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This study investigates the influence of Olsen phosphorus (Ps) within-field variability on common wheat production in Ps-deficient soil. It covers a comprehensive investigation conducted over two growing seasons in Tuscany, Italy, aiming to evaluate the impact of within-field Ps variation on common wheat production and crop responses to different agronomic treatments. Field experiments were undertaken, employing 24 treatments, including 4 wheat varieties, 2 seeding densities, and 3 nitrogen fertilization levels. Soil samples were collected to determine within field variability of main soil properties. At harvesting, aboveground biomass was collected to determine grain yield, straw, and total protein content. Firstly, an ANOVA was performed to account for the effect of the agronomical treatments on crop parameters, namely the Agronomical Input Model (AIM). Then, soil total nitrogen (Ns) and Ps, were added as covariates in a new model, namely the Agronomical and Soil Input Model (ASIM). Results showed a significant spatial variability of Ps within the fields, ranging between 13.7 and 17.4 mg kg-1. Despite this minimal variation in Ps, we observed a linear increase in GY of about 1430 kg ha-1 for each increase of 1 mg kg-1 in Ps. Further studies should be conducted to account for non-linear responses at both lower and higher Ps levels. The ASIM model outperformed AIM, indicating a notable increase in predictive accuracy for both grain yield and protein concentration due to its incorporation of soil parameters. The variance explained by ASIM in predicting the grain yield and protein concentration in grain increased by about 11.0 % and 17.3 %, respectively, with respect to AIM. The study emphasizes the necessity of managing within-field Ps variability through targeted fertilization strategies to enhance wheat production in Ps-deficient soils. By addressing soil nutrient variability, this research aims to contribute to more precise and efficient common wheat production systems.

Turfgrass systems hold significant climate change mitigation value, but their management often negates the beneficial effects due to the intense adoption of external inputs. The research objective in this paper was to assess the nitrogen fertilization rate able to maintain the ideal esthetic characteristics of Zoysia turfgrass, reducing the environmental impacts associated with greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. A two-year open field experiment was conducted. Nitrogen was added to the soil at six rates (0, 50, 100, 150, 200, and 250 kg ha−1). The GHG emissions were monitored using a portable gas analyzer and the static chamber methodology. Cumulative environmental impacts were calculated from the inclusion of CO2, CH4, and, N2O using the Global Warming Potential (GWP). The quality assessment of the turf was assessed through a visual and instrumental approach. Higher CO2 and N2O fluxes were linked to high nitrogen rates, ranging from 83.55 to 87.50 and from 0.046 to 0.047 g N-N2O ha−1 day−1 for 200 and 250 kg N ha−1, respectively. CH4 emissions were not correlated to nitrogen rates. Higher GWP impacts were linked to high N rate treatments. A rate of 100 kg N ha−1 is recommended as the best strategy to reduce GHG emissions while maintaining high turf quality.

The contribution of animal waste storage on GHG emissions and climate change is a serious issue for agriculture. The carbon emissions that are generated from barns represent a relevant source of emissions that negatively affect the environmental performance measures of livestock production. In this experiment, CO2 and CH4 emissions from different animal wastes, namely, digestate, slurry, and manure, were evaluated both in their original form and with a biochar addition. The emissions were monitored using the static camber methodology and a portable gas analyzer for a 21-day period. The addition of biochar (at a ratio of 2:1 between the substrates and biochar) significantly reduced the emissions of both gases compared to the untreated substrates. Slurry exhibited higher emissions due to its elevated gas emission tendency. The biochar addition reduced CO2 and CH4 emissions by 26% and 21%, respectively, from the slurry. The main effect of the biochar addition was on the digestate, where the emissions decreased by 45% for CO2 and 78% for CH4. Despite a lower tendency to emit carbon-based gases of manure, biochar addition still caused relevant decreases in CO2 (40%) and CH4 (81%) emissions. Biochar reduced the environmental impacts of all treatments, with a GWP reduction of 55% for the digestate, 22% for the slurry, and 44% for the manure.

Abstract Background Allergic rhinitis (AR) is a major non‐communicable disease that affects the health‐related quality of life (HRQoL) of patients. However, data on HRQoL and symptom control in AR patients with comorbid asthma (AR + asthma) are lacking. Methods In this multicentre, cross‐sectional study, patients with AR were screened and administered questionnaires of demographic characteristics and health conditions (symptoms/diagnosis of AR and asthma, disease severity level, and allergic conditions). HRQoL was assessed using a modified version of the RHINASTHMA questionnaire (30, ‘not at all bothered’ ‐ 150 ‘very much bothered’) and symptom control was evaluated by a modified version of the Control of Allergic Rhinitis/Asthma Test (CARAT) (0, ‘no control’ ‐ 30, ‘very high control’). Results Out of 643 patients with AR, 500 (78%) had asthma as a comorbidity, and 54% had moderate‐severe intermittent AR, followed by moderate‐severe persistent AR (34%). Compared to the patients with AR alone, patients with AR + asthma had significantly higher RHINASTHMA (e.g., median RHINASTHMA‐total score 48.5 vs. 84, respectively) and a significantly lower CARAT score (median CARAT‐total score 23 vs. 16.5, respectively). Upon stratifying asthma based on severity, AR patients with severe persistent asthma had worse HRQoL and control than those with mild persistent asthma. The association was significantly higher among non‐obese participants compared to obese ones, with RHINASTHMA‐upper symptoms score but not with CARAT. Conclusions Our observation of poorer HRQoL and symptoms control in AR patients with comorbid asthma supports the importance of a comprehensive approach for the management of AR in case of a comorbid allergic condition.

