ABSTRACT Flowering pot plants represent one of the most interesting and promising typologies of o... more ABSTRACT Flowering pot plants represent one of the most interesting and promising typologies of ornamental productions, and frequently new species or products are selected for marketing. The use of sunflower as flowering pot plant, thought quite unusual for this species, could represent a powerful innovation, also in view of the positive trend shown in the last years by the production of sunflower as cut flower. On the other hand, as for any new product, there is a lack of information about the cultivation technique and the appropriate technology for getting best results in producing high quality potted sunflower. The aim of this work was to expand our knowledge on the cultural requirements of Helianthus annuus L. when grown as flowering pot plant and to characterise four genotypes (‘Big Smile’, ‘Pacino’, ‘Sunspot’ and ‘Teddy Bear’) selected for pot cultivation, by evaluating growth and ornamental parameters. We investigated the effect of different sowing periods (early spring, mid spring, late spring), container size (12 or 16 cm diameter), product typology (single or multiple plant per pot) and growth retardants (paclobutrazol and flurprimidol) on plant height and diameter, and on blooming period and ornamental characteristics of the flower. Results have shown that early sowing induces precocious blooming and reduced plant size in all tested genotypes with respect to late sowing date. Also container size affected plant growth, in particular plants grown in larger pots showed more compact habitus and a slight earliness in blooming. Growing multiple plants per pot resulted in a reduced size of each single plant, but the aesthetic value of the whole pot was increased. Our experiments indicated that the four genotypes tested, gave best results if treated with growth retardants which not only reduce plant height, but also increase plant uniformity. Between the two compounds tested, pacrobutrazol (used as a soil drench) was more effective then flurprimidol (used as foliar spray) in reducing size, without negative effects on crop quality.
One of the major production areas in Europe for Hardy Ornamental Nursery Stocks (HONS) is located... more One of the major production areas in Europe for Hardy Ornamental Nursery Stocks (HONS) is located around Pistoia (Tuscany, Italy). In this area, pot ornamental crops show low water use efficiency (WUE). Main reasons of poor irrigation efficiency are both the inaccurate irrigation scheduling, which is normally based on grower’s personal experience, and the choice to group different plant species together in the same irrigation plot in order to simplify irrigation and to reduce growing costs. An efficiency-oriented approach for the management of HONS requires the use of soil/substrate moisture sensors (SMS) and/or crop evapotranspiration (ET) model to regulate irrigation frequency. In order to compare different methods for irrigation scheduling in container beds hosting four different HONS species, two experiments were carried out in the spring-summer season of 2009 and 2010 at ‘Centro Speri-mentale per il Vivaismo’ (CESPEVI), Pistoia. In particular, we tested two irrigation control methods based on SMS or ET model as compared to conventional timer scheduling. The WET sensor was used for SMS control while the ET model consisted of a composite regression model of crop ET (as function of plant height and potential evapotranspiration) along with a specific algorithm implemented in the software of an irrigation controller prototype. Scheduling irrigation by means of the WET sensor (irrigation was activated when the matric potential of substrate was less than -5.0 kPa) or applying ET model reduced seasonal water use respectively by 40% and 45%, and water runoff by 74% and 81% in comparison with timer control strategy, without significant effects on plant ET, growth, and commercial value at the end of growing season. Both new irrigation scheduling are useful for growers, but for a large use of RZS method, a low cost RZS sensor is required. The use ET-model is less expensive, but it requires the knowledge of the Kc for the hundred of different species grown in the nurseries.
Spinach is one of the most important green-leafy vegetables, consumed worldwide, and its intake i... more Spinach is one of the most important green-leafy vegetables, consumed worldwide, and its intake is beneficial for human beings. In this crop, produce yield and quality are closely related to plant nitrogen (N) nutrition. A precise supply of N is also essential for high environmental and economic sustainability. Main aims of the work were: i) to establish relationships between produce yield or quality and mineral N availability in the root zone; and ii) to define an optimal mineral N level to be maintained in the root zone for spinach. Eight experiments were carried out during a four-year-long period under typical Mediterranean climate conditions. Different amounts of N fertilisers were supplied leading to twenty different levels of mineral N in the root zone. Experimental measurements included climate parameters, plant growth, tissue and soil analyses, produce yield and quality indicators. A segmented linear model significantly represented the relationship between crop yield (1.7 to...
