Research Pursuits in Horticulture of the Italian Ministry for Agricultural Policy (MIPA)

BACKGROUND

Italy's horticulture industry, in the two difficult decades of reconstruction immediately following World War II, rose to become one of Europe's leaders as to both production and exports by virtue of the professional skills of its highly motivated growers, packers, and marketing agents as well as the public-sector services supporting them. The subsequent growth in the purchasing power of the nation's domestic market brought about marked changes in consumer habits and tastes. The Italian consumer could look beyond the necessities of life to luxury goods, an option that was even more eagerly exercised if the items were attractively packaged and came with the reputation of status symbol; two horticultural examples are out-of-season fruits and vegetables, and exotic or newly developed flowers.

By the late l980s it was the world-wide horticulture industry that underwent radical changes in its system of production and marketing. This caused Italy's competitiveness in the global arena to suffer as inroads were made by other countries operating in a more congenial atmosphere of lower labor costs, or their exploitation of advanced production technologies and strategies to improve market share. The impact of these factors was most noticeable in Italyís flower and citrus industries, which proved less flexible than otitrus industries, which proved less flexible than other sectors in responding to technological developments and the growing demand for higher quality produce. The application of the recently signed WTO agreements also played a role in this trend by reducing EU tariff barriers on imports. Its most noticeable effect in both Italy's and the overall EU market was to benefit those countries capable of deploying new competitive strategies and had the potential to weaken the ability of Italyís horticulture industry to retain existing or even expand market share.

RESEARCH RESPONSE

The response of the nation's horticultural research capabilities to these challenges has been to upgrade industry competitiveness by targeting system efficiency. This means first of all focusing on the use of advanced technology to achieve better quality control at all stages of production and restructuring marketing efforts. The so-called "finalized projects" implemented by Italy's AgriMinistry are designed: (1) to identify those research priorities aimed at overcoming the limiting factors to a given sector's development, and (2) to coordinate the efforts of its own research stations as well as those of the universities, the National Research Council (CNR), and all the other public and private facilities with the required expertise. The primary objectives of these research programs, although not always compatible witharch programs, although not always compatible with one another, can be summarized as enhancing overall product quality, safeguarding consumer health and the environment, and upgrading the competitiveness of the country's agriculture industry. To achieve these overall goals, the finalized research projects implemented by the Ministry have the following framework.

1. Determine the criteria defining the overall quality of agricultural produce, e.g. health, nutrition, flavor-taste, processing techniques, and develop methods, means and parameters for evaluation and control so that all aspects of quality can be certified and consumer safety and protection can be improved.
2. Bring crop production management, practices and systems more into line with the guidelines of Community Agricultural Policy (CAP), the main emphasis being on issues related to preserving biodiversity, to sustainable agriculture, and to efficient managing of water resources.
3. Gain greater insights into the interactions of agriculture and the environment, including analyzing and assessing the environmental impact of policy decisions, and develop crop management practices more compatible to conservation of land and the environment.
4. Study socio-economic instruments to gain a better understanding of the workings and competitiveness of national and EU agriculture; study the economic consequences of policy decisions and develop tools to aid decision-making; study d develop tools to aid decision-making; study the methods, practices and systems that enable the reduction of production, processing, storage and marketing costs of produce.
5. Upgrade the expertise of extension officers and growers, including the use of advanced communications technology.
   
   
   

FINALIZED PROJECTS

The research framework can be exemplified by a number of finalized research projects in horticulture, either implemented or at the start-up stage, as listed below.

The Fruit Industry

Objectives.

1. Economic analysis of the sector.
2. Cultivar and rootstock breeding mainly to develop to biotic stresses in order to reduce pesticide inputs.
3. Upgrade field management practices of the most competitive fruit species in the national and international marketplace (apricot, plum, peach, apple, pear, strawberry).
4. Upgrade commodity storage techniques by focusing research on controlled atmosphere, postharvest big-control of pests, new packaging techniques for fresh product in supermarkets, and develop quality standards for greater protection of the consumer based on objective parameters.

Results.

The project "Quality Enhancement of Fruit for the Processing, Fresh Market and Citrus Industries," initiated in 1992, resulted in the development of several apple cultivars (Golden Lasa, Golden Mira in the development of several apple cultivars (Golden Lasa, Golden Mira and Golden Orange) resistant to scab and mildew, and strawberry cultivars. (Idea, Linda and Clea), tolerant to the soil pathogens Phytophthora, Rhizoctonia and Verticillium. Adoption of these cultivars has resulted in fewer pesticide treatments.

