- Degree in
Agricultural Sciences, University of Bologna, Italy,
1958.
- Full Professor of the chair “Frutticoltura” (Pomology) since
1971 and Director of the “Dipartimento di Colture Arboree”
(Department of Fruit and Woody Plant Sciences), formerly Istituto delle Colture Arboree, from 1977 to 1998
and from 2001 till 2007. Head of
the “Centro per il Miglioramento Varietale in
Frutticoltura” (Research Center for Fruit Breeding and Variety
Improvement), 1975-2008. Retired since November 2008. Emeritus of University of Bologna in 2009.
- 1984-2008
Coordinator of the Doctorate Program Committee on “Fruit and Woody Plant
Science and Landscape Planning”.
- 1999-2006 Appointed Professor of Fruit Science and Technology at the Free University of Bozen
- 2009-2014 Contributor of the International Doctoral School for Genomic and Molecular Physiology of Fruit at San Michele all'Adige, Trento
- “Visiting associate
professor” at the University of California, at Davis, Dept. of
Pomology, in 1969 and 1974, and at the Qingdao University (Shandong, China) in 2010.
- Recipient of the
National Canners Association Award by the American Society for
Horticultural Sciences for his work on “ripening of nectarines and
canning peaches” (1971).
- ASHS “Fellow-elect”
1995 ( Montreal , Canada ); ISHS “Fellow elect” (2002); previously
cited (1998) for his “outstanding effort in the planning of the
joint ISHS -ASHS “WCHR”, Rome , 1998.
- Recipient of the
“Wilder Medal 2000” by the American Pomological Society and of the
“Gold Veitch Memorial Medal” (2001) of the Royal Hortic. Society (
London ).
- Recipient of the
President of Italy's award “Gold medal” as –”Benemerito
della scienza e della cultura” (2001) for his "outstanding contributions to science and culture" .
- Elected Member of
the University of Bologna Senate (1997-99)
- President of the
International Society for Horticultural Science (ISHS) (1994 –
1998) and Chairman of its Fruit Section (1986-1994). Designated Member of the ISHS Council (2001-2006)
- President of Italian
Society for Horticulture – SOI (1986-1992) and Chairman of its Fruit section (1974-1986).
- Author or co-author
of hundreds of papers on pomology, physiologiy and
genetic-biotechnology aspects of pome and stone fruits.
Honorary Degrees
- Horticultural Sciences, University of Budapest , 1981.
- University and Academy of Agriculture, Bucharest, 2011.
- Polytechnic Institute of Lisbon, 2013.
Res. Project leader:
¨ 1976-1982: “Fruit Tree
Fertility”, research sub-project in the overall “Biology of
Reproduction Project” of Italy's National Research Council
(Rome).
¨ 1982-1988 : IPRA Project
of the National Research Council as Coordinator of the working
group on “Pollination and Growth Regulators in Fruit Production” (
Rome ).
¨ 1993-1997 : RAISA Project
of National Research Council as Coordinator of the research area
“Factors and Mechanisms regulating fruit quality”, Rome .
¨ 1993-1999 : CRPV -
Regional Government of Emilia-Romagna: Apple and Peach Program for
growth modelling and high quality control in “Integrated
production”
¨ 1991-2002 :MIPAF –
Ministry of Agriculture and Policy national project on
“Frutticoltura”; National Coordinator of “Pome fruits breedings”
and “Genetic resistance to biotic stresses”: Breeding program on
scab resistance of apple and use of molecular markers.
¨ 1996-2002 National
Biotechnology Program (MAF, Ministry of Agriculture & Forestry,
Rome ): member of the Scientific Committee and national coordinator
of the research area “cell manipulation” and local leader in “early
assisted selection”, regeneration and Vf gene transfer in
apple breeding.
¨ 1998-2002 : Coordinator
of MURST project on grafting incompatibility physiology (pear on
quince) and functional aspects of scion-rootstock systems.
¨ 2000-2002 : Coordinator
of MURST project on Genetic and molecular studies on PPV/Sharka in
apricot.
¨ 1999-2003 : Coordinator
of an Interdipartimental project on O
organic fruit production(Biofruit), at University of
Bologna
¨ since 1994 : Coordinator
of the MIPAF – National Project for “Pome fruit evaluation” of new
varieties (annual lists for grower orientation)
¨ 1998-2002 : EU Project
D.A.R.E., Italy group leader for “Durable resistance to fungi
diseases in apple” and partner of EU Project HiDRAS “High quality
disease resistant apples” (2003-2006)
¨ 1998-2004 : Leader of the Italian-Swiss team (University of Bologna and ETH Zurich) that engineered apple cv. Gala with scab resistance gene Vf (2004).
¨ 2002 -2005: a) DCA
coordinator of MIUR-FIRB 1 Project – Integrated molecular approach
to apply genetic variability in agriculture; b) Partner of FIRB 2
(2004 – 2007) Project – TDF (transcript derived fragment) Automatic
clonage for resistance to pathogens.
Editorial activity:
¨ Editor-in-chief (1986-2021) of
the monthly journal Rivista di Frutticoltura, published by New Business Media - Edagricole, Bologna/Milano .
¨ Editor-in-chief (1988 - 2002) of
the book inprint: Collana di Frutticoltura Moderna,
EdAgricole - Edizioni Calderini, Bologna (16 volumes).
¨ Member (1980-2000) of “Comité de
Lecture” of the French journal L'Arboriculture Fruitière
and of the Editorial Board of: Journal Horticultural Science (
Budapest , H)(1994-96).
¨ Member (2003-2021) of the Editorial Board of the Journal
“Folia Horticulturae”, Krakow (Poland)
¨ Editor and co-author of a trilogy of university books:
“Nuove frontiere dell'arboricoltura italiana”, A. Perdisa Ed., Ozzano, Bologna, 2007, pp.562;
"Manuale di Ortofrutticoltura" (in collaboration with P. Ranalli), Edagricole - Il Sole 24Ore, Bologna, 2012, pp.667.
"Trattato di Arboricoltura Generale", Patron Editore, Bologna, 2012, pp.532 and its English issue "Principles of Modern Fruit Science" (Edited by J. Des Jardins), ISHS, Leuven, 2019, pp.421.
Other :
§Full member of Italy's National Academy of Agriculture,
Bologna.
Full member of Academy of Georgofili, Florence.
Full member of Italian Academy of vine and wine, Conegliano Veneto.
Honorary Correspondent member of Academy of Agriculture of France, Paris.
§ Correspondent Member of the Academy of Science, Bologna.
§ The WCHR, World Conference on Horticultural Research, (
Rome 1998) was the most important organisational effort: as leader
of a joint-venture between ISHS and ASHS, trying to start new scientific, technologic and political actions in promoting international
cooperation in research and development of horticulture, especially
in favour of developing countries.
§ Co-Founder of EUFRIN, the European network for research collaboration in a dozen fruit science fields (2001).
Updated May 2023.
