Search results for "Mediterranean environments"

Oilseed Brassica species for fuel production in Mediterranean environments: First field results and technical evaluations

2008

Energy is a major constraint of developed and under-development countries, and the sustainable production of biofuels for use in industrial and domestic sectors has been implemented successfully in many parts of the world. For a number of reasons, some Brassica species, such as B. napus, B. juncea or B. carinata, seem especially interesting as biofuel crops for Mediterranean environments, and many studies and researches have been carried out in order to ensure a successful introduction of them inside the current farming systems. In this work we report the first results of the field trials performed in 2006/07 in the experimental farm “Sparacia” (Cammarata – AG – Sicily), representative of t…

Cultivation of Dill (Anethum graveolens L.) with Different Row Arrangements

2011

Dill (Anethum graveolens L.) is an annual plant from the Umbelliferae. Although in cookery also sprouts and tender leaves are used, the drug from dill is represented by the scented fruits (“seeds”), largely used for flavouring conserved foods and liqueurs, but also by the herbal and cosmetic industry. In this work, we present the results of a trial performed in Sicily, putting under comparison four different row arrangements: CR30 (continuous rows 30 cm apart), CR60 (continuous rows 60 cm apart), CR90 (continuous rows 90 cm apart) and TR (twin rows with a distance of 30 cm inside and 60 cm between twin rows). The plant population on the row (12 plants m-1) was constant and according the row…

Effect of Sowing Time on Coriander Performance in a Semiarid Mediterranean Environment

2006

In semiarid environments, time of sowing is one of the most important factors influencing seed yields. For coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.), the most commonly recommended cropping technique is spring sowing (March–April), since the optimum soil temperature for seed germination ranges between 20 and 23 °C, and the crop shows a remarkable sensitivity to frost and cold. In many semiarid areas of southern Italy, however, the occurrence of prolonged dry periods in summer and spring does not allow for the scheduling of summer crops without irrigation. However, the generally mild winter temperatures and the typical rainfall distribution, which is mostly concentrated over the winter months, could …

MAPs in Sicily: cultivation, uses, and potentiality

2013

In Sicily, MAPs have been used and cultivated for centuries, with many uses ranging from the preparation of fresh or stored food items, flavoring of foods and beverages, home-made human or animal therapy or even aesthetical purposes. Many of them grow spontaneously into such areas, and are claimed to play a significant role inside land biodiversity. The widespread belief that only under “natural” conditions MAPs find their optimum quality features has driven in many cases to their uncontrolled collection from the wild, and as a result many of them are nowadays at a risk of extinction. The field cropping of such spontaneous species could play an important role in safeguarding biodiversity, a…

Modifications over years of volatile compounds and agronomic features in a Sicilian Clary sage biotype.

2006

Clary sage is a biennial native to Mediterranean area, spontaneous and often ubiquitous in many environments of inner Sicily. The large white-pinkish flowers are used, besides for ornamental purposes, for extracting a strongly-scented essential oil largely used by perfume industries. This work has been carried out with the aim to observe over several years the behaviour of a Sicilian Clary sage biotype, grown on experimental plots laid out in Sparacia (Cammarata - AG - Sicily). For this purpose seeds of Clary sage collected from a wild population growing in Pietraperzia (EN) were sown in experimental plots each year for seven consecutive years (from 1998 to 2005). Since Clary sage is a bien…

Exploitation of native Labiatae in Sicily

2006

The family Labiatae is extremely rich in genera and species, and many of them are native to Mediterranean environments. In Sicily, a great interest is devoted since ancient times to their cultivation and use, and they are traditionally used for a great deal of purposes, from cookery to phytotherapy. When their cultivation is addressed to their traditional purposes (as spices, savory herbs or herbal medicines), the major aspects of their cropping technique are well established. However, there are two many reason why their traditional cropping technique should be deeply reviewed. First, many of their productive steps (from sowing to harvest) require a great deal of manpower, and the enhanceme…

Cultivation Trials of Dill (Anethum graveolens L.) with Different Row Arrangements

2010

Dill (Anethum graveolens L.) is an annual plant from Umbelliferae. Although in cookery also sprouts and tender leaves are used, the drug from Dill is represented by the scented fruits (“seeds”), largely used for flavouring conserved foods and liqueurs, but also by herbal and cosmetic industry. In this work, we present the results of a trial performed in Sicily, putting under comparison four different row arrangements: CR30 (continuous rows 30 cm apart); CR60 (continuous rows 60 cm apart), CR90 (continuous rows 90 cm apart) and TR (twin rows with a distance of 30 cm inside and 60 cm between twin rows). The plant population on the row (12 plants m-1) was constant and according the row distanc…

Breeding phenology of Bufo viridis Laurenti, 1768 in Sicily (S Italy)

2006

Phenological and agronomical evaluation of chamomile in Mediterranean environments

2008

Chamomile (Chamomilla recutita (L.) Rausch.) is an annual crop, known worldwide as one of the major medicinal herbs. Its flower heads are reported in the official Pharmacopoeia of 26 countries. In order to evaluate the suitability of chamomile to a low-input field cropping management into a semiarid Mediterranean environment, a long-term research activity has been carried out in the experimental farm “Sparacia” (Cammarata – AG – Sicily); hereby we report the results obtained on plants grown in self-seeded experimental plots in 2007/08. Plants development was observed from November 2007 up to (visually assessed) flowers appearance. Blooming started in middle February, and in middle April (af…

CHEMICAL AND BOTANICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF A ROSMARINUS OFFICINALIS L. BIOTYPE FROM SICILY

2006

Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.) is widely cultivated all over the world as ornamental and aromatic plant. Today, the interest towards its cultivation is strongly arising, due to the many biological activities exerted by the essential oil extracted from its leaves and flowers. Which compounds confer to Rosemary's essential oil its properties is still unclear, but it seems likely that these effects must be attributed to a mixture of different principles, acting contemporarily and synergically. The diverse composition of the essential oils of Rosemary's ecotypes coming from different geographical areas could be the reason of their various level of activity. With the aim of obtaining furth…