The sustainable reuse of compost from a new type of olive mill pomace in replacing peat for potted olive tree

The attention for the replacement of peat in growing substrates is increasing due to its environmental and economic advantages. The aim of the present work was to evaluate the impact of peat substitution by new type olive mill pomace and its compost on the vegetative activity of potted olive trees. A new type of humid pomace (hP) derived from an innovative two phase extraction system and its derived compost (C-hP) are used as total or partial (50% vol/vol) replacement of peat in olive growing substrate. The main chemical characteristics (moisture, water extractable organic carbon, total nitrogen, C/N ratio and electrical conductivity) of the hP and C-hP were measured. In order to evaluate the effects of the peat substitution on the plants vegetative activity, measurements of mortality, plant height, leaf net photosynthesis and plant growth (through final destructive measurements) were carried out. The use of hP resulted in a significant increase of the salinity of the substrate. The water extractable organic carbon concentration was higher in all substrates where peat was ewplaced and in particular when C-hP was used. The total replacement of peat with hP caused 100% mortality of the plants while C-hP can substitute peat up to 50% without causing a significative reduction of the final plant growth

Application of Encapsulation Technology: In Vitro Screening of Two Ficus carica L. Genotypes under Different NaCl Concentrations

Salinity stress represents an increasing issue for agriculture and has a great negative impact on plant growth and crop production. The selection of genotypes able to tolerate salt stress could be a suitable solution to overcome the problem. In this context, in vitro cultures can represent a tool for identifying the NaCl tolerant genotypes and quickly producing large populations of them. The possibility of exerting selection for tolerance to NaCl by using encapsulation technology was investigated in two genotypes of fig: 'Houmairi' and 'Palazzo'. The effects of five concentrations of NaCl (0, 50, 100, 150 and 200 mM) added to the artificial endosperm were tested on the conversion of synthetic seeds and on the growth of derived shoots/plantlets. Moreover, proline (Pro) and malondialdehyde (MDA), the enzymatic activities of catalase (CAT), guaiacol peroxidase (POD), and EL (Electrolytic Leakage), as well as the chlorophyll content, flavanols, anthocyanins, and Nitrogen Balance Index (NBI) were determined on shoots/plantlet. The obtained results clearly showed that 'Houmairi' and 'Palazzo' could tolerate salt stress, although a strong difference was found depending on each specific physiological pathway. Indeed, 'Houmairi' was revealed to be more tolerant than 'Palazzo', with different response mechanisms to salt stress. The use of encapsulated vitro-derived explants proved to be a useful method to validate the selection of genotypes tolerant to salinity stress. Further investigation in the field must validate and confirm the legitimacy of the approach

Study of energetic properties of different tree organs in six Olea europaea L. cultivars

Pruning is an important horticultural practice for the management of olive orchards (Olea europaea L.) that generates a considerable amount of residues every year. Olive orchards are increasingly expanding beyond the Mediterranean Basin to new growing Countries (Australia, California, Argentina, Chile and Uruguay) and this will certainly lead to larger availability of pruning material. Currently, the interest in use of olive tree pruning residues for energy purposes is increasing but unfortunately, the information on the differences among organs of the tree, in terms of calorific value and ash content, is scarce. Another unknown aspect is the effect of cultivar vigour on dry matter partition among different tree organs, these are important traits to establish the energetic quality of pruning residues. The aim of this research was to study energetic aspects of six olive cultivars, largely grown in the Sicilian olive industry and characterized by different vigour. The trees taken into consideration in the study were selected in an experimental orchard to avoid any effect due to differences in environmental conditions and management. The energetic characteristics, calorific value and ash content, were evaluated for the various tree organs particularly shoots, leaves and branches; also root system was evaluated, although the roots can only be used once the trees are uprooted. Significant differences were observed in the calorific values among the different tree organs and the cultivars. Regarding the ash, shoots and leaves showed the highest content with respect to the other organs, thus causing a possible tendency in slagging with fouling and corrosion of boiler components

Effects of Anacetrapib in Patients with Atherosclerotic Vascular Disease

BACKGROUND: Patients with atherosclerotic vascular disease remain at high risk for cardiovascular events despite effective statin-based treatment of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels. The inhibition of cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) by anacetrapib reduces LDL cholesterol levels and increases high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels. However, trials of other CETP inhibitors have shown neutral or adverse effects on cardiovascular outcomes. METHODS: We conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial involving 30,449 adults with atherosclerotic vascular disease who were receiving intensive atorvastatin therapy and who had a mean LDL cholesterol level of 61 mg per deciliter (1.58 mmol per liter), a mean non-HDL cholesterol level of 92 mg per deciliter (2.38 mmol per liter), and a mean HDL cholesterol level of 40 mg per deciliter (1.03 mmol per liter). The patients were assigned to receive either 100 mg of anacetrapib once daily (15,225 patients) or matching placebo (15,224 patients). The primary outcome was the first major coronary event, a composite of coronary death, myocardial infarction, or coronary revascularization. RESULTS: During the median follow-up period of 4.1 years, the primary outcome occurred in significantly fewer patients in the anacetrapib group than in the placebo group (1640 of 15,225 patients [10.8%] vs. 1803 of 15,224 patients [11.8%]; rate ratio, 0.91; 95% confidence interval, 0.85 to 0.97; P=0.004). The relative difference in risk was similar across multiple prespecified subgroups. At the trial midpoint, the mean level of HDL cholesterol was higher by 43 mg per deciliter (1.12 mmol per liter) in the anacetrapib group than in the placebo group (a relative difference of 104%), and the mean level of non-HDL cholesterol was lower by 17 mg per deciliter (0.44 mmol per liter), a relative difference of -18%. There were no significant between-group differences in the risk of death, cancer, or other serious adverse events. CONCLUSIONS: Among patients with atherosclerotic vascular disease who were receiving intensive statin therapy, the use of anacetrapib resulted in a lower incidence of major coronary events than the use of placebo. (Funded by Merck and others; Current Controlled Trials number, ISRCTN48678192 ; ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT01252953 ; and EudraCT number, 2010-023467-18 .)

