A system for the real-time geo-referenced measurement of soil parameters

The aim of this research is to develop a system for accurately measuring in real-time, collecting and processing a high amount of geo-referenced data of soil physical-mechanical parameters, e.g. cone penetrometer resistance, index of soil compaction, and draft force. The system for measuring the soil cone penetrometer resistance is comprised of a load cell, connected to a rod, ending with a cone, and is mounted on a frame, fixed to the front part of a tractor. The system for measuring the draft force required to till the soil is comprised of a load cell, mounted on the hitch hook of a tool carrier, towed by the tractor. Moreover, in order to test the usefulness of the system with different types of linkage tractor-implement, two other load cells were mounted, respectively, on the top link and the right point of the three-point hitch of the tool carrier. A portable computer, by means of a Virtual Instrument, developed in LabVIEW environment, acquires the signals of the load cells and of a DGPS mobile receiver. The results of the first tests, carried out in a field in inland Sicily, showed that: the system is able to log data with a sampling frequency adjustable from 1 to 10 Hz; it is able to accurately measure and collect in real-time a large amount of data, which can be easily processed by means of a data sheet, a GIS or another software usable for measuring the within-field spatial variability of soil physical-mechanical parameters; the absolute value of the force measured on the hitch hook of the tool carrier is proportionally correlated to that measured on any point of the three-point hitch of the same one

Influence of O2 on extra virgin olive oil fatty acids composition during malaxation

Many variables are related to extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) quality and, therefore, to its polyphenols content and fatty acids composition including the steps that lead to EVOO extraction, considering that it is mainly contained in the vacuoles of the fruit mesocarp. The main steps of EVOO production are: harvest, crushing, malaxation, centrifugation, storage and filtration. Considering the olive oil extraction procedures, many studies have been conducted in recent years on oil mill plant and processes for improving EVOO quality. Malaxer is the most studied machine among all; it is responsible for malaxation, which represents a very important and critical step in the EVOO extraction process. Many studies focus on the control of oxygen in the malaxer headspace, with the aim of determining its influence on EVOO quality evaluating volatile and phenolic components. Considering these factors, the main objective of the present study was to evaluate the influence of the malaxer headspace oxygen concentration on EVOO fatty acids composition from cv. Nocellara del Belice olives. The results show that oxygen content in the malaxer headspace, in different time-points and concentrations during the process, influences EVOO fatty acids composition

Current state and future of biogas and digestate production

Over the past few years, the worldwide cost of energy has increased significantly, due to a growing global demand for energy and the decreasing availability of fossil fuel sources. Many countries are adopting environmental policies promoting the production and consumption of alternative, sustainable and renewable energy sources. Among these sources is green energy production through the anaerobic digestion of agricultural feedstock, like animal manure and food industry by-products, mainly aimed at producing biogas. Nevertheless, only a very small part of the biogas potential is currently used, while many European countries are facing huge problems caused by the overproduction of organic waste from industry, agriculture and households. Biogas production is an excellent way of using organic waste for energy generation, followed by the recycling of the digested substratum (digestate) as fertiliser. Many factors, like chemical composition and pH of raw materials, environmental temperature and microbial composition, influence the efficiency and reliability of the anaerobic digestion process. This paper reviews the current state and perspectives of biogas and digestate production, including the above factors influencing the biogas and digestate yields of anaerobic digestion

Hydroseeding application on degraded slopes in the southern Mediterranean area (Sicily).

Hydroseeding is a technique increasingly used to establish vegetation on degraded areas in order to provide environmental protection. The objective of this article was to evaluate the effectiveness of four different hydroseeding methods (bonded fiber matrix hydroseeding, thick hydroseeding, reinforced hydroseeding plus water retention, and reinforced hydroseeding) on a degraded artificial slope in the southern Mediterranean area determining total vegetation cover, hydroseeding vegetation cover, hydroseeding success index (HSI), natural and hydroseeded vegetation height. The test area does not allow the use of any operating machinery for soil and vegetation management, and the only applicable technique is therefore hydroseeding. After hydroseeding was applied (in December 2010), 21 checks were carried out every 15 days (from January 2011-December 2011) to verify the occurrence and development of the hydroseeded species in order to evaluate the effectiveness of the different hydroseeding techniques in the study area. The results of the first experimentation performed in Sicily show that hydroseeding has good prospects of application on degraded areas in semiarid Mediterranean environments. In our study HSI > 0.8 was obtained only in test 2 (thick hydroseeding, period February-June 2011) where there was the simultaneous presence of earthworm humus and mulch

