The growing of ornamental plants for urban greening has significant environmental and economic implications. In particular, the intensive use of peat and high-quality water at the nursery stage is sensitive due to the problems of soil depletion and water salinization even in urban areas. In these contexts, a preference for salinity-resistant species and cultivation techniques based on the substitution of low-impact materials could be beneficial.Here, an experiment has been carried out with two ornamental plant species - cherry laurel [Prunus laurocerasus L.] which is salinity-sensitive, and phillyrea [Phillyrea latifolia L.] which is salinity-resistant - using substrates containing different amounts of biochar in place of peat. Moreover, using irrigation water at two different salinity concentrations, we assess the extent to which the biochar can mitigate salinity damage in these plant species. The results of this study showed that the addition of biochar to the potting medium had no effect on plant growth but crucially limited cherry laurel salinity damage. Tolerance to salinity was attributed to lower Na+ retention in the biochar-containing substrates. Based on these findings, we conclude that the application of biochar not only reduces the amount of peat required in growth substrates, but can also permit the utilization of low-quality irrigation water - thereby also reducing the leaching of nutrients such as K+ and N-NH4+. (C) 2017 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

The present study has been focused on the extraction of natural dyes from Curcuma longa, Trigonella foenum graecum and Nerium oleander and investigation of their phytochemical and pharmacological characteristics. Dyes were prepared using aqueous, acidic, alcoholic and alkaline extraction techniques. UV spectral studies of the dyes showed a variation in absorption maxima and their color varied with respect to the pH and the solvent used during extraction. The dyes prepared from turmeric using aqueous extraction technique and from fenugreek using alkaline extraction showed good antibacterial activity. The aqueous and alcoholic extraction of Nerium oleander was able to inhibit the growth of many fungal strains including Tricoderma spp., Tricophyton rubrum, Candida albicans, Aspergillus niger, Cladosporium spp. etc. The antimicrobial property of the dyes was used in developing antimicrobial fabric [R. Mari Selvam*, G. Athinarayanan, A. Usha Raja Nanthini, A.J.A. Ranjit Singh, K. Kalirajan and P. Mosae Selvakumar (PG & Research Department of Chemistry, Sri Paramakalyani College, Alwarkurichi, Tamilnadu, India), Industrial Crops and Products, 2015, 70, 84–90].

Italian sheep breeds, either local or native, produce about 14,000 tons of greasy wool per year included in the range of moderate to poor quality wools. In order to exploit neglected local textile resources, this study focused on a preliminary descriptive analysis of wools from some Italian native sheep breeds by measuring diameter and length of wool fibers. Variability emerging from data was described using multivariate techniques. A graphic description of different wools was provided by applying cluster analysis in order to distinguish wool characters by sheep breeds and clearly identify wool groups according to fiber variables.

Ultraviolet radiation (UVR) blocking properties of textiles depend on fibre type, fabric construction and nature of finishing chemicals. Natural dyes can provide vegetable fibres with strong colours if mordants are used.In this study UV protection properties of dyeing extracts from Mediterranean flora (Helichrysum italicum Roth, Rubia peregrina L., Daphne gnidium L., Lavandula stoechas L., Cynara scolymus L.) were tested in combination with fabrics made of vegetable fibres (cotton and flax) and different types of mordants (potassium alum and chestnuts tannins). Pre- and post-dyeing solutions were analyzed quali-quantitatively by HPLC/DAD/ESI-MS in order to calculate the dye uptake on fabrics during the dyeing process.UVR transmittance of fabrics was measured using a spectrophotometer equipped with an integrating sphere. After the dyeing process only flax fabrics mordanted with alum and dyed with Lavandula and Rubia, and flax fabrics mordanted with tannin and dyed with Rubia and Helychrysum reached the minimum protection level. A very good protection level was reached by flax mordanted with alum and dyed with Helychrysum. Chestnut tannins provided a slight support in phenols uptake for Lavandula and Helichrysum plant dyes with respect to potassium alum, but without an improvement of the fabrics UV protection properties; flax samples dyed with Helichrysum extract showed an improvement in UV protection properties when mordanted with potassium alum instead of tannins. Colour fastness and the persistence of UV protection characteristics were also tested after light/sun exposure and after several washes. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Biochar (BC) is a carbon rich product resulting from the biomass pyrolysis process and there have been no reports until now on BC effects in tissue cultures as a suitable substitute for activated charcoal (AC). The results of an experiment on two clones of white poplar (Populus alba L.) grown in culture media with different amounts of BC (0, 0.5 and 1.5 g/dm3) showed that its addition did not damage the plants and there were no significant differences comparing the data obtained for the same concentrations of AC. Both BC and AC addition was shown to increase root dry biomass and number of roots per shoot and these effects appeared to be independent of genotype and concentrations of the added products. A greater elongation was also recorded for shoots grown on a substrate containing BC than those grown on media without BC. These effects did not seem to be caused by darkening due to the addition of BC as there are no significant differences between the temperatures of the different culture media, but are probably due to the adsorption of molecules such as ethylene. Indeed, during the experiment, the hormone concentration in the atmosphere was lower in vials containing the media with BC than the BC-free ones after 14 and 21 days: the lower amount of ethylene in the medium with BC could explain the difference in shoot elongation and the abundant root biomass since high ethylene concentration could inhibit organogenesis.