ABSTRACT A study was conducted to determine the effects of implementing different irrigation sche... more ABSTRACT A study was conducted to determine the effects of implementing different irrigation scheduling methods on heterogeneous container hardy ornamental nursery stocks. Four ornamental shrub species were grown in the same irrigation sector during the summer of four consecutive years (2007–2010): Forsythia × intermedia, Photinia × fraseri, Prunus laurocerasus L. and Viburnum tinus L. Automated drip irrigation based on either substrate water status (SW) or calculated crop evapotranspiration (ET; MODEL) was compared with “typical” timer-controlled irrigation (TIMER). In TIMER treatment, containers were irrigated based on grower management. In SW treatment, irrigation was controlled either by a water-filled tensiometer (2007) or by a dielectric soil moisture sensor (2008–2010) placed in one pot with a Prunus plant, the species with intermediate water need as found in preliminary work. In MODEL treatment, irrigation was controlled on the basis of the species with the greatest ET. Crop ET was calculated multiplying reference ET (ET0) by a species-specific crop coefficient (kc), which in turn was estimated from plant height. In all treatments, pre-irrigation substrate water deficit was lower than the plant available water in the container. Compared with TIMER treatment, SW and MODEL irrigation scheduling reduced considerably both water use (−21% to −40%) and nutrient emission (−39% to −74%) with no significant effect on plant growth and quality. Water saving resulted from a reduction of irrigation frequency and leaching fraction (water leached/water applied). Wireless sensor network technology and near/remote monitoring techniques can facilitate the application of plant-driven irrigation scheduling in commercial nurseries, where generally hundreds of plant taxa are cultivated in many independent irrigation sectors.
ABSTRACT Flowering pot plants represent one of the most interesting and promising typologies of o... more ABSTRACT Flowering pot plants represent one of the most interesting and promising typologies of ornamental productions, and frequently new species or products are selected for marketing. The use of sunflower as flowering pot plant, thought quite unusual for this species, could represent a powerful innovation, also in view of the positive trend shown in the last years by the production of sunflower as cut flower. On the other hand, as for any new product, there is a lack of information about the cultivation technique and the appropriate technology for getting best results in producing high quality potted sunflower. The aim of this work was to expand our knowledge on the cultural requirements of Helianthus annuus L. when grown as flowering pot plant and to characterise four genotypes (‘Big Smile’, ‘Pacino’, ‘Sunspot’ and ‘Teddy Bear’) selected for pot cultivation, by evaluating growth and ornamental parameters. We investigated the effect of different sowing periods (early spring, mid spring, late spring), container size (12 or 16 cm diameter), product typology (single or multiple plant per pot) and growth retardants (paclobutrazol and flurprimidol) on plant height and diameter, and on blooming period and ornamental characteristics of the flower. Results have shown that early sowing induces precocious blooming and reduced plant size in all tested genotypes with respect to late sowing date. Also container size affected plant growth, in particular plants grown in larger pots showed more compact habitus and a slight earliness in blooming. Growing multiple plants per pot resulted in a reduced size of each single plant, but the aesthetic value of the whole pot was increased. Our experiments indicated that the four genotypes tested, gave best results if treated with growth retardants which not only reduce plant height, but also increase plant uniformity. Between the two compounds tested, pacrobutrazol (used as a soil drench) was more effective then flurprimidol (used as foliar spray) in reducing size, without negative effects on crop quality.
