THE ITALIAN HORTICULTURAL – FACTS

  • Italy among the top world players in the production of several horticultural produces
  • Around 330.000 horticultural farms
  • Around 2.3 million ha of fruit trees (including vineyards and olive groves)
  • Around 500,000 ha of vegetable crops
  • Average yearly production, around 10 million t fruits, 14 million t of vegetables.
  • Share of organic farming, around 17%
  • Value of fruits, vegetables, nurseries and ornamental plants >16 billion euro per year (around 17% of EU). Value of the export, around 8 billion euro
  • Yearly production of around 54 million hl of wine and 400-600.000 t olive oil, corresponding to >8.5 billion euro per year (>30% of EU)
  • > 100 horticultural products with EU geographical indications like Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) and Protected Geographical Indication (PGI)

ITALIAN HORTICULTURAL SCIENCE IN THE 2020s

  • 487 publications/year in Scopus-indexed Journals (average 2016-2020) about horticultural topics
  • 18 ISHS Symposia in Italy (2015-2018)
  • 30 Universities with Horticultural Science teaching programs
  • 209 Professors and researchers in Horticultural Science
  • Council for Agricultural Research and Economics (Crea) -12 Research Centres (out of then 3 focused on Horticulture)
  • Several Departments of the National Research Council active in Horticultural Science

 

Advanced multi-leader apple training system (Guyot) to allow a precise orchard management and a reduction of plant protection products thanks to multi-purpose fixed sprayers.

Courtesy: Edmund Mach Foundation

New prototype of fruit gauge sensor.

Courtesy: University of Bologna

Eddy covariance tower equipped to monitor C and water fluxes at ecosystem level.

Courtesy: Free University of Bolzano

 

Inside the Dolomite caves, an underground-refrigerated storage system for apples, the only one in the world. Apples are stored in a hypogeal environment at controlled atmosphere, with a stable temperature. season. A natural refrigerator hidden inside the Dolomite Mountains. An eco-friendly storage system with low CO2 emissions and energy consumption.

Courtesy: Melinda

An example of circular economy – Tomatoes and biogas.

https://www.h2orto.it/fri-el-green-house/

A production site for 365 days a year, with a saving of 70% surface area and 70% water for the cultivation of tomatoes. The heating derives from the adjacent biogas plant.

Il Bettolino

“Il Bettolino” is a Social Cooperative

http://www.ilbettolino.it/index.php?id=1188890767

Il Bettolino Cooperative pursues the human promotion and social integration of people with disabilities and disadvantaged, through horticulture.