nicola Michelon, Alberto Minelli, Giovanni Bazzocchi, Esther Sanyé-Mengual, Giorgio Gianquinto. Features and Functions of Multifunctional Urban Agriculture in the Global North: A Review. Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems. 2020; 4 ():1.
Chicago/Turabian StyleFrancesco Orsini; Giuseppina Pennisi; Nicola Michelon; Alberto Minelli; Giovanni Bazzocchi; Esther Sanyé-Mengual; Giorgio Gianquinto. 2020. "Features and Functions of Multifunctional Urban Agriculture in the Global North: A Review." Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems 4, no. : 1.
BACKGROUND The main objective of this study was to evaluate physiological and quality changes of minimally processed broccoli sprouts illuminated during postharvest storage under Blue, Red, and Far‐Red LED lighting as compared to Darkness or illumination with Fluorescent light, as control treatments. RESULTS Morphological and microbiological changes were determined during 15 d at 5 °C. In addition, total antioxidant activity and bioactive compounds changes throughout the shelf‐life were also monitored. Results showed that Far‐Red LED lighting increased hypocotyl and sprout length, decreased the microbial growth and improved the total antioxidant and scavenging activities, compared to Darkness and Fluorescent lighting treatments. However, it did not stimulate the biosynthesis of phenolic acids. In contrast, Blue LED light reduced by 50% the total antioxidant capacity of broccoli sprouts compared to Far‐Red treatment, as well as its morphological development. In addition, total scavenging activity was increased under Far‐Red LEDs regarding the remaining treatments in 12–10% (Darkness and Fluorescence) and 33–31% (Blue and Red LEDs). CONCLUSION Our results suggest that minimally processed sprouts may benefit from LED lighting during shelf life in terms of quality although further experiments should be conducted to optimize a proper exposure cycle and intensity aimed to be used in the distribution chain. It also opens the way for further development towards the integration of this technology in the food distribution chain. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Noelia Castillejo; Lorena Martínez‐Zamora; Perla A. Gómez; Giuseppina Pennisi; Andrea Crepaldi; Juan A. Fernández; Francesco Orsini; Francisco Artés‐Hernández. Postharvest LED lighting: effect of r ed, b lue and f ar r ed on quality of minimally processed broccoli sprouts. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture 2020, 101, 1 .
AMA StyleNoelia Castillejo, Lorena Martínez‐Zamora, Perla A. Gómez, Giuseppina Pennisi, Andrea Crepaldi, Juan A. Fernández, Francesco Orsini, Francisco Artés‐Hernández. Postharvest LED lighting: effect of r ed, b lue and f ar r ed on quality of minimally processed broccoli sprouts. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture. 2020; 101 (1):1.
Chicago/Turabian StyleNoelia Castillejo; Lorena Martínez‐Zamora; Perla A. Gómez; Giuseppina Pennisi; Andrea Crepaldi; Juan A. Fernández; Francesco Orsini; Francisco Artés‐Hernández. 2020. "Postharvest LED lighting: effect of r ed, b lue and f ar r ed on quality of minimally processed broccoli sprouts." Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture 101, no. 1: 1.
Simplified soilless cultivation (SSC) systems have globally spread as growing solutions for low fertility soil regions, low availability of water irrigation, small areas and polluted environments. In the present study, four independent experiments were conducted for assessing the applicability of SSC in the northeast of Brazil (NE-Brazil) and the central dry zone of Myanmar (CDZ-Myanmar). In the first two experiments, the potentiality for lettuce crop production and water use efficiency (WUE) in an SSC system compared to traditional on-soil cultivation was addressed. Then, the definition of how main crop features (cultivar, nutrient solution concentration, system orientation and crop position) within the SSC system affect productivity was evidenced. The adoption of SSC improved yield (+35% and +72%, in NE-Brazil and CDZ-Myanmar) and WUE (7.7 and 2.7 times higher, in NE-Brazil and CDZ-Myanmar) as compared to traditional on-soil cultivation. In NE-Brazil, an eastern orientation of the system enabled achievement of higher yield for some selected lettuce cultivars. Furthermore, in both the considered contexts, a lower concentration of the nutrient solution (1.2 vs. 1.8 dS m−1) and an upper plant position within the SSC system enabled achievement of higher yield and WUE. The experiments validate the applicability of SSC technologies for lettuce cultivation in tropical areas.
Nicola Michelon; Giuseppina Pennisi; Nang Ohn Myint; Giacomo Dall’Olio; Lucrecia Pacheco Batista; Adeodato Ari Cavalcante Salviano; Nazim S. Gruda; Francesco Orsini; Giorgio Gianquinto. Strategies for Improved Yield and Water Use Efficiency of Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) through Simplified Soilless Cultivation under Semi-Arid Climate. Agronomy 2020, 10, 1379 .