Fruit Varietal Orientation Lists

Objectives.

Identify cultivars and rootstocks best fitted to Italy's various growing districts by a uniform rating criteria in order to provide growers and nurserymen tools for decision-making.

Results.

The five years of research and testing now drawing to a close have seen the dissemination of a recommended cultivar list of the major fruit species grown in Italy (apricot, apple, pear, peach and nectarine, plum, cherry, almond and strawberry) and this list has been updated since 1994. A list for rootstocks has been published (1994) and is to be updated in 1998.

Tropical Fruit Industry

Objectives.

Begun in 1987 and concluded in 1996, this project has provided bio-agronomic criteria to assess the viability of growing tropical and subtropical species in certain areas of southern Italy. Particular emphasis has been placed on floral biology, frost susceptibility, response to pest outbreaks and storage and processing techniques. The initial 12 fruit crop species included Annona, Av techniques. The initial 12 fruit crop species included Annona, Avocado, Babaco, Feijoa, Prickly Pear, Loquat, Lychee, Macadamia, Papaya, Passiflora, Pecan, and Tamarillo.

Results.

The trial data so far has resulted in reducing the number of species being tested and in focusing on the development of the most viable ones to the mild coastal areas, i.e. pecan, loquat, avocado, annona and prickly pear. Feijoa, although exhibiting good adaptability, has limited commercial chances for success.

Horticulture

Objectives.

1. Breeding the major horticultural crops (tomato, eggplant, pepper, melon, artichoke, radicchio, escarole, cauliflower, onion, and celery) for resistance against the most damaging pests and disorders.
2. Develop crop management systems marked by reduced energy inputs and low environmental impact in both field and greenhouse.
3. Study soil-less, closed-circuit systems for greenhouse crops.
4. Cost-benefit analysis of production systems.
   
   
   

Potato Breeding Program

Objectives.

1. Develop protocol criteria for healthy propagation.
2. Testing techniques and environmental conditions best suited to the various propagation stages.
3. Accurate cost-benefit estimates of achieving national self-sufficiency in potato seed supply.

Results.

Micropropagation makes it possible to produce millions of prsults.

Micropropagation makes it possible to produce millions of propagules of differing cultivars quickly. Acclimation and tuber development can be started in simple facilities without special conditioning systems. Yields are high and virus-indexing approaches provide absolute security. It has been found that all the crops planted in early cycles and environments for subsequent propagation of tubers-seeds have kept their tuber-seed healthy whereas those planted in late cropping cycles have suffered virus attacks to varying extent.

Developing Dietary Regimes with High or Low Levels of Benzodiazepine

Objectives.

Develop dietary regimes to prevent and/or cure certain human health disorders by natural means rather than resorting to drugs.

Results.

New tomato and potato cultivars have been developed with low and high content of benzodiazepine. Clinical testing of human beings is now under way.

Floriculture

Objectives.

1. Develop product and processing innovations, including the introduction of new species and cultivars.
2. Develop new techniques to cut costs and enhance product quality.
3. New technology, and cost-efficient production systems.
   
   
   

Plant Biotechnology

Objectives.

The main aim is to maintain and pursue a national level of information in this area comparable to thntain and pursue a national level of information in this area comparable to that of other European countries. The research topics for horticulture and floriculture include:

1. Isolating individual genes for biotechnology purposes.
2. Molecular mapping of plant genomes.
3. Biotic and abiotic stress resistance.
4. Development of useful microorganisms.
5. Biotechnological enhancement of crop quality,.
6. Developmental biology.
7. Cell engineering.

Results.

Progress includes the characterization of genes controlling the production of anthocyanins, carotenoids, and substances responsible for flower and fruit color and vitamin precursors; studies of genes controlling the main fungi diseases in grapevine (gray mold) and in apple (scab); identification of genes determining parthenocarpy in eggplant, tomato, and pepper; gene transformation of tomato, potato, and melon for resistance to the main fungi diseases (Verticillium, Alternaria, Rhizoctonia); transformation for pest resistance including resistance to Fusarium and CMV in tomato; studies on sharka resistance; development of new floral crops.