Action spectrum (AS) describes the relative effectiveness of ultraviolet (UV) radiation in producing biological effects and allows spectral UV irradiance to be weighted in order to compute biologically effective UV radiation (UVBE). The aim of this research was to study the seasonal and latitudinal distribution over Europe of daily UVBE doses responsible for various biological effects on humans and plants. Clear sky UV radiation spectra were computed at 30-min time intervals for the first day of each month of the year for Rome, Potsdam and Trondheim using a radiative transfer model fed with climatological data. Spectral data were weighted using AS for erythema, vitamin D synthesis, cataract and photokeratitis for humans, while the generalised plant damage and the plant damage AS were used for plants. The daily UVBE doses for the above-mentioned biological processes were computed and are analysed in this study. The patterns of variation due to season (for each location) and latitude (for each date) resulted as being specific for each adopted AS. The biological implications of these results are briefly discussed highlighting the importance of a specific UVBE climatology for each biological process.

In order to enhance the textile value of Italian native and local wools, research projects were carried out by starting mapping wools from some Italian sheep breeds through a preliminary morphological characterization of wool fibres. Furthermore, textile processing procedures differing from the commonly used woolling techniques have been set up. The results have shown that, at national level, native and local wools, beyond being more widely employed in the carpets production, could be also used in the higher added value sector of clothing and fashion.

