Ottimizzazione degli itinerari di controllo delle infestanti in sistemi altamente sostenibili basati sull' impiego di leguminose da granella
Author(s)
Faustini, Fabio
Date Issued
October 24, 2008
Type
Doctoral Thesis
Abstract
Chick-pea (Cicer arietinum L.) is a primary pulse crop for both human and livestock nutrition, world-wide diffused on an area of about ten million ha (it is the third legume crop behind soy-bean and bean). In Italy, chick-pea has traditionally been grown and today there is a renewed interest in sustainable systems (both low-inputs and organic agriculture), for an increasing organic food demand, typical, certified quality and brand from certain traditional regions. Chick-pea is a N-fixing crop for dry and semi-dry areas and nowadays the new cultivars can be sown both in autumn in the South and in late winter in the North of Italy. Ascochyta blight is the most destructive injury caused by Ascochyta rabiei. This study has been carried on into the labs of the Department of Crop Production, Faculty of Agricultural Science at Tuscia University, Viterbo, and in the Experimental Farm, in the years 2003/2004, 2004/2005 e 2005/2006. This study aimed to investigate, in an organic system, possibilities of agronomic means, cultural means and mechanical weed control means, to optimize integrated non-chemical weed control in highly sustainable agro-ecosystem based on a legume crop, grown for the high quality grain for human consumption, very rich in proteins and chemical treatments free. In Upper Lazio the climate, volcanic soils and several locally grown populations make the chick-pea a traditional and typical crop. An experimental field study (repeated over two years) (entitled “Competitive ability of chick-pea genotypes against weeds”) aimed to investigate possibilities offered by cultural mean (cultivar) and understand crop traits simply to identify and to measure, related to crop competitive ability. Competitive interactions among crop and weeds can be studied by the index RYT (Relative Yield Total). To evaluate genotypes competitive ability against weeds is used RCC (Relative Crowding Coefficient ) and Cb (Competitive balance index ). The second two-years long experiment (“Effects on weeds and crop grain yield of different non-chemical weed control strategies and sowing date applied on highly competitive chick-pea genotypes”) aimed to optimize non-chemical weed management using one or more mechanical weed control techniques, only partially weed suppressive, and the cultural mean (i.e.: more competitive genotypes, sowing date). Then is reported about a lab experiment (“Resistance to low temperatures by mean of the Freezing Test - Ion Leakage Procedure in winter sowing stable lines”) regarding lethal temperatures for chick-pea genotypes at early development phases. This study shown some other possibilities offered by cultural mean, as choosing the correct crop sowing date. The fourth experiment was conducted in a green-house. “Resistance to Ascochyta blight after inoculation of Ascochyta rabiei on young chick-pea plants” tested over several genotypes the tolerance to Ascochyta rabiei, the destructive pathogen for the crop. After this studies, we can state that, to obtain, in Central Italy hilly open fields, organic conditions, high levels of crop yield from winter sowing chick-pea is necessary to have genotypes with the following traits: being resistant to Ascochyta blight and to low winter temperatures; having high competitive ability against weeds and an erect habit to allow fully mechanical harvest.
Additional information
Dottorato di ricerca in Ortoflorofrutticoltura
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