http://http://dspace.unitus.it:80 The DSpace digital repository system captures, stores, indexes, preserves, and distributes digital research material. 2013-05-23T11:20:58Z http://hdl.handle.net/2067/1891 Title: Reduction of irrigation on tall fescue and bermudagrass turfs in a mediterranean environment. Authors: Cereti, Carlo Fausto; Rossini, Francesco; Ruggeri, Roberto Abstract: Irrigation supplies are considerable and expensive to maintain a good turfgrass quality during summertime in a Mediterranean environment. Consequently, prudent irrigation greatly influences both management cost and environmental impact of turfgrasses. This study was conducted to determine water quantities required for normal growth and an aestheticly pleasing appearance of two turfgrass species in the Central Italy. Five restoration levels of Maximum Evapotranspiration (ME) were applied to bermudagrass, Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers. and tall fescue Festuca arundinacea Schreb. The data collected over two years indicated that a periodical irrigation replenishment (two times a week), equal to 60% of water deficit, was the best solution. This maintained a sufficient aesthetic appearance, not significatively different from daily irrigation replacement, even in extremely dry climate conditions. Bermudagrass resulted in a more acceptable appearance than tall fescue when water stress lasted for a long period of time, while tall fescue recuperated a good aesthetic appearance as soon as climatic conditions became less severe. Adopting a 60% ME replacement level, we can save about 120 mm of water (7-year mean) per irrigation season in central Italy. 2008-12-31T23:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/2067/1850 Title: The potential role of spineless safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L. var. inermis) as fodder crop in central Italy Authors: Danieli, Pier Paolo; Primi, Riccardo; Ronchi, Bruno; Ruggeri, Roberto; Rossini, Francesco; Del Puglia, Salvatore; Cereti, Carlo Fausto Abstract: The present study aimed at assessing how nitrogen (N) fertilization affects nutritional characteristics of spineless safflower grown under Mediterranean conditions and evaluating a 2-days wilting treatment on moisture reduction and pH before ensiling. Spineless safflower, sown in November 2008, was grown in 3 m x 18 m plot (45 plants m–2). A randomized complete block design (RCBD) one cultivar x four N-fertilization levels (N0=0 kg/ha, land allocation, N1=35 kg/ha, N2=70 kg/ha, N3=105 kg ha–1) (3 replicates each level) was adopted. At mowing (May 2009, before blooming) the crop biomass production was recorded. Wilted plant material for each plot was collected and pH was measured. Dried and ground samples (1 mm mesh) were analyzed for crude protein (CP), lipids (EE), crude fibre (CFom), neutral detergent fibre (aNDFom), acid detergent fibre (ADF), lignin (ADL) and ash (ASH) content. All data were analyzed by ANOVA and differences among means were declared significant at P<0.05. Biomass production showed a N dose-dependent relationship [from N0=1.80±0.29 to N3=2.71±0.20 t ha–1 dry matter (DM), P<0.01]. N-fertilization significantly affected the CP content, with the highest values (17.52±0.26% DM) observed for the N3 fertilization level. The other nutritional characteristics (EE: 1.36±0.23% DM; CFom: 41.70±3.65% DM; aNDFom: 44.6±2.71% DM; ASH: 12.74±0.74% DM) were not or only slightly affected (ADF: 34.15±2.14%; ADL: 9.53±2.35) (P<0.05) by the N-fertilization. After the 2-day wilting treatment, the highest pH (5.99±0.08) was found for N2 treatment, while the lowest one (5.85±0.06) was recorded for the N0 level (P<0.01). The wilting treatment gave a sufficient moisture reduction, allowing satisfactory preservation of safflower by ensiling. Spineless safflower shows an interesting potential to be grown for ruminants feeding in Mediterranean area. N-fertilization plays an important role as far as productivity of safflower and its CP content are concerned. Further studies are in progress to fully characterize safflower as fresh and preserved forage resource for crop-livestock production systems in central Italy. 