The lower common wheat productivity and quality are major constraints in Afghanistan. The objectives of this study were to (1) quantify the effect of soil and climatic parameters on the yield and quality of common wheat and (2) investigate the response of different wheat varieties to different N and P fertilization rates, to improve the yield and quality of common wheat. Three wheat varieties (DLN7, ZRDN, and KBL13), three phosphorus levels (PL) at 60, 90, and 120 kg P2O5 ha−1, and three nitrogen ratios (NP) at 1:1, 1.25:1, and 1.5:1, respectively, in four locations (L), were evaluated. The higher average grain yield (GY), straw yield (SY), and starch yield (STY) were obtained with DLN7, followed by KBL13 and ZRDN, for all locations. As PL increased, GY, SY, protein yield (PY), and STY significantly increased in all locations. The PL significantly affected protein content (PC), gluten content (GC), and dough strength (W). The NP significantly improved PC, GC, and PY. Starch (ST), STY, and amylopectin (AP) increased significantly with increasing PL. The amylose to AP ratio increased significantly with increasing NP ratios. The findings show that at NP1/PL120, GY, SY, ST, and AP improved significantly, while at NP1.5:1/PL120, PC and GC improved significantly.

The response of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) to the application of different rates of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) on different agro-climatic zones (ACZs) has not been well studied in Afghanistan. The objectives of this study were to (1) determine the impact of soil and climate on the responses of wheat to N and P fertilization, (2) quantify the specific N and P response of winter wheat for different ACZs, and (3) determine the economical application rates of N and P for farmers for each considered ACZs. This paper evaluates the effects of nitrogen levels (NL) at 35.28, 65, 95, and 120 kg N ha−1 and phosphorus levels (PL) at 0, 50, 70, and 90 kg P2O5 ha−1, respectively, in four locations (L) for two growing seasons (GS), on both yield and quality characteristics of winter wheat. Soil pH was the main environmental parameter affecting straw yield (SY), grain yield (GY), protein content (PC), and protein yield (PY). Winter wheat SY, GY, PC, and PY increased significantly (p < 0.05) with PL rates up to 50 kg P2O5 ha−1 and with NL rates up to 120 kg N ha−1. NL was the most important parameter in determining PC, thus showing potential for further improvement in N management. The highest marginal rate of return was used as an index for the farmers to accept site-specific N and P fertilizer recommendations.

Precision fertilization is a promising mitigation strategy to reduce environmental impacts of N-fertilization, but the effective benefits of variable-rate fertilization have not yet been fully demonstrated. We evaluated the short-term response (23 days) of GHGs emissions following variable-rate fertilization on barley. Yields, biomass (grains + straw) and different N-use indicators (N uptake, grain protein concentration, recovery efficiency, physiological efficiency, partial factor productivity of applied nutrient, agronomic efficiency and N surplus) were compared. Four N fertilization treatments were performed: (i) conventional– 150 kg ha−1; (ii) variable with granular fertilizer; (iii) variable with foliar liquid supplement; (iv) no fertilization. According to proximal sensing analysis (Greenseeker Handheld) and crop needs, both variable-rate treatments accounted for 35 kg N ha−1. Cumulative GHGs emissions were not significantly different, leading to the conclusion that the sensor-based N application might not be a GHGs mitigation strategy in current experimental conditions. Results showed that both site-specific fertilizations ensured the maintenance of high yields with a significant N rate reduction (approximately by 75%) and a N use improvement. Variable-rate N fertilization, due to similar yields (~6 tons ha−1) than conventional fertilization and higher protein content in foliar treatment (14%), confirms its effectiveness to manage N during the later phases of growing season.

The potato is the fourth major food crop in the world. Its cultivation can encounter problems, resulting in poor growth and reduced yield. Plant microbiota has shown an ability to increase growth and resistance. However, in the development of effective microbiota manipulation strategies, it is essential to know the effect of environmental variables on microbiota composition and function. Here, we aimed to identify the differential impact of the site of cultivation and plant growth stage on potato rhizosphere microbiota. We performed a 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing analysis of rhizospheric soil collected from potato plants grown at four sites in central Italy during two phenological stages. Rhizomicrobiota was mainly composed of members of phyla Acidobacteriota, Actinobacteriota, Chloroflexi, and Proteobacteria and was affected by both the site of cultivation and the plant stages. However, cultivation sites overcome the effect of plant phenological stages. The PiCRUST analysis suggested a high abundance of functions related to the biosynthesis of the siderophore enterobactin. The presence of site-specific taxa and functional profiling of the microbiota could be further exploited in long-term studies to evaluate the possibility of developing biomarkers for traceability of the products and to exploit plant growth-promoting abilities in the native potato microbiota.

Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) needs to increase its food production to alleviate food insecurity exacerbated by climate variability and from increasing food demand. Balancing macronutrient inputs becomes essential for sustaining yields, increasing farmer's income and minimizing environmental costs deriving from fertilizer misuse. The present study calculates the nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) mass balances by estimating macronutrient inputs and outputs of a quinoa field cultivated under full and deficit irrigation conditions (100 and 50 % crop evapotranspiration- ETc), in either the presence or absence of N fertilizer (100 and 0 kg ha-1 of N). The emerging findings show that to produce one ton of quinoa biomass (including seeds, stems and leaves) 12.7, 1.6 and 35.5 kg ha-1 of N, P and K, respectively, need to be added into the soil. While N and K are required at medium to fairly high amounts, P is needed in lower amounts. Hence, fertilizers in the form of potassium nitrate (KNO3) are more suitable than those with higher phosphorus concentrations, phosphate (PO43-). Overall, evidences from field experimentations are necessary for integrating farming input recommendations on crop agronomic guidelines, driven by national agricultural research institutions, and for promoting sustainable agriculture in SSA.