In recent years the use of plants as bioaccumulators or bioindicators has increased because enable the prediction of pollution for monitoring purposes, even in urban environments where traffic is a major source of heavy metals pollution. In this study we hypothesized holm oak (Quercus ilex L.) a valid trapping species for heavy metals. We also hypothesized that metals capture capacity by deposition on the crown is connected to the surrounding environmental characteristics and the distance of trees from the source of pollution. The study was conducted in the city of Florence. Holm oaks were selected in different sites near to heavy traffic roads. Concentrations of Zn, Pb, Cd, Cu, Fe, Mn, Cr, and Ba were analyzed through two methods: leaf washing with distilled water and leaf unwashing.One-year-old leaves, (new leaves) were also compared with previous-year leaves (old leaves). Our results demonstrated the good capacity of this species to capture heavy metals (Pb, Fe, Mn, Cr, and Ba), particularly due to the presence of old leaves, which enhance the crown deposition surface. Washing was effective and it allowed testing the behaviour with regard to microelements: new leaves showed high Cu concentration, while old leaves had high Pb concentration. The dispersion of metals through the atmosphere was assessed through regression analysis, in two comparable gardens: leaves at farther distance from the traffic were richer in Zn, Pb, Mn, and Ba. The physical context of the surrounding environment was probably altering the distribution of heavy metals as barriers to dispersion, which can reach tens of metres from the source of pollution. Therefore, this work suggests that wind modelling and trees distribution and characteristics should be taken into consideration to evaluate the pollutants dispersion, especially for planning of recreational urban green areas. (C) 2013 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Gerbera plants were grown in semi-closed rockwool culture under greenhouse conditions in different seasons in a Mediterranean climate. The plants were irrigated using either fresh (FW; 1.0 mol m(-3) NaCl) or moderately saline (SW; 9.0 mol m(-3) NaCl) water. In autumn, NaCl concentration did not influence significantly plant growth, flower production and transpiration (E), which instead were reduced in spring in the plants irrigated with SW. In both seasons, water salinity did not affect leaf stomatal resistance (r(1)), which was determined by the inversion of the Penman-Monteith (PM) equation or measured with a diffusion porometer. The PM formula and two regression equations were calibrated and validated for estimating the hourly rate of daytime transpiration (E-d); a regression model was also fit to nocturnal transpiration (E-n). Regression models predicted E-d as a function of vapour pressure deficit (VPD) and/or the radiation intercepted by the canopy. Leaf area index (LAI), which is required by all the equations, was modelled as function of crop thermal time (i.e. growing degree days). The PM model predicted E-d using a constant value of r(1). Model calibration and validation were performed using independent datasets. The irrigation with FW or SW did not require a different calibration of transpiration models. Both PM formula and regression equations provided accurate estimates of E-d; fitted equations explained between 80% and 96% of the variance in measured E-d. A linear regression of E-n against (LAI-VPD) accounted for 92% of measured E-n. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Optimal operation of greenhouse crops requires an appropriate management of fertigation, especially when the availability and/or the quality of irrigation water are limited and/or there are environmental constraints, such as those derived from Nitrate Directive in Europe. The paper illustrates the main features of a decision support system (DSS) for the fertigation management in soilless culture, which is still under development in the framework of the European research project EUPHOROS. The DSS modules provide information on the optimal irrigation regime (based on the static hydrological properties of the growing medium) and on crop water and nutrients requirements (including both plant uptake and leaching requirement in open and semi-closed growing systems). An easy-to-use nutrient solution calculator and an extendable crop database have been integrated in the DSS. The DSS can assist the grower in daily operational management of fertigation as well as for off-line (prior-to-planting) simulation, for instance to compare - in terms of water and nutrients use efficiency - different fertigation strategies, growing system layouts, water qualities and/or crop species (analysis of the scenario). An example of such simulation is provided for tomato grown under saline conditions.

ItSotto la spinta dei cambiamenti socio-economici e di significativi progressi tecnici, la gestione dei giardini storici e degli spazi verdi in genere, sta vivendo un periodo di forte cambiamento ed evoluzione. Nel tentativo di razionalizzare l’uso delle risorse naturali e umane, nascono nuovi servizi che fanno intravedere la necessità di creare specifiche figure professionali, in grado di colmare in tempi rapidi il divario tra le potenzialità applicative offerte dalle nuove tecnologie e le diverse realtà operative, ancora legate all’uso di pratiche e metodologie tradizionali. Anche nel settore dei giardini e dei parchi storici è giunto il momento di approfondire i temi relativi alla loro conservazione e valorizzazione, che oggi sono strettamente legati a una concreta sostenibilità economica e ambientale delle pratiche di gestione e di promozione. Queste considerazioni sono state alla base di una serie di iniziative e di progetti promossi a livello nazionale ed europeo, che, grazie all’integrazione di strumenti ICT, SMART-Sensors e IA, in alcuni casi si sono concretizzati nella realizzazione di metodologie e soluzioni di grande interesse operativo.Le procedure e i criteri presentati in questo articolo sono il risultato dell’attività di ricerca e trasferimento tecnologico condotta dal CNR-IBIMET di Firenze negli ultimi dieci anni. Già nella sua versione prototipale, il sistema proposto mostra tutte le sue potenzialità di monitoraggio e supporto alle attività gestionali e manutentive degli spazi verdi, aprendo la strada a una progressiva automazione e virtualizzazione delle procedure (creazione di scenari), elementi essenziali per la successiva valorizzazione e promozione del bene a livello sociale e culturale.In particolare, oltre allo schema logico del sistema, si discutono alcune tra le funzioni di monitoraggio di maggiore interesse (disponibilità idrica, stato fitosanitario e fenologia), evidenziando quali siano i vantaggi concreti degli operatori del settore nel disporre di informazioni integrate a scale spazio-temporali ottimali per le diverse pratiche.EnUnder the pressure of socio-economic changes and technical advances, the management of historical gardens and green spaces is going through a period of significant change and evolution. New and better performing types of services, aiming to rationalize the use of natural and human resources, encourage the creation of specific professional figures able to/who can quickly fill the gap between the potential of the new technologies and the more common practices, still tied to the traditional tools and methodologies. From several points of view, green management needs to explore the opportunity to rationalize interventions and consequently significantly reduce costs and downtime. These were the considerations behind a series of initiatives and projects at national and European level, some of which led to the development and delivery of interesting methodologies and solutions from the integration of ICT tools, SMART-Sensors and IA.Procedures and criteria discussed in this article are the result of research and technology transfer activities carried out in this field by CNR-IBIMET of Florence in the last ten years. The described prototype system already shows its potential for monitoring and supporting management and maintenance of green spaces, opening the way for a progressive virtualization and automation of the procedures (creation of scenarios), an essential step for further social and cultural development and promotion.Some of the monitoring functions of interest for this field (water availability, plant health and phenology) are discussed, trying to clarify the practical benefits to private and public decision makers of having integrated information available at optimized space and time scales.

