"Innovative skills for convenience products"
Workshop for micro-propagation of artichoke in Sardinia was success
The event drew more than 140 participants, including researchers, technicians, producers, nurserymen and students in agriculture in one of the most devoted areas of artichoke cultivation. The first day, divided into two sessions, was devoted to the presentation of scientific communications, while in the second day, technical inspections were carried out at experimental and/or commercial artichokes fields.
The participants in the workshop "Potential of micro-propagation for high-quality cultivation of artichoke in Sardinia" at the Centro Polivalente in Cabras (Oristano)
The speakers illustrated the potential of using of micro-propagated plantlets or seed-propagated plantlets, produced through a nursery activity that allows the health of the plants, compared to the plants obtained with the traditional method of propagation, such as the multiplication by suckers, underground shoots ("ovoli") or parts of the rhizome or of the stump, for the most part self-produced by the farmers, by taking directly the reproductive material from commercial fields.
During the first session, after the greetings of Dr. Porcu of SaMarigosa and dr. Lambardi (CNR – IVALSA - Italy), SOI's representative, oral communications of the works of researchers from different scientific institutions were presented. Prof. Ledda (University of Sassari - Italy) opened the session with a presentation of "Interventions for the revival of the supply chain of artichoke in Sardinia", followed by dr. De Paoli's intervention about work entitled "The large-scale micro-propagation of artichokes in Italy, the situation perspectives".
The prof. Saccardo (University of Tuscia, Viterbo - Italy) illustrated the problems related to "Micro-propagation of the parental plants for the production of hybrid seed artichoke", while the Dr. Calabrese (CNR – ISPA - Institute of Sciences of Food Production - in Bari - Italy), presented a communication entitled "Micro-propagation and multiplication by seed of artichokes plants: opportunities for innovation in artichokes cultivation". Then, Dr. Repetto (Agris agency) illustrated the work about the "Micro-propagation of artichoke in Sardinia: research activity aimed initiating a supply chain of nursery" and Dr. Ruta (University of Bari - -Italy) presented a paper about "The use of mycorrhizas for optimization of the micro-propagation of artichoke flourishing".
Some of the speakers at the workshop. From left: Dr. Nicola Calabrese (CNR-ISPA), Dr. Pierpaolo Porcu (SaMarigosa Società Consotile arl) and Dr. Maurizio Lambardi (CNR-IVALSA)
In the second session of the workshop some researchers of CNR and ENEA Casaccia, and representatives of nurseries and seed companies operating in the propagation of artichokes cultivars, such as Vitroplant Italia srl, Nunhems Italia, Consorzio Meristema - Piana del Sele, CO.DI.VA.BRI. and SaMarigosa Società Consotile arl, presented their reports. Their interventions were related to some issues regarding the present national conditions of the artichoke propagation.
The second day was dedicated to technical visits of artichoke experimental and/or commercial fields in order to observe the characteristics of new cultivars and the different farming techniques practised in the area. It's worthy of noting the effort made by the company SaMarigosa in organizing the workshop, two days after the disaster that affected the entire island.
Field-collection of artichoke at the company SaMarigosa arl
Now, the ISPA-CNR in Bari (Italy), welcomes some participants of the Master course in "Innovative skills convenience products" - profile in "Expert in Horticulture industry", organized by the University of Foggia, with ISPA-CNR and University of Salento. Those institutes allowed four students of this Master course to attend the workshop, in order to learn the present situation of the propagation of the artichoke and to know the most important innovations in the artichoke industry.
The participation at the workshop represented for young agronomists an important opportunity to study the issues related to the spreading of the artichoke and Italian artichoke cultivation in general, and to know a production reality very different from that of the Apulia region.
Workshop participants visiting the camp-collection at the company SaMarigosa arl in presence of Dr. Pierpaolo Porcu
Authors: Dr. agr. Domenico Abruzzese, Dr. Antonio Maria Amendolagine, Dr. agr. Damiano Mastrangelo, Dr. agr. Dario Racano
For more information:
Dr. agr. Domenico Abruzzese
Email: [email protected]