MicroGeo had the opportunity to experiment with the ZEB Horizon instrument to acquire a piezometric well in 3D. The scenario is not the easiest to detect. This type of wells, in fact, extends in depth for several tens of meters and with traditional scanning systems it is practically impossible to obtain a complete 3D acquisition of the subject. With the ZEB Horizon Mobile Mapping System it was possible to acquire the well. The subject presents itself as a 30 m deep piezometric well with a diameter of 3.6 m, with a high difficulty of acquisition: the extremely regular surfaces of the well have made the survey activity with the SLAM technique very complex, the algorithm that generates the 3D point cloud model must be extremely powerful in order to be able to generate a correct data even in a condition of extreme surface homogeneity.

Where the ancient parish church of S. Giovanni in Campagna now stands, there was previously a pagan sanctuary. The Templar complex is located in the Municipality of Bovolone, in the province of Verona, and annexed to the Church there is an external octagonal baptistery which indicates the possible Lombard link of the San Giovanni complex. Of the primitive complex today only the left apsidiole remain. some parts of the perimeter walls of the apse and some areas of the baptistery. The building seems to have been destroyed during an earthquake in 1117, which caused serious damage throughout the Verona area. Following this event, the church was entirely rebuilt, using partly material recovered from the previous structure, and partly new material for the abbey complex. In the first quarter of 1500, the San Giovanni complex was affected by substantial maintenance and renovation works. The roof of the church was rebuilt, the main arch of the nave was built, the bell tower was rebuilt and a new entrance was opened for the baptistery, which was in turn covered and richly decorated inside with sixteenth-century frescoes reproducing the life and martyrdom of St. John. At the end of the 18th century, the Baptistery was enlarged by converting it into an Oratory, but it was also decided to downgrade the church, reducing it to a simple agricultural building. A new building was then added to the oratory, intended for the functions of presbytery, choir and small sacristy; while the church was renovated and transformed partly into a barn and partly into a living space. The conclusion of the last phase of restoration of the Pieve di San Giovanni dates back to June 2002, following a campaign promoted by the Archaeological Superintendence of Veneto which reconfirmed its archaeological importance. The archaeological excavations carried out led to the discovery of the ancient immersion baptismal font under the eighteenth-century flooring. A discovery of considerable value, unique in all of northern Italy and probably also in Italy of a testimony in an extra-urban environment.

The resilience of quinoa to drought stress conditions makes the crop suitable for the Sahel region. It can support grain production during the dry season and be considered an alternative crop for alleviating food insecurity within the region. Given the importance of this crop outside the indigenous cultivation area, there is a requisite for the development of crop models to facilitate further expansion of quinoa along the Sahel region. Crop water models are of interest due to increasing pressure on water resources, and the portrayal of irrigation scheduling as the best option for water optimisation. The AquaCrop model was selected, as this model simulates crop development and derives both optimal frequencies and net applications of irrigation. Due to limited water resources in the region, different irrigation regimes (full irrigation (FI), progressive drought (PD), deficit irrigation (DI) and extreme deficit irrigation (EDI)) were proposed for analysing yield and biomass responses to water stress conditions. Results suggest that yields were stabilised at around 1.0 Mg ha-1 under PD, thereby prioritising maximum water productivity rather than maximum yields. Water optimisation was attained by watering less at a suggested 310 mm, but with more frequent irrigation events, 28 rather than 20.

Agricultural land set up systems comprise those agronomic structures able to preserve the soil fertility from water erosion, such as: ditching, contouring, earth-riser and stonewall terracing, draining, and channelization, etc.. However, in the past 60 years, agricultural mechanization has led to an expansion of the field size and reduction in land set up system intensity to make machine operation more feasible and cheaper. As a consequence, these transformations have made sloping fields less resilient to the storms and accelerated the soil erosion processes. Based on an 8- year field study in ‘Chianti Classico’ area (Tuscany, Central Italy), this research aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of the land set up systems such as diversion ditch, earth-riser and stonewall terracing on reducing water erosion from field crops, olive orchards, and vineyards. The results showed that diversion ditches were effective on herbaceous crop fields with slope steepness lower than 9%. While, for higher slopes, diversion ditches were not sufficient to contain the soil loss within OECD 2008 tolerable limits in none of the considered land uses. On the opposite, in steep slopes, earth-riser terraces and stonewall terraces have shown their value as land set up system capable of reducing the erosive process. Their greatest drawback is the reduction of the cultivable surface deriving from the presence of the riser and the walls. However, their added value as a precious element characterizing the local landscape was of considerable importance for the local economy linked to tourism. Highlights - Diversion ditches reduce soil erosion on herbaceous crop fields with slope lower than 9%. - Diversion ditches did not contain the soil loss within acceptable limits on steep slopes. - Earth-riser terraces and stonewall terraces reduced soil losses within acceptable limits. - Terraces reduced soil loss by 4.7-12.3 times with respect to diversion ditches. - The analysis was performed on measured average annual soil loss data from 695 fields.

