Search results for "yield"

Use of organic fertilizers for lettuce plug plant production

2009

Vegetable crop production in conventional intensive agricultural systems commonly implies high fertilization rates. Recent data show that the worldwide demand for organically grown products is expanding rapidly. Increasing interest in organic vegetable production has lead to a need to produce seedlings organically. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of different levels of organic fertilizers applied to lettuce seedlings on plant growth and yield. Romaine lettuce seeds of cultivar Gretta R were sown on March 2007 in polystyrene plug trays in a unheated greenhouse in the Northern coast of Sicily. At the second leaf stage, seedlings were saturated with solutions containing vario…

Effects of plant type on two strawberry cultivars in Sicily

2014

In Sicily fresh plants have for years been replacing the once popular cold-stored ones. Good early cropping is the aim of all strawberry growers in the island’s Marsala district. The present trial tested the response of the new strawberry cultivars ‘Sabrosa’ and ‘Florida Fortuna’ using fresh plug and bare-root plants. ‘Florida Fortuna’ plug-plants turned out to be the most promising type as a cash crop in delivering extra early ripening.

EFFECTS OF PRE-PLANT SOIL TREATMENTS ON STRAWBERRY IN SICILY

2014

The 2005 ban by Italy of methyl bromide (MB) has resulted in significant crop management difficulties in pre-plant soil dis-infestation. We report two pre-plant soil treatment techniques and their effects on the performance of new cultivars and selections tolerant to the main root pathogens. The plants grown in soil treated with chloropicrin + 1,3 dichloropropene were the most productive. While neither treatment affected average berry weight, soluble solids content or titratable acidity, the treatment × cultivar interaction was significant and fruits from plants grown in treated soil were firmer than control s. Selection PA 260 and cultivar Florida Fortuna were the earliest, three selection…

Study on New Strawberry Varieties Evaluated in Sicily

2009

The variety evolution and growing techniques have modified the strawberry cultivation in the Italian Mediterranean areas. Different trials in Sicily showed that varietal choices are the base to reach high levels of quality and quantity production. In Sicily, 300 ha of strawberries are now cultivated and 'Tudla' is still the principal variety (60%), 'Camarosa' is the most cultivated variety in the other southern strawberry areas, but in Sicily this cultivar does not generate a great interest because of its lateness. New cultivars, such as 'Candonga', 'Ventana' and 'Naiad', have been trialled in the last years but further evaluations are necessary. The trial was carried out at the experimenta…

Mi.P.A.F. targeted project for evaluation of European and Japanese plum rootstocks in Italy: Results of six years of observations

2007

The Mi.P.A.F. (Italian Ministry of Agriculture) targeted project "National Lists of Recommended Rootstocks and Cultivars", coordinated by Prof. F. Loreti, University of Pisa, aims at evaluating the performance of fruit rootstocks introduced into the Italian nursery market. As part of this project, trials were established to compare some of the most interesting rootstocks for European and Japanese plum in 9 different locations in Italy. The rootstocks tested were: 'Citation-Zaipime', 'GF 31', 'Marianna GF 8/1', 'Ishtara-Ferciana', 'Jaspi-Fereley', 'Julior-Ferdor', 'Myrobalan 29C', 'Myrobalan B', 'MrS 2/5' and 'Myrocal'. In 1995, nine orchards were planted at 5 × 5 m spacing; in each orchard,…

EFFECTS OF SOIL SOLARIZATION WITH DIFFERENT PLASTIC FILMS ON YIELD PERFORMANCE OF STRAWBERRY PROTECTED PLANTATIONS IN SICILY

2014

Growth, fruit yield and quality of ‘Golden Delicious’ apple trees under fixed partial rootzone drying

2007

Characterization of Acylating and Deacylating Activities of an Extracellular Phospholipase A2 in a Water-Restricted Environment

1994

The behavior of porcine pancreatic phospholipase A2 (ppPLA2) in monophasic low-water media has been explored, for the first time, in a systematic manner. It has been investigated how a number of variables can modulate both acylating and deacylating activities of the enzyme, and several interesting, unexpected results are presented. Among the most relevant, when placing ppPLA2 in the water-restricted environment, are the following: (i) it displays a remarkable alteration of its specificity toward the substrate polar head relative to all-water medium; (ii) it is quite severely inhibited by lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC), which has important implications, particularly concerning its acylation a…

Valorization of alginate for the production of hydrogen via catalytic aqueous phase reforming

2018

Abstract Alginate, a carbohydrate abundant in the outer cell wall of macroalgae, was subjected to catalytic aqueous phase reforming (APR) to produce hydrogen using a 3% Pt/C commercial catalyst. The performance of the process was evaluated according to the conversion of the carbon to gas, the hydrogen yield and the hydrogen selectivity. The catalyst and feed amount, temperature, reaction time, pH and the presence of H2 were modified to understand the dependence of the outcome of the process on these parameters. The presence of the catalyst was fundamental in order to increase the hydrogen yield compared to the uncatalyzed reaction, and it can be reused without activity loss. In addition, it…

Batch dark fermentative hydrogen production from grass silage: The effect of inoculum, pH, temperature and VS ratio

2008

Abstract The potential for fermentative hydrogen (H2) production from grass silage was evaluated in laboratory batch assays. First, two different inocula (from a dairy farm digester and digested sewage sludge) were studied with and without prior heat treatment and pH adjustment. Only the inoculum from the dairy farm digester produced H2 from grass silage. Without heat treatment, methane (CH4) was mainly produced, but heat treatment efficiently inhibited CH4 production. pH adjustment to 6 further increased H2 production. The effects of initial pH (4, 5 and 6), temperature (35, 55 and 70 ∘ C ) and the substrate to inoculum volatile solids (VS) ratio (henceforth VS ratio) (1:1; 1.5:1 and 2:1) …