Impact of Achillea moschata Wulfen on germination and growth of weed species Echinochloa oryzoides (Ard.) Fritsch and Lolium multiflorum Lam

Weeding is a practice of primary importance both in conventional agriculture where the intensive use of herbicides can represent a significant environmental risk and in organic farming where this practice is prohibited. Therefore, the need to identify alternative means of controlling weeds is evident. In this respect, allelopathy proves to be a useful tool to be integrated with conventional agronomic techniques for the management of infesting flora. In this work, we investigated the phytotoxic potential of Achillea moschata Wulfen (Asteraceae) against Echinochloa oryzoides (Ard.) Fritsch and Lolium multiflorum Lam., two noxious plants for crops such as rice and wheat. Preliminary anti-germination assays were carried out in controlled conditions by testing both the powder (0.25 g) and the aqueous extract (1%, 10% and 20%) from the A. moschata aerial parts. The obtained results showed that the powder was more effective than the extract in inhibiting seed germination (up to –81.6% vs –48.8% at 20% concentration) and seedling development (up to –99.4% vs –75.9% at 20% concentration) of both target species, although L. multiflorum was more susceptible than E. oryzoides to treatments. Furthermore, the chemical composition of the two used matrices was characterized by Solid-Phase Microextraction (SPME) sampling technique and Gas Chromatograph/Mass spectrometer (GC/MS) analyses. Camphor (25.8% and 49.9%) and 1,8 cineole (25.9% and 20.7%) were the main constituents in the samples, followed by bornyl acetate (6.7%) in the powder and fragranol (10.5%) in the aqueous extract

Vapor and Liquid Phase Profiles of Essential Oils from Abies, Picea and Pinus Species and Their Phytotoxic Interactions with Weed Growth in Pre- and Post-Emergence Conditions

The chemical content of essential oils (EO) obtained from the leaves of four Pinaceae (Abies alba, Picea abies, Pinus cembra and Pinus mugo) was investigated by SPME-GC-MS technique. The vapor phase was characterized by the monoterpenes with values higher than 95.0%. Among them, a-pinene (24.7–48.5%), limonene (17.2–33.1%) and b-myrcene (9.2–27.8%) were the most abundant. The monoterpenic fraction prevailed over the sesquiterpenic one ( 74.7%) in the EO liquid phase. Limonene was the major compound in A. alba (30.4%), P. abies (20.3%) and P. mugo (78.5%), while a-pinene in P. cembra (36.2%). Regarding the phytotoxic properties, EOs were studied at different doses (2–100 L) and concentrations (2–20/100 L/mL). All EOs were found to be significantly active (p-value < 0.05) against the two recipient species in a dose-dependent way. In pre-emergence tests, germination of Lolium multiflorum and Sinapis alba was reduced by up to 62–66% and 65–82%, respectively, as well as their growth by up to 60–74% and 65–67%, due to the effects of compounds in both the vapor and liquid phases. In post-emergence cconditions, at the highest concentration, the phytotoxicity of EOs caused heavy symptoms and, in the case of S. alba, A. alba EO completely destroyed (100%) the treated seedlings

How Organic Rice Farming Impacts the Biodiversity: A Case Study of the Rice Paddies in North Italy

departmental bulletin pape

Innovation of Products and Varieties for Organic Rice Production: a Ph.D. project

departmental bulletin pape

Participatory research for sustainable agriculture: the case of the Italian agroecological rice network

Since the Green Revolution, worldwide agriculture has been characterized by a typical top – down approach. The degree of autonomy, creativity, and responsibility of farmers has been limited by the continuous external inputs of chemicals, machinery, advice, subsidies and knowledge. The issue of sustainability has brought complexity and uncertainty to this mainly linear process of innovation, steering agriculture toward alternative models. Agroecology represents an innovative paradigm of agriculture in which external inputs are minimized, and the assets of the farm are greatly valued. Agroecological production relies on the farmers ’ direct management of resources and on their active engagement in the agricultural knowledge and innovation system. This paper focuses on the experience of a group of farmers, scientists, public officials, and managers of private companies who are experimenting with agroecology in rice production in one of the most intensively farmed, profitable and environmentally sensitive areas of Italy. The partnership regularly comes together to discuss agricultural techniques and results, needs, and paths of innovation; in addition, it stimulates and takes part in research projects, following a participatory process based on co-learning and mutual responsibility. By using ethnographic methods such as direct observations and in-depth interviews, our work may contribute to understanding the role of participatory research in sustainable agriculture and what makes for good participation