AMA StyleNicola Michelon, Giuseppina Pennisi, Nang Ohn Myint, Giacomo Dall’Olio, Lucrecia Pacheco Batista, Adeodato Ari Cavalcante Salviano, Nazim S. Gruda, Francesco Orsini, Giorgio Gianquinto. Strategies for Improved Yield and Water Use Efficiency of Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) through Simplified Soilless Cultivation under Semi-Arid Climate. Agronomy. 2020; 10 (9):1379.
Chicago/Turabian StyleNicola Michelon; Giuseppina Pennisi; Nang Ohn Myint; Giacomo Dall’Olio; Lucrecia Pacheco Batista; Adeodato Ari Cavalcante Salviano; Nazim S. Gruda; Francesco Orsini; Giorgio Gianquinto. 2020. "Strategies for Improved Yield and Water Use Efficiency of Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) through Simplified Soilless Cultivation under Semi-Arid Climate." Agronomy 10, no. 9: 1379.
In recent years, research on light emitting diodes (LEDs) has highlighted their great potential as a lighting system for plant growth, development and metabolism control. The suitability of LED devices for plant cultivation has turned the technology into a main component in controlled or closed plant-growing environments, experiencing an extremely fast development of horticulture LED metrics. In this context, the present study aims to provide an insight into the current global horticulture LED industry and the present features and potentialities for LEDs’ applications. An updated review of this industry has been integrated through a database compilation of 301 manufacturers and 1473 LED lighting systems for plant growth. The research identifies Europe (40%) and North America (29%) as the main regions for production. Additionally, the current LED luminaires’ lifespans show 10 and 30% losses of light output after 45,000 and 60,000 working hours on average, respectively, while the vast majority of worldwide LED lighting systems present efficacy values ranging from 2 to 3 μmol J−1 (70%). Thus, an update on the status of the horticultural LED sector, LEDs’ applications and metrics, and the intense innovation are described and discussed.
Ivan Paucek; Elisa Appolloni; Giuseppina Pennisi; Stefania Quaini; Giorgio Gianquinto; Francesco Orsini. LED Lighting Systems for Horticulture: Business Growth and Global Distribution. Sustainability 2020, 12, 7516 .
AMA StyleIvan Paucek, Elisa Appolloni, Giuseppina Pennisi, Stefania Quaini, Giorgio Gianquinto, Francesco Orsini. LED Lighting Systems for Horticulture: Business Growth and Global Distribution. Sustainability. 2020; 12 (18):7516.
Chicago/Turabian StyleIvan Paucek; Elisa Appolloni; Giuseppina Pennisi; Stefania Quaini; Giorgio Gianquinto; Francesco Orsini. 2020. "LED Lighting Systems for Horticulture: Business Growth and Global Distribution." Sustainability 12, no. 18: 7516.
In Northern Europe, the use of light–emitting diodes (LEDs) is widely adopted in protected horticulture, enabling to enhance plant growth by ensuring needed radiative fluxes throughout seasons. Contrarily, the use of artificial lighting in Mediterranean greenhouse still finds limited applications. In this study, the effects of supplemental LED interlighting on vegetative development, fruit growth, yield, and fruit quality of high-wire tomato plants (Solanum lycopersicum L. cv. ‘Siranzo’) during spring and summer season were addressed in a hydroponic greenhouse in Italy. Plants were either grown under natural solar radiation (control), or by adding supplemental LED interlighting. LED treatment featured red (R) and blue (B) light (RB ratio of 3) and a photosynthetic photon flux density of 170 µmol m−2 s−1 for 16 h d−1. Supplemental LED interlighting enhanced yield as a result of increased fruit weight and dimension. While no effects on soluble solids content and fruit color at harvesting were observed, supplemental LED interlighting accelerated ripening by one week in spring and two weeks in summer and this also resulted in increased cumulated productivity (+16%) as compared to control treatment. Overall, supplemental LED interlighting can represent a feasible technology for tomato greenhouse production also in the Mediterranean region.
Ivan Paucek; Giuseppina Pennisi; Alessandro Pistillo; Elisa Appolloni; Andrea Crepaldi; Barbara Calegari; Francesco Spinelli; Antonio Cellini; Xavier Gabarrell; Francesco Orsini; Giorgio Gianquinto. Supplementary LED Interlighting Improves Yield and Precocity of Greenhouse Tomatoes in the Mediterranean. Agronomy 2020, 10, 1002 .
