• Energy Research

Chemical input reduction in agricultural systems is strongly demanded with the aim to improve the quality and the safety of food/feed products in an environmental sustainable perspective. Durum wheat is the most important food crop widely grown across the Mediterranean basin. However, the choice of tailored-genotypes can represent a key strategy in resource limiting conditions. The present study investigated the performance of fourteen commercial durum wheat varieties, in terms of morphologic, productive and quality traits under two cropping systems, conventional (CH) and no-chemical input (NC), for two growing seasons. The NC cropping system affected plant phenology, grain yield, and its components (i.e., ears m−2 and test weight). However, the negative influence exerted by the NC depended by the growing season (significant interaction between growing season and cropping system), which in turn affected the production behavior of genotypes (significant interaction between growing season and genotype). The additive main effect and multiplicative interaction (AMMI) analysis showed that genotype (G) effect explained the 4.3% of the total variability, the environment (E) the 71.7% and the G × E interaction the 9.4%. The AMMI stability value (ASV) indicated that Meridiano, Claudio, Saragolla, and Normanno were the most stable genotypes among environments (combination of years and management systems). An integrated environmental assessment, including a soil nitrogen balance, can help to provide a more holistic approach to the sustainability of the no-chemical Mediterranean cropping systems based on cereal-legume rotation.

Abstract The objective of this study was to evaluate the production of ethanol by Scheffersomyces ( Pichia ) stipitis CBS6054, a native xylose fermenting yeast, from sugars contained in the giant reed ( Arundo donax L.) hemicellulosic hydrolysate. A response surface methodology with two input parameters, severity factor and oxalic acid concentration ranging from 2.87 to 4.05 and from 2 to 8 (% w oxalic acid/w solid dry matter), respectively, was employed to minimize degradation products and maximize sugar release. However, at the optimum condition for sugar release (43.8 g l −1 ), levels of toxic degradation products (acetic acid, furfural, HMF and phenolic compounds) were considered too high for yeast fermentation. The condition to minimize degradation products and maximize sugar yields was judged to be 2.87 severity factor and 5.0% oxalic acid concentration. At this condition 26.0 g l −1 xylose, 5.0 g l −1 glucose and 2.4 g l −1 arabinose were recovered in giant reed hydrolysate fraction. Adjustment of pH to 5.0 with Ca(OH) 2 decreased xylose, glucose and acetic acid, 22%, 8% and 27% respectively. Increasing the initial pH from 5.0 to 5.5, 6.0 and 6.5, respectively, significantly improved the fermentability of the giant reed hemicelluloses hydrolysate; no fermentation was observed at pH 5.0 after 96 h, while 8.20 g l −1 of ethanol was obtained at pH 6.0 after 48 h, with an ethanol yield of 0.33 ( g e / g s ) and a productivity of 0.17 g l −1 h −1 . The optimum pH of acid hydrolysate fermentation for ethanol production was 6.0–6.5.

Giant reed (Arundo donax) and Miscanthus spp. were tested to evaluate their tolerance and phytoremediation capacity in soils contaminated with heavy metals. Giant reed was tested under 450 and 900 mg Zn kg−1, 300 and 600 mg Cr kg−1, and 450 and 900 mg Pb kg−1 contaminated soils, while the Miscanthus genotypes M. × giganteus, M. sinensis, and M. floridulus were tested on 450 and 900 mg Zn kg−1 contaminated soils, along 2 years. Giant reed biomass production was negatively affected by the contamination; however, yield reduction was only significant under 600 mg Cr kg−1 soil. Zn contamination reduced significantly M. × giganteus production but not M. sinensis or M. floridulus yields. Yet, M. × giganteus was also the most productive. Both grasses can be considered as indicators, once metal concentration in the biomass reflected soil metal concentration. Regarding giant reed experiments, higher modified bioconcentration factors (mBCFs, 0.3–0.6) and translocation factors (TFs, 1.0–1.1) were obtained for Zn, in the contaminated soils, followed by Cr (mBCFs, 0.2–0.4, belowground organs; TFs, 0.2–0.4) and Pb (mBCFs, 0.06–0.07, belowground organs; TFs, 0.2–0.4). Metal accumulation also followed the same pattern Zn > Cr > Pb. Miscanthus genotypes showed different phytoremediation potential facing similar soil conditions. mBCFs (0.3–0.9) and TFs (0.7–1.5) were similar among species, but highest zinc accumulation was observed with M. × giganteus due to the higher biomass production. Giant reed and M. × giganteus can be considered as interesting candidates for Zn phytoextraction, favored by the metal accumulation observed and the high biomass produced. A. donax and Miscanthus genotypes showed to be well suited for phytostabilization of heavy metal contamination as these grasses prevented the leaching of heavy metal and groundwater contamination.

