Bruno Marangoni

University of Bologna | UNIBO · Department of Agri-Food Sciences and Technologies

Organic waste such as agro-food industry by-products are mainly destined to landfill or incineration, with high disposal costs and strong environmental impact. Their use in agriculture can be a way to recycle materials that still maintain a high fertilizing value. The aim of the experiment was to evaluate the value of soil applied apple juices by-p...

The influence of nitrogen (N) fertilisation on the content of lipids and phenolic compounds in walnut kernels (cv. Chandler) has studied for three consecutive growing years. Moreover, a new technique (OXITEST) was set up to analyse the oxidative stability of the kernel directly from the whole sample. Significant differences in the fatty acid compos...

We evaluated, in the long term (8 years), the effect of different organic fertilization strategies on yield, fruit quality, and nutritional status of nectarine (Prunus persica var. nectarina) Stark RedGold trees grafted on GF677 peach × almond hybrid. The experiment was carried out in a commercial orchard, where since their plantation, trees were s...

We evaluated the effectiveness of soil and foliar applications of calcium chloride (CaCl2) on reducing pear susceptibility of brown spot (Stemphylium vesicarium). Two experiments were done using pear trees of the variety Abbé Fetel grafted on quince (Cydonia oblonga) rootstock. Potted trees were treated with soil and foliar application of CaCl2, wh...

Composted municipal solid waste is a good source of nutrients for fruit trees, but its timing of mineralization and nutrient release is difficult to predict. The objectives of the present experiment were to evaluate the long-term effect (11 years) of organic fertilization on soil fertility, tree nutritional status and nutrient removal in a commerci...

The aims of this study were to evaluate the effect of organic fertilization on carbon dioxide (CO2) fixation, carbon (C) partitioning and growth of potted nectarine trees (Prunus persica L. Batsch), cv. ‘Orion’, to verify the hypothesis that organic fertilizers may promote root growth to the detriment of canopy and fruit biomass. The following four...

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of soil applied compost in preventing Fe chlorosis of pear trees. The effect of the treatment was evaluated in field conditions on tree growth, nutritional status, yield, fruit quality and soil parameters. A 3-year long field trial was carried out in a mature commercial pear orchard of the cv....

We evaluated, in the long term (8 years), the effect of different organic fertilization strategies on yield, fruit quality, and nutritional status of nectarine (Prunus persica var. nectarina) Stark RedGold trees grafted on GF677 peach × almond hybrid. The experiment was carried out in a commercial orchard, where since their plantation, trees were s...

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of soil-applied aqueous extract of Amaranthus retroflexus L. in preventing lime-induced iron (Fe) chlorosis of pear trees (Pyrus communis L.). Tree growth, nutritional status, yield and fruit quality were also assessed. The aqueous extract was obtained by soaking dried and ground canopy (epige...

In this study, two experiments were performed in order to test the hypothesis that vegetal extracts obtained from wild plants may improve and/or stimulate growth as well as nutritional status of pear trees. A 2-year experiment was performed on 1-year-old micropropagated pear trees (Pyrus communis 'Abbé Fétel') grown in 33-L pots on a sandy-loamy so...

European pear (Pyrus communis L.) is in Italy predominantly grown on clonal quince (Cydonia oblonga Mill.) rootstocks. However, this grafting combination shows several problems including poor graft compatibility, susceptibility to lime-induced iron chlorosis and pear decline, which are normally not observed when P.communis is used as rootstock. Sin...

The objectives of this experiment were to evaluate the long term (10 years) effects of organic fertilization on soil fertility, tree performance and fruit quality in a commercial peach orchard. Since planting in 2001, trees were subjected to the following treatments: (i) unfertilized control, (ii) mineral fertilization including P (100 kg ha-1) and...

The aim of the experiment was to evaluate the effect of organic fertilization on nutrient uptake and partitioning in potted peach trees. The study was carried out on 72 peach (Prunus persica L.) plants. The following treatments were compared: 1) unfertilized control, 2) mineral fertilization [713 mg nitrogen (N), 119 mg phosphorus pentoxide (P2O5),...

We evaluated the effects of mineral and organic fertilizers on peach root dynamics in the growing season from 2003 to 2006 in a nectarine (Prunus persica L.) orchard, planted in 2001 and located in the Po valley, northeastern Italy. Very few studies have conducted long-term investigations of root dynamics of fruit crops. Our main objective was to d...

