Recent changes in forest management policies and their consequences on silvopastoral practices: the study case of Ficuzza Forest (W Sicily; Italy

Catologue of the plants growing in Sicily

This Catalogue includes the taxonomic units of the native and exotic taxa, both adventice and cultivated of the vascular flora of Sicily. Species and subspecies, as well as varieties and forms are taken into consideration, contrary to the actual tendency to include only the former. The main aim of the Catalogue is therefore to analyze the flora of the largest and significant island of the Mediterranean, and to give a tool for specialists of the field and an informative basis of the regional biodiversity in favour of preserving and promoting actions. Together with synonymic information on each single taxon, the Catalogue includes ecological and distributive references of the region. Nomemcla…

Produttività di impianti di noce da legno realizzati in Sicilia.

Un’esperienza di peer-tutoring all’ateneo di Palermo

Speed and rotor flux estimation of induction motors via on-line adjusted extended kalman filter

This paper deals with the estimation of speed and rotor flux of induction motors via Extended Kalman Filter (EKF) with on-line adjusting of the system noise covariance matrix. The predictor of EKF consists of a discrete time model obtained by means of a second order discretization of the original nonlinear model of the induction motor. In order to obtain accurate estimation of the above mentioned variables, the load torque is included in the state variables and then estimated. Three different system noise models are also illustrated and compared each other by simulations carried out in Matlab/Simulink environment. For one of these models, EKF is adjusted on-line by means of an additional PI…

Subsurface Drip Irrigation and ICT for the Innovative Irrigation Water Management: Application to a Citrus Crop (C. reticulata cv. Tardivo di Ciaculli)

Subsurface drip irrigation (SDI) is considered one of the most efficient irrigation systems because it allows the optimization of crop water productivity maximizing, at the same time, farmers’ economic benefit. However, to take full advantage of SDI systems it is necessary to prevent emitter obstructions caused by root intrusion, as well as to apply water-saving strategies, such as regulated deficit irrigation (RDI). Regarding the first aspect, manufacturers are claiming different techniques to protect emitters from root intrusion, such as mechanical barriers, addition with different chemical compounds into the emitter itself or chemicals into irrigation water. On the other hand, the applic…

The effect of grazing in Forests: the case study of Ficuzza (W Sicily)