The high nutritional properties of quinoa have resulted in a production increase worldwide. The resistance to environmental stresses renders this crop suitable for sustainable farming systems. Few studies have examined the impact of different agricultural management strategies and its contribution to climate change. In this work, we quantify soil greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, in terms of carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O), and crop productivity (yields and biomass) under conventional (urea) and organic (digestate) fertilization. Significant differences (p < 0.05) in N2O cumulative emissions are reported between digestate (50–100 kg N ha−1), urea (50–100 kg N ha−1) and the control (0 kg N ha−1). Higher cumulative GHG emissions are observed under 100 kg N ha−1 of digestate (337.8 kg C ha−1 CO2 and 0.23 kg N ha−1 for N2O) compared to treatments with lower nitrogen (N) inputs. However, yield and biomass production do not show significant differences (p > 0.05) with increasing nutrient application. Hence, this study opens the discussion about the pros and cons of increasing fertilization to improve yields besides providing agricultural extension workers with additional information to promote sustainable quinoa production worldwide.

The taxonomic assemblage and functions of the plant bacterial community are strongly influenced by soil and host plant genotype. Crop breeding, especially after the massive use of nitrogen fertilizers which led to varieties responding better to nitrogen fertilization, has implicitly modified the ability of the plant root to recruit an effective bacterial community. Among the priorities for harnessing the plant bacterial community, plant genotype-by-microbiome interactions are stirring attention. Here, we analyzed the effect of plant variety and fertilization on the rhizosphere bacterial community. In particular, we clarified the presence in the bacterial community of a varietal effect of N and P fertilization treatment. 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequence analysis of rhizospheric soil, collected from four wheat varieties grown under four N-P fertilization regimes, and quantification of functional bacterial genes involved in the nitrogen cycle (nifH; amoA; nirK and nosZ) were performed. Results showed that variety played the most important role and that treatments did not affect either bacterial community diversity or bacterial phyla abundance. Variety-specific response of rhizosphere bacterial community was detected, both in relation to taxa (Nitrospira) and metabolic functions. In particular, the changes related to amino acid and aerobic metabolism and abundance of genes involved in the nitrogen cycle (amoA and nosZ), suggested that plant variety may lead to functional changes in the cycling of the plant-assimilable nitrogen.

Numerous epidemiological studies have highlighted the positive effects on health of wholegrain bakery products made from ‘old’ common wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) varieties. However, ‘old’ common wheat varieties display poor rheological properties, and there is limited information on its free asparagine (ASN) content, the main precursor to acrylamide during the baking process. This paper evaluates the effects of two seeding density levels (SD: 200 and 350 seed m−2), three nitrogen levels (NL: 35, 80 and 135 kg N ha−1), and two sulfur levels (SL: 0 and 6.4 kg S ha−1) towards improving the grain yield (GY), rheological characteristics, and ASN content of 14 ‘old’ common wheat varieties. SL and SD treatments significantly increased GY without decreasing the protein content (PC), while NL significantly increased the PC without affecting GY. The dough strength (W) increased significantly with increasing SL and NL but was significantly reduced with increasing SD. ASN significantly increased by 111% as NL increased from 35 to 135 kg ha−1, while ASN significantly decreased by 85.1% with the SL treatment. The findings show that 135 kg N ha−1 combined with 6.4 kg S ha−1 can improve the technical performance of ‘old’ wheat wholegrain flours while maintaining the ASN as low as possible.

Lead (Pb) contamination risks to crops grown in urban and peri-urban soils is a great concern that should be better evaluated to define the Pb maximum levels in soils for safe cultivation and to identify suitable strategies to remediate Pb polluted urban soils. The objective of this work was to evaluate the potential risk for human health from the ingestion of the edible portions of barley, castor bean, common bean, Indian mustard, sorghum, spinach, and tomato grown in an unpolluted soil (initial Pb content 32.6 mg kg−1) spiked with 0, 300, 650, 1000 mg Pb kg−1, respectively. The potential possibility of using these plants to phyto-remediate the soil of Pb was also assessed. Pot trials were conducted for two years (2008 and 2009). Results highlighted that all the investigated species were able to attain growth to maturity in high Pb spiked soil, although Pb influenced dry matter accumulation. Even in soils with low Pb concentrations, Pb accumulated the edible parts. Noteworthy, even in untreated control soils, all tested species revealed a Pb concentration in the edible parts that was higher than the safe limit set by FAO/WHO. None of the investigated species were considered Pb hyperaccumulators, but all were shown to be potentially suitable for phyto-stabilization.

The Sahel region is considered a hotspot for climate change hazards and vulnerability of weather reliant sectors, including agriculture. Farmers in Burkina Faso have a long history of adapting their farming activities to frequent changes in climate. Using 150 in-person surveys, this study assesses farmers’ perceptions of climate change based on multiple climate variables, and reviews adaptation practices, including soil and water conservation strategies, in the Soudanian, Soudano-Sahelian, and Sahelian agroclimatic zones of Burkina Faso. In general, farmers are aware of changing climatic conditions, including increased temperatures, greater rainfall variability, heavier precipitation events, delayed onset, and premature offset of the rainy season. However, farmers perceive shifts in climate differently depending on their location and agroclimatic zone. As a result, different adaption strategies are implemented by farmers according to the climatic, societal, and economic context. Survey results show that in the Sahel, climate adaptation strategies rely on traditional knowledge and experimental approaches; whereas in the Soudanian zone, where weather conditions are more favorable for agriculture, adaptation practices are market oriented. These regional differences are important for targeting advisory services, planning processes, and decision-making to support the effective provision of weather and climate information services to the last mile.

