Yield, Quality and Water Consumption of Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni Grown under Different Irrigation Regimes in Southern Italy

Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni is a herbaceous perennial plant originating in the north-east of Paraguay. Its leaves contain low-calorie sweetening agents that can be used as a natural alternative to artificial sweeteners. The leaves are consumed in special human diets and for the treatment of various diseases. The aim of the present work is to study water consumption, yield potential and quality characteristics of this species under different irrigation levels in southern Italy. The field work was carried out in 2006-2007. Irrigation treatments consisted of a control (T100), irrigated with 100% restitution of water consumption and two treatments that received a water depth of 33% (T33) and 66% (T66) of treatment T100. Watering volume was estimated to replenish the soil profile to field capacity for a depth of 0.40 m. The crop was harvested twice a year, and agronomic performance as well as the major cation and glycoside contents (stevioside and rebaudioside A) were evaluated. Overall, the crop coefficients were similar between the two years, although in each year the second growing period showed higher values due to the higher evaporative demand of this period. Interactions of years with irrigation treatments and harvest time were not significant either for yield or yield components. In both cuts the T100 treatments achieved 40% higher leaf dry yield than T33, while T66 showed intermediate values. The harvest index and water use efficiency showed no differences between the two cuts for the same treatments, while the values of both indices decreased with the increase in irrigation regime. Stevioside, rebaudioside A and cation content in the leaves were unaffected by irrigation regime. In order to develop the field cultivation of this species, field experiments are required to prepare a cultivation protocol as well as a genetic improvement program to develop varieties that better respond to the local environment

Effetti dell'irrigazione con acque saline sull'accrescimento e sulla resa quali-quantitativa di una coltura di peperone e su alcune caratteristiche fisico chimiche del suolo

Dottorato di ricerca in scienza del suolo 11. ciclo. Coordinatore Luigi Postiglione. Tutore Pasquale TedeschiConsiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche - Biblioteca Centrale - P.le Aldo Moro, 7, Rome; Biblioteca Nazionale Centrale - P.za Cavalleggeri, 1, Florence / CNR - Consiglio Nazionale delle RichercheSIGLEITItal

Quinoa Vikinga Response to Salt and Drought Stress under Field Conditions in Italy

Agriculture in south Europe is facing the negative effect of abiotic stresses such as salinity that mostly affect the seed production and seed quality of traditional crops. Under these conditions, quinoa represent a good alternative to ensure the production of high-protein-quality seeds thanks to its tolerance to abiotic stresses. In 2015–2017, a sweet variety of quinoa, “Vikinga”, was tested in Italy within the PROTEIN2FOOD project (EU Horizon2020) as high-quality-protein crop to enhance food protein production in Europe. A field trial was carried out at the experimental farm of CNR-ISAFOM in South Italy, to evaluate the combined effect of drought and salinity on quinoa Vikinga; both freshwater and saline water were used for irrigation. The plots were arranged in a randomized complete block design. The main yield parameters (seed yield, aboveground dry biomass 1000 seed weight), the protein content and other quality traits were analyzed at harvest, to evaluate the effect of applied treatments. The results showed that, in general, different treatments did not affect the main production and quality traits of quinoa “Vikinga”

Sustainable Irrigation and Abiotic Tolerant Crops in South Italy within TRUSTFARM Project

Today, irrigated agriculture is even more influenced by climate change with consequent negative effects on food security. The Mediterranean area is most affected by climate change, leading to greater exposure to uncertainty and production risks. In these environments, water stress, rainfall variability, and soil salinization have been accentuated. Improving crop productivity by minimizing such effects is possible through intelligent climate farming practices (CSFP). Towards resilient and sustainable integrated agro-ecosystems through appropriate climate-smart farming practices (TRUSTFATM) is a project funded by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program with the aim to design integrated agro-ecosystems by conserving natural resources and using the principles of the circular economy for developing climate-resilient production systems in Egypt, Morocco, Italy, France, and Senegal. The Department of Agricultural and Environmental Science (DISAAT) of the University of Bari is responsible for coordinating the activities (starting in 2022) related to the introduction of new crop varieties and management of water and efficient irrigation systems, such as deficit irrigation, use of marginal quality (saline water) irrigation water, and introduction of abiotic stress-tolerant crops

Quinoa Vikinga Response to Salt and Drought Stress under Field Conditions in Italy

Agriculture in south Europe is facing the negative effect of abiotic stresses such as salinity that mostly affect the seed production and seed quality of traditional crops. Under these conditions, quinoa represent a good alternative to ensure the production of high-protein-quality seeds thanks to its tolerance to abiotic stresses. In 2015–2017, a sweet variety of quinoa, “Vikinga”, was tested in Italy within the PROTEIN2FOOD project (EU Horizon2020) as high-quality-protein crop to enhance food protein production in Europe. A field trial was carried out at the experimental farm of CNR-ISAFOM in South Italy, to evaluate the combined effect of drought and salinity on quinoa Vikinga; both freshwater and saline water were used for irrigation. The plots were arranged in a randomized complete block design. The main yield parameters (seed yield, aboveground dry biomass 1000 seed weight), the protein content and other quality traits were analyzed at harvest, to evaluate the effect of applied treatments. The results showed that, in general, different treatments did not affect the main production and quality traits of quinoa “Vikinga”

Sustainable Irrigation and Abiotic Tolerant Crops in South Italy within TRUSTFARM Project

Today, irrigated agriculture is even more influenced by climate change with consequent negative effects on food security. The Mediterranean area is most affected by climate change, leading to greater exposure to uncertainty and production risks. In these environments, water stress, rainfall variability, and soil salinization have been accentuated. Improving crop productivity by minimizing such effects is possible through intelligent climate farming practices (CSFP). Towards resilient and sustainable integrated agro-ecosystems through appropriate climate-smart farming practices (TRUSTFATM) is a project funded by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program with the aim to design integrated agro-ecosystems by conserving natural resources and using the principles of the circular economy for developing climate-resilient production systems in Egypt, Morocco, Italy, France, and Senegal. The Department of Agricultural and Environmental Science (DISAAT) of the University of Bari is responsible for coordinating the activities (starting in 2022) related to the introduction of new crop varieties and management of water and efficient irrigation systems, such as deficit irrigation, use of marginal quality (saline water) irrigation water, and introduction of abiotic stress-tolerant crops

Microbial and Qualitative Traits of Quinoa and Amaranth Seeds from Experimental Fields in Southern Italy

Quinoa and amaranth are of special interest since they are increasingly used for the development of new bakery products with enhanced nutritional value. The aim of the study was to evaluate the agronomic, microbiological, and nutritional characteristics of quinoa and amaranth seeds grown in Southern Italy. For this reason, quinoa Titicaca and three amaranth accessions (5, 12, and 14) were cultivated in different experimental fields in the Campania Region and analyzed for the cultivation aspects, chemical composition, and microbiological quality of the seeds. All seeds showed a good adaptability to cultivation in the experimental areas of the Mediterranean basin. Quinoa seeds were characterized by their higher protein, fat, and ash content than the amaranth seeds, which were characterized by their higher value in dietary fiber. All seeds, regardless of the geographical area of production, were contaminated with yeasts, moulds, and spore-forming bacteria, mainly Bacillus cereus, B. licheniformis, B. safensis and B. subtilis, as identified by 16S rRNA sequencing analysis. So, the detection of Bacillus spp. must be strongly monitored, as quinoa and amaranth seeds could be used in bread production, where they can cause ropiness, resulting in great economic losses for the industries