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This work, developed under the EuroPruning Project, aims to look at relations between pruning biomass production and several factors related both to crop species and management. The aim is to find out mathematical relations that allow improvement of the biomass potential assessment. This is generally calculated using biomass production ratios. These ratios are variable due to the influence of several aspects. On the one hand there are crop characteristics—such as species, cultivar, and age—and on the other, crop management, which is often associated to local habits and conditions such as the training system, planting pattern, density, pruning methods, irrigation and climate. This work has been produced by gathering data from literature reviews and surveying. The subset of Italian records in the EuroPruning database consists of 70 records. Each record contains the biomass production ratio and eight agronomic variables. Additionally, a set of six climatic and agro-climatic groups of variables (in total 28 variables) have been added to each record. Moderate to good correlations have been found, especially with few climatic factors. As a result, two regression models are proposed for the evaluation of the vineyard and olive tree pruning biomass ratios for Italy, and applied to assess pruning biomass potential

Annual use, utilization, productivity and fuel consumption of three purpose-built and three excavator-based harvesters and processors were monitored for one work year. All machines were owned and operated by private contractors and were representative of the Italian machine fleet. Despite challenging mountain terrain, annual use ranged from 675 to 1525 h per year, and production from 3200 to 27,400 m3 per year. Productivity was lower for excavator-based units, and for machines working under a yarder, due to limited yarder capacity. Purpose-built machines offered higher utilization, productivity and fuel efficiency compared with excavator-based machines. Fuel consumption per m3 was 2.4 times greater for excavator-based units, compared with purpose-built machines. Excavator-based units offered financial and technical advantages, but their long-term market success will likely depend on future improvements in fuel efficiency, in the face of increasing fuel prices

Dedicated energy crops can play a key role in providing substantial amounts of lignocellulosic feedstocks equired for the second-generation biofuel production chain as well as heat and electricity production (JRC EC, 2011). Giant reed (Arundo donax L.) has already been recognized as a high yielding, stress tolerant crop suited to marginal lands and low-input cultivation, which could be encompassed in land-saving and environmentally sound bioenergy supply chains. For instance, giant reed has been proposed for bioethanol, biogas, and thermochemical conversion. Although considered for bioenergy throughout the world, this crop has received particular attention in the Mediterranean, where promising yields have been achieved in mid- and long-term field trials.

Eucalyptus spp. are among the most suitable species for biomass production, even for the firewood derived from medium-rotation coppice (MRC). The general problem of wood is that it cannot be utilized immediately because of the high moisture content, which in the combustion process would reduce remarkably the yield of energy. In this context, outdoor storage of whole stems without branches (WS), outdoor storage of whole stems with branches (WSB), open shed storage of firewood logs in mesh bags (OSF), and outdoor firewood logs in mesh bags (ODF) of Eucalyptus spp woody biomass were compared in term of moisture and dry matter loss to evaluate the most convenient form of storing biomass deriving from a medium-rotation coppice. During the storage period, ODF showed higher moisture values than OSF, WSB, and WS, underlining that moisture reduction is related to local climatic conditions, pile size and permeability (compaction). However, at the end of the storage period, the four options reached a similar moisture to the commercial one of fuel wood (around 15%). WSB showed the highest loss of dry matter (18%), which can be ascribed to the drying and falling process of the leaves. In conclusion, the qualitative and quantitative characteristics of the biomass were similar after the different storage systems, producing firewood suitable for new market opportunities

Eucalyptus spp. has received attention from the research and industrial field as a biomass crop because of its fast growth and high productivity. The features of this species match with the increasing demand for wood for energy production. Commonly, the wood used for energy production is converted in chips, a material susceptible to microbial degradation and energy losses if not properly stored before conversion. This study aims at investigating two outdoor storage systems of Eucalyptus wood chips (covered vs. uncovered), assessing the variation in moisture content, dry matter losses and fuel characteristics. The class size of the material was P16, which was obtained using a commercial chipper appositely searched to conduct the study. The results highlighted how the different storage methods were influenced by the climatic condition: the woody biomass covered showed the best performances in terms of dry matter losses achieving 2.7% losses vs. the 8.5% of the uncovered systems. However, fuel characteristics displayed minor changes that affected the final energy balance (∆En= −0.2% in covered; ∆En= −6.17% in uncovered). Particle size varied in both methods with respect to the start conditions, but the variation was not enough to determine a class change, which remained P16 even after storage.