AMA StyleIvan Paucek, Giuseppina Pennisi, Alessandro Pistillo, Elisa Appolloni, Andrea Crepaldi, Barbara Calegari, Francesco Spinelli, Antonio Cellini, Xavier Gabarrell, Francesco Orsini, Giorgio Gianquinto. Supplementary LED Interlighting Improves Yield and Precocity of Greenhouse Tomatoes in the Mediterranean. Agronomy. 2020; 10 (7):1002.
Chicago/Turabian StyleIvan Paucek; Giuseppina Pennisi; Alessandro Pistillo; Elisa Appolloni; Andrea Crepaldi; Barbara Calegari; Francesco Spinelli; Antonio Cellini; Xavier Gabarrell; Francesco Orsini; Giorgio Gianquinto. 2020. "Supplementary LED Interlighting Improves Yield and Precocity of Greenhouse Tomatoes in the Mediterranean." Agronomy 10, no. 7: 1002.
Indoor plant cultivation systems are gaining increasing popularity because of their ability to meet the needs of producing food in unfavourable climatic contexts and in urban environments, allowing high yield, high quality, and great efficiency in the use of resources such as water and nutrients. While light is one of the most important environmental factors affecting plant development and morphology, electricity costs can limit the widespread adoption of indoor plant cultivation systems at a commercial scale. LED lighting technologies for plant cultivation are also rapidly evolving, and lamps for indoor cultivation are often designed to optimize their light emissions in the photosynthetically active spectrum (i.e. red and blue), in order to reduce energetic requirements for satisfactory yield. Under these light regimens, however, little information is available in literature about minimum photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD) for indoor production of leafy vegetables and herbs, while existing literature often adopts light intensities from 100 to 300 μmol m-2 s-1. This study aims at defining the optimal PPFD for indoor cultivation of basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) and lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.), by linking resource use efficiency to physiological responses and biomass production under different light intensities. Basil and lettuce plants were cultivated at 24 °C and 450 μmol mol-1 CO2 under red and blue light (with red:blue ratio of 3) and a photoperiod of 16 h d-1 of light in growth chambers using five PPFD (100, 150, 200, 250 and 300 μmol m-2 s-1, resulting in daily light integrals, DLI, of 5.8, 8.6, 11.5, 14.4 and 17.3 mol m-2 d-1, respectively). A progressive increase of biomass production for both lettuce and basil up to a PPFD of 250 μmol m-2 s-1 was observed, whereas no further yield increases were associated with higher PPFD (300 μmol m-2 s-1). Despite the highest stomatal conductance associated to a PPFD of 250 μmol m-2 s-1 in lettuce and to a PPFD ≥ 200 μmol m-2 s-1 in basil, water use efficiency was maximized under a PPFD ≥ 200 μmol m-2 s-1 in lettuce and PPFD ≥ 250 μmol m-2 s-1 in basil. Energy and light use efficiencies were increased under a PPFD of 200 and 250 μmol m-2 s-1 in lettuce and under a PPFD of 250 μmol m-2 s-1 in basil. Furthermore, in lettuce grown under 250 μmol m-2 s-1 antioxidant capacity, phenolics and flavonoids were higher as compared with plants supplied with PPFD ≤ 150 μmol m-2 s-1. Accordingly, a PPFD of 250 μmol m-2 s-1 seems suitable for optimizing yield and resource use efficiency in red and blue LED lighting for indoor cultivation of lettuce and basil under the prevailing conditions of the used indoor farming set-up.
Giuseppina Pennisi; Alessandro Pistillo; Francesco Orsini; Antonio Cellini; Francesco Spinelli; Silvana Nicola; Juan A. Fernández; Andrea Crepaldi; Giorgio Gianquinto; Leo F.M. Marcelis. Optimal light intensity for sustainable water and energy use in indoor cultivation of lettuce and basil under red and blue LEDs. Scientia Horticulturae 2020, 272, 109508 .
AMA StyleGiuseppina Pennisi, Alessandro Pistillo, Francesco Orsini, Antonio Cellini, Francesco Spinelli, Silvana Nicola, Juan A. Fernández, Andrea Crepaldi, Giorgio Gianquinto, Leo F.M. Marcelis. Optimal light intensity for sustainable water and energy use in indoor cultivation of lettuce and basil under red and blue LEDs. Scientia Horticulturae. 2020; 272 ():109508.
Chicago/Turabian StyleGiuseppina Pennisi; Alessandro Pistillo; Francesco Orsini; Antonio Cellini; Francesco Spinelli; Silvana Nicola; Juan A. Fernández; Andrea Crepaldi; Giorgio Gianquinto; Leo F.M. Marcelis. 2020. "Optimal light intensity for sustainable water and energy use in indoor cultivation of lettuce and basil under red and blue LEDs." Scientia Horticulturae 272, no. : 109508.
