The Importance of Technical Support in the Return of Traditional Crops in the Alps: The Case of Rye in Camonica Valley

Multifunctional agriculture could be strategic for the recovery of some mountain areas of the Alps, and traditional crops like cereals generated study cases that triggered processes of development, such as rye in Camonica Valley (Northern Italy). However, farmers are often newcomers, and the specificities of low input agriculture make the training in agriculture fundamental. The impact of public workshops/seminars (organized by the Ge.S.Di.Mont. Research Centre of the University of Milan in Camonica Valley) on cereal cultivation between 2016 and 2021 was investigated. Moreover, rye produced in Camonica Valley was analyzed. The results show an increase in participation and a wider use of the streaming service. The percentage of participants not from an agricultural background had always remained about 50%, but decreased to 15.17% ± 5.07 in 2021, in contrast to the increase of professionals in agriculture and forestry. This is probably due to the accreditation of training activities for agronomists and foresters, and to the start of specific training projects regarding cereals. Samples of rye produced in Camonica Valley following the period of training activities were phytochemically/nutritionally characterized and compared to commercial rye. Locally produced rye proved to be comparable to the commercial one; however it showed a remarkable unevenness in secondary metabolite content and productivity, due to environmental differences and diverse agro-techniques.

Poor Competitiveness of Bradyrhizobium in Pigeon Pea Root Colonization in Indian Soils

Plant symbiosis with N 2 -fixing bacteria is key to sustainable, low-input agriculture. While there are ongoing projects aiming to increase yield of cereals using plant genetics and host-microbiota interaction engineering, the biggest potential lies in legume plants.

Developing hulled wheat-based cereal products with enhanced nutritional properties: emmer, einkorn and spelt

Hulled wheats (emmer, einkorn, and spelt) have low yields but are suitable for organic and low-input agriculture under marginal or high-stress conditions. However, data on the composition of hulled wheats, often also called ‘ancient wheats’ is still scarce, especially on bioactive components such as vitamins. This chapter shows that einkorn, emmer and spelt have some nutritional benefits compared to modern durum or common wheat varieties. Hulled wheats have superior properties in constituents such as protein, some minerals (e.g. calcium) and carotenoids (e.g. lutein). Einkorn might be an alternative for people suffering from wheat sensitivities due to improved gliadin digestibility and low abundance of amylase-trypsin inhibitors. A significant disadvantage is the lower content of total dietary fibres. The genetic diversity of hulled wheats can be used for breeding e.g. for Zn biofortification or reducing immunogenic potential.

Low-Input Agriculture as a Chance to Preserve Endangered Species of Segetal Flora

As a result of human activity, the rate of extinction of species is now 100 to 1000 times faster than under natural conditions [1]. According to the FAO, 75% of the genetic diversity of agricultural crops worldwide has been lost since 1990. In Poland, about 100 species of field weeds are in danger of extinction. Archaeophytes growing on heavy calcareous soils, which are characteristic of the Lathyro-Melandrietum noctiflori, Caucalido-Scandicetum, Kicxietum spuriae communities, and weeds associated with the cultivation of flax, are particularly endangered. Halting the loss of rural biodiversity is a priority for the EU’s environmental protection strategy. Research aimed at assessing the infestation status of the weed agrophytocoenoses, located on rendzinas in the Lublin Province (Poland), has been conducted since 1997. The research was carried out using the Braun-Blanquet phytosociological method. Lublin Province is located in the south-eastern part of Poland. Here, there are good conditions for agricultural production. Agricultural land covers 57.9% of the total area of the voivodeship, of which 99.3% is agricultural land suitable for a good standard of farming. In such favorable environmental conditions, agriculture in the Lublin Province is characterized by an unfavorable structure of farms: 55.6% of more than 180,000 farms are those with an area under 5 ha. Such a large fragmentation of farms results in a low profitability of the agricultural sector, which results from extensive farming. Research has shown that low-input agriculture is conducive to the preservation of rare and endangered species of segetal flora [2]. Muscari comosum—a critically endangered (ER) species under strict protection—were found on several sites in the study area. Several sites of Caucalis platycarpos and Galium tricornutum, also recognized as ER species, were found in heavy rendzinas. Moreover, numerous sites of such rare species as Adonis aestivalis, Anthemis tinctoria, Thymelaea passerina, Lysimachia arvensis, Chaenorhinum minus and Euphorbia exigua were also identified. Research on the state of the population of rare species is a key challenge for scientists, because only knowledge about this will provide a basis for future relevant actions aimed at maintaining biodiversity and restoring degraded ecosystems [The poster presentation].

Crop Diversification to Control Powdery Mildew in Pea

Pea is a temperate grain legume cultivated worldwide that can be severely constrained by powdery mildew infection. Control by fungicides and the use of resistant cultivars is possible, but there is a growing interest in alternative control methods such as crop diversification, particularly in low input agriculture. The aim of this work was to assess the potential of intercropping pea with other crops and of pea cultivar mixtures for powdery mildew management on pea crop. Results show a reduction of powdery mildew on pea when intercropped by replacement at a 50:50 ratio with barley or with faba bean, but not when intercropped with wheat. A barrier effect seems to explain a major part of this decrease, especially in the pea/barley intercrop. This hypothesis was further supported by inoculated seedlings under controlled conditions, where powdery mildew infection on pea decreased with the distance to the inoculation point, this decrease being larger in the intercrop with barley than in the intercrop with wheat and in the pea monocrop. Powdery mildew was also reduced in the mixture of resistant and susceptible cultivars, with infection decreasing with the increasing proportions of the resistant one. Overall, this work shows that crop diversification may be a good strategy to reduce powdery mildew in pea.

Sugar Beet Shoot and Root Phenotypic Plasticity to Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium and Lime Omission

In low input agriculture, a thorough understanding of the plant-nutrient interactions plays a central role. This study aims to investigate the effects of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) and liming omission on shoot growth as well as on topsoil root biomass, growth and morphology (tuber and fibrous roots) of sugar beet grown under field conditions at the Dikopshof long-term fertilizer experiment (Germany). Classical shoot observation methods were combined with root morphology and link measurements using an image analysis program. Omission of the nutrients N, P and K as well as of liming led to a significant decrease in shoot growth. Tuber yield was lowest for the unfertilized and the K omission treatment. The root shoot ratio was highest in the N deficient treatment. In the K omission treatment, a strategic change from a less herringbone root type (early stage) to a more herringbone root type (late stage), which is more efficient for the acquisition of mobile nutrients, was observed. By contrast, a change from a more herringbone (early stage) to a less herringbone root type (late stage) which is less expensive to produce and maintain was observed in the unfertilized treatment. We conclude that sugar beet alters its root morphology as a nutrient acquisition strategy.

The Role of Smart Technology in Sustainable Agriculture: A Case Study of Wangree Plant Factory

Sustainable development is of growing importance to the agriculture sector because the current lacking utilization of resources and energy usage, together with the pollution generated from toxic chemicals, cannot continue at present rates. Sustainability in agriculture can be achieved through using less (or no) poisonous chemicals, saving natural resources, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Technology applications could help farmers to use proper data in decision-making, which leads to low-input agriculture. This work focuses on the role of smart technology implementation in sustainable agriculture. The effects of smart technology implementation are analyzed by using a case study approach. The results show that the plant factory using intelligence technology enhances sustainability performance by increasing production productivity, product quality, crop per year, resource use efficiency, and food safety, as well as improving employees’ quality of life.