Dynamic Test for the Model Calibration and Pier Damage Detection of an Existing R.C. Multispan Viaduct

This paper presents and discusses results of the dynamic tests performed on the Moscosi Bridge in Cingoli (Italy). The main scope of the tests is to evaluate the dynamic parameters of the bridge, such as the eigenfrequencies, the mode shapes and the relevant modal damping ratios, in order to characterize the structural behaviour before the execution of some required restoration works, providing (i) useful information for the development of the numerical model for the design and (ii) a benchmark for the evaluation of the retrofit effectiveness, by repeating tests after the retrofit. The dynamic characterization is obtained through the measurements of ambient vibrations, which are processed with the Covariance-driven Stochastic Subspace Identification. In addition, the dynamic response of the bridge subjected to a vehicle passages is registered and compared to that induced by the ambient excitations. First considerations seem to reveal the presence of the observed structural damage at the base of one pier

Effects of olive pomace amendment on soil enzyme activities

Agricultural soils generally have a low content of organic matter, which affects soil fertility and hence crop yields. The use of olive pomace as an organic amendment could enhance soil properties due to its high content of organic matter and exchangeable cations as well as its extensive availability. However, little is known about the potentially detrimental effects of salts and high content of phenolic substances that might occur over time with the use of pomace amendment in agricultural soils. Similarly, its impact on microbial communities and enzyme activities is largely unknown. To ascertain these effects, we tested the response of soil enzyme activities (β-glucosidase, urease, acid phosphomonoesterase and dehydrogenase) starting from a long-term (8-year) previously amended soil and a control (non-amended) soil and exposing these soils to a short-term (12-week) laboratory experiment. We also focused on soil organic matter and mineral N, on relating enzymatic data to bacterial and fungal biomasses, and on an index for soil functional quality based on enzyme activities (AI3). Our results show that organic matter, enzyme activities and the soil quality index were improved by long-term treatment with olive pomace, contrasting with scant effects from short-term laboratory incubation. In spite of its high content in salts and phenolic substances, no detectable negative impact emerged from the use of this amendment. Overall, olive pomace clearly increased soil organic matter and improved soil biological activity and quality, without any detectable negative effects

Organic carbon pools and storage in the soil of olive groves of different age

Summary: Compared with annual crop cultivation, tree groves might represent a relevant land-use system to improve C sequestration, but few data are available to support this hypothesis. To evaluate the potential of olive tree (Olea europaea L., 1753) cultivation to store soil organic C (SOC), we assessed (i) the distribution of organic C in active (water-extractable and particulate organic C, WEOC and POC, respectively), intermediate (organic matter associated with stable sand-size aggregates and silt- and clay-size aggregates, SSAs and SCAs, respectively) and passive (organic matter resistant to oxidation, rSOM) pools, (ii) the phenol content of the C pools, (iii) the humic-C distribution of the intermediate C pool and (iv) the stocks of SOC pools in two olive groves of different age (7 years (OG7) and 30 years (OG30)) compared with a nearby site with cereal crops (arable soil, AS). In OG30 the organic C stock of the olive grove was no different from that of the AS, but the distribution of SOC pools changed with the age of the olive groves. The WEOC and POC increased in the Ap horizon of OGs, probably because of the herbaceous cover and distribution of chipped prunings on the soil. There were fewer SSAs in OG7 than AS, possibly because of pedoturbations from deep tillage before the olive trees were established, but they increased in OG30. The increase in SSAs and SCAs in the Bw and BC horizons of OG30 was associated with humic-C and unextractable-C and a smaller phenol content than AS. This suggested that the olive tree roots had a positive role through rhizodeposition and root turnover, which favoured the stabilization of organic matter into aggregates at depth. In contrast to the active and intermediate C pools, the passive C pool did not vary following the change in land use from arable to olive grove. Highlights: Effects of land-use change from arable to olive grove on soil organic C pools and stocks. Soil organic C stock increased from 7- to 30-year-old olive orchard. Olive tree cultivation affected active and intermediate C pools, but not the passive C pool. After 30 years, the olive grove stored an amount of SOC similar to that of the arable system

From the old agroforestry systems of the modern high-density olive groves: which Carbon sequestration?

Olive tree (Olea europaea L) represents one of the most important evergreen tree species. In Sicily agroforestry systems based on the olive tree, named traditional olive orchard, are common and often are grown together to other tree crops, such as vineyards, or with cereals or forages. This last are usually grown in the interspace between rows and particularly in olive groves were planting density is rather low (less than 200 trees/ha). To increase crop efficiency and to reduce costs of harvesting, by using proper machines, in the last 20 years in the olive industry have been developed new planting systems: Intensive (up to 400 trees/ha), and the Superintensive (up to 2000 trees/ha). Within the project LIFE15 OLIVE4CLIMATE has been evaluated the balance, in terms of biomass and of carbon sequestration, for the above olive orchard systems. The biomass of orchard was evaluated both in the above- and in the below-ground tree components. The dry matter of the vegetation removed by pruning was evaluated as well. The enlargement of trunk cross sectional area, the dry matter accumulated in the cover crop and the root biomass were measured as well. By the data currently collected resulted that carbon sequestration efficiency in the Traditional olive orchards is greater than in the Superintensive ones and this, affects the carbon sequestration efficiency in the two orchard systems studied