Spatially variable rate herbicide application on durum wheat in Sicily

Using the conventional farming system, durum wheat requires high rates of herbicide spraying. Herbicide residues can cause pollution of soil and ground water and, therefore, of the entire environment. In order to minimise the environmental impact of herbicides, a home made system for spatially variable rate crop input application was designed, developed and set up by the Department of Engineering and Technologies in Agriculture and Forestry (I.T.A.F.). This system consists of a DGPS, a portable computer, a specifically developed software and a device for applying rates proportionally related to the machine forward speed (DPA). Tests of spatially variable rate herbicide application were carried out in inland Sicily, on a field of 8.4 ha (where a three-year crop rotation, broad bean/vetch - durum wheat - durum wheat, was practised), using a sprayer modified for applying variable rates and equipped with the above mentioned system. The results are promising. The spatially variable rate herbicide application allowed an almost even grain yield over the entire field and a saving of 29% of herbicides with respect to the amounts normally used with the conventional farming system

The current status of the agricultural sciences core curricula in Italian university faculties of agriculture

In Italian University Faculties of Agriculture the 1st cycle of studies concerns a BSc. degree offering completed application-oriented studies ensuring employability or an intermediate pivot-point degree towards an integrated MSc. In each first cycle program of studies offered by the Faculties of Agriculture a core curriculum exists and has the scope of providing students with a basic cultural background, common to every program of studies. In Italy the Faculties of Agriculture offer Agricultural Engineering programs of studies and no specialisation both for the 1st and the 2nd cycles of studies. Students can achieve the degree in Agricultural Sciences with a Agricultural Engineering specialisation, although until now no degree fulfils the requirements of FEANI for Engineers. It is possible to create a flexible new Agricultural Engineering 1st cycle program of studies to be implemented in the future, by adopting part of the core curriculum proposed by FEANI program. The learning outcomes and contents in Agricultural / Biological Sciences not covered by the core curriculum proposed by FEANI program of studies in the above new virtual program are defined in terms of courses, that could be included in the Agricultural Sciences part of the specialisations or as electives

Agricultural Engineering programmes meeting the FEANI and EurAgEng criteria in Italy

The only administrative change which took place in Italian institutions from the status described in the 1st Workshop, in the framework of Bologna process, is the updating of 3+2 years University study programmes. According to the ECTS credit system used in Italian institutions, the total student workload in one year is 60 CFU, which are considered equivalent to 60 ECTS; each CFU represents 25 hours of learning, both as aided learning and as individual studies. The 1st cycle degree study programme (\u201cLaurea\u201d) consists of 180 ECTS, while the 2nd cycle one (\u201cLaurea Magistrale\u201d) is constituted by 120 ECTS. No adjustment, alteration or difference concerning the quality assurance scheme used in Italy happened since the 5th USAEE Workshop. At present the Faculties of Agriculture of the Universities of Molise, Palermo, Sassari and Viterbo offer 1st cycle degree programmes of studies with titles related to Agricultural Engineering. Moreover, nowadays the Universities of Bari, Molise, Sassari and Viterbo offer 2nd cycle Agricultural Engineering degree study programmes. A proposal of virtual 1st and 2nd cycle study programmes, meeting the FEANI and EurAgEng criteria, the Italian cultural requirements and the criteria of the national University system, is shown in terms of course categories and ECTS credits

Potential production of biogas from prinkly pear (opuntia ficus-indica L.) in sicilian uncultivated areas

