Impatto ambientale dell'orticoltura in serre tipiche dell'ambiente mediterraneo e analisi delle tecniche di coltivazione in fuori suolo
Author(s)
Pagniello, Barbara
Date Issued
February 27, 2009
Type
Doctoral Thesis
Abstract
The aim of this research, carried out during the Ph.D activity, is to assess the
environmental impact of greenhouse cultivation system in the Mediterranean area. The
evaluation was based on the data collected by monitoring samples from greenhouse and
open field vegetable farms in the coast of North-Lazio. In the first part of the research the
amount of fertilizer and pesticide products, used in greenhouses and in open-field, has been
determined. As far as fertilizer, the performed processing showed that the inputs in
greenhouse of N-total were lower than in open-field (- 34.1%), and the reduction mainly
concerned the N-NH4+ (- 58.6%), while concerning the N-NO3
- there was a remarkable
smaller reduction (-11.7%). The P2O5 and K2O inputs were upper in greenhouse than in
open-field, 19.5% and 30.1% respectively.
From the pesticide point of view, the use of fungicide was higher in greenhouse than
in open-field, while the use of herbicide was higher in open-field and there was no
difference in the use of insecticide in greenhouse and in open-field.
Environment exposure to pesticide indices were calculated by making a distinction
among air (EEP-air), soil(EEP-soil) and water (EEP-Groundwater) in order to increase
knowledge of environmental impact due to the pesticide use. The results showed that the
EEP-air to all pesticide was higher in greenhouse than in open-field, then again the EEPsoil
and EEP-groundwater were higher in open-field than in greenhouse.
The valuation of nutrient and pesticide transformations in the root zone and the
quantification of the removed by leaching and soil erosion amounts - both for crops in
greenhouse and in open-field - were simulated by GLEAMS model.
The results of these performed simulations showed that there was no nutrient and
pesticide leaching in the greenhouse. The highest losses of nutrient and pesticide were
concentrated in open-field, immediately afterwards application periods and when there
were copious rainfalls.
Therefore, the application of soilless systems can reduce the environmental impact
due to the use of such substances, but to date, their spread is mainly hampered by the high
costs specific to this crop system. In fact, technical-economic analysis of soilless systems
highlight that positive net income can be achieved only through the most profitable
horticultural crops, such as tomato.
Additional information
Dottorato di ricerca in Ortoflorofrutticoltura
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