International Conference
Innovations for Sustainable Crop Production in the Mediterranean Region
(ISPAMED)
Wednesday, 12 July 2023
8:30 Registration
9:30 Welcome, Opening and Addresses
- Prof Tiziano Caruso, Scientific Committee Chairman
- Prof Massimo Midiri, Rector University of Palermo
- Dr Dario Cartabellotta, Director General of Agriculture Sicily Region
- Dr Luca Sammartino, Vice President of Regional Government
10:00 SESSION 1 – Climate Change, Biodiversity and Mediterranean Production
Chair: Prof Tiziano CARUSO, Department of Agricultural, Food and Forest Sciences – University of Palermo, Italy
Keynote lecture
New fruit species adapted to a changing climate
Prof Florin STANICA, Faculty of Horticulture, University of Agronomic Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Bucharest, Romania
Invited speaker
Tomato cultivation in Sicily: from tradition to innovation
Dr Rosario Paolo MAURO, Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Catania, Italy
Algae-based biostimulant positively affects germination and seedling vigour in durum wheat under salt stress conditions
Dr Angelo ROSSINI, Department of Agricultural and Forest Sciences, University of Tuscia, Italy
Agronomic response and leaf gas exchange of old Sicilian wheat populations
Dr Sebastiano Andrea CORINZIA, Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Catania, Italy
Bringing value to Albanian biodiversity: the case of MAPs challenges for the future.
Dr Alban IBRALIU, Department of Crop Production, Agricultural University of Tirana, Albania
Exploitation of durum wheat agrobiodiversity: yield performance and quality of the grain and flour of Sicilian landraces
Dr Silvia ZINGALE, Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Catania, Italy
13.00 Light lunch
14.30 SESSION 2 – Enhancement of water resources and food safety
Chair: Prof Maurizio BORIN, Department of Agronomy, Food, Natural Resources, Animals and the Environment, University of Padova, Italy
Keynote lecture
Sustainable water resources management to enhance food security: innovation and strategies
Dr Federica CARUCCI, Department of Agricultural and Forest Sciences, University of Tuscia, Italy
Invited speaker
Treated wastewater irrigation of oregano crop in a Mediterranean environment: effects on growth, yield and essential oil compounds
Dr Mario LICATA, Department of Agricultural, Food and Forest Sciences, University of Palermo, Italy
Sustainable mitigation strategies to enhance tomato performance under nitrogen and water deficit: the role of silicon and plant breeding
Prof Susana CARVALHO, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, Vairão, Portugal
Low-cost systems for precise and sustainable orchard irrigation management: combining proximal and remote approaches
Dr Roberto MASSENTI, Department of Agricultural, Food and Forest Sciences, University of Palermo, Italy and Dr Mariana MARTINES, Graniot, Spain.
Identification of Putative Biomarkers Involved in Defense Response to Spilocea oleagina in olive by using a RNAseq approach
Dr Annalisa MARCHESE, Department of Agricultural, Food and Forest Sciences, University of Palermo, Italy
Farmers’ perceptions and attitudes in using treated wastewater and desalinated water for irrigation: Yuck factor vs sustainability
Prof Sandra RICART, Department of Electronics, Information and Bioengineering – Politecnico di Milano, Italy
17.00 Short presentation
Chair: Prof. Youssef ROUPHAEL, Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Napoli, Italy
Ecklonia maxima-derivate seaweed extract supply as mitigation strategy to alleviate drought stress in chicory plants
Dr Beppe Benedetto CONSENTINO, Department of Agricultural, Food and Forest Sciences, University of Palermo, Italy
Life Cycle Assessment of Tomatoes Cultivated in an Innovative Soilless System: A Case Study in Sicily, Italy
Dr Simona PRESTIGIACOMO, Department of Agricultural, Food and Forest Sciences, University of Palermo, Italy
Synergistic Effect of a Plant-Derived Protein Hydrolysate and Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi on Eggplant Grown in Open Fields: A Two-Year Study
Dr Lorena VULTAGGIO, Department of Agricultural, Food and Forest Sciences, University of Palermo, Italy
Exploring factors affecting Medicago intertexta L. seed yield in the Mediterranean Environment: an evaluation
Dr Lucia DINOLFO, Department of Agricultural, Food and Forest Sciences, University of Palermo, Italy
Using native Mediterranean plants to mitigate anthropogenic impacts in urban areas
Dr Simona APRILE, Research Centre for Plant Protection and Certification, Italy
Preliminary studies on somatic embryogenesis from floral explants of Sulla coronaria L.
Dr Monica AUTERI, Department of Agricultural, Food and Forest Sciences, University of Palermo, Italy
Estimating leaf and plant water status with phylloclip, a new low-cost sensor to estimate leaf vapor condensation
Dr Alessandro CARELLA, Department of Agricultural, Food and Forest Sciences, University of Palermo, Italy
Vegetable protein hydrolysates and mycorrhizae inoculation to cope water stress effects on nursery potted Corylus avellana L. young plants
Dr Giuseppe Carlo MODARELLI, Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Portici, Italy
Growing Genovese basil in a Mediterranean environment: influence of multiple pre-harvest factors on production and functional and sensory quality
Dr Michele CIRIELLO, Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Portici, Italy
Wine to Power: production of synthetic methane exploiting the C02 produced during wine fermentation
Dr Mario RAGUSA, Istituto Regionale Vini e Oli di Sicilia – IRVO
20:30 CONFERENCE DINNER, “Viridarium trecentesco” del Complesso Monumentale dello Steri, Piazza Marina, 60, 90133 Palermo PA
Thursday, 13 July 2023
9:00 SESSION 3 – Sustainable Production and Consumption Models
Chair: Prof Pietro COLUMBA, Department of Agricultural, Food and Forest Sciences, University of Palermo, Italy
Keynote lecture
Credence Goods and the Formulation of an African Commodities Sustainable Strategy
Prof Vincenzo PROVENZANO, Dipartimento di Scienze Economiche, Aziendali e Statistiche, University of Palermo
Invited speaker
Environmental sustainability and economic viability in Mediterranean agriculture
Prof Gioacchino PAPPALARDO, Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Catania, Italy.