Water use efficiency is a main research target in agriculture, which consumes 70% of global freshwater. This study aimed at identifying sustainable water management strategies for the lettuce crop in a semi-arid climate. Three independent experiments were carried out on a commercial variety of lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) by applying different irrigation levels based on crop evapotranspiration (ETc), estimated through both the Hargreaves–Samani and Penman–Monteith equations. In the first experiment, one treatment was also guided by soil moisture sensors. In the second and third experiments, a factorial combination was used, combining the different irrigation levels with two soil mulching treatments, namely soil without mulch, and soil mulched with dried rice straw residues. The application of different irrigation levels significantly affected plant growth, yield, and physiology. Both the adoption of sensors for guiding irrigation and the application of mulching with straw promoted higher yield. As the irrigation water level was reduced, the WUE (water use efficiency) increased. WUE was also increased by covering the soil with mulch. The experiments point out that accurate management of irrigation water using a drip irrigation system associated with soil mulching increases yield and improves the WUE of lettuce crops in the Central Dry Zone, Myanmar.
Nicola Michelon; Giuseppina Pennisi; Nang Ohn Myint; Francesco Orsini; Giorgio Gianquinto. Strategies for Improved Water Use Efficiency (WUE) of Field-Grown Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) under a Semi-Arid Climate. Agronomy 2020, 10, 668 .
AMA StyleNicola Michelon, Giuseppina Pennisi, Nang Ohn Myint, Francesco Orsini, Giorgio Gianquinto. Strategies for Improved Water Use Efficiency (WUE) of Field-Grown Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) under a Semi-Arid Climate. Agronomy. 2020; 10 (5):668.
Chicago/Turabian StyleNicola Michelon; Giuseppina Pennisi; Nang Ohn Myint; Francesco Orsini; Giorgio Gianquinto. 2020. "Strategies for Improved Water Use Efficiency (WUE) of Field-Grown Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) under a Semi-Arid Climate." Agronomy 10, no. 5: 668.
Canopy reflectance sensors are a viable technology to optimize the fertilization management of crops. In this research, canopy reflectance was measured through a passive sensor to evaluate the effects of either crop features (N fertilization, soil mulching, appearance of red fruits, and cultivars) or sampling methods (sampling size, sensor position, and hour of sampling) on the reliability of vegetation indices (VIs). Sixteen VIs were derived, including seven simple wavelength reflectance ratios (NIR/R460, NIR/R510, NIR/R560, NIR/R610, NIR/R660, NIR/R710, NIR/R760), seven normalized indices (NDVI, G-NDVI, MCARISAVI, OSAVI, TSAVI, TCARI), and two combined indices (TCARI/OSAVI; MCARI/OSAVI). NIR/560 and G-NDVI (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index on Greenness) were the most reliable in discriminating among fertilization rates, with results unaffected by the appearance of maturing fruits, and the most stable in response to different cultivars. Black mulching film did not affect NIR/560 and G-NDVI behavior at the beginning of the growing season, when the crop is more responsive to N management. Due to a moderate variability of NIR/560 and G-NDVI, a small sample size (5–10 observations) is sufficient to obtain reliable measurements. Performing the measurements at 11:00 and 14:00 and maintaining a greater distance (1.8 m) between plants and instrument enhanced measurement consistency. Accordingly, NIR/560 and G-NDVI resulted in the most reliable VIs.
Giorgio Gianquinto; Francesco Orsini; Giuseppina Pennisi; Stefano Bona. Sources of Variation in Assessing Canopy Reflectance of Processing Tomato by Means of Multispectral Radiometry. Sensors 2019, 19, 4730 .
AMA StyleGiorgio Gianquinto, Francesco Orsini, Giuseppina Pennisi, Stefano Bona. Sources of Variation in Assessing Canopy Reflectance of Processing Tomato by Means of Multispectral Radiometry. Sensors. 2019; 19 (21):4730.
Chicago/Turabian StyleGiorgio Gianquinto; Francesco Orsini; Giuseppina Pennisi; Stefano Bona. 2019. "Sources of Variation in Assessing Canopy Reflectance of Processing Tomato by Means of Multispectral Radiometry." Sensors 19, no. 21: 4730.