The growing demand in food and non-food industries for camelina oil is driving the interest of farmers and contractors in investing in such feedstock. Nonetheless, the cost, performance and critical aspects related to the harvesting stage are still not properly investigated. In the present study, an ad-hoc test was performed in Spain in order to fulfill this gap. The results support the hypothesis to harvest camelina seeds with the same combine harvester used for cereal harvesting without further investment. Theoretical field capacity (TFC), effective field capacity (EFC), material capacity (MC), and field efficiency (FE) were 4.34 ha h−1 , 4.22 ha h−1 , 4.66 Mg h−1 FM, and 97.24%, respectively. The harvesting cost was estimated in 48.51 € ha−1 . Approximately, the seed loss of 0.057 ± 0.028 Mg ha−1 FM was due to the impact of the combine harvester header and dehiscence of pods, whilst 0.036 ± 0.006 Mg ha−1 FM of seeds were lost due to inefficiency of the threshing system of the combine harvester. Adjustment of the working speed of the combine and the rotation speed of the reel may help to reduce such loss

Cardoon seeds have been proved to thrive in the Mediterranean region, even under low input management and its biomass is suitable for several food and industrial uses. Despite that, a proper value chain has not been set properly and uncertainty still lays among producers and industries, particularly concerning the harvesting stage. The present study supports, via field trials, the hypothesis that cardoon seeds can be harvested using a conventional combine harvester equipped with the sunflower header. Theoretical field capacity (TFC), effective field capacity (EFC), and field efficiency (FE) were 2.36 ha h−1 , 2.05 ha h−1 , and 1.82 Mg h−1 , respectively, while harvesting costs were calculated as 69.52 € ha−1 . Seed loss was only 3.2% w/w of the potential seed yield. The machinery’s performance, costs, and seed loss are comparable with sunflower harvesting, underlying the possibility to use the available technology directly to harvest cardoon seeds.

A big amount of agricultural residues are generated from crop production and partially remain in the field after harvest. Removing the excess of residues after crop harvesting can increase farmer income, providing feedstock that could be used for industrial and energy purposes. The costs for collection and transport of straw and stalks are site- and region-specific and depend on the availability of agricultural residue and on how much of the residue is removed from any specific field or location. If the biomass is baled then it is required to upload the bales on a trailer, transport and unload all the baled biomass to the storage center. On the other hand, if a self-loading wagon is used the loose biomass collected, it must be unloaded every time the wagon is completely full. The distance and the harvesting system used influence the costs and should be analytically studied to avoid turning a possible profit into a disadvantageous business. The research represents a real case study to evaluate, which is the maximum distance to the biomass logistic center from which it is more economically convenient to gather the wheat and corn residues in bales instead of using a self-loading wagon. The results show a lower harvesting unitary cost for the self-loading forage wagon respect to the baling system. Although the study showed delivery distances over 11.4 km for wheat straw and 16.0 km for maize stalks, the use of the self-loading forage wagon is no longer convenient, and baling is the preferred harvesting system.

ABSTRACT: The growing demand for renewable substitute for oil-derived products is a valid opportunity for farmers who cultivate oilseed species. Castor bean oil is gaining interest during the last decades not only for cosmetics purposes but also as source of biofuel or raw material for the production of lubricants and oleo-chemical products. In order to produce castor oil, the mechanical harvesting is a problem that has to be addressed. Conventional combine harvesters fail to process the considerable amount of biomass produced by castor plant, while geneticists are involved in the selection of dwarf hybrids, further investigation on the castor chain supply is fundamental for developing a reliable mechanical harvesting system. The goal of the study is to assess the possibility to extend the use of conventional machinery, currently applied for cereal crops, to the harvest of castor beans in new selected cultivars.&nbsp

The growing population worldwide will create the demand for higher cereal production, in order to meet the food need of both humans and animals in the future. Consequently, the quantity of crop by-products produced by cereal cropping will increase accordingly, providing a good opportunity for fostering the development of the sustainable supply chain of renewable solid fuels and natural feedstock for animal farming. The conventional machineries used in wheat harvesting do not guarantee the possibility to collect the chaff as additional residue to the straw. The present study investigated the possibility to equip a conventional combine with a specific device, already available on the market, in order to collect the chaff either separately (onto a trailer), or together with the straw (baled). The total residual biomass increased by 0.84 t·ha−1and 0.80 t·ha−1respectively, without negatively affecting the performance of the combine when the chaff was discharged on the swath. Farmers can benefit economically from the extra biomass collected, although a proper sizing of the machine chain is fundamental to avoid by-product losses and lower revenue