2010-12-31T23:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/2067/2041 Title: Studio dell’influenza di diversi livelli di carenzamento idrico sulla qualità di tappeti erbosi di Festuca arundinacea Schreb. e Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers. Authors: Ruggeri, Roberto Abstract: Nell’ambiente mediterraneo, al fine di mantenere una buona qualità del tappeto erboso durante la stagione estiva, gli interventi irrigui sono notevoli e dispendiosi. Di conseguenza, un’attenta gestione dell’acqua influenza notevolmente due importanti spetti del sistema tappeto erboso: economicità ed eco-compatibilità. La risoluzione di questo duplice problema è l’oggetto della presente ricerca. Lo studio è stato condotto per determinare i quantitativi di acqua necessari per una crescita regolare e per un buon aspetto estetico di due specie da tappeto erboso: Festuca arundinacea e Cynodon dactylon. Sono stati confrontati 5 livelli di reintegro dell’Evapotraspirazione Massima (ETM): 1. reintegro giornaliero del 60% dell’ETM 2. reintegro periodico (due volte a settimana) del 60% dell’ ETM 3. reintegro giornaliero del 40% dell’ETM 4. reintegro periodico (due volte a settimana) del 40% dell’ ETM 5. 0% dell’ ETM I dati raccolti durante due anni indicano che un reintegro periodico del 60% è la soluzione migliore, perché consente di ottenere un sufficiente aspetto estetico globale, non significativamente differente dalla restituzione giornaliera, anche in condizioni climatiche estremamente aride. Cynodon dactylon si è dimostrata essere più adatta della Festuca arundinacea quando lo stress idrico perdura per lunghi periodi, mentre la specie microterma possiede una buona capacità di recupero appena le condizioni climatiche diventano meno severe. Si è calcolato che il risparmio d’acqua è stato, per ogni stagione irrigua, circa 65 mm nel 2006 e 132 mm nel 2007.; In the Mediterranean environment, in order to maintain a good turfgrass quality during summertime, irrigation supplies are considerable and expensive. Consequently, prudent water management greatly influences two important aspects of turfgrass system: economy and eco-compatibility. The solution of this double issue is the aim of the present research. The study has been conducted to determine water amounts required for a regular growth and good aesthetic appearance of two turfgrass species: Festuca arundinacea and Cynodon dactylon. Five restoration levels of Maximum Evapotranspiration (ETM) have been compared: 1. Daily restoration of 60% of ETM 2. Periodical restoration (two times a week) of 60% of ETM 3. Daily restoration of 40% of ETM 4. Periodical restoration (two times a week) of 40% of ETM 5. 0% of ETM The data collected during two years indicate that a periodical replenishment equal to 60% of water deficit is the best solution, because it allows to obtain a sufficient aesthetic general appearance, not significatively different by daily restoration, also in the extremely dry climate conditions. Cynodon dactylon results more suitable than Festuca arundinacea when water stress lasts for a long period, while the cool-season specie has a good aesthetic renewal as soon as climatic conditions become less severe. Water savings have been calculated to be approximately 65 mm per irrigation-season during 2006 and 132 mm during 2007. Description: Dottorato di ricerca in Ortoflorofrutticoltura 2008-04-21T22:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/2067/2196 Title: New clones of Helianthus tuberosus enlarge options for the sustainable integration of bioenergy crops in current farming systems of central Italy Authors: De Pace, Ciro; Del Puglia, Salvatore; Ruggeri, Roberto; Rossini, Francesco; Vittori, Doriano Abstract: Among the few species eligible to become dedicated bioenergy crops, Helianthus tuberosus L. (Ht) may become an alternative to dismissed maize or sugar beet or grape cropping systems. The efficiency of Ht stalk and tuber biomass production depends, among other factors, on plant density and water resources supply. Ht clones expressing new structure for plant architecture and phenological phases were selected to explore a range of farm production environments in Central Italy, differing mainly for the air temperature and rainfall patterns. In those environments the new clones are suitable for high stalk-biomass and high tuber-biomass production to be transformed in biofuel. 2009-12-31T23:00:00Z