Proximal optical sensors (POSs) are effective devices for monitoring the development of crops and the nitrogen (N) status of plants. POSs are both useful and necessary in facilitating the reduction of N losses into the environment and in attaining higher nitrogen use efficiency (NUE). To date, no comparison of these instruments has been made on quinoa. A field experiment conducted in Tuscany, Italy, with different POSs, has assessed the development of quinoa with respect to N status. Three sets of POSs were used (SPAD-502, GreenSeeker, and Canopeo App.) to monitor quinoa development and growth under different types of fertilizers (digestate and urea) and levels of N fertilization (100, 50, and 0 kg N ha−1). The present findings showed that in-season predictions of crop biomass at harvest by SPAD-502 and GreenSeeker optical sensors were successful in terms of the coefficient of determination (R2 = 0.68 and 0.82, respectively) and statistical significance (p < 0.05), while the Canopeo App. was suitable for monitoring the plant´s canopy expansion and senescence. The relative error (RE%) showed a remarkably high performance between observed and predicted values, 5.80% and 4.12% for GreenSeeker and SPAD-502, respectively. Overall, the POSs were effective devices for monitoring quinoa development during the growing season and for predicting dry biomass at harvest. However, abiotic stresses (e.g., heat-stress conditions at flowering) were shown to reduce POSs’ accuracy when estimating seed yields at harvest, and this problem will likely be overcome by advancing the sowing date.

Agricultural intensification and soil mismanagement have been recognized among the main causes of soil erosion in Mediterranean climate areas such as the Arbia stream basin (Tuscany, Italy). This study aims at predicting soil loss from agricultural fields as it is essential for providing reliable information for prioritizing soil conservation measures. Thus, measured soil loss from 243 agricultural fields within the Arbia stream basin during the period 2007–2010 were used to calibrate and validate the ArcSWAT 2012 model at hydrological response units (HRU) scale. Analysis of variance with post-hoc Tukey honest significant test was used to assess significant measured soil loss differences between slope steepness classes and land covers. Soil loss estimation was always “very good” for irrigated field crops, olive groves, and vineyards, “good” for unirrigated field crops, and “unsatisfactory” for broad-leaved forest. The model succeeded in the quantitative assessment of erosive processes at HRU scales. Its application to the whole Arbia stream basin estimated that 31% of the total surface is subjected to higher erosion levels. This approach might help facilitate the identification of priority areas that need the implementation of conservation measures.

Flour from old varieties are usually considered very weak flours, and thus difficult to use in breadmaking especially when processed as Italian “Tipo 2” flour. Hence, the aim of our study was to understand if agronomic treatments can be used to improve flour processability and the quality of three old wheat varieties. An experimental strip-plot scheme was used: three old wheat varieties (Andriolo, Sieve, Verna), two seeding densities, three levels of nitrogen fertilization (N35, N80, and N135), and two levels of foliar sulfur fertilization. Analyzed parameters related to kernel composition, dough rheology and bread quality. Sulfur and nitrogen treatments significantly affected protein composition and dough alveograph strength, which increased by about 34% with nitrogen fertilization, and by about 14% with the sulfur treatment. However, only nitrogen fertilization affected bread characteristics. Crumb density significantly decreased from N35 to N135, while springiness and cohesiveness increased. On the other hand, sulfur did not improve breads. This highlight the importance of performing breadmaking tests in addition to the rheological determinations. The poor technological performance of old wheat flours can be improved with agronomical treatments designed to obtain higher-quality bread.

Greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) into the atmosphere derived from the use of fertilisers is a serious issue for the sustainability of agricultural systems, also considering that the growing global demand for food requires an increasingly productive agriculture. Emissions dynamics are very variable and are determined by many factors and their reciprocal interactions. Among driving factors, soil type (mineral, organic and microbiological composition), fertilisation method, climate, and the cropping system. In the present experiment, the combined effect of soil organic matter (SOM) and fertilisation method on the emissions of GHGs and ammonia (NH3) was investigated. Liquid fraction of digestate from pig slurries, compost from organic fraction of municipal solid wastes, and urea were applied on bare soil with two levels of organic matter (OM1: 1.3% and OM2: 4.3%). Emissions were directly monitored by a static chamber system and a portable gas analyser. Results show that soil organic matter as well as the composition of the fertilisers affect greenhouse gasses emissions. Emissions of methane (CH4) produced by digestate and compost during experimental period were higher in correspondence of lower organic matter content (0.58 – 0.49 kg CH4 C/ha/ day and 0.37 – 0.32 kg CH4 C/ha/day for digestate and compost respectively), contrary to what was observed for urea. For all fertilisers, carbon dioxide (CO2) and nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions were higher in correspondence of higher organic matter level. In particular, CO2 emissions were 11.05%, 67.48% and 82.84% higher in OM2 than OM1 for digestate, urea and compost respectively. Likewise, N2O emissions were 87.45%, 68.97% and 92.11% higher in OM2 than OM1 for digestate, urea and compost respectively. The obtained results show that the content of organic matter in soils plays a key role on the emissions of GHGs, generally enhancing the levels of gas emissions.