A simplified version of TOMGRO, a well-known model for tomato growth simulation, was delivered by its authors in 1999, with the aim to adapt the program to operational exigencies. This model version was chosen to integrate the functions of a decision support tool, oriented to support Italian tomato growers in soilless crop fertigation management. During the preliminary evaluation phase, its application on data collected in three greenhouse experiments conducted on tomato cv. Jama in Pisa (central Italy) in 2004 and 2005, showed an insufficient accuracy in the Leaf Area Index (LAI) estimation of tomato crops. Consequently, node number and LAI computational algorithms were modified. This paper discusses model modifications, analysing their effects on tomato growth simulation. In comparison with the observed data, the modified model showed a good enhancement of estimation accuracy of node and LAI, with significantly positive effects also on plant and fruit biomass estimation.

Fabrics manufactured in Italy with 100% Sardinian sheep breed wool, traditionally named ‘Orbace’, and with local Tuscan wool from 50% Sardinian and 50% Comisana sheep breeds wool (Tuscan Cloth), were subjected to sensory evaluation, through descriptive analysis performed by a trained panel, and to an instrumental evaluation method, through FAST – Fabric Assurance by Simple Testing. The correlation between instrumental data and sensory attributes was investigated. Sensory evaluation indicated that Orbace fabrics, originated from 100% Sardinian wool, had higher grittiness, stiffness, force of compression and hand friction and lower softness and tensile stretch, as compared to the fabrics obtained from mixed wool. Principal component analysis (PCA) indicated a high correlation for grittiness, stiffness and force of compression in one direction, tensile stretch, softness, warmth and fullness in the opposite, clearly discriminating in this dimension Orbaces from Tuscan fabrics. This discrimination appears to be an effect of the wool used for the different fabrics. Differences in key sensory traits were also recorded among fabrics derived from the same raw material, but differing in weave. Thickness, as the key attribute of the second PCA dimension, provided discriminations within groups and is reasonably perceived as an effect of different weaves. Canonical Correlation Analysis indicated that measurements performed with FAST were correlated with a number of basic touch traits, including softness, stiffness, force of compression and tensile stretch. Orbace and Tuscan Cloth handle definition, on the basis of sensory and instrumental measures, will be of use to describe and protect original products.