LED lighting in indoor farming systems allows to modulate the spectrum to fit plant needs. Red (R) and blue (B) lights are often used, being highly active for photosynthesis. The effect of R and B spectral components on lettuce plant physiology and biochemistry and resource use efficiency were studied. Five red:blue (RB) ratios (0.5-1-2-3-4) supplied by LED and a fluorescent control (RB = 1) were tested in six experiments in controlled conditions (PPFD = 215 μmol m−2 s−1, daylength 16 h). LED lighting increased yield (1.6 folds) and energy use efficiency (2.8 folds) as compared with fluorescent lamps. Adoption of RB = 3 maximised yield (by 2 folds as compared with RB = 0.5), also increasing leaf chlorophyll and flavonoids concentrations and the uptake of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and magnesium. As the red portion of the spectrum increased, photosystem II quantum efficiency decreased but transpiration decreased more rapidly, resulting in increased water use efficiency up to RB = 3 (75 g FW L−1 H2O). The transpiration decrease was accompanied by lower stomatal conductance, which was associated to lower stomatal density, despite an increased stomatal size. Both energy and land surface use efficiency were highest at RB ≥ 3. We hereby suggest a RB ratio of 3 for sustainable indoor lettuce cultivation.
Giuseppina Pennisi; Francesco Orsini; Sonia Blasioli; Antonio Cellini; Andrea Crepaldi; Ilaria Braschi; Francesco Spinelli; Silvana Nicola; Juan A. Fernandez; Cecilia Stanghellini; Giorgio Gianquinto; Leo F. M. Marcelis. Resource use efficiency of indoor lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) cultivation as affected by red:blue ratio provided by LED lighting. Scientific Reports 2019, 9, 1 -11.
AMA StyleGiuseppina Pennisi, Francesco Orsini, Sonia Blasioli, Antonio Cellini, Andrea Crepaldi, Ilaria Braschi, Francesco Spinelli, Silvana Nicola, Juan A. Fernandez, Cecilia Stanghellini, Giorgio Gianquinto, Leo F. M. Marcelis. Resource use efficiency of indoor lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) cultivation as affected by red:blue ratio provided by LED lighting. Scientific Reports. 2019; 9 (1):1-11.
Chicago/Turabian StyleGiuseppina Pennisi; Francesco Orsini; Sonia Blasioli; Antonio Cellini; Andrea Crepaldi; Ilaria Braschi; Francesco Spinelli; Silvana Nicola; Juan A. Fernandez; Cecilia Stanghellini; Giorgio Gianquinto; Leo F. M. Marcelis. 2019. "Resource use efficiency of indoor lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) cultivation as affected by red:blue ratio provided by LED lighting." Scientific Reports 9, no. 1: 1-11.
Notwithstanding that indoor farming is claimed to reduce the environmental pressures of food systems, electricity needs are elevated and mainly associated with lighting. To date, however, no studies have quantified the environmental and economic profile of Light Emitting Diodes (LED) lighting in indoor farming systems. The goal of this study is to quantify the effect of varying the red (R) and blue (B) LED spectral components (RB ratios of 0.5, 1, 2, 3 and 4) on the eco-efficiency of indoor production of lettuce, chicory, rocket and sweet basil from a life cycle perspective. The functional unit of the assessment was 1 kg of harvested fresh plant edible product, and the International Reference Life Cycle Data System (ILCD) method was employed for impact assessment. Even though most of the materials of the LED lamp and electronic elements were imported from long distances (14,400 km), electricity consumption was the largest contributor to the environmental impacts (with the LED lamps being the main electricity consumers, approximately 70%), apart from the resources use indicator, where the materials of the lamps and the mineral nutrients were also relevant. RB0.5 was the most energy-efficient light treatment but had the lowest eco-efficiency scores due to the lower crop yields.
Giuseppina Pennisi; Esther Sanyé-Mengual; Francesco Orsini; Andrea Crepaldi; Silvana Nicola; Jesús Ochoa; Juan Fernandez; Giorgio Gianquinto. Modelling Environmental Burdens of Indoor-Grown Vegetables and Herbs as Affected by Red and Blue LED Lighting. Sustainability 2019, 11, 4063 .
AMA StyleGiuseppina Pennisi, Esther Sanyé-Mengual, Francesco Orsini, Andrea Crepaldi, Silvana Nicola, Jesús Ochoa, Juan Fernandez, Giorgio Gianquinto. Modelling Environmental Burdens of Indoor-Grown Vegetables and Herbs as Affected by Red and Blue LED Lighting. Sustainability. 2019; 11 (15):4063.
Chicago/Turabian StyleGiuseppina Pennisi; Esther Sanyé-Mengual; Francesco Orsini; Andrea Crepaldi; Silvana Nicola; Jesús Ochoa; Juan Fernandez; Giorgio Gianquinto. 2019. "Modelling Environmental Burdens of Indoor-Grown Vegetables and Herbs as Affected by Red and Blue LED Lighting." Sustainability 11, no. 15: 4063.
