Crithmum maritimum L.: First Results on Phenological Development and Biomass Production in Mediterranean Areas

In Mediterranean cropping systems, it is important to utilise marginal lands for the cultivation of native food crops. Previous research on Crithmum maritimum L., a species native to southern Europe, has focused on its alimentary and chemical parameters. The aim of the present study was to identify...

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Published in:Agronomy (Basel) 2021-04, Vol.11 (4), p.773
Main Authors: Zenobi, Stefano, Fiorentini, Marco, Zitti, Silvia, Aquilanti, Lucia, Foligni, Roberta, Mannozzi, Cinzia, Mozzon, Massimo, Orsini, Roberto
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Agricultural production
Agriculture
Biomass
Crithmum maritimum L
Cropping systems
Emissions
Farms
Fertigation
Food
Food production
halophyte
Indigenous species
Irrigation
Irrigation effects
Irrigation systems
Leaves
Mediterranean marginal areas
organic cropping systems
Organic farming
Parameter identification
Rain
Seeds
Stems
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Summary:In Mediterranean cropping systems, it is important to utilise marginal lands for the cultivation of native food crops. Previous research on Crithmum maritimum L., a species native to southern Europe, has focused on its alimentary and chemical parameters. The aim of the present study was to identify the effects of irrigation and fertigation systems on C. maritimum in Mediterranean cropping systems. We planted C. maritimum seeds in an organic farm in Italy, and we carried out three experiments (fertigation, irrigation, and control) with three replications each. We evaluated plant phenological development and biomass production. We found that these treatments significantly influenced plant phenology and biomass parameters. Even with low irrigation and fertigation, this species showed a significant difference in the Bundesanstalt, Bundessortenamt, CHemischeIndustrie (BBCH) phase at harvest: in fact, there were 39 and 35 leaves on the main stem in the irrigation and fertigation treatments, respectively, while there were 29 leaves on the main stem in the rainfed unfertilised control. Biomass production also showed the same significant difference: 1.8 and 2.0 t ha−1 of total dry biomass in the irrigation and fertigation treatments, respectively, and 1.2 t ha−1 of total dry biomass in the rainfed unfertilised control. In conclusion, we recommend the use of C. maritimum for food production in Mediterranean organic cropping systems.
ISSN:2073-4395
2073-4395
DOI:10.3390/agronomy11040773