Drought, heat stress, and unfavorable soil conditions are key abiotic factors affecting quinoa’s growth and development. The aim of this research was to examine the effect of progressive drought and N-fertilization reduction on short-cycle varieties of quinoa (c.v. Titicaca) for different sowing dates during the dry season (from October to December). A two-year experimentation (2017−2018 and 2018−2019) was carried out in Burkina Faso with four levels of irrigation (full irrigation—FI, progressive drought—PD, deficit irrigation—DI and extreme deficit irrigation—EDI) and four levels of N-fertilization (100, 50, 25, and 0 kg N ha−1). Plant phenology and development, just like crop outputs in the form of yield, biomass, and quality of the seeds were evaluated for different sowing dates having different temperature ranges and photoperiodicity. Crop water productivity (CWP) function was used for examining plant’s water use efficiency under drought stress conditions. Emerging findings have shown that CWP was highest under DI and PD (0.683 and 0.576 kg m−3, respectively), while highest yields were observed in 2017−2018 under PD and its interaction with 25 to 50 kg N ha−1 (1356 and 1110 kg ha−1, respectively). Mean temperatures close to 25 °C were suitable for optimal plant growth, while extreme temperatures at anthesis limited the production of grains. Small changes in photoperiodicity from different sowing dates were not critical for plant growth.

A research study was conducted in an open field tomato crop in order to: (i) Evaluate the capability of Sentinel-2 imagery to assess tomato canopy growth and its crop water requirements; and (ii) explore the possibility to predict crop water requirements by assimilating the canopy cover estimated by Sentinel-2 imagery into AquaCrop model. The pilot area was in Campania, a region in the south west of Italy, characterized by a typical Mediterranean climate, where field campaigns were conducted in seasons 2017 and 2018 on processing tomato. Crop water use and irrigation requirement were estimated by means of three different methods: (i) The AquaCrop model; (ii) an irrigation advisory service based on Sentinel-2 imagery known as IRRISAT and (iii) assimilating the canopy cover estimated by Sentinel-2 imagery into AquaCrop model Sentinel-2 imagery proved to be effective for monitoring canopy growth and for predicting irrigation water requirements during mid-season stage of the crop, when the canopy is fully developed. Conversely, the integration of the Sentinel-2 imagery with a crop growth model can contribute to improve the irrigation water requirement predictions in the early and development stage of the crop, when the soil evaporation is not negligible with respect to the total evapotranspiration.

Rapid and unplanned urban growth is responsible for the continuous conversion of green or generally natural spaces into artificial surfaces. The high degree of imperviousness modifies the urban microclimate and no studies have quantified its influence on the surface temperature (ST) nearby residential building. This topic represents the aim of this study carried out during summer in different urban zones (densely urbanized or park/rural areas) of Parma (Northern Italy). Daytime and nighttime ASTER images, the local urban cartography and the Italian imperviousness databases were used. A reproducible/replicable framework was implemented named “Building Thermal Functional Area” (BTFA) useful to lead building-proxy thermal analyses by using remote sensing data. For each residential building (n = 8898), the BTFA was assessed and the correspondent ASTER-LST value (ST_BTFA) and the imperviousness density were calculated. Both daytime and nighttime ST_BTFA significantly (p < 0.001) increased when high levels of imperviousness density surrounded the residential buildings. These relationships were mostly consistent during daytime and in densely urbanized areas. ST_BTFA differences between urban and park/rural areas were higher during nighttime (above 1 °C) than daytime (about 0.5 °C). These results could help to identify “urban thermal Hot-Spots” that would benefit most from mitigation actions.

Solar radiation plays an important role in the development of some fungal diseases due to its direct action on the microorganisms and also its indirect effect on the production of specific plant compounds. This experiment examined the effect of two light environments (100% and 35% of full strength) on the polyphenolic content of grapevine leaves and quantified their relation to resistance to downy mildew (Plasmopara viticola). Leaf epidermal polyphenolic contents were non-destructively measured during the growing season 2006 using the Dualex chlorophyll fluorescence-based portable leaf-clip. The experimental design consisted of six parcels of 30 vines and measurements were performed on the 12 central vines. The leaves were inoculated with a sporangia suspension containing 50,000 sporangia of P. viticola per mL and the disease severity was assessed after the appearance of symptoms. Leaves maintained at 100% sun had high polyphenolic content and significantly lower disease severity compared to leaves under shading nets. These results indicate an inverse relationship between produced polyphenolics and downy mildew severity.A radiação solar exerce papel importante no desenvolvimento de algumas doenças fúngicas, devido à sua ação direta sobre os microorganismos e também devido ao seu efeito indireto sobre a produção de compostos específicos nas plantas. Este experimento examinou o efeito de dois ambientes de luz (100% e 35% da intensidade máxima) sobre o conteúdo de polifenóis nas folhas da videira e quantificou sua relação com a resistência ao míldio (Plasmopara viticola). As concentrações de polifenóis na epiderme das folhas foram quantificadas de forma não destrutiva, durante a estação de crescimento de 2006, usando o equipamento portátil Dualex, baseado na fluorescência da clorofila. O delineamento experimental consistiu de seis parcelas de 30 videiras e as medidas foram feitas nas 12 plantas centrais. As folhas foram inoculadas com uma suspensão de esporângios com 50.000 esporos de P. viticola por mL e a intensidade da doença foi avaliada depois do aparecimento dos primeiros sintomas. As folhas das plantas mantidas à plena luz solar apresentaram alta concentração de polifenóis e severidade da doença significativamente menor do que as folhas das plantas mantidas sob a tela de sombreamento. Estes resultados indicam uma relação inversa entre os polifenóis produzidos pelas folhas da videira e a severidade do míldio.

