It is important to manage the environment inside an horticultural greenhouse in order to guarantee suitable growing condition for the crop, safety condition for the workers and energy savings. Microclimate is influenced by climatic parameters, such as solar radiation, air temperature, relative humidity, and wind speed. Evaporative systems are generally used in warm regions for commercial greenhouse cooling, however such systems require large quantity of water that is often a scarce natural resource in Mediterranean areas. Solar absorption systems can be applied for greenhouse cooling in regions with high values of solar irradiation as alternative to evaporative systems by exploiting renewable energy sources. The solar cooling system could provide significant energy-saving opportunities for cooling greenhouses in hot climates allowing the reduction of electricity and water consumption by exploiting the contemporaneity between the cooling requirements and the solar energy availability. The paper presents the technical considerations on the application of a solar absorption cooling system to a greenhouse in the Mediterranean climatic region. The aim of the research was to define the solar collector surface related to the greenhouse cultivated area and the potential of the system in terms of cooling capacity and energy consuption. The simulation study was realized based on the experimental data collected at the experimental centre of the University of Bari, Southern Italy, in order to control the air temperature of a greenhouse covered with plastic film; the greenhouse was characterized by a surface of 300 m2. The cooling system was designed by adopting suitable technologies of energy saving, in order to reduce cooling energy needs. The designed system consists of an absorption chiller having a cooling capacity of 18 kW fed by 50 m2 of evacuated-tube solar collectors coupled to a new distribution system which provides the cooling power only for the air volume surrounding the crop and not for the whole greenhouse.

Aim of the research is the development of biodegradable polymeric materials based on hydrolyzed proteins, derived from waste products of the leather industry. These compostable and biodegradable materials are used in order to made biodegradable mulching films. Fillers, coloured pigments, natural plasticizer and vegetal fibres were opportunely added inn order to assure the chemical, physical-mechanical properties of the film during the cultivation time. Soil mulching films, made with the biodegradable materials, were applied to the soil by means of spray techniques; the mulches were tested in an ornamental cultivation carried out inside a greenhouse. The innovative biodegradable spray films lasted in the field up to 12 months, keeping their mulching effect and guarantying weed suppression.

Agricultural activities need plastics 1'or many applications such as films lor soil mulching and pots lbr plants tr"ansplanting. The use of plastic proc{ucts, made of fossil raw materials, sucll as polystyrene, polyethylene, and polypropyÌene results in huge quantities of plastic wastes to be disposecl of. In the past two decades, the growing environmental awareness strongly encouraged researchers and industries toward the use of biodegradab|: polymers 1òr solving the plastic wasle problem. Researchers have made strong eflbrts to identify new biopolymers corning fionl renewable sources as valid ecosustainable alternatives to petroleum based plastic commodities. The rnain reseai'ch results and current applications concernìng the biodegraclable plastics in agriculture, such as thermo-extrucled \later-Ili and sprayable water-botn polysaccharides based coatings. are described in this chapter. A liner-rp o1'triopolymers cuning from raw and renewable sources, such as polysaccharides. a1'e reported; the inh'insic chemicc»physical properlies of polysaccharides, responsible for the realization of clry water stable hydr.ogels, suitable for the formation of both soil mulching coatings ancl transplanting biopots. are investigated. A clescription of the natural actditives, fillers and cellulosic fibers included in the polymeric matrices. able to enhance the mechanical performance of coatings and pots is provitled, together with tlie outputs in the specific applications.

Nowadays the growth of the cities increased built and paved areas, energy use and heat generation. The phenomenon of urban warming, called urban heat island, influences negatively outdoor comfort conditions, pollutants concentration, energy demand for air conditioning, as well as increases environmental impact due to the demand of energy generation. A sustainable technology for improving the energy efficiency of buildings is the use of green roofs and walls in order to reduce the energy consumption for conditioning in summer and improve the thermal insulation in winter. The use of green roofs and walls can contribute to mitigate the phenomenon of heat island, the emissions of greenhouse gases, and the storm water runoff affecting human thermal comfort, air quality and energy use of the buildings. Recently, a number of municipalities started to adopt regulations and constructive benefits for renovated and new buildings which incorporate green roofs and walls. The aim of this paper is to describe the green roofs and walls plant technology.