The growing population worldwide will create the demand for higher cereal production, in order to meet the food need of both humans and animals in the future. Consequently, the quantity of crop by-products produced by cereal cropping will increase accordingly, providing a good opportunity for fostering the development of the sustainable supply chain of renewable solid fuels and natural feedstock for animal farming. The conventional machineries used in wheat harvesting do not guarantee the possibility to collect the chaff as additional residue to the straw. The present study investigated the possibility to equip a conventional combine with a specific device, already available on the market, in order to collect the chaff either separately (onto a trailer), or together with the straw (baled). The total residual biomass increased by 0.84 t·ha−1 and 0.80 t·ha−1 respectively, without negatively affecting the performance of the combine when the chaff was discharged on the swath. Farmers can benefit economically from the extra biomass collected, although a proper sizing of the machine chain is fundamental to avoid by-product losses and lower revenue

This work, carried out at Research Centre for Industrial Crops of CREA in Rovigo, aimed at assessing the performance of a modified combine header and seed losses during late harvest of 5 hemp varieties. The renewed interest in Italy for hemp cultivation is aimed at seed production unlike the traditional cultivation aimed at fibre. However, it must face the lack of monoecious varieties suitable for Italian environment

The sustainable production of renewable energy is a key topic on the European community’s agenda in the next decades. The use of residuals from agriculture could not be enough to meet the growing demand for energy, and the contribution of vegetable oil to biodiesel production may be important. Moreover, vegetable oil can surrogate petroleum products in many cases, as in cosmetics, biopolymers, or lubricants production. However, the cultivation of oil crops for the mere production of industrial oil would arise concerns on competition for land use between food and non-food crops. Additionally, the economic sustainability is not always guaranteed, since the mechanical harvesting, in some cases, is still far from acceptable. Therefore, it is difficult to plan the future strategy on bioproducts production from oil crops if the actual feasibility to harvest the seeds is still almost unknown. With the present review, the authors aim to provide a comprehensive overview on the state of the art of mechanical harvesting in seven herbaceous oil crops, namely: sunflower (Heliantus annuusL.), canola (Brassica napusL.), cardoon (Cynara cardunculusL.), camelina (Camelina sativa(L.) Crantz), safflower (Carthamus tinctoriusL.), crambe (Crambe abyssinicaR. E. Fr.), and castor bean (Ricinus communisL.). The review underlines that the mechanical harvesting of sunflower, canola and cardoon seeds is performed relying on specific devices that perform effectively with a minimum seed loss. Crambe and safflower seeds can be harvested through a combine harvester equipped with a header for cereals. On the other hand, camelina and castor crops still lack the reliable implementation on combine harvesters. Some attempts have been performed to harvest camelina and castor while using a cereal header and a maize header, respectively, but the actual effectiveness of both strategies is still unknown

Mechanized cutting may result in higher stump damage levels, especially if cutting is performed with shears. Nevertheless, stumps cut with mechanized technology do not show higher mortality rates than do stumps cut manually with a chainsaw. One-year growth is also unaffected, and so is nutrient balance within the stump. Context Coppice harvesting must be mechanized in order to modernize coppice management, so that it can grow along with the dynamic new bio-economy. However, foresters are concerned that mechanized cutting may result in higher stump damage levels, which may cause increased mortality and lower growth rates. Aims The goal of the study was to compare manual and mechanized cutting in terms of cut quality, stump damage levels, stump mortality, re-sprouting vigor, and shoot growth. Methods The study was conducted in a classic Mediterranean coppice stand located in central Italy. The oak-dominated coppice was cut using a chainsaw (control), a disk saw and a shear. The experiment adopted a split-plot design, based on 5 plots divided into 15 subplots (1 subplot per plot and technology). Overall, 344 stumps were selected, tagged, and monitored over the first growing season after cutting. Stump size, cutting height, and cutting damage were determined right after cutting. At the end of the first growing season, the following parameters were also recorded: no. of shoots; height, diameter, and type of the tallest five shoots. Samples were collected from randomly selected stumps during the main phenological phases in order to determine the content of C, N, starch, and soluble sugar, as well as the C/N ratio. Results Mortality ranged from 4 to 8%. Re-sprouting was generally vigorous, with dominant shoots often exceeding the height of 1.5m after 1year. Cutting technology had a significant effect on cutting height and cutting damage, but it had no effect on mortality, re-sprouting vigor, and nutrient balance within the stumps, at least in the first growing season. Re-sprouting vigor depended mainly on species. Conclusion While it may result in higher stump damage levels, mechanized cutting does not seem to have any effects on coppice regeneration and growth, at least in the first year. Previous studies indicate that effects recorded during the first growing season may be representative of longer-term trends. The experiment will be continued to obtain additional confirmation.