MMS is nowadays an emerging technology, whose development goes back to the 90’s and is constantly growing. From a technological point of view, it is the best example of sensor integration and cost-effective acquisition of geo-referenced spatial data, with a combination of digital imaging devices, long-range laser scanners and GNSS/IMU positioning sensors. The accuracy requirements for the acquired data is substantially different in each application, with road or rail infrastructure surveying being much more demanding in this particular respect. Thus, every scanner specification should be taken into account in order to obtain the best solution according to the intended application. Additionally, a proper evaluation procedure should be carried out by adopting external reference datasets. In this work, a review of the MMS technology is given, together with results achieved with RIEGL VMX-450 in the city center of Trento.

Short-term impacts of high temperatures on the elderly are well known. Even though Italy has the highest proportion of elderly citizens in Europe, there is a lack of information on spatial heat-related elderly risks.Development of high-resolution, heat-related urban risk maps regarding the elderly population (≥ 65).A long time-series (2001-2013) of remote sensing MODIS data, averaged over the summer period for eleven major Italian cities, were downscaled to obtain high spatial resolution (100 m) daytime and night-time land surface temperatures (LST). LST was estimated pixel-wise by applying two statistical model approaches: 1) the Linear Regression Model (LRM); 2) the Generalized Additive Model (GAM). Total and elderly population density data were extracted from the Joint Research Centre population grid (100 m) from the 2001 census (Eurostat source), and processed together using "Crichton's Risk Triangle" hazard-risk methodology for obtaining a Heat-related Elderly Risk Index (HERI).The GAM procedure allowed for improved daytime and night-time LST estimations compared to the LRM approach. High-resolution maps of daytime and night-time HERI levels were developed for inland and coastal cities. Urban areas with the hazardous HERI level (very high risk) were not necessarily characterized by the highest temperatures. The hazardous HERI level was generally localized to encompass the city-centre in inland cities and the inner area in coastal cities. The two most dangerous HERI levels were greater in the coastal rather than inland cities.This study shows the great potential of combining geospatial technologies and spatial demographic characteristics within a simple and flexible framework in order to provide high-resolution urban mapping of daytime and night-time HERI. In this way, potential areas for intervention are immediately identified with up-to-street level details. This information could support public health operators and facilitate coordination for heat-related emergencies.

The frequency of natural hazards has been increasing in the last decades in Europe and specifically in Mediterranean regions due to climate change. For example heavy precipitation events can lead to disasters through the interaction with exposed and vulnerable people and natural systems. It is therefore necessary a prevention planning to preserve human health and to reduce economic losses. Prevention should mainly be carried out with more adequate land management, also supported by the development of an appropriate risk prediction tool based on weather forecasts. The main aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between weather types (WTs) and the frequency of floods and landslides that have caused damage to properties, personal injuries, or deaths in the Italian regions over recent decades. In particular, a specific risk index (WT-FLARI) for each WT was developed at national and regional scale. This study has identified a specific risk index associated with each weather type, calibrated for each Italian region and applicable to both annual and seasonal levels. The risk index represents the seasonal and annual vulnerability of each Italian region and indicates that additional preventive actions are necessary for some regions. The results of this study represent a good starting point towards the development of a tool to support policy-makers, local authorities and health agencies in planning actions, mainly in the medium to long term, aimed at the weather damage reduction that represents an important issue of the World Meteorological Organization mission.

Heatwaves (HWs) are one of the “natural” hazards with the greatest impact worldwide in terms of mortality and economic losses, and their effects may be exacerbated in large urban areas. For these reasons, more detailed analyses of urban HW trends represent a priority that cannot be neglected. In this study, HW trends were investigated during the warmest period of the year (May–September) by using a slightly improved version of the EuroHEAT HW definition applied on long meteorological time-series (36-year period, 1980–2015) collected by weather stations located in the capitals of the 28 European Union member countries. Comparisons between two 18-year sub-periods (1980–1997 vs. 1998–2015) were carried out and a city-specific HW hazard index (HWHI), accounting for the main HW characteristics, was proposed. Most of the capitals revealed significant positive trends of the majority of HW hazard characteristics and substantial HWHI increases were observed during the sub-period 1998–2015, especially in the central-eastern and southeastern cities. Conversely, minor HWHI increases were observed in most of the northern capitals and opposite situations were even observed in several northern and especially southwestern cities. The results of this study represent a support for planning urban HW-related mitigation and adaptation strategies with the priority given to the southeastern cities.

Crop growth and yield are affected by water use during the season: the green water footprint (WF) accounts for rain water, the blue WF for irrigation and the grey WF for diluting agri-chemicals. We calibrated crop yield for FAO’s water balance model “Aquacrop” at field level. We collected weather, soil and crop inputs for 45 locations for the period 1992–2012. Calibrated model runs were conducted for wheat, barley, grain maize, oilseed rape, potato and sugar beet. The WF of cereals could be up to 20 times larger than the WF of tuber and root crops; the largest share was attributed to the green WF. The green and blue WF compared favourably with global benchmark values (R2 = 0.64–0.80; d = 0.91–0.95). The variability in the WF of arable crops across different regions in Europe is mainly due to variability in crop yield ( c v ¯ = 45%) and to a lesser extent to variability in crop water use ( c v ¯ = 21%). The WF variability between countries ( c v ¯ = 14%) is lower than the variability between seasons ( c v ¯ = 22%) and between crops ( c v ¯ = 46%). Though modelled yields increased up to 50% under sprinkler irrigation, the water footprint still increased between 1% and 25%. Confronted with drainage and runoff, the grey WF tended to overestimate the contribution of nitrogen to the surface and groundwater. The results showed that the water footprint provides a measurable indicator that may support European water governance.