The use of plastic material in the European agriculture is continuously increasing; as a direct consequence, large amounts of plastic waste are generated, and they should be disposed in a correct way. The material reutilization through its mechanical recycling is an environmentally friendly alternative for the plastic waste disposal. With the aim to evaluate the mechanical characteristics of plastic products obtained by recycling different polymeric mixtures of agricultural plastic film, experimental tests were performed on different blends of heterogeneous material. New bars with prismatic shape from postconsume agricultural plastic film were produced through mechanical recycling, adding in some cases additives in the waste stream. In this paper the results of laboratory tests on some regenerated profiles are reported and discussed.

Radiometric characteristics of photoselective and photoluminescent films. Plastic films for protected cultivation capable of modifying the spectral distribution of the transmitted radiation can be developed with suitable radiometric characteristics in order to influence plant vegetative activity. In order to study such films, experimental tests were carried out at the experimental farm of the University of Bari in Valenzano (Bari, Italy), at latitude 41° 05' N, from December 2006 to September 2007. Two photoselective films (GREEN4% and GREEN2%), three photoluminescent films (RED,BLUE and RED-BLUE) and one low density polyethylene film were used as greenhouse coverings for cherry trees and peach trees. The photoselective films GREEN4% and GREEN2% alter the quality of solar radiation passing through the covering materials modifying the spectral distribution of the solar radiation in the wavelength range of the red radiation (R, 650-670 nm) and of the far red radiation (FR, 720-740 nm) in comparison with the natural solar radiation recorded in open field. The photoluminescent films RED, BLUE and RED-BLUE have the capacity to absorb UV radiation in order to re-emit it in the wavelength of red radiation,blue radiation and red-blue radiation, respectively.The results showed the radiometric characteristics of these innovative plastic films. The photoselective films GREEN4% and GREEN2% were characterised by a reduction of the R/FR ratio of the photon fluence rate in the red to that in the far red in comparison to the natural solar radiation.

The aim of this paper is to investigate the influence of the radiometric properties of coloured nets on cherry tree photomorphogenesis. A field experimental test using coloured nets for the protection of cherry trees was carried out. Different coloured nets (BLUE, RED, PEARL, GREY and YELLOW), characterised by a nominal shading factor of 40%, and a NEUTRAL net with a nominal 12% shading factor were tested. Cherry trees in OPEN FIELD conditions were used as control. The effects of the nets on the trees growth were correlated with the radiometric properties of the nets, which were evaluated by means of laboratory tests. The RED and BLUE nets influenced mainly the B/FR ratio: the former net decreased and the latter increased the B/FR ratio. The nets influenced the annual trunk growth of the trees: respect to OPEN FIELD (100%), the highest increase was induced for the trees grown under the NEUTRAL net (132%), followed by the YELLOW (121%), the BLUE (120%), the PEARL (111%) and the RED (106%) net while the lowest was recorded under the GREY net (79%). The NEUTRAL net (-3 d) and the YELLOW net (-1.5 d) influenced fruit maturity advancing harvest, while the other nets retarded the ripening time: RED (+2 d), BLUE (+2.5 d), PEARL (+3.5 d) and GREY (+4 d).

The diffusion of pollutants in the atmosphere, agricultural soil, irrigation water, crops and food chain can produce potential environmental health risk. The aims of this study are the environmental risk assessment for the aquifers and the estimation of pollutants concentration in the forage cultivated for evaluating the risk for human health. The risk analysis was applied in the rural territory of Statte (Taranto, Italy) using an innovative methodology based on the integration of models for estimation of pollutant leaching in the groundwater and for the evaluation of bio-transfer of pollutant in the plant. The model results are in accordance with the experimental values therefore the proposed methodology allows the evaluation and management of environmental health risks in agricultural areas interested by pollution phenomena generated by industrial plants.