The objective of this experiment was to evaluate in the long-term (9 years), the suitability of compost as a fertilizer in commercial peach orchard. The experiment was carried out on nectarine trees (Prunus persica var.nectarina), Stark RedGold grafted on GF677 peach × almond (P. amygdalus L.) hybrid. The treatments were: (1) unfertilized control;...

We assessed the effect of soil-applied fresh-ground fruits of melia (Melia azedarach L.) on N uptake for peach nutrition. Forty one-year-old 'Rome Star' peach trees (Prunus persica) grafted to GF677 peach x almond hybrid rootstock were planted in 20-L pots in April 2006. On 16 May, 20 pots were fertilized with compost at a rate of l00 g/pot and 20...

Root development of quince C (Cydonia oblonga L.) genotype used as a rootstock for pear (Pyrus communis L.), cultivar Abbe Fetel was studied during 2004 and 2005 with the minirhizotron technique. The orchard, located near Bologna (Po Valley, Northern Italy), was planted in February 2003 and spaced 3.8 × 0.9 m. Besides control (unfertilized) trees t...

Our objective was to investigate the effect of fertilization (mineral vs. organic) and ripening stage (pre-climacteric vs. climacteric) on the emission of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and antioxidant activity of nectarine [Prunus persica, Batsch var. nectarina (Ait) Maxim.]. The trial was carried out in 2007 in an experimental orchard of cv. S...

We assessed the effect of soil-applied derivatives of melia (Melia azedarach L.) and neem (Azadirachta indica A. Juss) on nitrogen (N) soil availability, root uptake and peach (Prunus persica L.) growth. First we evaluated the effectiveness of experimentally prepared amendments made with fresh ground melia leaves or commercial neem cake incorporate...

The relationship between root age and root physiology is poorly understood, despite its importance for nutrient absorption. In peaches, roots are white when they first appear and then become brown with age, which corresponds to a number of physiological changes. We related root browning to nitrogen (N) absorption and respiration in order to provide...

Background and Aims: Copper accumulation in soil may promote phytotoxicity in grapevines. Nutritional implications of potted vines to increasing concentrations of copper (Cu) in either clay loam soil or clay loam soil mixed with 85% sand were tested on Vitis vinifera (L.) cv Sangiovese and crop toxicity threshold and symptoms determined. Methods an...

Plantlet transfer from mixotrophic in vitro conditions to ex vitro environment is a critical stage of micropropagation. Bacteria contaminations can negatively affect all phases of plant micropropagation, including acclimatization. Extracts from various tissues of Meliaceae spp. have shown biocide effects against some bacteria strains. The present w...

The response of potted pear trees grafted on quince (Cydonia oblonga Mill.) Sydo stock to increasing concentrations (0, 50, 100, 200, 400, 600, 800, and 1000 mg kg) of copper (Cu) in sandy and clay-loam soils were evaluated and crop toxicity thresholds and symptoms were determined. Reductions of shoot growth and leaf area were observed only for pea...

In order to evaluate the effect of different organic fertilization strategies, as nitrogen source, on vegetative growth of young citrus plants as well as on chemical and microbiological soil properties, a two-year experiment was performed on eighteen months old citrus plants (cv Clemenules) grafted on Poncirus trifoliata. The trees were transplante...

In order to evaluate the effect of different organic fertilization strategies, as nitrogen source, on vegetative growth of young citrus plants as well as on chemical and microbiological soil properties, a two-year experiment was performed on eighteen months old citrus plants (cv Clemenules) grafted on Poncirus trifoliata. The trees were transplante...

The antimicrobial activity of leaf and callus extracts of Melia azedarach was tested on in vitro shoot cultures of the peach rootstoch ‘MRS 2/5’ (Prunus cerasifera × Prunus spinosa) that were heavily contaminated with Sphingomonas paucimobilis (Sp) and Bacillus circulans (Bc). The extracts were filter-sterilised and added at 0%, 1%, 5%, 10% and 20%...

In this paper the effect of organic matter supply as an alternative to mineral fertilization in a commercial peach orchard is investigated through the comparison of the following treatments: 1. unfertilized control; 2. mineral fertilization; 3. compost at planting; 4. cow manure at planting; 5. compost (5 t DW ha-1 year-1) and 6. compost (10 t DW h...

The addition of fertilizers to irrigation water (fertigation) might allow a synchronization of soil nutrient availability with plant nutrient demand, thus avoiding temporary nutrient deficiency even in periods on high nutrient uptake. In the present study, from 1997 to 2004, different fertilizing strategies were applied to apple trees since plot es...