One of the major production areas in Europe for Hardy Ornamental Nursery Stocks (HONS) is located... more One of the major production areas in Europe for Hardy Ornamental Nursery Stocks (HONS) is located around Pistoia (Tuscany, Italy). In this area, pot ornamental crops show low water use efficiency (WUE). Main reasons of poor irrigation efficiency are both the inaccurate irrigation scheduling, which is normally based on grower’s personal experience, and the choice to group different plant species together in the same irrigation plot in order to simplify irrigation and to reduce growing costs. An efficiency-oriented approach for the management of HONS requires the use of soil/substrate moisture sensors (SMS) and/or crop evapotranspiration (ET) model to regulate irrigation frequency. In order to compare different methods for irrigation scheduling in container beds hosting four different HONS species, two experiments were carried out in the spring-summer season of 2009 and 2010 at ‘Centro Speri-mentale per il Vivaismo’ (CESPEVI), Pistoia. In particular, we tested two irrigation control methods based on SMS or ET model as compared to conventional timer scheduling. The WET sensor was used for SMS control while the ET model consisted of a composite regression model of crop ET (as function of plant height and potential evapotranspiration) along with a specific algorithm implemented in the software of an irrigation controller prototype. Scheduling irrigation by means of the WET sensor (irrigation was activated when the matric potential of substrate was less than -5.0 kPa) or applying ET model reduced seasonal water use respectively by 40% and 45%, and water runoff by 74% and 81% in comparison with timer control strategy, without significant effects on plant ET, growth, and commercial value at the end of growing season. Both new irrigation scheduling are useful for growers, but for a large use of RZS method, a low cost RZS sensor is required. The use ET-model is less expensive, but it requires the knowledge of the Kc for the hundred of different species grown in the nurseries.
Spinach is one of the most important green-leafy vegetables, consumed worldwide, and its intake i... more Spinach is one of the most important green-leafy vegetables, consumed worldwide, and its intake is beneficial for human beings. In this crop, produce yield and quality are closely related to plant nitrogen (N) nutrition. A precise supply of N is also essential for high environmental and economic sustainability. Main aims of the work were: i) to establish relationships between produce yield or quality and mineral N availability in the root zone; and ii) to define an optimal mineral N level to be maintained in the root zone for spinach. Eight experiments were carried out during a four-year-long period under typical Mediterranean climate conditions. Different amounts of N fertilisers were supplied leading to twenty different levels of mineral N in the root zone. Experimental measurements included climate parameters, plant growth, tissue and soil analyses, produce yield and quality indicators. A segmented linear model significantly represented the relationship between crop yield (1.7 to...
ABSTRACT A study was conducted to determine the effects of implementing different irrigation sche... more ABSTRACT A study was conducted to determine the effects of implementing different irrigation scheduling methods on heterogeneous container hardy ornamental nursery stocks. Four ornamental shrub species were grown in the same irrigation sector during the summer of four consecutive years (2007–2010): Forsythia × intermedia, Photinia × fraseri, Prunus laurocerasus L. and Viburnum tinus L. Automated drip irrigation based on either substrate water status (SW) or calculated crop evapotranspiration (ET; MODEL) was compared with “typical” timer-controlled irrigation (TIMER). In TIMER treatment, containers were irrigated based on grower management. In SW treatment, irrigation was controlled either by a water-filled tensiometer (2007) or by a dielectric soil moisture sensor (2008–2010) placed in one pot with a Prunus plant, the species with intermediate water need as found in preliminary work. In MODEL treatment, irrigation was controlled on the basis of the species with the greatest ET. Crop ET was calculated multiplying reference ET (ET0) by a species-specific crop coefficient (kc), which in turn was estimated from plant height. In all treatments, pre-irrigation substrate water deficit was lower than the plant available water in the container. Compared with TIMER treatment, SW and MODEL irrigation scheduling reduced considerably both water use (−21% to −40%) and nutrient emission (−39% to −74%) with no significant effect on plant growth and quality. Water saving resulted from a reduction of irrigation frequency and leaching fraction (water leached/water applied). Wireless sensor network technology and near/remote monitoring techniques can facilitate the application of plant-driven irrigation scheduling in commercial nurseries, where generally hundreds of plant taxa are cultivated in many independent irrigation sectors.
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Papers by Giorgio Incrocci