It’s known that yield of perennial bioenergy crops are low in the first year of cultivation, but it increases rapidly afterwards. In order to investigate, how in the semiarid Mediterranean environment, the crop management influence Arundo donax plant growth, the yield in relation to propagation methods and irrigation was studied. The field experiment was carried out in Catania (Southern Italy, 10 m a.s.l., 37° 24' N, 15° 03' E) from 2009 to 2011. Two agamic propagation methods (rhizome and stem cuttings) at two soil water restoration (100% ETm and irrigation only at planting) in a factorial experiment were studied. Stem and rhizome sections were cut from plants of “Fondachello” Sicilian clone and planted on spring 2009. No irrigation and other input were applied in the second year. Yield and other biometric traits were assessed in each year. The emergence of new stems was earlier for the plant rhizomes derived rather than plant stem cuttings derived. No difference was measured between treatments in the second year emergence date (February 2010). In the first year (2010) dry aboveground biomass was significantly higher for plant rhizomes derived (4.6 t ha­1) compared to plant stem cuttings derived (2.3 t ha­1) and from irrigated (4.0 t ha­1) against rainfed condition (2.3 t ha­1), but soil water availability affected yield only from stem cuttings (3.4 ­1 ­1 t haand 1.2 t ha, respectively for irrigated and rainfed conditions), while no difference was observed for rhizome ­1 ­1 ­1 cuttings (4.1 t haand 5.0 t hafor the same order). Second year biomass yield was 16.4 t ha. The observed differences between all the studied treatments in the first year was substantially confirmed in the second one. Proceedings of the 19th European Biomass Conference and Exhibition, 6-10 June 2011, Berlin, Germany, pp. 749-752

Giant reed (Arundo Donax L.) and African fodder cane (Saccharum spontaneum ssp. aegypticum) are perennial, non-food and low-input energy crop representing a promising solution to produce renewable energy at low cost, especially in marginal areas - i.e. low profitable areas which are prone to land abandonment. This research investigates the biomass composition and the biochemical methane potential (BMP) yield of these crops and the effect of a hydrothermal pretreatment on the biomass composition and on BMP yield Proceedings of the 28th European Biomass Conference and Exhibition, 6-9 July 2020, Virtual, pp. 494-497

AbstractThe recent policies enacted by the EU foresee an increased interest in the cultivation of energy crops. Hence systematized information on new energy crops and cropping strategies is necessary to optimize their production quantitatively and qualitatively and to integrate them into traditional production systems. This kind of information will offer farmers new perspectives and options to diversify their farming activities. Some of these crops, however, may compete for land and resources with existing food crops, while others could be grown in marginal/degraded lands with consequent beneficial effects on the environment. Therefore choosing the appropriate management components and species should be site specific and oriented to minimize inputs and maximize yields. In some cases, traditional food crops are used as dedicated energy crops with the advantage that their management practices are well known. On the other hand, the management of new dedicated energy crops, such as perennial herbaceous crops, often demands a range of structural features and tactical management approaches that are different to those commonly used for traditional food crops. Most of these crops are largely undomesticated and are at their early stages of development and improvement. In this work, state‐of‐the‐art research and development of agronomic management and the production of a wide range of multipurpose future energy crop species are reviewed and where possible examples of appropriate crop management practices that would enhance energy yields are provided. Interesting lines of investigation are also suggested. © 2010 Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd

Belonging to the Euphorbiaceae family, Castor bean (Ricinus communis L.) is one of the most important non-edible industrial oilseed crop due to its high oil content which ranges from 40 to 55%. According to its temperature requirements, Castor is expected to be one of the possible oilseed crop to develop and study in the Mediterranean area in order to enhance the cultivation in degraded and marginal land. Field experiment were conducted at the experimental farm of the University of Catania between the period of April and November 2021. The aim was to study the behavior of four dwarf hybrids in comparison with a local variety of castor bean evaluating which sowing date was the best to cultivate castor for avoiding the low-winter temperature and verify the best period of cultivation. The flowering of the first three sowing dates were recorded around the end of July due to temperature and photoperiodic effect. The seed yield was higher for the dwarf hybrids, while the local variety had higher production for the primary racemes because of the shifting of the sowing dates which reduces the growing season. Proceedings of the 30th European Biomass Conference and Exhibition, 9-12 May 2022, Online, pp. 116-119

The Mediterranean climate is a climate change hot spot suffering by increasing drought periods during summer, with low rainfall and high evapotranspiration, which are limiting conditions for plant CO2 assimilation and biomass production, particularly for spring-summer crops. This would be even worst under marginal lands, where climatic, terrain and other limiting factors will further aggravate growing conditions and productivity. The present field experiment investigated the response to irrigation of several lignocellulosic perennial grasses. Plant stem density, stem height, stem weight and leaf area index were evaluated during the growing season with a monthly frequency. Stem density showed the lowest values for A. donax genotypes and the highest for the Miscanthus seed-based hybrids. High stem densities are observed at high irrigation levels. Stem height and weight are inversely correlated to stem density. A. donax genotypes had higher stem height and weight than the other genotypes. Irrigation has a significant positive effect on both measures. Leaf area index varied among genotypes, and irrigation increased this trait. Proceedings of the 29th European Biomass Conference and Exhibition, 26-29 April 2021, Online, pp. 345-351