Wild edible plants have been used in cooking since ancient times. Recently, their value has impro... more Wild edible plants have been used in cooking since ancient times. Recently, their value has improved as a result of the scientific evidence for their nutraceutical properties. Sanguisorba minor Scop. (salad burnet) plants were hydroponically grown and two consecutive cuts took place at 15 (C1) and 30 (C2) days after sowing. An untargeted metabolomics approach was utilized to fingerprint phenolics and other health-related compounds in this species; this approach revealed the different effects of the two cuts on the plant. S. minor showed a different and complex secondary metabolite profile, which was influenced by the cut. In fact, flavonoids increased in leaves obtained from C2, especially flavones. However, other secondary metabolites were downregulated in leaves from C2 compared to those detected in leaves from C1, as evidenced by the combination of the variable important in projections (VIP score > 1.3) and the fold-change (FC > 2). The storage of S. minor leaves for 15 day...
The article presents a number of empirical models for predicting the macronutrient uptake of melo... more The article presents a number of empirical models for predicting the macronutrient uptake of melon plants grown in nutrient film technique under environmental conditions of plastic greenhouse in the Mediterranean region. Models were developed according to two statistical procedures: stepwise multiple regression (MR) and canonical correlation (CC). Independent variables considered by the modeling were global radiation and air temperature in
XXVI International Horticultural Congress: Issues and Advances in Postharvest Horticulture, 2003
Abstract: Rocket is an important leafy vegetable in Mediterranean countries and is mainly used to... more Abstract: Rocket is an important leafy vegetable in Mediterranean countries and is mainly used to flavor salads. Soil grown rocket usually contains high level of nitrate about 7000-8000 mg kg-1 (ppm) and during the winter period this value can easily overcome 9000 ppm. Rocket was used in our experiments as a model system for studying new technologies for reducing nitrate content in preharvest and postharvest stages. Experiments carried out as pre-harvest strategies were focused on comparisons between soil cultivation and floating ...
Optimal operation of greenhouse crops requires an appropriate management of fertigation, especial... more Optimal operation of greenhouse crops requires an appropriate management of fertigation, especially when the availability and/or the quality of irrigation water are limited and/or there are environmental constraints, such as those derived from Nitrate Directive in Europe. The paper illustrates the main features of a decision support system (DSS) for the fertigation management in soilless culture, which is still under development in the framework of the European research project EUPHOROS. The DSS modules provide information on the optimal irrigation regime (based on the static hydrological properties of the growing medium) and on crop water and nutrients requirements (including both plant uptake and leaching requirement in open and semi-closed growing systems). An easy-to-use nutrient solution calculator and an extendable crop database have been integrated in the DSS. The DSS can assist the grower in daily operational management of fertigation as well as for off-line (prior-to-planting) simulation, for instance to compare-in terms of water and nutrients use efficiency-different fertigation strategies, growing system layouts, water qualities and/or crop species (analysis of the scenario). An example of such simulation is provided for tomato grown under saline conditions. INTRODUCTION The advantages of soilless culture over conventional soil cultivation (e.g., higher use efficiency of water, nutrients, labour etc.; better product quality) are fully achievable only in closed systems where nutrient effluents are recirculated (Stanghellini et al., 2007). However, the management of closed systems is more difficult due to the risk of root-borne diseases and the possible accumulation of non-essential ions in the recirculating Nutrient Solution (NS) (Pardossi et al., 2006). When poor quality irrigation water (e.g., saline water) is available, the progressive accumulation of ballast ions (such as Na and Cl) scarcely absorbed by the crop makes it necessary to discharge the recirculating NS (flushing) with consequent waste of water and fertilizers (i.e., semi-closed systems). In these systems, the knowledge of the recirculating NS composition is a key factor to optimize the fertigation management, in particular to decide when flushing is necessary, based on physiological and/or environmental criteria, e.g. taking in account of the limits imposed to the concentration of pollutants (e.g., NO 3) in the wastewater discharged to surface water by the legislation derived from European Nitrate Directive (The Council of the European Communities, 1991). In the framework of the European research project EUPHOROS (http://www. euphoros.wur.nl/UK/), work is in progress to develop a decision support system (DSS) for the management of fertigation of greenhouse crops (Hydrotool). This paper illustrates the general structure of Hydrotool and reports the results of the validation of the models implemented in the DSS in order to simulate crop water and mineral relations. An example of the possible use of DSS for analysis of scenarios (different strategies for fertigation) is also reported.
VI International Symposium on Protected Cultivation in Mild Winter Climate: Product and Process Innovation, 2003
... The paper presents a simple model for the changes in ion concentration and the related variat... more ... The paper presents a simple model for the changes in ion concentration and the related variations in Na of recirculating nutrient solution in closed-loop hydroponics. The model was calibrated for tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) using data from the literature and, finally ...
