Innovative solutions for organic farming: two professors from the Institute of Crop Science participated in the 15th National Congress on Biodiversity and 2nd International Conference on Mediterranean Biodiversity

Prof. Anna Mensuali and Prof. Antonio Ferrante participated in the 15th National Congress on Biodiversity and 2nd International Conference on Mediterranean Biodiversity from June 3 to 6, where they presented the MASAF project entitled From the green deal to the nursery: innovations at the service of organic farming in ornamental greenery – BIOVIVO. The project, in which the Institute of Crop Science of the Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies is involved as a partner, aims to study innovative solutions for producing ornamental plants organically. The approach used is a supply chain approach, starting with the use of biostimulants to promote the rooting of recalcitrant ornamental plants. The organic production of ornamental plants is a very demanding challenge even for the most experienced flower growers, where crop management must necessarily be combined with the use of innovative technical means that can be used in accordance with the upcoming European regulation on organic production (848/2018). As ornamental products are luxury goods, the quality parameters that define their commercial value are essentially aesthetic and related to morphology, the color of the foliage and/or flowers, and the longevity of the leaves and/or flowers. The project is three years long and coordinated by Dr. Daniele Massa of CREA-OF in Pescia. During the conference, Prof. Mensuali and Dr. Myriam Arcidiacono, research fellow, presented a case study on the relationship between biodiversity and the business activities of the Floratoscana cooperative, one of the case studies carried out as part of the activities for spoke 7.5 of the National Biodiversity Future Center coordinated by Prof. Andrea Piccaluga.