The diffusion of pollutants in the atmosphere, agricultural soil, irrigation water, crops and food chain can produce potential environmental health risk. The aims of this study are the environmental risk assessment for the aquifers and the estimation of pollutants concentration in the forage for evaluating the risk for human health. The risk analysis was applied in the rural territory of Statte (Taranto, Italy) using an innovative methodology based on the integration of models for estimation of pollutant leaching in the groundwater and for the evaluation of bio-transfer of pollutant in the plant. The model results are in accordance with the experimental values and therefore the proposed methodology allows the evaluation and management of environmental health risks in agricultural areas interested by pollution phenomena generated by industrial plants.

Plastic films used to cover vineyard change microclimate conditions aiming to advance or delay grape maturity according to the table grape marked demand. The capacity of the cov-ering materials to modify the greenhouse microclimate strongly depends on their radiometric properties. The aim of this paper is to study the effect of three watering regimes and of the radiometric characteristics of plastic film used to delay harvest of Crimson seedless table grape grown in the Apulia region (Southern Italy). Crimson Seedless vines trained to “tendone” trellis system were irrigated with different water regimes, from berry set to one week before harvesting, corresponding to about 50% (WR1), 100% (WR2) and 80% (WR3) of water lost by evapotranspiration. After veraison, Crimson Seedless vines were covered with plastic film until grape harvest. Laboratory tests were carried out on the new film in order to evaluate the radiometric properties. Vine water status and leaf gas exchange were as-sessed. At harvest, the yield components and the grape characteristics were analyzed. Vine water status measured under midday conditions showed a moderate improvement for WR3 and WR2 treatments, but leaf temperature decreased and leaf gas exchange increased in WR3 vines. Water availability significantly affected berry growth, inducing the lowest cluster weight in the treatment WR1 that received the lowest watering volumes; also berry diameters were significantly affected by the irrigation treatments. Crop water productivity (grape produc-tion per unit of applied water) decreased from WR1 to WR2 and WR3. The greatest water deficit reduced significantly the total pruning weight per vine, that is an indicator of the vege-tative vigor.

Over the last years the growing environmental awareness has been prompting the research to develop a new generation of mulches starting with raw materials from renewable origin. Innovative biodegradable soil mulching coatings were developed using novel polymeric materials based on hydrolyzed proteins, derived from waste products of the leather industry. These biodegradable polymeric materials were applied in the field by means of the spray technique at University of Bari (Italy, latitude 41° 05' N), from 2009 to 2011. In order to obtain biodegradable coatings and to modulate their chemical-physical and mechanical properties, grafting and crosslinking protein hydrolysate with biodegradable polymeric materials such as Poly(ethylene glycols) (PEG) and natural polyunsaturated fatty acids were performed. In order to improve the physical properties and decrease water sensitivity, fibers, saw dust and carbon black were added. The biodegradable soil mulching polymeric materials showed suitable mechanical properties keeping its mulching effect up to 12 months. The black coatings inhibited weed growth like the black LDPE film did, satisfying the agronomic task of the mulching film. The biodegradable materials are environmentally friendly alternatives to synthetic petro-chemical polymers for a sustainable agriculture.