The evaluation of biological indicators of soil health, foliage and fruit characteristics in 'Suncrest' peach orchards conducted under Integrated Crop Management (ICM) and Organic Crop Management (OCM) was carried out. Microbial biomass, respiration, quotients (microbial-C/total-C), SIR (Substrate Induced Respiration), N mineralization, organic-C d...

In this experiment we (i) tested the hypothesis that, besides decreasing leaf C fixation, lime induced iron (Fe) deficiency increases root C fixation via PEP carboxylase and (ii) assessed the Fe-induced modifications in the elemental composition of plant tissues. Sugar beet plants were grown in nutrient solutions with Fe (45 M Fe-EDTA; +Fe control)...

Fuji and Gala apples obtained with different fertilisation systems (soil surface application and fertigation) were submitted to drop tests to analyse the possible difference in susceptibility to damage. The tests were carried out by simulating two impacts of different severity that occur in a packing line. For the Fuji apples, a test was also carri...

The pear industry in Italy's north-eastern Po river region suffers from important diseases such as bacterial fire blight (Erwinia amylovora) and fungus brown spot (Stemphylium vesicarium) infections which are very difficult to control by chemical sprays. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of soil-applied calcium chloride (CaCl2...

In this study we have tested the hypothesis that lime‐induced Fe deficiency chlorosis of kiwifruit may be prevented by the application of a synthetic iron(II)‐phosphate analogous to the mineral vivianite [(Fe3(PO4)2·8H2O)]. Two experiments, under greenhouse and field conditions, were performed. In the greenhouse, 1‐year old micropropagated plants (...

Products obtained by hydrolysis of proteins have been recently used as foliar fertilisers in several fruit growing areas. In this study we have assessed the effects of the rate of protein hydrolysis and that of the N concentration in the sprayed solution on the vegetative growth of potted kiwifruit plants. Protein hydrolysates were obtained by enzy...

Pear tree water status was manipulated in two ways: a) reducing the water supply rate, b) watering trees with salt solution. The soluble carbohydrate content, osmotic potential (ψs) and water potential (ψw) of individual leaves were determined to test the hypothesis that these parameters are related to the fire blight symptom progression in leaves...

A comparative study of two kiwifruit genotypes (Actinidia deliciosa (A. Chev.) C.F. Liang et A.R. Ferguson var. deliciosa) with different tolerance to iron (Fe) deficiency was conducted to identify biochemical features associated with tolerance to Fe deficiency. After 14 days of growth in hydroponic culture under Fe-deficient and Fe-sufficient cond...

Resumption of growth in deciduous fruit trees in spring depends largely on the re-mobilisation of nitrogen (N) from reserves in perennial organs. Root nitrogen uptake starts before re-mobilisation is finished. Uptake may take place as either nitrate or ammonium. As uptake rates may differ significantly between both sources, we assessed uptake and p...

Two-year-old apple trees of cv Jonee grafted on Mark, M.9 EMLA and M.26 EMLA rootstocks were exposed for 10 days to low root temperature (8± 1°C) and drought stress to evaluate, over a 3-day period, the accumulation of labeled nitrogen (N) in root and scion and leaf gas exchange rate under adverse soil environment. M.9 EMLA showed a similar and a h...

Accumulation of nutrients into fruits depends on several factors, including the relative strengths of vegetative and reproductive sinks. In one experiment we assessed the accumulation of major cations in apple fruit from an irrigated, high-density orchard (7142 trees/ha), located in the Po Valley of Italy. Fruits of cvs. Braeburn, Fuji and Golden D...

The exceptional efficiency of the iron chelate of ethylenediaminedi(o-hydroxyphenyl)acetic acid (o,o-EDDHA) in correcting iron chlorosis in plants and the medical applications of various metallic chelates of this compound have long been recognized. As commercial preparations of o,o-EDDHA usually contain impurities, a method for their detection is p...

Among deciduous fruit plants, kiwifruit (Actinidia deliciosa) is one of the most susceptible to iron (Fe) chlorosis. To develop effective means for overcoming Fe chlorosis, it is of upmost importance to gain information about the reduction of Fe by leaf tissues, especially under conditions that lead to chlorosis. In the present study we have charac...