Indoor plant cultivation can result in significantly improved resource use efficiency (surface, water, and nutrients) as compared to traditional growing systems, but illumination costs are still high. LEDs (light emitting diodes) are gaining attention for indoor cultivation because of their ability to provide light of different spectra. In the light spectrum, red and blue regions are often considered the major plants’ energy sources for photosynthetic CO2 assimilation. This study aims at identifying the role played by red:blue (R:B) ratio on the resource use efficiency of indoor basil cultivation, linking the physiological response to light to changes in yield and nutritional properties. Basil plants were cultivated in growth chambers under five LED light regimens characterized by different R:B ratios ranging from 0.5 to 4 (respectively, RB0.5, RB1, RB2, RB3, and RB4), using fluorescent lamps as control (CK1). A photosynthetic photon flux density of 215 μmol m−2 s−1 was provided for 16 h per day. The greatest biomass production was associated with LED lighting as compared with fluorescent lamp. Despite a reduction in both stomatal conductance and PSII quantum efficiency, adoption of RB3 resulted in higher yield and chlorophyll content, leading to improved use efficiency for water and energy. Antioxidant activity followed a spectral-response function, with optimum associated with RB3. A low RB ratio (0.5) reduced the relative content of several volatiles, as compared to CK1 and RB ≥ 2. Moreover, mineral leaf concentration (g g−1 DW) and total content in plant (g plant−1) were influences by light quality, resulting in greater N, P, K, Ca, Mg, and Fe accumulation in plants cultivated with RB3. Contrarily, nutrient use efficiency was increased in RB ≤ 1. From this study it can be concluded that a RB ratio of 3 provides optimal growing conditions for indoor cultivation of basil, fostering improved performances in terms of growth, physiological and metabolic functions, and resources use efficiency.
Giuseppina Pennisi; Sonia Blasioli; Antonio Cellini; Lorenzo Maia; Andrea Crepaldi; Ilaria Braschi; Francesco Spinelli; Silvana Nicola; Juan A. Fernández; Cecilia Stanghellini; Leo F. M. Marcelis; Francesco Orsini; Giorgio Prosdocimi Gianquinto. Unraveling the Role of Red:Blue LED Lights on Resource Use Efficiency and Nutritional Properties of Indoor Grown Sweet Basil. Frontiers in Plant Science 2019, 10, 305 .
AMA StyleGiuseppina Pennisi, Sonia Blasioli, Antonio Cellini, Lorenzo Maia, Andrea Crepaldi, Ilaria Braschi, Francesco Spinelli, Silvana Nicola, Juan A. Fernández, Cecilia Stanghellini, Leo F. M. Marcelis, Francesco Orsini, Giorgio Prosdocimi Gianquinto. Unraveling the Role of Red:Blue LED Lights on Resource Use Efficiency and Nutritional Properties of Indoor Grown Sweet Basil. Frontiers in Plant Science. 2019; 10 ():305.
Chicago/Turabian StyleGiuseppina Pennisi; Sonia Blasioli; Antonio Cellini; Lorenzo Maia; Andrea Crepaldi; Ilaria Braschi; Francesco Spinelli; Silvana Nicola; Juan A. Fernández; Cecilia Stanghellini; Leo F. M. Marcelis; Francesco Orsini; Giorgio Prosdocimi Gianquinto. 2019. "Unraveling the Role of Red:Blue LED Lights on Resource Use Efficiency and Nutritional Properties of Indoor Grown Sweet Basil." Frontiers in Plant Science 10, no. : 305.
Urban agriculture has become a common form of urban land use in European cities linked to multiple environmental, social and economic benefits, as well as to diversified forms (from self-production allotments to high-tech companies). Social acceptance will determine the development of urban agriculture and specific knowledge on citizens’ perception is required in order to set the basis for policy-making and planning. The ecosystem services provided by urban agriculture can be determinant in this process. The goal of this paper is to evaluate the social acceptance and the perceived ecosystem services of urban agriculture in the city of Bologna (Italy), as an example of a Southern European city. In particular, we evaluated the preferences for urban land uses, for different typologies of urban agriculture and for the resulting products, the perceived provision of ecosystem services and the willingness to engage in new initiatives. A survey that investigated these topics (including open questions, closed questions and Likert-scale evaluation) was performed on the citizens of Bologna (n = 380) between October and November 2016. Results showed that urban agriculture is widely accepted by the inhabitants of Bologna, particularly regarding vegetable production. Although intensive farming systems were the least preferred forms to be implemented in Bologna, citizens highly accepted a large variety of urban agriculture goods, with preference for those obtained from plants as compared to animal products. The willingness-to-pay for urban food products was mostly the same as for conventional ones, although the participants recognised the social values, proximity and quality of the former. Socio-cultural ecosystem services were perceived as more valuable than environmental ones. Policy-making recommendations can be extracted from the results to facilitate the development of urban agriculture plans and policies.