Wild edible plants have been used in cooking since ancient times. Recently, their value has impro... more Wild edible plants have been used in cooking since ancient times. Recently, their value has improved as a result of the scientific evidence for their nutraceutical properties. Sanguisorba minor Scop. (salad burnet) plants were hydroponically grown and two consecutive cuts took place at 15 (C1) and 30 (C2) days after sowing. An untargeted metabolomics approach was utilized to fingerprint phenolics and other health-related compounds in this species; this approach revealed the different effects of the two cuts on the plant. S. minor showed a different and complex secondary metabolite profile, which was influenced by the cut. In fact, flavonoids increased in leaves obtained from C2, especially flavones. However, other secondary metabolites were downregulated in leaves from C2 compared to those detected in leaves from C1, as evidenced by the combination of the variable important in projections (VIP score > 1.3) and the fold-change (FC > 2). The storage of S. minor leaves for 15 day...
The article presents a number of empirical models for predicting the macronutrient uptake of melo... more The article presents a number of empirical models for predicting the macronutrient uptake of melon plants grown in nutrient film technique under environmental conditions of plastic greenhouse in the Mediterranean region. Models were developed according to two statistical procedures: stepwise multiple regression (MR) and canonical correlation (CC). Independent variables considered by the modeling were global radiation and air temperature in
XXVI International Horticultural Congress: Issues and Advances in Postharvest Horticulture, 2003
Abstract: Rocket is an important leafy vegetable in Mediterranean countries and is mainly used to... more Abstract: Rocket is an important leafy vegetable in Mediterranean countries and is mainly used to flavor salads. Soil grown rocket usually contains high level of nitrate about 7000-8000 mg kg-1 (ppm) and during the winter period this value can easily overcome 9000 ppm. Rocket was used in our experiments as a model system for studying new technologies for reducing nitrate content in preharvest and postharvest stages. Experiments carried out as pre-harvest strategies were focused on comparisons between soil cultivation and floating ...
Optimal operation of greenhouse crops requires an appropriate management of fertigation, especial... more Optimal operation of greenhouse crops requires an appropriate management of fertigation, especially when the availability and/or the quality of irrigation water are limited and/or there are environmental constraints, such as those derived from Nitrate Directive in Europe. The paper illustrates the main features of a decision support system (DSS) for the fertigation management in soilless culture, which is still under development in the framework of the European research project EUPHOROS. The DSS modules provide information on the optimal irrigation regime (based on the static hydrological properties of the growing medium) and on crop water and nutrients requirements (including both plant uptake and leaching requirement in open and semi-closed growing systems). An easy-to-use nutrient solution calculator and an extendable crop database have been integrated in the DSS. The DSS can assist the grower in daily operational management of fertigation as well as for off-line (prior-to-planting) simulation, for instance to compare-in terms of water and nutrients use efficiency-different fertigation strategies, growing system layouts, water qualities and/or crop species (analysis of the scenario). An example of such simulation is provided for tomato grown under saline conditions. INTRODUCTION The advantages of soilless culture over conventional soil cultivation (e.g., higher use efficiency of water, nutrients, labour etc.; better product quality) are fully achievable only in closed systems where nutrient effluents are recirculated (Stanghellini et al., 2007). However, the management of closed systems is more difficult due to the risk of root-borne diseases and the possible accumulation of non-essential ions in the recirculating Nutrient Solution (NS) (Pardossi et al., 2006). When poor quality irrigation water (e.g., saline water) is available, the progressive accumulation of ballast ions (such as Na and Cl) scarcely absorbed by the crop makes it necessary to discharge the recirculating NS (flushing) with consequent waste of water and fertilizers (i.e., semi-closed systems). In these systems, the knowledge of the recirculating NS composition is a key factor to optimize the fertigation management, in particular to decide when flushing is necessary, based on physiological and/or environmental criteria, e.g. taking in account of the limits imposed to the concentration of pollutants (e.g., NO 3) in the wastewater discharged to surface water by the legislation derived from European Nitrate Directive (The Council of the European Communities, 1991). In the framework of the European research project EUPHOROS (http://www. euphoros.wur.nl/UK/), work is in progress to develop a decision support system (DSS) for the management of fertigation of greenhouse crops (Hydrotool). This paper illustrates the general structure of Hydrotool and reports the results of the validation of the models implemented in the DSS in order to simulate crop water and mineral relations. An example of the possible use of DSS for analysis of scenarios (different strategies for fertigation) is also reported.
VI International Symposium on Protected Cultivation in Mild Winter Climate: Product and Process Innovation, 2003
... The paper presents a simple model for the changes in ion concentration and the related variat... more ... The paper presents a simple model for the changes in ion concentration and the related variations in Na of recirculating nutrient solution in closed-loop hydroponics. The model was calibrated for tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) using data from the literature and, finally ...
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Papers by L. Incrocci