Foto del docente

Francesco Spinelli

Associate Professor

Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences

Academic discipline: AGR/03 Arboriculture and Fruitculture

Teaching

Dissertation topics suggested by the teacher.

Title: ALTERNATIVE TO THE USE OF PLANT GROWTH REGULATORS (PGR) IN KIWIFRUIT PRODUCTION

Summary: Crop production, optimizations of productivity in kiwifruit yellow flesh growing system is fundamental to orchard financial viability. PGR’s can represent an important method to increase fruit size and potential gains in fruit productivity. However, the use of these products may result in a mismatch between fruit size and final dry matter content or negative effects on flower differentiation and fruit deformation, especially yellow-fleshed varieties. Finally, their use causes increasing concerns among consumers.

The overall aim of this project will be to identify the orchard management techniques that provide an alternative to the use of Plant Growth Regulators (PGR), that may have an influence on kiwifruit vines productivity, fruit quality and storage. In particular, this study aims at identifying the best management strategy, able to maximise fruit size, dry matter and storage length.

For season 2019-2020 the trials were carried out in a commercial kiwifruit orchards in Latina. Fruit samples have already been harvested and stored and starting to November 2019 fruit quality parameters and defects will be evaluated for up to 6 months after each-month of storage. Storage maturity curves and external/internal quality defects in each of the different treatments will be assessed to identify the best practice for long storage.

Duration: 3-5 months

Expertises/competences achieved during the research training: characterization of fruit quality, measurement of abiotic and biotic incidence and severity on fruit crop

Possible external collaborations: grower associations

Title: PREDICTION OF STORAGE DISORDER OF YELLOW-FLESHED KIWIFRUIT (ACTINIDIA CHINENSIS)

Summary: a preliminary experiment showed that yellow-fleshed kiwifruit affected by typical chill-injury disorder produce a specific volatile organic compounds (VOCs) signature. Verify the correlation of one or more specific marker with the onset of this disorder may open the possibility of an early, non-invasive forecast allow to reduce post-harvest losses. in our observation, affected fruits usually cluster inside a consignment suggesting either the emission of a still unknown volatile compounds that may contribute to the development of the disorder. In particular, the data collected suggest that the microbial community of fruit may play a role on disorder development. However, the further experiments are needed to: i) identify and characterise the bacterial, yeast and fungal isolated obtained from kiwifruit; ii) determine whether the monitoring of the presence and abundance of specific microorganisms may predict the occurrence of the disorder

iii) determine the possible influence of the microbial community on VOCs emission and iv) in case of the identification of a pathogen or a pathogenic consortium, identify the most reliable method of control

Duration: 3-5 months

Expertises/competences achieved during the research training: students will acquire knowledge on microbiological methods and phenotyping, biochemical determination (HPLC, GC-MS, PTR-MS )

Possible external collaborations: Edmund Mach Foundation, grower associations

Title: DEVELOPMENT AND OPTIMIZATION OF AUTOMATED OVERCANOPY SPRAYING SYSTEMS FOR FOLIAR FERTILIZATION AND CONTROL OF APPLE TREE DISEASES

Scientific Leader: Francesco Spinelli

Summary: the control of fruit diseases is still primarily based on the application of plant protection products with direct action against pathogens. In the apple orchards, many chemical treatments are applied for the control of scab (Venturia inaequalis) and the fire blight (Erwinia amylovora). Despite the modern spraying systems minimize dispersion in the environment, the risk for to the operator and to the environment (non-target plants or the soil and waters contamination) remains significant. The modern precision farming aims at i) optimizing phytosanitary treatments according to their application at times of greatest risk of infection, ii) reduce doses in order to minimize phytotoxic effects and the onset of resistance in pathogens, iii) reduce the risk of environmental contamination through specific spraying.

The research objective is the development and optimization of an automated system for the spraying of micro-volumes of super-fine plant protection products.

The ACTIVITY PLAN will include:

- Evaluation of the effectiveness of the plant protection product distribution system in the control of scab (Venturia inaequalis) and other apple diseases

- Identification of the active ingredients and formulations most suitable for automatic spraying and determination of the most effective spraying dose and frequency with minimum environmental impact

- Evaluation of impact of new protection techniques on the physiology and productivity of fruit plants

Duration: 3-5 months

Expertises/competences achieved during the research training: the student will acquire the basic methods of plant pathology and microbiology and will develop both direct isolation and molecular methods for real-time monitoring of plant pathogenic populations. Also the student will learn how to monitor the physiological parameters related to tree performances and the characterization of fruit quality.

Possible external collaborations: PPPs commercial developers

Title:SCREENING FOR STRAWBERRY INDIGENOUS BIOLOGICAL CONTROL AGENTS (BCA) AND THEIRIN VIVOAPPLICATION.

Scientific Leader: Francesco Spinelli andDaniela Sangiorgio

Summary:Strawberry cultivation is largely extended in Europe, thanks to the high plant adaptability to different cultivation conditions and techniques, and it has an outstanding economic importance due also to the high consumer appeal towards the fruit.New and emerging quarantine pathogens (i.e.Xanthomonas arboricolapv. fragarie)have been recently introduced into Europe posing major phytosanitary threats to strawberry cultivation.Sustainable production methods which optimize the external inputs, energetic and economic costs and enhance crop productivity, fruit quality are needed to minimize the negative effects on berry production.In the last years, crop protection strategies have been reoriented toward a sustainable use of pesticides and, especially in Europe, they has been largely influenced by the reduction of authorized active ingredients. In this context, the interest in the development ofbiological control agents (BCA) has increased. A collection of fungi isolated from strawberry cultivars will be characterized by molecular analysis. Microorganisms will be tested for theirin vitroantagonistic effect against main strawberry pathogens. BCA candidates will be tested in greenhouse conditions.

Duration: 5 months

Expertises/competences achieved during the research training: microbiological methods. DNA extraction. Sequencing. In vitro and in vivo fungal antagonism tests.

Possible external collaborations: Growers. Association, Edmund Mach Foundation, UNIBZ

Title: ROLE OF PLANT MICROBIOTA IN FRUIT QUALITY DEVELOPMENT

Scientific Leader: Francesco Spinelli

Summary: plant microbiota is a key determinant of plant phenotype and contribute to host resistance and resilience to biotic and abiotic stresses. Nonetheless, the role of fruit microbiome in determining fruit quality and aroma has not yet been fully investigated. The project aims in characterizing the fruit bacterial and fungal community and to describe their functional diversity during the ripening process. Furthermore, the role of microorganisms in determining fruit flavour and aroma (i.e. volatile organic compound emission) will be investigating.

Duration: 3-5 months

Expertises/competences achieved during the research training: the student will acquire the basic methods of plant pathology and microbiology and will develop both direct isolation and molecular methods for real-time monitoring of plant pathogenic populations. Also the student will learn how to monitor the physiological parameters related to fruit quality and ripening. VOCs analysis.

Possible external collaborations: Edmund Mach Foundation, grower associations