Esther Sanyé-Mengual; Kathrin Specht; Thomas Krikser; Caterina Vanni; Giuseppina Pennisi; Francesco Orsini; Giorgio Prosdocimi Gianquinto. Social acceptance and perceived ecosystem services of urban agriculture in Southern Europe: The case of Bologna, Italy. PLoS ONE 2018, 13, e0200993 .
AMA StyleEsther Sanyé-Mengual, Kathrin Specht, Thomas Krikser, Caterina Vanni, Giuseppina Pennisi, Francesco Orsini, Giorgio Prosdocimi Gianquinto. Social acceptance and perceived ecosystem services of urban agriculture in Southern Europe: The case of Bologna, Italy. PLoS ONE. 2018; 13 (9):e0200993.
Chicago/Turabian StyleEsther Sanyé-Mengual; Kathrin Specht; Thomas Krikser; Caterina Vanni; Giuseppina Pennisi; Francesco Orsini; Giorgio Prosdocimi Gianquinto. 2018. "Social acceptance and perceived ecosystem services of urban agriculture in Southern Europe: The case of Bologna, Italy." PLoS ONE 13, no. 9: e0200993.
The response of watercress (Nasturtium officinale L.) to salinity has been scarcely addressed in literature despite its growing importance in the baby-leaf market and its wide cultivation in salt-affected agricultural regions. This work evaluates the effect of salinity (2.5, 5 and 10 dS m-1) on productive and quality features of watercress compared with another crop widely cultivated for the baby-leaf sector (lettuce, Lactuca sativa). In watercress, a linear relationship (R2=0.75) was observed between yield decrease and Cl– accumulation in leaves, whereas yield was not affected by salinity in lettuce. NaCl application increased Na+ accumulation at the expense of Ca2+ uptake in the leaf tissues of both crops, but also of K+ in watercress. Health-related features were improved by salinity (e.g. increased phenolics and reduced nitrates), especially in watercress, with limited sensorial quality evaluation effects.
Juan A. Fernández; Diana Niñirola; Jesús Ochoa; Francesco Orsini; Giuseppina Pennisi; Giorgio Prosdocimi Gianquinto; Catalina Egea-Gilabert. Root adaptation and ion selectivity affects the nutritional value of salt-stressed hydroponically grown baby-leaf Nasturtium officinale and Lactuca sativa. Agricultural and Food Science 2016, 25, 230 -239.
AMA StyleJuan A. Fernández, Diana Niñirola, Jesús Ochoa, Francesco Orsini, Giuseppina Pennisi, Giorgio Prosdocimi Gianquinto, Catalina Egea-Gilabert. Root adaptation and ion selectivity affects the nutritional value of salt-stressed hydroponically grown baby-leaf Nasturtium officinale and Lactuca sativa. Agricultural and Food Science. 2016; 25 (4):230-239.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJuan A. Fernández; Diana Niñirola; Jesús Ochoa; Francesco Orsini; Giuseppina Pennisi; Giorgio Prosdocimi Gianquinto; Catalina Egea-Gilabert. 2016. "Root adaptation and ion selectivity affects the nutritional value of salt-stressed hydroponically grown baby-leaf Nasturtium officinale and Lactuca sativa." Agricultural and Food Science 25, no. 4: 230-239.
In recent years, urban agriculture has been asserting its relevance as part of a vibrant and diverse food system due to its small scale, its focus on nutrition, its contribution to food security, its employment opportunities, and its role in community building and social mobility. Urban agriculture may also be a tool to re-appropriate a range of abandoned or unused irregular spaces within the city, including flowerbeds, roundabouts, terraces, balconies and rooftops. Consistently, all spaces that present a lack of identity may be converted to urban agriculture areas and, more specifically, to urban horticulture as a way to strengthen resilience and sustainability. The goal of this paper is to analyse current practices in the requalification of vacant areas as urban gardens with the aim of building communities and improving landscapes and life quality. To do so, the city of Bologna (Italy) was used as a case study. Four types of vacant areas were identified as places for implementing urban gardens: flowerbeds along streets and squares, balconies and rooftops, abandoned buildings and abandoned neighbourhoods. Six case studies representing this variety of vacant areas were identified and evaluated by collecting primary data (i.e., field work, participant observations and interviews) and performing a SWOT analysis. For most cases, urban horticulture improved the image and quality of the areas as well as bringing numerous social benefits in terms of life quality, food access and social interaction among participants. Strong differences in some aspects were found between top-down and bottom-up initiatives, being the later preferable for the engagement of citizens. Policy-making might focus on participatory and transparent planning, long-term actions, food safety and economic development.