The aim of this study is to identify the most effective thermal predictor of heat-related very-elderly mortality in two cities located in different geographical contexts of central Italy. We tested the hypothesis that use of the state-of-the-art rational thermal indices, the Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI), might provide an improvement in predicting heat-related mortality with respect to other predictors. Data regarding very elderly people (≥75 years) who died in inland and coastal cities from 2006 to 2008 (May–October) and meteorological and air pollution were obtained from the regional mortality and environmental archives. Rational (UTCI) and direct thermal indices represented by a set of bivariate/multivariate apparent temperature indices were assessed. Correlation analyses and generalized additive models were applied. The Akaike weights were used for the best model selection. Direct multivariate indices showed the highest correlations with UTCI and were also selected as the best thermal predictors of heat-related mortality for both inland and coastal cities. Conversely, the UTCI was never identified as the best thermal predictor. The use of direct multivariate indices, which also account for the extra effect of wind speed and/or solar radiation, revealed the best fitting with all-cause, very-elderly mortality attributable to heat stress.

A correct approach to crop protection must consider the effect of disease on plant activity and its impact in terms of economical losses. These evaluations can drive the farmers to a quantification of plant responses to pathogen attack and to the application of economical thresholds for fungicide sprays. For grapevine (Vitis vùlÎfera L.), the knowledge of plant responses to disease is still very limited independently from the level of investigation (physiology, growth, development, etc.). The aim of this research was to evaluate the impact of downy mildew (Plasmopara viticola Berl. et De Toni) on grapevine photosynthesis under controlled and field conditions. Downy mildew was shown to reduce to a negative value net photosynthesis in the oilspot, as well as to affect the physiology of gas exchanges of the tissues surrounding the oilspot. The daily trend under field condition pointed out a normal trend of assimilation, without differences between green portions of healthy and diseased leaves. The consequences on source-sink relationships were discussed, as well as the relation between visible symptoms and physiological alterations.

The rate of leaf appearance was compared in two grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) varieties (Sangiovese and Cabernet-Sauvignon) and in three different short pruning training systems (traditional cordon, single curtain and vertical cordon pruned). Results showed that there was no significant effect of training systems on leaf appearance. There was instead a significant effect of cultivar that suggested a different adaptive response of cultivars to climates they were selected for. A recently published simulation model of leaf appearance in grapevine was used to interpretate these differences.

L’Università Iuav di Venezia ha testato sul Canal Grande le più innovative tecniche di rilevamento, in collaborazione con Riegl e Microgeo, realizzando la scansione di tutti i prospetti attraverso un sistema di acquisizione integrato da natante. The Grand Canal in Venice by boat 3d laser scanning The Iuav University in Venice realized a test on the Canal Grande with the most advanced detection techniques, in col-laboration with Riegl and Microgeo, making the laser scanning of all the elevation through an acquisition system integrated on a ship.

Late frost is one of the more serious adversity for Italian agriculture. Several methods have been developed to protect cultivations, but their application results particularly effective (also from an economic point of view) only if supported by forecasting systems during the more susceptible period of the year. On these basis a forecasting system of late frost in Val di Chiana (an area in central Italy mainly cultivated with cereals and high quality fruits) was developed. The system consists in an empirical model, based on a preventive agroclimatic analysis of the area to identify night cooling dynamics (for several meteorological conditions) in the spring. A network of 10 thermohygrometric stations was installed in the area integrating the information obtained by a local agrometeorological station network. The final product was a forecasting bulletin emitted every three hours beginning from the 13:00 p.m. A validation of the system was performed for 2006 to verify the forecast skill.

Flyscan: una novità italiana nel campo della scansione per applicazioni fotogrammetriche

Valutazione comparativa di un sistema ibrido basato su fotogrammetria e Laser Scanner per la rappresentazione architettonica

The contribution of agrobiomasses, as a source of energy, to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions was confirmed by several studies. Biomass from agriculture represents one of the larger and more diverse sources to exploit and in particular ethanol and diesel have the potential to be a sustainable replacement for fossil fuels, mainly for transport purposes. However, the cultivation of energy crops dedicated to the production of biofuels presents some potential problems, e.g., competitiveness with food crops, water needs, use of fertilizers, etc., and the economic, energy, and environmental convenience of such activity depends on accurate evaluations about the global efficiency of the production system. In this study, the processes related to the cultivation of energy crops were analyzed from an energy and water cost perspective. The crops studied, maize (Zea mais) and sunflower (Helianthus annuus), were identified for their different water requirements and cultivation management, which in turns induces different energy costs. A 50-year climatic series of meteorological data from 19 weather stations scattered in the Tuscany region was used to feed the crop model CropSyst for the simulation of crop production, water requirement, and cultivation techniques. Obtained results were analyzed to define the real costs of energy crop cultivation, depending on energy and water balances. In the energy crop cultivation, the only positive energy balance was obtained with the more efficient system of irrigation whereas all the other cases provided negative balances. Concerning water, the results demonstrated that more than 1.000 liters of water are required for producing 1 liter of bioethanol. As a consequence, the cultivation of energy crops in the reserved areas of the region will almost double the actual water requirement of the agricultural sector in Tuscany.