Bioagronomic and energy potential of Carthamus tinctorius L. in the Mediterranean area

In recent years, interest in dedicated energy crops, in particular oilseed crops, in the Mediterranean area has risen. This is due both to an increase in energy demand in various sectors and the need to meet the objectives set by the European Union. The agro-energy sector may become an important economic opportunity for farms, especially when considering the use of the whole plant – the oil-rich seeds and the lignocellulosic crop residues. However, in economic terms, further study is needed in the management, quantification and subsequent use of crop residues. This research looks at the productive and energy potential of the seed and crop residues of safflower with the aim of introducing th…

Bio-Agronomic Evaluation of Brassica Carina A. Braun in a Semi-Arid Area of Sicily

The need to reduce fossil fuel consumption for environmental and economic reasons is placing the farming sector in a whole new light with a new set of tasks to face. Concerns arising from climate change and decisions resulting from the Kyòto Protocol have helped reinforce the idea that multifunctional farms can make a real contribution to achieving the targets set for 2012. As a producer of dedicated energy crops – crops used to supply biomass for energy – the farm becomes a supplier of raw materials for fuel production or of energy directly. For economic, social and environmental reasons, agro-energy may be the way forward to encourage multi-functionalism in farming and, therefore, increas…

Bermudagrass adaptation in the Mediterranean climate: phenotypic traits of 44 accessions

The use of bermudagrass in the Mediterranean area is increasing for its outstanding tolerance to heat and drought, and its aggressive growth and high recuperative potential make it particularly suited to heavily worn areas and appreciated for sports turfs. However, the overall performance of a given genetic type can be affected by the adaptation to a specific environment. The objective of this research was to determine the variability of a number of phenotypic traits that can affect bermudagrass turf performance on a wide range of bermudagrass accessions grown in two locations in Italy. In May 2010, 44 accessions of bermudagrasses, grouped in “wild”, “improved” “hybrid” and “dwarf” types we…

Molecular characterization of Sicilian ecotypes of Myrtus communis (L.) using AFLP markers.

Constructed wetlands as nature-based solution for sustainable wastewater management in urban areas: a critical assessment by experimental studies and literature

In urban areas, constructed wetland systems (CWS) have been recognized as one of the most valid technologies for sustainable wastewater management. They represent green infrastructure and provide solutions to treatment of wastewaters that cities and peri-urban areas produce in large amount. In particular, CWS offer the advantages of wastewater reuse for parklands irrigation, water storage and peak-flow attenuation, control of stormwater runoff, nutrient cycling and uptake, heavy metals sequestration, removal of organic compounds. In greener cities, these systems have the potential to perform not just hydrological and wastewater treatment functions, but also urban design and ecological aspec…