Daniela Gasperi; Giuseppina Pennisi; Niccolò Rizzati; Francesca Magrefi; Giovanni Bazzocchi; Umberto Mezzacapo; Monique Centrone Stefani; Esther Sanyé-Mengual; Francesco Orsini; Giorgio Gianquinto. Towards Regenerated and Productive Vacant Areas through Urban Horticulture: Lessons from Bologna, Italy. Sustainability 2016, 8, 1347 .
AMA StyleDaniela Gasperi, Giuseppina Pennisi, Niccolò Rizzati, Francesca Magrefi, Giovanni Bazzocchi, Umberto Mezzacapo, Monique Centrone Stefani, Esther Sanyé-Mengual, Francesco Orsini, Giorgio Gianquinto. Towards Regenerated and Productive Vacant Areas through Urban Horticulture: Lessons from Bologna, Italy. Sustainability. 2016; 8 (12):1347.
Chicago/Turabian StyleDaniela Gasperi; Giuseppina Pennisi; Niccolò Rizzati; Francesca Magrefi; Giovanni Bazzocchi; Umberto Mezzacapo; Monique Centrone Stefani; Esther Sanyé-Mengual; Francesco Orsini; Giorgio Gianquinto. 2016. "Towards Regenerated and Productive Vacant Areas through Urban Horticulture: Lessons from Bologna, Italy." Sustainability 8, no. 12: 1347.
Urban horticulture is increasingly popular for social and economic benefits. However, edible urban crops may be contaminated by airborne pollutants, thus leading to serious health risks. Therefore, a better understanding of contamination risks of urban cultivation is needed in order to define safe practices. In particular, whereas it is commonly accepted that the contamination of urban-grown food comes from airborne pollutants, little is known on a possible contamination by soils. Here, we studied trace metal risk in horticultural crops grown in an experimental urban allotment garden in Bologna, Italy. Seven experiments were conducted between June and November 2015 on tomato, sweet basil, onion, lettuce, kale, bulb fennel and radish. Treatments included two growing systems, soil and soilless, and two fertilization managements, mineral and organic. Trace metal concentrations were measured in soils, substrates and edible plant tissues. We identified preferentially translocated metals by partitioning analysis of tomato, sweet basil and kale. Results showed that crops grown in a soilless system have a lower metal content of −70 % for Cr, −61 % for Cu, −45 % for Cd and −81 % for Ni, compared with those grown in soil. This finding demonstrates that the major contamination risk in an urban area is unexpectedly related to soil pollution.
Giuseppina Pennisi; Francesco Orsini; Daniela Gasperi; Silvia Mancarella; Rabab Sanoubar; Livia Vittori Antisari; Gilmo Vianello; Giorgio Prosdocimi Gianquinto. Soilless system on peat reduce trace metals in urban-grown food: unexpected evidence for a soil origin of plant contamination. Agronomy for Sustainable Development 2016, 36, 56 .
AMA StyleGiuseppina Pennisi, Francesco Orsini, Daniela Gasperi, Silvia Mancarella, Rabab Sanoubar, Livia Vittori Antisari, Gilmo Vianello, Giorgio Prosdocimi Gianquinto. Soilless system on peat reduce trace metals in urban-grown food: unexpected evidence for a soil origin of plant contamination. Agronomy for Sustainable Development. 2016; 36 (4):56.
Chicago/Turabian StyleGiuseppina Pennisi; Francesco Orsini; Daniela Gasperi; Silvia Mancarella; Rabab Sanoubar; Livia Vittori Antisari; Gilmo Vianello; Giorgio Prosdocimi Gianquinto. 2016. "Soilless system on peat reduce trace metals in urban-grown food: unexpected evidence for a soil origin of plant contamination." Agronomy for Sustainable Development 36, no. 4: 56.
The book contains the results and projects that participated in the UrbanFarm2021 International Student Challenge organized by the Alma Mater Studiorum University of Bologna
Francesco Orsini; Elisa Frasnetti; Michele D’Ostuni; Andrea Tamburrini; Giuseppina Pennisi. UrbanFarm2021: Interdisciplinary knowledge for urban regeneration and sustainable food systems. 2021, 1 .
AMA StyleFrancesco Orsini, Elisa Frasnetti, Michele D’Ostuni, Andrea Tamburrini, Giuseppina Pennisi. UrbanFarm2021: Interdisciplinary knowledge for urban regeneration and sustainable food systems. . 2021; ():1.
Chicago/Turabian StyleFrancesco Orsini; Elisa Frasnetti; Michele D’Ostuni; Andrea Tamburrini; Giuseppina Pennisi. 2021. "UrbanFarm2021: Interdisciplinary knowledge for urban regeneration and sustainable food systems." , no. : 1.