1,720,965 research outputs found
Confronto fra programmi di diserbo della barbabietola da zucchero a semina autunnale nel sud Italia
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Agronomical effects and response of growers in the application of the GesCoN DSS at the commercial farm scale
No full textThe results of the application of the GesCoN decision support system (DSS) during the 2018 growing season on six commercial farms for assisting growers in the management of fertigation of the processing tomato crop are reported. The farms were selected within the Capitanata area (Foggia province, Italy) and to have a representative coverage of all the area, which is a quite large flat territory where processing tomato cultivation covers about 20,000 ha. To evaluate the agronomical effects of the application of the DSS, two main plots were created on each farm with two managements of fertigation: i) management following to the daily indications provided by the DSS, and ii) management according to the empirical farmer procedures of each farm. The input of meteorological data into the DSS was carried out automatically and all the communications between the DSS and the growers were performed through daily smartphone notifications. The results indicate that the use of the DSS allowed an average reduction of 24% for the seasonal irrigation water volume and 7% for the N fertilizer application. Despite these savings in water and N, the total and marketable yield was not affected by the fertigation management methods. Besides, no significant effects were detected on some qualitative parameters of tomato fruits (dry matter, solid soluble and titratable acidity content). During the growing season, farmers managed the crop fertigation without experiencing difficulties using the DSS and in the end, they found the whole system very easy-to-use and useful in managing fertigation, while they suggested improving the information provided by the DSS by adding further inputs on the type and the quantity of N fertilizer to use. After its first calibration and validation on processing tomato and these preliminary large scale tests, the GesCoN DSS is currently functioning as a service on the platform www.ecofert.it for managing fertigation in processing tomato crop
Validation of the new modeling for soil water relations and N soil dynamics of the GesCoN DSS: A new release
No full textFrom its first release in 2015, the GesCoN DSS, for managing fertigation in open field-grown vegetable crops, has been tested under several processing tomato commercial field situations. Among the simulation approaches of the DSS, the modeling used for water relations and N dynamics in the soil was benchmarked during the 2016 and 2017 seasons against direct measurements of soil water content, crop growth and N uptake. To assess the accuracy of the DSS in soil moisture predictions, a series of capacitance multiple depths sensors were used to provide near-continuous measurements within the soil profile most interested by the plant roots, along with some gravimetric direct measurements of soil water content throughout the crop cycle. N plant uptake through the crop cycle was also used to assess the DSS accuracy in the prediction of the available N soil content. Following the comparison tests between measured and simulated data, a new approach has been developed for modeling water that also affects plant growth and N uptake. The paper describes this approach along with the 2018 season results of the in-soil/on-crop direct measurements as performed in 2016-2017 seasons, which confirm the good performance of the DSS in predicting both soil water content and N soil availability in processing tomato crop. A new release of the GesCoN DSS has been developed that is now functioning as a service on the platform www.ecofert.it
Nutritional characterization of two rare landraces of Turnip (Brassica rapa. var. rapa) tops and their on-farm conservation in Foggia Province
Full text linkThe study of nutritional properties in landrace products and the general context of its cultivation site are crucial to designing a sustainable on-farm strategy for landrace conservation. The present study describes the main nutritional aspects of two Brassica rapa subspecies rapa landraces collected in Puglia, Italy along with agroecological and socioeconomical traits where they are cultivated. The two B. rapa landraces ('Cima di rapa dalla testa' and 'Cima di rapa antica') are only found in sites at 700-800 m asl and in two landscape units (the Southern Daunian Mountains (SDM) and the Umbra Forest (UF), respectively) of the Foggia province. These rare landraces were selected by farmers to produce turnip greens/tops from ancient root turnip crops. They are named and consumed by local people in the same way as turnip tops of Brassica rapa subspecies sylvestris ('Cima di rapa'), which are widely cultivated in Puglia. Compared to the most common 'Cima di rapa', the two highlighted landraces have a better nutritional profile linked to an improved content in antioxidant compounds-i.e., vitamin C (458 mg kg-1 FW), total phenols (347 mg ac. gallic equivalent kg-1 FW)-in glucosinolate (741 μmol kg FW-1, in 'Cima di rapa antica') and in minerals, such as K. Both landraces are deemed as having a high risk of erosion. Few exemplars are cultivated in marginal lands and urban/peri-urban areas (SDM), or in isolated sites within the UF, which is a special protection zone within Gargano National Park. However, natural, cultural, and recreational tourism are the main economic activities in both landscape units
Foliar application of natural zeolites affects the growth and productivity of processing tomato
No full textThe foliar application of zeolites has been proven to positively affect plant physiology suggesting that it could improve plant growth, however, this topic has been little studied. Two field trials were carried out (in 2021 and 2022) to study the potential beneficial effect of natural zeolite particle films on processing tomato crops. Natural zeolites i) clinoptinolite + and mordenite (CubZeo) and ii) micronized clinoptinolite (BigZeo) were sprayed onto the plants six times in the central crop cycles. In both trials, BigZeo promoted leaf and fruit dry mass (DM) accumulation, and leaf area from the early crop stage compared to the water -sprayed plants (Control). The final aerial DM of BigZeo plants enhanced more in the year with favourable (+39.2%) (2022) than in that with more stressing thermal conditions (2021) (+12.1%). Concurrently, the marketable yield was improved by + 36% in both years with positive effects also on fruit total soluble solids. Under heat stress, the CubZeo crop showed even lower aerial DM than the Control, however, the marketable yield remained similar due to higher fruit DM and higher incidence of blossom -end -rot (BER) in untreated plants. In 2022, CubZeo promoted DM accumulation, leaf expansion and yield even if to a lesser extent than the BigZeo treatment. In the fruits the concentrations of K, Ca, and Mg rose in zeolite-treated plants. The improved Ca level in the fruits can explain the lower occurrence of BER in the zeolite-treated plants, particularly with CubZeo. Si was observed at the highest level in fruits and stems of BigZeo-treated plants, followed by CubZeo and Control ones. The accumulation of Si could explain the best crop responses elicited by BigZeo, whereas the observed responses did not appear to involve changes in the photosynthetic machinery. However, further and comprehensive investigations are needed to define the zeolite film particle characteristics and the related physiological and nutritional changes in the plants
Durum wheat grain quality under different water regimes and nitrogen fertilization levels
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