Contatto di riferimento: Serena Polverigiani
Recapito telefonico per contatti: tel: +39 0679348107
Partecipanti: Scientific Committee, Bartolomeo Dichio UNIBAS, Davide Neri, UNIVPM, Luca Sebastiani Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna Pisa, Massimo Tagliavini UNIBZ, Moreno Toselli UNIBO.
Intensification of agricultural practices has led to widespread decline of soil fertility. Monoculture agroecosystems typically show low resilience to perturbations. The profound causes of soil decline are the carbon loss, the disruption of the humifica- tion process and the phytotoxic effects of mono- specific residues, which rapidly modify root explo- ration and absorption capability (soil sickness). Larger inputs of energy are then increasingly need- ed, in the form of fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides and irrigation.
The sustainability of an agricultural system can be greatly improved by better control over the flux of soil organic matter, so as to mimic the natural pro- cess of humification. As the primary interface with the soil, roots play an essential role in plant interac- tion with their ecosystem. More knowledge is therefore necessary about root morphology and physiology in order to improve water and nutrient use efficiency, and to promote root resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses and a net soil C accumu- lation. Such a knowledge will contribute to the en- hancement of sustainable management techniques both in orchards and in nurseries.