Irrigation is now recognized as an important component in the agriculture economy of Mediterranean regions. As practiced by many growers, it is often based on traditional application methods that fail to measure the supply of water needed to satisfy the variable requirements of different crops. In order to achieve more profitable and sustainable cropping systems, it is essential to modernize existing irrigation systems and improve irrigation water use efficiency (WUE). Up-to-date methods of irrigation should likewise be based on sound principles and techniques for attaining greater control over the soil-cropwater regime and for optimizing irrigation in relation to all other essential agricultural inputs and operations. Accurate predictions of crop water requirements are necessary for an efficient use of irrigation water in container crops cultivated both outdoors and in greenhouse. Irrigation scheduling (IS) has conventionally aimed to achieve an optimum water supply for productivity, with soil or container water content being maintained close to field capacity. Different approaches to IS have been developed, each having both advantages and disadvantages but despite the number of available systems and apparatus, not entirely satisfactory solutions have been found to rationalize IS, assuring optimal plant growth with minimal water use (Jones, 2004). Many growers, especially in the Mediterranean regions, use simple timers for automated irrigation control of containerized crops and scheduling is based on their own experience. Evapotranspiration (ET) is the primary process affecting crop water requirements and, therefore, its knowledge is essential for efficient irrigation management. ET is the combined process of evaporation from soil or substrate and leaf transpiration. Evapotranspiration requires two essential components: a source of energy and a vapour transport mechanism. Energy is needed for phase change from liquid to vapour in sub-stomatal cavities whereas the leaf-to-air vapour pressure gradient ensures that water vapour crosses leaf stomata. In container-grown plants, ET is affected by many factors, both environmental (e.g. air temperature, radiation, humidity, wind speed) and plant related characteristics (e.g. growth

Chemical extraction, water retting, microbiological and enzymatic methods were applied on entire nettle stalks and/or unretted decorticated fiber of a selected fiber nettle clone. Morphological and mechanical properties and chemical composition were then determined on fiber samples. The first interesting result concerned the good degree of separation between fibers and shives obtained by mechanical scutching applied on stalks stored for 1 year, probably resulting from natural retting processes occurring during the storage. Microbiological retting (anaerobic plus aerobic bacteria) of entire stalks and/or unretted decorticated fiber produced fibers with a higher quality than water retting. Both enzymes used (Viscozyme ® L and Pectinex ® Ultra SP-L), improved fiber quality if EDTA was added. The enzyme vat retting gave good results on both water-retted fibers and unretted decorticated fibers, while the spray enzyme treated fibers usually displayed thicker diameter, lower cellulose content and, for Viscozyme ® L, lower strength values, without differences between the two storage methods used after enzyme application.

The safest protection from ultraviolet (UV) radiation exposure is offered by textiles including various apparels, accessories such as hats and shade structures such as umbrellas. Their protectiveness depends on fabric composition, (natural, artificial or synthetic fibres), fabric construction (porosity, weight and thickness) and dyeing (natural or synthetic dyes, dye concentration, UV-absorbing properties, etc.). In this study the UV-protection properties were investigated on fabrics made of vegetable fibres (cotton, flax, hemp and ramie), with different construction parameters (drapery and apparel fabrics), dyed with some of the most common natural dyes. The effect of a tannins-based mordant (the galls of Quercus infectoria) on UV-protection capacity was also tested. UV radiation transmittance of fabrics was measured by two methods: one based on the utilisation of a spectrophotometer equipped with an integrating sphere (in vitro test), and the other based on outdoor measurements taken by a spectroradiometer. Transmittance measurements were used to calculate the Ultraviolet Protection Factor (UPF).Our results revealed that thick and dense (cover factor, CF > 94%) drapery fabrics made of vegetable fibres usually showed good UV-protection levels even if undyed. The use of the tannins-based mordant increased, even without dyeing, the UV-protection level up to the very good and/or excellent protection categories when fabric construction was suitable. Dyeing did not further increase the protection level.Lighter fabrics, usually used for apparel, even showed high UV-protection level after just dyeing, provided that CF was above 94%.Taking into account the high concentrations of dyes used in the present work and the utilisation of mordants containing tannins, slight differences in UV-protection capacity were detected among natural dyes tested and between the two different methods of transmittance measurement. However, UV-protection category defined from outdoor measurements was often higher than that calculated by the in vitro test, indicating an underestimation of the actual protection level of tested fabrics assessed by the latter. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.