Articles
Development of the hazelnut chain in Tuscany: the case of the integrated project Loacker, Hazelnuts of Maremma
Article number
1379_76
Pages
523 – 530
Language
English
Abstract
The recent market impulse affecting the nut sector has led to a new expansion of Italian hazelnut farming, involving both traditional areas and areas new to hazelnut production.
Among these, of particular interest is the recent introduction of hazelnuts to Tuscany, where the most promising area for the development of a new hazelnut district is the province of Grosseto.
In this area, under the aegis of the Loacker company, the Maremma hazelnut supply chain is emerging, which is also supported by the Integrated Supply Chain project financed by the Tuscany region and called Loacker, Hazelnuts of Maremma. The experimental part of the project is supported by the sub-project FIL.CO.T. – Development of the hazelnut supply chain in Tuscany. Two irrigated farms owned by Loacker, covering a total of 360 ha, were planted to hazelnuts in 2014 with Tonda di Giffoni, Tonda Gentile Romana, Nocchione, Camponica, Barcelona and Tonda Francescana®, some of which were grafted to C. colurna seedlings.
The plantations are intended for both commercial and experimental purposes.
In addition, a collection of the main hazelnut cultivars recently released by the Oregon State University hazelnut breeding program was established in November 2020. The FIL.CO.T., structured in work packages, aims to carry out experimental activities to assess the adaptability of hazelnut cultivars in the new growing area.
The most relevant results obtained during the trials are reported, with a focus on the introduction of new hazelnut cultivars released from OSU into the selected environment, soil mapping to determine its spatial variability and develop a new protocol for monitoring sub-irrigation water distribution in the orchard, and the development of improved protocols for high-efficiency kernel storage using appropriate ozone concentrations.
Among these, of particular interest is the recent introduction of hazelnuts to Tuscany, where the most promising area for the development of a new hazelnut district is the province of Grosseto.
In this area, under the aegis of the Loacker company, the Maremma hazelnut supply chain is emerging, which is also supported by the Integrated Supply Chain project financed by the Tuscany region and called Loacker, Hazelnuts of Maremma. The experimental part of the project is supported by the sub-project FIL.CO.T. – Development of the hazelnut supply chain in Tuscany. Two irrigated farms owned by Loacker, covering a total of 360 ha, were planted to hazelnuts in 2014 with Tonda di Giffoni, Tonda Gentile Romana, Nocchione, Camponica, Barcelona and Tonda Francescana®, some of which were grafted to C. colurna seedlings.
The plantations are intended for both commercial and experimental purposes.
In addition, a collection of the main hazelnut cultivars recently released by the Oregon State University hazelnut breeding program was established in November 2020. The FIL.CO.T., structured in work packages, aims to carry out experimental activities to assess the adaptability of hazelnut cultivars in the new growing area.
The most relevant results obtained during the trials are reported, with a focus on the introduction of new hazelnut cultivars released from OSU into the selected environment, soil mapping to determine its spatial variability and develop a new protocol for monitoring sub-irrigation water distribution in the orchard, and the development of improved protocols for high-efficiency kernel storage using appropriate ozone concentrations.
Publication
Authors
V. Cristofori, E. Pagani, F. Bevilacqua, C. Silvestri, S. Priori, M. Modesti, A. Bellincontro, F. Mencarelli, M. Perugini, F. Niedermayr, M. Furlan
Keywords
Corylus avellana, cultivar choice, apparent electrical conductivity, sub-irrigation system, ozone treatment
Groups involved
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