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Biowaste compost exploitation is a way of recovering agricultural soil fertility that in these last decades decreased up to a desertification limit. In order to test compost efficacy on crop yield and soil fertility, in the period 2011-2013 at COTIR experimental farm, a trial comparing different amounts of compost on two crop rotations was carried out. Crop rotations tested were durum wheat-sunflower-durum wheat and tomato-durum wheat-pepper. Results showed that the use of 40 t ha–1 of compost increased wheat grain yield and protein content if compared to control and mineral fertilised treatment. Compost application at 40 t ha–1 increased also yield of pepper in the first two harvest times, while during the third harvest, which included green and red berries, (the) yield was statistically different only if compared to control treatment. Moreover, compost improved soil fertility both in terms of organic matter and main nutritional elements, while a negative aspect of its use was the increase of soil electric conductivity, although no negative effect on crops yield were observed.

No-tillage (NT) is becoming increasingly attractive to farmers because it clearly reduces production costs relative to conventional tillage (CT). However, many producers in southern Italy are reluctant to adopt this practice because NT can have contrasting consequences on grain yield depending on weather conditions. The effect of NT and CT on continuous durum wheat ( Triticum durum Desf.) under rainfed Mediterranean conditions was studied, over a 3-year period (2000–2002) at two locations (Foggia and Vasto) in southern Italy. Yield, grain quality [thousand kernel weight (TKW), test weight (TW) and protein content (PC)] and soil water content were assessed. Higher yield was obtained with NT than CT in the first 2 years at Foggia. In contrast, mean yield and quality parameters at Vasto were similar for the two treatments, except in the third year in which CT produced more than NT (4.6 Mg ha −1 versus 2.9 Mg ha −1 ). At Foggia, TW and TKW were higher in NT than CT in all years. Highest PC was obtained under CT (19.6% and 15.5% for CT versus 14.7% and 11.4% for NT, respectively, in the growing season 2000–2001 and 2001–2002) indicating that grain was shriveled with low starch accumulation. At Foggia, where this study was part of a long-term experiment started in 1995, a strong correlation was observed between yield and rainfall during the wheat growing season. The coefficient of determination ( R 2 ) values for CT and NT were 0.69 * and 0.31 ns, respectively, and the regression straight line crossed around 300 mm of rainfall. These results indicate that NT was superior below this rainfall value, whereas more rainfall enhanced yield in CT. We conclude that NT performed better at Foggia with limited rainfall during the durum wheat growing season. The superior effect of NT in comparison to CT, was due to lower water evaporation from soil combined with enhanced soil water availability.

In the last years, thank to remarkable technical-scientific progresses, agricultural production has reached very high values with regard to quantitative and qualitative aspects. To reach these objectives, the collectivity must pay high prices, as reduction of fertility soils, greater risk of erosive process in the hill areas, pollution of surface and deep water and of air, because the use of agrotechnical means (fertilizers, pesticides, mechanical means) isn’t often appropriate. In two farms located in Scerni and Monteodorisio, we have carried out an experimental trial on a vineyard and on a olive grove, with the objective of using the quality compost obtained from the mixture of organic fraction of urban solid waste and the lignocellulosic residues, in order to recover organic refuses and to verify the possibility of improving the soil fertility. After two years of trials, we have found higher contents of organic matter and nutritive elements in the soil. The use of compost has not modified the quantity and the quality of products.