The use of low-impact energy sources for greenhouse cultivations is growing quickly due to environmental demands, constrained by the increased price of fossil energy sources, market demand for low cost greenhouse production, and need for air pollution reduction. This paper demonstrates via environmental analysis the efficiency of a Photovoltaic- Geothermal Heat Pump integrated system (PV-GHP) as a greenhouse heating system, compared to a conventional hot air generator using liquefied petroleum gas (LPG-HG). The tests were carried out in twin experimental greenhouses in the Mediterranean area (Valenzano-Italy). In order to evaluate the environmental performance of a heat pump system with electricity supplied from the national grid, a scenario (GHP Geothermal Heat Pump) was realised. The microclimatic conditions in the two greenhouses, the thermal energy produced, and the electricity consumption were analysed. Furthermore, in order to evaluate the long-term environmental impact, an environmental analysis was conducted using life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology, carried out according to standard UNI EN ISO 14040. The interpretation of the results using method CML2001 (Centre of Environmental Science, Leiden, Netherlands) showed that neither system is more advantageous from an environmental point of view and that the GHP scenario has the higher environmental burdens. Limiting the analysis to the emissions responsible for the greenhouse effect, the plant with the geothermal heat pump and photovoltaic panels reduces carbon emissions by 50%. In order to assess the sustainability of the geothermal heat pump plant, the estimated payback-time for energy and for carbon emissions were 1 year and 2.25 years, respectively.

Organic and inorganic polluting substances contaminate a large number of agricultural areas in Italy. In these areas the workers' exposure to the aforesaid contaminants potentially can involve of the biological equilibrium with consequent poisonings and/or professional diseases. The aim of this paper is the evaluation of the sanitary risk for the agricultural employees that operate in a rural area of southern Italy in the Campania Region, characterized by the presence of agrarian crops in open fields and inside greenhouses. This area is also concerneded by the presence of pollutants released during the years by unauthorized dumps. The results point out that the hazard index HQ and the cancer increase risk R for the agricultural operators that work inside greenhouses or on open fields are widely below the legal limits. Furthermore the agricultural operators that work inside greenhouses, where the air replacements are produced by side and ridge openings and defective tightness of the covering, are exposed to a much greater sanitary environmental risk (HQ and R) than the labourers employed on open fields.

Current agricultural practices require the use of large quantities of plastics, which contribute to a significant increase of the quantity and quality of agricultural production, but also require high quantities of plastic waste to be disposed in such way that will not have a negative effect on the landscape and the agro-ecosystem. In this paper the results of an experimental investigation of the possibilities of producing new regenerated plastic films through mechanical recycling, from post-consume agricultural plastic films are analysed. Six recycled films, made from agricultural low tunnel and greenhouse covering films as well as from HDPE bags for agrochemical packaging, have been extruded producing films of different thickness. These regenerated films were characterized by means of mechanical and spectrometric tests and SEM þ EDS analysis. The obtained results show that without adding any additives into the blends good mechanical and spectral properties can be achieved by mixing the greenhouse and low tunnel recycled plastic film coverings.

Photoselective and photoluminescent films and effects on the plant growth. Photoselective and photoluminescent plastic films for protected cultivation modify the spectral distribution of the solar radiation thus influencing plant growth. This paper shows the results of the tests carried out at the experimental farm of the University of Bari from December 2006 to September 2007; two photoselective films (GREEN4% and GREEN2%), three photoluminescent films (RED, BLUE and RED-BLUE) and one low density polyethylene film were used to cover greenhouses where cherry and peach trees were grown. The lowest vegetative activity was recorded for the trees grown in open field in comparison with the trees grown inside the greenhouses. The photoselective films influenced positively the growth of the trees, especially the GREEN4% film. Among the photoluminescent films the RED film was more efficient in increasing the vegetative activity; it was due to the film capacity of absorbing UV radiation and re-emitting it in the wavelength band of the red radiation, which is very efficient for photosynthesis.