Enzymatic activity like a crucial indicator of the soil health
Prof Geanina BIREESCU, Institute of Biological Research, Romania
Consumer preferences and attitudes toward Mediterranean production: Arancia Rossa di Sicilia PGI
Dr Carla ZARBÀ, Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Catania, Italy
Consumption patterns and supply of food markets in the Mediterranean
Prof Francesc FUSTÈ-FORNÈ, University of Girona, Spain.
11:30 SESSION 4 – Advances in plant diseases and arthropod pests management in a context of climate change
Chair: Prof Salvatore Walter DAVINO, Department of Agricultural, Food and Forest Sciences, University of Palermo, Italy
Keynote lecture
Can global warming accelerate virus evolution and emergence of resistance-breaking isolates
Prof Luis RUBIO, Instituto Valenciano de Investigaciones Agrarias, Valencia, Spain
Invited speaker
Application of innovative techniques for the detection of plant pathogens
Dr Slavica MATIC, Institute for Sustainable Plant Protection, CNR, Italy
Tomato brown rugose fruit virus outbreak in Sicily: the evolution of its management after its first introduction in 2018
Dr Andrea G. CARUSO, Department of Agricultural, Food and Forest Sciences, University of Palermo, Italy
Effects of abiotic stresses and climate change on plant-fungi symbiosis
Dr Livio TORTA, Department of Agricultural, Food and Forest Sciences, University of Palermo, Italy
Climate change and insects in agroecosystems
Prof Gabriella LO VERDE, Department of Agricultural, Food and Forest Sciences, University of Palermo, Italy
14:00 Light Lunch
15:00 SESSION 5 – Sustainable horticultural crops for greenhouse production: presentation of INTESA project results
Chair: Prof Leo SABATINO, Department of Agricultural, Food and Forest Sciences, University of Palermo, Italy
Keynote lecture
Redefinition of sustainable vegetable production through the exploration of cutting-edge cultivation management practices and DSS application
Prof Georgia NTATSI, Department of Crop Science, Agricultural University of Athens, Greece
Invited speaker
Use of the solar energy for sustainable environmental solutions
Prof Zied DRISS, Ecole Nationale d’Ingénieurs de Sfax, Tunisia
Agriponic: a sustainable cultivation model for soilless tomato production
Dr Giovanni GUGLIUZZA, Research Centre for Plant Protection and Certification, Italy
Sustainable Approaches of Protected Vegetables Cultivation in Indian Arid and Semi-arid Regions
Dr Pradeep KUMAR, Central Arid Zone Research Institute of Jodhpur, India
Climatic change and development of new horticulture models in Tunisia
Dr Slim ZOUARÌ, Union tunisienne de l’agriculture et de la pêche, Tunisia
17.00 Short presentation
Chair: Prof Riccardo LO BIANCO, Department of Agricultural, Food and Forest Sciences, University of Palermo, Italy
Tuta absoluta potential vector of the emerging Tomato Brown Rugose Fruit Virus
Dr Roberto RIZZO, Research Centre for Plant Protection and Certification, Italy
Use of solar seawater distiller to provide clean water for irrigating tomato-cultivated greenhouses
Dr Ridha BOUDHIAF, Laboratory of Electro-Mechanic Systems (LASEM), National School of Engineers of Sfax, University of Sfax, Tunisia
Consumer preferences regarding beef consumption: an analysis in the Mediterranean area
Dr Federico MODICA, Department of Agricultural, Food and Forest Sciences, University of Palermo, Italy
The Correlation between the Economic Development of Agriculture and Tourism: the Case Study in Southern Sicily
Dr María José LÓPEZ-SERRANO, Department of Economics, Business and Statistics, University of Palermo, Italy
Biodesinfection in Spanish horticultural crops as a profitable and efficient alternative: a step towards circular economy
Dr Ana BATLLES-DELAFUENTE, Department of Economics and Business, University of Almería, Spain
Sustainability in precision irrigation
Manlio GRUTTADAURIA, Netafim Italia S.r.l.
Nectar-inhabiting bacteria: effects on egg parasitoids of invasive stink bugs
Dr Evgenia SARAKATSANI, Department of Agricultural, Food and Forest Sciences, University of Palermo, Italy
Biological control strategy in Sicily: the Biofactory of Ramacca (CT, Italy)
Dr Giuseppe GRECO, Ente di Sviluppo Agricolo della Regione Siciliana
Functional food: our experience with mineral biofortification
Dr Sonya VASTO, Department of Biological, Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies, University of Palermo, Italy
19:30 CONCLUSION