Iron deficiency induced chlorosis represents the main nutritional disorder in fruit tree orchards grown on calcareous and/or alkaline soils. Until rootstocks tolerant to Fe deficiency chlorosis are available for most susceptible fruit species, the agronomic means of preventing or curing Fe deficiency chlorosis will be considered of utmost importanc...

The mineral analysis of leaves from deciduous fruit trees is not always useful for assessing the Fe nutritional status, because Fe‐chlorotic leaves may have considerable concentrations of total Fe (the “Fe‐chlorosis paradox"). Another major problem with this approach is that at the recommended time for leaf sampling it is unlikely that any correcti...

We investigated for 2 years (1995–1996) the time course development of chlorosis and the variation of iron (Fe) content in vegetative and reproductive organs in two nectarine orchards planted with cv Spring Red and cv Stark Redgold on calcareous soils of the Po valley (Italy) with the final aim to evaluate possible tools for the early prognosis of...

15Nitrogen-ammonium nitrate was applied to four 'Mutsu' apple (Malus x domestica Borkh.) trees 40 days before harvest of 1996 (summer supplied nitrogen, SUN) and four others at full bloom in 1997 (spring supplied nitrogen, SPN) to evaluate the effect of application timing on N partitioning in mature trees. At leaf fall the largest amount of SUN was...

Mineral nutrients affect fruit quality both directly and indirectly, as in the case of nitrogen, that if applied in excess overstimulates shoot growth and causes poor colour development of the shaded fruits. Direct effects of nutrients on fruit quality depend upon nutrient content and nutrient balance in the fruit. It is generally accepted that som...

ADDITIONAL INDEX WORDS. fertilization, integrated fruit production, iron chlorosis, nitrogen, soil testing SUMMARY. Most deciduous fruit crops in Italy are grown in the north and especially in the eastern part of the Po River Valley (mainly in the Emilia Romagna and Veneto regions) and in the Adige River Valley (South Tyrol and Trento provinces) ....

Two-year old nectarine trees (Prunus persica, Batsch, var. nectarina, cv. Starkredgold on GF305 rootstock) planted in pots each received five applications of 1.0 g 15N labelled urea either from mid May to mid July (early uptake) or from mid August to the beginning of October (late uptake). All trees were supplied with a corresponding amount of unla...

Non-bearing, potted, apple plants were subjected to root temperature of 8 ± 1(LRT) or 23 ± 1°C (HRT) and irrigated with 100 ml of water containing 20 mg of N as NH4NO3, in which both ammonium and nitrate-N, fractions were enriched in 15N (10 atom%). The root system of each plant was pressurized (325 kPa) at day 1, 2, 4, and 8 after 15N application...

In spring, peach trees use nitrogen (N) previously stored in perennial organs to sustain their early growth. We have tested the hypothesis that the timing of N uptake affects such internal cycling of N. For this purpose, 6 nectarine trees, cv. Starkredgold grafted on GF305 and planted in pots filled with a sandy soil received five fertigations from...

In this work we have explored the possibility of using the concentration of iron in whole peach flowers to predict the occurrence of iron chlorosis later in the season. Fifty peach trees per orchard were used in an orchard in Spain (in the years 1993 and 1995) and in two orchards in Italy (in 1995). The iron concentration in flowers was determined...

Fruit trees benefit from a post-harvest supply of N which can increase N storage within the tree during winter and so make a major contribution to tree growth and fruit set the following year. The most common way to supply post-harvest N is through the soil, a technique that may increase the potential risk of nitrate leaching during the following w...

Low root-zone temperature is one of the potential causes of low rate of plant nutrient uptake in spring. In this period, fruit trees are frequently supplied with nitrogen and a delay in root absorption could lead to an increase of nitrate leaching. In this study we assessed the effect of low root temperature on kinetic of nitrogen absorption of app...

Roots of iron (Fe)‐efficient dicots react to Fe‐deficiency stress by strongly enhancing the ferric (Fe)‐reductase system and by lowering the rhizo‐sphere pH. In this study, we tested whether such adaptation mechanisms characterize pear and quince genotypes known to have differential tolerance to calcareous and alkaline soils. Two trials were perfor...

Pear rootstocks differ in tolerance to calcareous and alkaline soils. Roots of Fe-efficient dicots react to Fe-deficiency stress by strongly enhancing the Fe ³⁺ -reductase system, termed turbo-reductase, and by lowering the rhizosphere pH. In this study, we tested whether such adaptation mechanisms characterize pear and quince genotypes. Two trials...

