Search

Relay intercropping of subsidiary legumes with durum wheat (living mulch) can be a viable option to support ecological weed control and optimize nutrient cycling in cereal-based cropping systems. However, the lack of knowledge on suitable legume species is often identified as the main bottleneck for the successful application of legume living mulches. This study aimed to evaluate the suitability of 12 different legumes for relay intercropping with wheat in two contrasting Mediterranean cereal-based cropping systems respectively characterized by low-input and integrated management. Each legume was monitored from the undersowing in wheat until the following spring and we compared direct drilling to broadcast sowing of legumes. None of the undersown legumes showed a negative effect on the wheat grain yield. Relay intercropping of legumes proved to be an effective solution to control weeds before and after the wheat harvest, provided suitable legumes species are chosen. Suitable legumes reduced the weed biomass up to the 90% during the intercropping and up to 94% in the following spring. On the contrary, legumes such as Trifoliumresupinatum, Viciavillosa, Medicagotruncatula, and Medicagoscutellata boosted weed growth in the following spring in comparison with the control. According to the performance of legumes, Medicagosativa, Trifoliumrepens and Medicagolupulina had the most suitable characteristics for relay intercropping with durum wheat at the Ravenna site, in a highly productive region whereas Medicagosativa, Hedysarumcoronarium and Trifoliumsubterraneum performed better in the low-input system near Pisa, where yields are generally lower. This is the first time that such a diversity in legumes species is tested in the same experiment for relay intercropping under diversified environmental and management conditions. The results of this study can support farmers in selecting the most appropriated legume species for their specific cropping systems and local conditions.

Fungicides used to control Fusarium head blight (FHB) are commonly applied at the wheat growth stage considered to be most susceptible, i.e., anthesis. We compared the efficacy of the most commonly used fungicide groups that were applied following two strategies: (i) at pre-defined growth stages, from the first half of heading to the end of flowering (experiment 1, in 2013 to 2015), or (ii) based on timing of infection by F. graminearum, specifically at 10, 7, 4, or 1 day before, or 3 or 5 days after artificial inoculation of the fungus (experiment 2, in 2017 and 2018). Fungicide efficacy was evaluated in terms of FHB incidence, FHB severity, and DON contamination by using generalised mixed models. In experiment 1, all fungicide groups reduced FHB severity and DON but only by &lt, 50% compared to an untreated control, with no differences among fungicides or growth stages at time of application. In experiment 2, the efficacy of fungicides was higher for applications at 1 or 4 days before inoculation than at 7 or 10 days before or 3 or 5 days after inoculation, with differences among fungicide groups. Based on our results, the timing of fungicide application for FHB control should be based on the time of F. graminearum infection rather than on wheat phenology.

Le tecniche colturali sperimentate in Italia nell'ambito del progetto IWMPRAISE (diversificazione dei sistemi colturali attraverso bulatura, pacciamatura viva e permanente e controllo mirato delle infestanti su mais e frumento) hanno evidenziato la possibilità di realizzare sistemi colturali più sostenibili e resilienti senza mettere a rischio la redditività delle colture

Measuring at high frequency soil Auxes of carbon dioxide (CO 2 ), and nitrous oxide (N 2 O) in agricultural soils requires appropriate technology. With this aim, a prototype was developed and tested in agricultural soils for 5 months, within the framework of the LIFE project AGRESTIC. The prototype is composed by two automatic GHG stations for measuring CO 2 (LI-COR LI-850) and N 2 O (Teledyne GFC-7002TU) fluxes from soil and an IT infrastructure for data management. The two GHG stations were installed one in Ravenna, Italy, (Ca Bosco farm) and the other in Foggia, Italy, (Caione farm), where two different cropping systems were compared. Along the period going from January 1st to May 31st, 2020 the two GHG stations proved to be robust to field conditions (e.g. wind, rain, freeze etc.). The quality of the measurements was different in the two sites, with more than 90% of good measurements in Ravenna and more than 60% in Foggia.

This report contains the description of the current status of theMEDGOLD WP4 climate service tools (CLISAGRI, DELPHI, GRANODURO.NET) applied to seasonal forecast data. Since thelimitations related to covid19 forced the delay of the workshop with end-users, the feedback of these products is collectedinternally among WP4 partners.

This deliverable reports the outcome of the workshops held by the durum wheat sector partners with the scope of identifying the needs of information by the end users. &nbsp

BACKGROUND In 2008–2009, a survey in the Emilia Romagna region of Italy collected information on the farm use of plant protection products (PPPs) and evaluated whether the provisions of the Directive for the Sustainable Use of Pesticides are applicable. It was concluded that the provisions can be implemented, even if some gaps need to be filled and also the behaviour of farmers needs to be improved. Moreover, it was observed that all stages in the use of PPPs on farms could generate risks for the operator and/or the environment. One of the recommendations is to promote training for operators and to adopt good agronomic practices in order to improve sustainable use of PPPs. RESULTS The findings were used, in the following years, to develop a Guideline for Sustainable Use of PPPs to help the user in identifying the flaws in current practices at farm level as well as their corresponding corrective actions. The Guidelines are accompanied by free online software to be used as a diagnostic tool as well as to provide recommendations for improvements. CONCLUSION The approach adopted, taking into account the variability in farm structure, cropping pattern, risk attitude and economic availability, is not an instrument to identify the most suitable protection strategy for a given crop in a given period, but to help professional users to improve their practices in managing PPPs on farms and to make the most appropriate choices leading to reduced environmental and human risk, without compromising the profitability of agricultural production and food standards. This work has, as an underlying principle, a holistic approach to link the different elements of the three pillars of sustainability (environment, economy and society) and to enhance knowledge, which represents one of the main aspects of the Directive. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry

Barilla put forth a project to increase the use of cereal sustainable cropping systems. The first part of the project was focused on identifying potential improvements in the most diffused cropping systems for the cultivation of Durum wheat in Italy, while maintaining high levels of quality and food safety standards. Results show that the well-known low input agronomic practices are environmentally friendly and also often economically advantageous. Implementation of dicotyledons into a cereal-only rotation allows a reduction of environmental impacts (- 36% GHG), a reduction of DON risk and an increase in net income for farmers (up to 31%). In the second part Barilla gave to 13 farmers a decision support system (DSS) to help them in reducing production costs and environmental impacts. Results show that the only adoption of DSS contributes in reducing carbon footprint (-10%), and costs for pesticides and fertilizers (- 10%).