The sustainable production of renewable energy is a key topic on the European community’s agenda in the next decades. The use of residuals from agriculture could not be enough to meet the growing demand for energy, and the contribution of vegetable oil to biodiesel production may be important. Moreover, vegetable oil can surrogate petroleum products in many cases, as in cosmetics, biopolymers, or lubricants production. However, the cultivation of oil crops for the mere production of industrial oil would arise concerns on competition for land use between food and non-food crops. Additionally, the economic sustainability is not always guaranteed, since the mechanical harvesting, in some cases, is still far from acceptable. Therefore, it is difficult to plan the future strategy on bioproducts production from oil crops if the actual feasibility to harvest the seeds is still almost unknown. With the present review, the authors aim to provide a comprehensive overview on the state of the art of mechanical harvesting in seven herbaceous oil crops, namely: sunflower (Heliantus annuus L.), canola (Brassica napus L.), cardoon (Cynara cardunculus L.), camelina (Camelina sativa (L.) Crantz), safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.), crambe (Crambe abyssinica R. E. Fr.), and castor bean (Ricinus communis L.). The review underlines that the mechanical harvesting of sunflower, canola and cardoon seeds is performed relying on specific devices that perform effectively with a minimum seed loss. Crambe and safflower seeds can be harvested through a combine harvester equipped with a header for cereals. On the other hand, camelina and castor crops still lack the reliable implementation on combine harvesters. Some attempts have been performed to harvest camelina and castor while using a cereal header and a maize header, respectively, but the actual effectiveness of both strategies is still unknown.

Camelina sativa (L.) Crantz in an interesting oil crop for multipurpose uses and its cultivation is gaining growing attention in Mediterranean context. This species is indeed suitable for cultivation in marginal lands and feasible to crop rotation with cereals. Camelina seeds are currently harvested by a combine harvester equipped with cereal header. Considering the tiny dimension of the seeds, which can lead to substantial seed loss, proper assessment of mechanical harvesting is a key issue for the correct development of effective camelina seeds supply chain. The present study is one of the first which aimed to analyze mechanical harvesting of camelina seeds through combine harvester. Work performance, in details work productivity, harvesting costs and seed loss, of harvesting operation were carried out in two experimental field tests. The first one located in Northern Italy and characterized by organic farming, whilst the second experimental field was located in Spain, with conventional farming system. While working productivity and harvesting costs resulted to be comparable to the ones found in literature for other seeds collected by combine harvester, seed loss showed higher values. This is mainly related to two factors: the small dimension of seeds and the presence of weeds. Proper combine setting and assessment of the working speed seem currently being the most effective solutions to reduce seed loss.

Among the species currently cultivated for industrial vegetable oil production, castor could be a good candidate for future investments due to the good resistance to pests, tolerance to drought, and suitability for marginal lands cultivation. In addition, the production of castor oil from Ricinus generates a large quantity of press cake, husks, and crop residues that, in a framework of bioeconomy, could be used as by-products for different purposes. Using a case study approach, the work presents results of the environmental impact assessment and economic feasibility of the production of castor oil from two different castor hybrids comparing four by-products management scenarios and two harvesting systems (manual vs. mechanical). Castor hybrid C-856 harvested manually and that involved only the soil incorporation of press cake obtained by the oil extraction resulted as the most sustainable. The hybrid C-1030 resulted as more profitable than C-856 when harvested with the combine harvester. The ratio between gross margin and GWP emissions was applied to calculate the economic performance (gross margin) per unit of environmental burden. Findings showed that Sc1B scenario in case of C-856 cultivar hybrid had a better ratio between economic performance and greenhouse gas (GHG) emitted into the atmosphere (€3.75 per kg CO2eq).

Eucalyptus trees cover about 20 million hectares globally and are used to produce pulp, paper and firewood for domestic uses. From an environmental perspective, these trees have fewer impacts than other crops. In Italy, plantations of eucalyptus can provide a large amount of biomass to satisfy part of the country&rsquo, s internal demand. However, eucalyptus cultivation is less profitable than cultivation of traditional crops due to the low market prices of wood. This study aims both to analyze the willingness of a sample of Italian consumers to pay for eucalyptus firewood and to investigate the main factors that may affect this willingness. Data are collected from a sample of 231 consumers using a web-based survey. The double-bounded dichotomous choice contingent valuation model is then applied. The findings show that information, the energetic density of firewood, consumers&rsquo, interest in environment issues, and the age of respondents are aspects that are positively associated with respondents&rsquo, willingness to pay for eucalyptus firewood. Conversely, interest in both firewood species and packaging are factors that reduce consumer willingness to pay for eucalyptus firewood. Even though these results cannot be generalized to the whole Italian population, the findings may indicate new opportunities for eucalyptus, while growing demand for eucalyptus could offer an interesting opportunity for firms to enter the sector and develop marketing strategies targeted towards specific market niches.