Nitrogen fertilization in orchards of Emilia-Romagna Region, (Italy) was based in the past on excessive, not split, applications often supplied late in winter; the NUE (Nitrogen Use Efficiency) was therefore low and the risk of nitrate leaching was high. This paper summarizes the studies conducted in the last 10 years at the Department of Horticult...

Kiwifruit (Actinidia deliciosd) vines suffer iron chlorosis when growing in a calcareous soil and symptoms occur despite the presence of medium-to-high concentrations of leaf iron, suggesting the presence of a mechanism that immobilize Fe in plant tissues. In the present study we found a negative correlation between the leaf pH and the chlorophyll...

Little information is available on the tolerance of pear rootstocks to lime-induced iron chlorosis. In a 2-year study, micropropagated plants of the pear rootstocks OH × F 51, OH × F 333, B 21, C 106 and D 50, and Adams quince were grown in low calcareous soil (LC, 1.6% lime) and high calcareous soil (HC, 72.9% lime) as well as in a mixture of HC:L...

A comparative fertilization trial was conducted in Ferrara Province of country’s northeastern Po Valley to assess the effects of varying combinations of N, P and K inputs in cvs. ‘Hi Early’ and ‘Heavy Stripe’ budded to rootstocks M 26 and MM 106. Four fertilization regimes were applied yearly in March and tested against untreated control: N-P-K (11...

A short-term study was conducted to gain preliminary data on the use of phosphate as a potential means of increasing the post-transplant growth of peach in virgin and replant soils. Since phosphorus (P) is known to adversely affect micronutrient nutrition, P-micronutrient interactions are also reported and discussed. Peach seedlings (Prunus persica...

The effects of decomposing peach root residues in soil on peach growth were determined in two pot experiments. In the first, peach root residues, despite their high C:N ratio and lignin content, largely decomposed under experimental conditions, leading to an immobilization of inorganic N. Shoot growth of peach seedlings was depressed by the additio...

ABA implication in root signals of water stress has been suggested by several authors. To verify this hypothesis in grapevines, this experiment has been carried out. One-year-old own rooted cuttings of grapevine cultivar Cabernet Sauvignon were exposed to water stress. After three months of growth, water was completely withdrawn for nine days, till...

Mature trees of Stark Redgold nectarines grown in silt loam soil in the Po Valley were tested at five fertilization regimes and compared to untreated control: N 1 (100 kg N/ha), N 1 (100 kg N/ha, split 60% in spring and 40%. in postharvest), N 2 (200 kg N/ha), N 1 (100 kg N/ha) + K (150 kg K 2 0/ha), N 2 (200 kg N/ha) + K (150 kg K 2 O/ha). The ann...

Leaf mineral composition of cvs. ‘Red Delicious’ (strain ‘Clear Red') and ‘Golden Delicious’ (strain B) apple (Malus domestica, Borkh) on M 27, M 9 and MM 106 rootstocks was determined six times at 15‐day intervals, beginning 50 days after full bloom from 1986 to 1990. ‘Clear Red’ had significantly higher foliar concentrations of N, P, Mg, Fe and C...

Four years after planting a variety x rootstock x spacing trial at Cadriano the influence of the rootstocks (M.27, M.9., M.26 and MM 106) on the growth of Golden Delicious and Clear Red Delicious was much greater than that of spacing. M.27 was found to be too dwarfing for the single-row systems used. Even at the highest density of planting (3.5 x 0...

The bleeding sAPfrom 12-year-old vines on Kober 5BB rootstocks was analysed for several elements, pH, acids and carbohydrates. Samples were collected over a 24-h period weekly from March to May. The daily discharge of sAPreached a maximum (280 ml/plant) at bud break and ceased just before flowering. Half of the vines were defoliated daily from bud...

Leaf number, area and chlorophyll content, and specific leaf weight were greater in light-exposed spurs of ‘Hartley’ walnut ( Juglans regia L.) than those grown in the shade. Starch content increased early in the season in shaded spurs, but the accumulation ceased while the nuts stored dry matter. In exposed spurs, starch increased steadily until h...

Undamaged cling peaches, cv. "Halford", were artificially bruised in three positions of the halves exerting a pressure of 2, 4 and 6 kg/cm2, with a hand penetrometer. These peaches were canned at different times (2, 4, 8 and 16 hours) and stored for five months. The halves were then submitted to a "panel test" which revealed that all the bruised fr...