Feasibility study to realize an anaerobc digester fed with vegetables matrices in central Italy

In the present paper we have analysed the possibility to realize an anaerobic digester in a bio-Energy Park located in Città della Pieve, a small town in Central Italy. The use of anaerobic digesters is quite common in Europe for reducing the environmental impact of manure in a co-digestion procedure with vegetables materials. In addition, for several areas of Central Italy there is the need to find alternative productions to improve farmer's incomes, as traditional cropping systems are loosing convenience. An interesting alternative seems to be cultivation of energy crops because of the favourable conditions of the electric energy market. We are suggesting a low input cropping system to be implemented in areas where low input food/feed crops are no more profitable. In particular our case-study is an example based on the use of a forage legume, alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.), together with other crops, like sorghum, to realize small-size bio-digesters plants. Alfalfa: is a highly sustainable crop as it is able to fix nitrogen and therefore it does not require this fertilization with the consequence of avoiding underground water pollution. Moreover alfalfa residual products are nitrogen rich thus improving soil structure and fertility more than popular graminaceous energy crops such as corn. Beside, alfalfa mostly does not need irrigation in the typical Central Italy environment, all these traits make it one of the species with the lowest energy needs for growing. The aims of this feasibility study are: i) optimization of plant materials feeding the bio-digester, ii) typology of bio-digester, iii) size of bio-digester in relation with land availability for growing energetic cultures, iv) the utilization of bio-gas produced by bio-digester plant to produce electric and thermal energy using cogeneration engines, vi) disposal of waste-water produced according to regional and national laws. The final aim of this study is to verify the possibility to develop an alternative economical use of marginal soils in relatively dry areas of Central Italy that would be replicable in other European areas with a similar climatic situation

A synthetic cytokinin primes photosynthetic and growth response in grapevine under ion-independent salinity stress

Aiding optimal plant–environment interaction would favor plant resilience against environmental constrains including salt stress. We test the hypothesis that 6-Benzylaminopurine (BAP) primes grapevine’s salt tolerance in vines (Vitis vinifera) received salt water (NaCl 100 mM) through the modulation of gene expression of BAP (AHK4, AHP1) and salt-stress (CAT, APX) inducible genes and morpho-physiological traits. A subgroup of vines had previously (48 h) been primed with BAP (80 mg/L) before salt stress. The gene expressions were 30% (CAT) and 56% (APX) lower in primed salt-stressed vines than that in un-primed. Salt treatment did not increase leaf Na+ but it lowered stomatal conductance (g s), photosynthesis (A), stem water potential (less negative) and photosystem-II efficiency (F v/F m). Chlorophyll-a concentrations were 30% higher in BAP-primed compared to un-primed. Adverse effects of salt were significantly reduced, maintaining high A/g s, F v/F m and growth. After the relief of the stress, the BAP primed vines had a fast recovery

NTID Focus

COMMUNICATION: The Job of IRLColloquium Features Larry StewartNTID National Advisory Group Confers at RIT CampusNTID Profiles: Marilyn Ware, Counseling SpecialistNTID Student Cited at ConventionNational Theatre of the Deaf Invites NTID StudentsSeminar Draws Wide Audienc