Evaluation of Differences in Physical Properties, Cooking Behaviour and Starch Digestibility of Different Rice Varieties Associated Also to Management Strategies

departmental bulletin pape

Potential Role of Lolium multiflorum Lam. in the Management of Rice Weeds

The phytotoxic relationships between crops and weeds can cover a role in weed management, reducing the use of chemical herbicides. Starting from the organic farmers’ experience, the study aimed to define the inhibitory action of Lolium multiflorum Lam., used as a cover crop before rice sowing, against Echinochloa oryzoides (Ard.) Fritsch, one of the main rice weeds. In vitro 7-day assays were carried out in Petri dishes to compare the effect of different L. multiflorum Lam. parts, in the form of aqueous extract or powder, on the seed germination and seedling growth of Oryza sativa L. and E. oryzoides and to verify the hypothesis of a higher susceptibility of the weed. The total polyphenolic content, as the potential source of allelochemicals, in the L. multiflorum parts was measured. The results showed that both species suffer the phytotoxic action of L. multiflorum, but a more marked effect against E. oryzoides was recorded. In according with the polyphenol quantities, stem and inflorescence extracts showed the more significant species-specific inhibition. In all assays, the weed showed a stronger reduction in the root length and seedling vigor index, and, in some cases, also in the germination percentage and shoot length compared to rice

Chemical Investigation and Dose-Response Phytotoxic Effect of Essential Oils from Two Gymnosperm Species (Juniperus communis var. saxatilis Pall. and Larix decidua Mill.)

The chemical composition of the liquid and vapor phases of leaf essential oils (EOs) obtained from two species of Gymnosperms (Juniperus communis var. saxatilis Willd. and Larix decidua Mill.) was investigated using the SPME-GC-MS technique. The results highlighted a composition characterized by 51 identified volatile compounds (34 in J. communis and 39 in L. decidua). In both bloils, monoterpenes prevailed over the sesquiterpenes, albeit with qualitative and quantitative differences. Sabinene (37.5% and 34.5%, respectively) represented the two most abundant components in the liquid and vapor phases of J. communis, and α-pinene (51.0% and 63.3%) was the main constituent in L. decidua. The phytotoxic activity of the two EOs was assessed in pre-emergence conditions using three concentrations in contact (2, 5, 10 µL/mL) and non-contact (2, 20, 50 µL) tests against Lolium multiflorum Lam. (Poaceae) and Sinapis alba L. (Brassicaceae). Treatments were effective in a dose-dependent manner by significantly reducing the germination (up to 100% and 45–60%, respectively, with filter paper and soil as a substrate) and the seedling development (1.3 to 8 times) of both target species. Moreover, an exploratory survey on the residual presence of volatile compounds in the soil at the end of the tests was carried out

Chemical Investigation and Dose-Response Phytotoxic Effect of Essential Oils from Two Gymnosperm Species (Juniperus communis var. saxatilis Pall. and Larix decidua Mill.)

The chemical composition of the liquid and vapor phases of leaf essential oils (EOs) obtained from two species of Gymnosperms (Juniperus communis var. saxatilis Willd. and Larix decidua Mill.) was investigated using the SPME-GC-MS technique. The results highlighted a composition characterized by 51 identified volatile compounds (34 in J. communis and 39 in L. decidua). In both bloils, monoterpenes prevailed over the sesquiterpenes, albeit with qualitative and quantitative differences. Sabinene (37.5% and 34.5%, respectively) represented the two most abundant components in the liquid and vapor phases of J. communis, and a-pinene (51.0% and 63.3%) was the main constituent in L. decidua. The phytotoxic activity of the two EOs was assessed in pre-emergence conditions using three concentrations in contact (2, 5, 10 L/mL) and non-contact (2, 20, 50 L) tests against Lolium multiflorum Lam. (Poaceae) and Sinapis alba L. (Brassicaceae). Treatments were effective in a dosedependent manner by significantly reducing the germination (up to 100% and 45–60%, respectively, with filter paper and soil as a substrate) and the seedling development (1.3 to 8 times) of both target species. Moreover, an exploratory survey on the residual presence of volatile compounds in the soil at the end of the tests was carried out

Ecological State Evaluation of a Rural Landscape Revealing the Importance of Naturalised and Organic Crop Fields

This study understood the ecological state of an agrarian landscape, by performing the tools and indicators proposed by the “Landscape Bionomics” (LB) discipline. The tested principles and methods offer a systemic approach to study environmental problems at different scales (i.e. crop, field, farm and landscape) and to promote the rehabilitation of compromised areas. The methodology distinguishes specific landscape elements according to their functions, which can be exclusive like human habitats (e.g. productive, residential, subsidiary) and natural habitats (e.g. source, resistant, stabilising, geologic), or in common between these two (e.g. protective, resilient, connective). Using LB, we assessed the impact of anthropic factors on a rural area (15km² in the South Milan Agricultural Park in Lombardy Region, Italy) in a 62 years timespan (data from 1954, 1999 and 2016). The overall results highlighted that anthropic activity impacts are more strongly on landscape functions: A. The productive (Crop Fields) B. The resistant (Woods) C. The protective (Tree Rows) Moreover, the temporal reconstruction described an altered ecological state in the entire timespan, with further degradation in the last 17 years. However, at the farm scale, we observed that the resistant, the protective and some productive apparatuses (In particular permanent meadows and organic fields) play an ecological role of potential compensation for landscape fragmentation and urbanisation