BACKGROUND: In 2008-2009, a survey in the Emilia Romagna region of Italy collected information on the farm use of plant protection products (PPPs) and evaluated whether the provisions of the Directive for the Sustainable Use of Pesticides are applicable. It was concluded that the provisions can be implemented, even if some gaps need to be filled and also the behaviour of farmers needs to be improved. Moreover, it was observed that all stages in the use of PPPs on farms could generate risks for the operator and/or the environment. One of the recommendations is to promote training for operators and to adopt good agronomic practices in order to improve sustainable use of PPPs. RESULTS: The findings were used, in the following years, to develop a Guideline for Sustainable Use of PPPs to help the user in identifying the flaws in current practices at farm level as well as their corresponding corrective actions. The Guidelines are accompanied by free online software to be used as a diagnostic tool as well as to provide recommendations for improvements. CONCLUSION: The approach adopted, taking into account the variability in farm structure, cropping pattern, risk attitude and economic availability, is not an instrument to identify the most suitable protection strategy for a given crop in a given period, but to help professional users to improve their practices in managing PPPs on farms and to make the most appropriate choices leading to reduced environmental and human risk, without compromising the profitability of agricultural production and food standards. This work has, as an underlying principle, a holistic approach to link the different elements of the three pillars of sustainability (environment, economy and society) and to enhance knowledge, which represents one of the main aspects of the Directive. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry.

The aim of this work was to investigate the dynamics of fungi and related mycotoxins during cereal storage in silo bags. A 2-year trial was organised (2009–2011); in each year, two silo bags, filled with maize and durum wheat respectively, were prepared. During storage, meteorological data were collected from a close station and temperature, CO 2 and O 2 were measured inside the silos. Grain was sampled from silo filling (September) every 40 days until June (7/8 samples per silo per year). Water activity of grain, colony forming units (CFU) and mycotoxin content (fumonisins, aflatoxins and ochratoxin in maize, deoxynivalenol and ochratoxin in wheat) were determined. Temperature inside the silo bags followed the trend of external temperature, with a more limited variation. A decrease of O 2 was observed from 16.4% to 2.0% in maize and from 15.7% to 15.1% in wheat; the decrease was balanced by CO 2 increase. Minor variations were registered in grain water activity and CFU and mycotoxin content did not change significant throughout the storage period; the results were consistent in the two years. On the basis of these results, silo bags prove to be suitable for safe cereal storage.

One important goal in agricultural crop production is to develop less intensive and integrated farming systems with lower inputs of fertilizers and pesticides, and with restricted use of the natural resources (water, soil, energy, etc.). The main objectives of these systems are to maintain crop production in both quantitative and qualitative terms, maintain or preferably improve farm income, and at the same time reduce negative environmental impacts as much as possible. Achieving all of these objectives is a prerequisite for sustainable agriculture (Geng et al., 1990; Jordan & Hutcheon, 1996). Integrated Production (IP) (Boller et al., 2004) and Integrated Farming (IF) (EISA, 2001) have been developed as holistic concepts that involve all crop and farming activities and that shape these activities according to the individual site and farm. The Thematic Strategy on the Sustainable Use of Pesticides adopted in 2006 by the European Commission aims to establish minimum rules for the use of pesticides in the Community so as to reduce risks to human health and the environment from the use of pesticides. A key component of this Strategy is implementation of Integrated Pest Management (IPM), which will become mandatory as of 2014. In the context of IPM, the EU will develop crop-specific standards, the implementation of which would be voluntary. According to ENDURE (2009), IPM creates synergies by integrating complementary methods drawing from a diverse array of approaches that include biocontrol agents, plant genetics, cultural and mechanical methods, biotechnologies, and information technologies, together with some pesticides that are still needed to control the most problematic pests and to manage critical situations. Concepts of IPM, IP, and IF are based on dynamic processes and require careful and detailed organisation and management of farm activities at both strategic and tactical levels. This means that time must be invested in management, business planning, data collection and detailed record keeping, and identification of required skills and provision for appropriate training to ensure safe farm operation. In IPM, IP, and IF, farm managers must also know where to obtain expert advice, and they must be willing to accept scientific and technical advances that benefit the environment, food quality, and economic performance, and that therefore can be integrated into the crop management as soon as they are reliable (EISA, 2001).

This report presents the ideas and concepts collected among project partners, agronomists and farmers in order to build up a climate service prototype for durum wheat. Each component of this new agro-climatic information and decision support system is described. Preliminary results are presented as well. This report presents, often in a graphical and intuitive manner, the sequence of stages needed to set up an operational climate service in the Mediterranean area applicable over a wide range of temporal scales and with the possibility of being implemented in other areas of the World that are (or will be) suitable for durum wheat cultivation. &nbsp

This deliverable reports the outcome of the workshops held by the durum wheat sector partners with the scope of identifying the needs of information by the end users.