Realizzazione di un prototipo automatizzato di camera di crescita (Box Nursery) per la produzione di plantule nella Base italiana di “Baia Terra Nova” in Antartide

This paper reports data on the structure and performances of an automated growth chamber prototype for plantlet vegetable production (Box Nursery), developed in relation to the research activity carried on in the Italian basis “Baia Terra Nova”, in Antarctica. The prototype was built to produce young plants for supporting the Plant-based Unit for Life Support (PULSA) installed at Terra Nova Bay, in the frame of an ongoing research activity of the PNRA (Italian Program Research in Antarctica). The Box Nursery is composed by: a growth chamber (89x69 cm, height 203 cm); a second body (satellite cube, 76x70 cm, height 91 cm) containing the control unit system and the irrigation tanks. Three germination module units were installed in the growth chamber, each composed by a steel tray equipped with a subirrigation system and a lighting panel. Cooling, heating and de-humidification systems were included in the growth chamber for maintaining optimal growth condition for plantlets. However, a system of ventilation was installed for preventing CO2 and ethylene accumulation as well as oxygen depletion in the growth chamber. A specific software (Box Nursery management Software) was developed to allow the control of all systems and to record internal climatic condition. The prototype of Box Nursery was tested for 1 year with different vegetable plants (such as lettuce, tomato, radish, rocket etc.). The results showed that the prototype maintains the pre-set parameter independently from external climate, with average power consumption about 0.6 kW. No differences on uniformity coefficient, average time and percentage of germination were recorded in comparison with seeds germinated in a growth chamber with same growing conditions

State of the art and perspectives on application of mathematical models to greenhouse crops

An increasing trend was observed over the last years in the modelling of soil-plant-management interactions of protected crops, mainly as an adaptation of approaches originally developed for field crops. The variety of modelling approaches used world-wide reflects the difficulty of unifying physiological principles across various crops (plant types). The heterogeneity of software development techniques (typically based on procedural principles) has been another obstacle to the progress of research in this field, since it hampered model extension and re-usability. This paper describes and discusses the scientific basis, the design, implementation and perspectives in modelling greenhouse crops. Generic modular architectures developed according to up to date software technologies (.NET, Java) were identified and proposed as valuable for the design, implementation, verification and comparison of process-based modelling approaches. On this basis, the authors argue that the combination of good software engineering with sound crop science can enhance the rate of advance in crop modelling for protected crops

Bioactive Lignans from Flaxseed: Biological Properties and Patented Recovery Technologies

Flaxseed lignans frequently feature in the literature. However, much remains to be discovered about the mechanisms underlying their functional and therapeutic properties. Furthermore, it is necessary to identify systems for lignan production and detoxification that are sustainable, cost-effective, easy to use, and scale up. These systems can address the needs of the nutraceutical, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical sectors and lead to competitive commercial products. This review analyzes the biological effects of lignans as anticancer, antioxidants, and modulators of estrogen activity. It also focuses on the most recent articles on lignan extraction methods that are sustainable and suitable as products for human consumption. Furthermore, the most up-to-date and relevant patents for lignan recovery are examined. The search and selection methodology for articles and patents was conducted using the most popular bibliographic and patent databases (e.g., Scopus, Pubmed, Espacenet). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first overview that details the patented technologies developed in the flaxseed lignans area in the last 10 years

The PULSA (Plant-based Unit for Life Support in Antarctica): a sustainable plant food technology for remotes and isolated environments

In the last decade ENEA (Italian National Agency for New Technology, Energy and the Environment) has promoted some research projects with the aim to develop a system and a protocol for producing fresh vegetable food in the Italian bases of TNB (Terra Nova Bay) and Dome C (Concordia base) situated in Antarctica, with the main result of the construction of the Plant-based Unit for Life Support in Antarctica (PULSA). The paper reports a brief overview of the main prototypes and software developed with the cooperation of the Universities of Pisa and Palermo. This cooperation had produced the main following products: 1) a complete automatic hydroponic system for plant cultivation in artificial environment (C.H.G.S., Closed Hydroponic Greenhouse System); 2) a recycling wastes unit for the purification of water and the recycling of the residual biomasses produced by hydroponic growing cycles; 3) a complete automated and remote-controlling system for the germination and the production of the plantlets (Box-Nursery); 4) a lettuce growth and yield simulator (SLS). In addition, the paper describes also the last prototypes under development, such as a multilevel hydroponic growing unit and a solar photovoltaic system, developed with the aim to maximize the yield, using also the Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) as light source for plant crop growth. Considerations and comments on the possibility to use PULSA as scientific platform for research and demonstration activities on plant growth technologies useful for the Space are also reported. All the researches herein presented were financed by the PNRA (Italian National Plan for Antarctic Research)

Designing a Waste-Based Culture Medium for the Production of Plant Growth Promoting Microorganisms Based on Cladodes Juice from Opuntia ficus-indica Pruning

The production of beneficial microorganisms is the first step to obtain a commercial-based product for application in agriculture. In this study, prickly pear (Opuntia ficus-indica) pruning waste was evaluated as a raw material for the production of large amounts of Plant Growth Promoting Microorganisms (PGPMs) reducing the number of generated wastes. Specifically, five PGPMs constituting a synthetic microbial consortium with complementing plant growth-promoting traits were grown on a laboratory scale and, subsequently, on a pilot scale using a 21-L bioreactor. Primarily, the physical-chemical characterization of the culture medium obtained from the juice of Opuntia cladodes was carried out, revealing the presence of sugars and organic acids with different molar ratios. Compared to conventional media, the waste medium did not show significant differences in bacterial growth efficiency. Instead, the survival rates of the bacteria grown in cladodes juice media, after air-drying on zeolite or freeze-drying, were significantly higher than those observed when they were grown in conventional media. The present work is the first conducted on a pilot-scale that maximizes the production of PGPMs in submerged fermentation using cladodes juice from Opuntia, reducing both economic and environmental impacts associated with the generation of wastes