The aim of this work is to evaluate the potential production of biogas and, indirectly, biomethane or electric and thermal energy, from prinkly pear (Opuntia ficus-indica L.), to be grown in a part of Sicilian uncultivated areas and co-digested together with the available livestock manure and slurry. In order to increase the Renewable Energy Sources (RES) and reduce the dependency from fossil ones, the conversion of biomass into biogas through Anaerobic Digestion (AD) process is paramount for producing biomethane, to be used as fuel for means of transport and agricultural machines or heating, or electric and thermal energy through Combined Heat and Power (CHP) plants. Moreover, the digestate produced through AD process can be applied to soils as organic fertiliser in the place of chemical ones. Prinkly pear was supposed to be grown, by mechanising the harvest of cladods (modified stems), in a part of the Sicilian Used Agricultural Area that is currently uncultivated (totally 600, 000 ha ca.), identified by means of a GIS software. Thus it was possible to compute the potential production of biogas and, indirectly, biomethane or electric and thermal energy. The results show that the Sicilian potential production of biogas is 612, 115 103m3, from which 342, 784 103m3of biomethane could be extracted or 67, 038 MWh of electric energy and 70, 390 MWh MWh of thermal energy could be generated. Moreover the obtained digestate would be used as biofertiliser, within both conventional and organic farming. This work demonstrates that the production of RES, such as biogas from prinkly pear, represents a very profitable way of using the uncultivated areas: the income of the farmer would include not only that deriving from the sale of biomethane or electric and thermal energy but also the saving for replacing chemical fertilisers with digestate and the subsidy for producing biomethane as fuel for means of transport or electric and thermal energy from biogas

Sicilian potential biogas production from Citrus industry by-product

In Europe, Italy is the second nation after Spain in Citrus production and 49% ca. of national fruit production is located in Sicily. The by-product obtained from the industrial processing of Citrus fruits into juice and essential oils is called \u201cpastazzo\u201d or Citrus Waste (CW). This study is aimed at evaluating the Sicilian potential biogas and energy production from the above \u201cpastazzo\u201d and verifying the possibility of using this by-product for Anaerobic Digestion (AD) process within 30 km from processing plants. The areas cultivated with Citrus species in Sicily and their distribution in the various municipal districts were mapped and analysed by means of QGIS software, together with the main Citrus processing plants and the three existing AD plants. The statistical data about the amounts of the by-product of Citrus processing industry were evaluated, in order to compute the Sicilian potential biogas and energy production. In Sicily it is possible to obtain, through the use of \u201cpastazzo\u201d, a yearly production of 12,916,800 m3 ca. of biogas, equal to 24,250,930 kWh of electric energy and 25,463,477 kWh of thermal energy or 6,200,064 m3 of biomethane. This high potential biogas and energy production is not be currently used in a sustainable way from the energetic and economic points of view, because the existing AD plants are farer than 30 km from Citrus processing plants. The CW produced in Sicily could be used inside a bio-reactor, together with other raw materials (e.g. pomace and wastewater from olive oil mills, cereal straw, poultry manure and Italian sainfoin or Hedysarum coronarium), for AD process

Sicilian potential biogas production

This study is aimed at predicting the Sicilian potential biogas production, using the Organic Fraction of Municipal Solid Waste (OFMSW), animal manure and food industry by-products, in a region where only one biogas plant using MSW and one co-digestion plant are nowadays available. The statistical data about OFMSW, the number of animals bred in medium and large farms and the amounts of by-products of food processing industries were evaluated, in order to compute the Sicilian potential biogas and energy production. The OFMSW produced in Sicily, that is 0.8 million tons ca. per year (37% of MSW), could be used in a bio-reactor, together with other raw materials, for Anaerobic Digestion (AD) process, producing biogas and \u201cdigestate\u201d. Moreover, 3.03 million tons ca. of manure, collected in medium and large animal husbandry farms (where cows, pigs and poultry are bred), and 350 thousand tons ca. of by-products, collected in food processing industries (pomace from olive oil mills and grape marc from wineries), might be used for AD process. The Sicilian potential biogas production from the AD of the above raw materials is 170.2 millions of m3, that is equal to 1023.4 GWh of energy per year, of which 484 GWh from animal manure, 303 GWh from OFMSW and 236.4 GWh from food industry by-products. The highest biogas production is in the province of Palermo (35.6 millions of m3), Ragusa (30.8 millions of m3) and Catania (22.8 millions of m3), having a potential energy production of 213.8, 185 and 137 GWh, respectively