Environmentally sound greenhouse production requires that: demand for market products is understood; greenhouse design addresses the climate circumstances; input resources are available and consumed efficiently, and; there must be a reasonable balance of production products to the environmental impacts from system. Engineering greenhouse production systems to meet these requirements must include: a cost-effective and structurally sound facility; various sub-systems controlled to interact harmoniously together; and educated and experienced system operators. The major components of the environmentally sound greenhouse are: Super-structure and glazing (for a specific location and climate conditions); Climate control sub-systems (ventilation, heating, cooling, CO2 control, pest protection, energy conservation, shading/lighting); Monitoring and control (for system operations data; decisionsupport systems; and, operations control procedures); Automation systems (for quality control, and effective resource utilization); and Crop nutrient delivery system (for control of plant root zone environment). Effective greenhouse engineering design, operations and management, must incorporate input from academic, private and public sectors of society. Therefore this team of researchers, educators, industry/ business, and experienced crop production operators has cooperated to include a current real-world applications perspective to the presentation. Greenhouse production systems are described that not only include the fundamentals for success, but also the combination of sub-systems, at appropriate technological levels to meet the design requirements and restrictions for success. The collaborators on this presentation have capabilities and experiences of successful greenhouse production systems from around the world that range from simple, low-input systems to highly complex production systems. Our goal is to emphasize the current basics of greenhouse design, and to support the symposium about greenhouse production systems for people.

The use of fossil fuels for greenhouse heating may cause negative impacts on the environmental state and air quality. In this context, geothermal heat pumps can meet the energy needs of the greenhouses with low environmental impact. In this study we have analyzed and compared the technical, energetic, environmental and agricultural performance of a pilot plant “photovoltaic - geothermal heat pump” and a conventional hot air generator fueled by LPG for heating of two experimental greenhouses. The experimental tests performed and the life cycle analysis (LCA) of the thermal energy produced by the two heating systems have made it possible to demonstrate that geothermal heat pumps are an alternative to conventional thermal plant because they provide suitable microclimatic conditions for crop growth in greenhouse with low environmental impact.

Two commercial films, coded “YELLOW” and “NEUTRAL”, and one experimental film, coded “BASF” (provided by BASF Italia Srl), were tested in a vineyard located in Southern Italy (Castellaneta Marina, Taranto, Italy), during 2011, to assess their influence on the productive characteristic of a seedless grapevine variety. The vineyard was conducted applying the viticultural practices normally adopted for seedless varieties in the geographical area and was drip-irrigated at about 50% of the full evapotranspiration. The radiometric properties of the films were evaluated by means of laboratory tests. In the field, the main microclimatic parameters were recorded: photosynthetic photon flux, air relative humidity and temperature. The main parameters of vine ecophysiological leaf functioning were also measured. At harvest, the vine productivity and the grape quality were assessed. The radiometric tests showed that the PAR total transmissivity coefficient was 86.3% for the “BASF” film, 81.8% for the “NEUTRAL” film and 86.0 % for the “YELLOW”. By analyzing the vine production, grape yield, berry and cluster weight were found higher under the “BASF” film than under the other two types of plastic covers.

The extensive and expanding use of plastic material in the Italian agriculture for several diversified application results in increased accumulation of plastic waste in rural areas. In the present paper, an analysis of the technical solutions for the management of agricultural plastic waste is presented. The current practices adopted by Farmers consist, unfortunately, in a mismanagement of the plastic material, that is abandoned or buried in open fields or burnt in a not controlled way,with heavy environmental consequences and a loss of material and energy. In the second part of the paper, the main results of a scientific project financed by the EU, aimed at the labelling of agricultural plasticwaste stream,will be presented.

Introduction The extensive and expanding use of plastics in agriculture results in increased accumulation of plastic waste in rural areas. The majority of this waste is left on the field or burnt uncontrollably by the farmers releasing harmful substances affecting human health, the safety of the farming products and the environment. Materials and Methods Specific key scientific challenges have been set to be resolved in the framework of this project through integrated prenormative research activities that are associated with the characterization of the stream, meeting the specs, expanding the specs of the disposal processes by defining the technical requirements and limits for achieving technical and economically feasible solutions for each disposal option. Results A holistic environmentally sound waste management scheme that minimizes the costs and maximizes the revenues by transforming the agricultural plastic waste streams into labeled guaranteed quality commodities freely traded in an open market has been developed by the LabelAgriWaste project. Discussion Pilot tests have been run to optimise the scheme parameters and quantify the potential, the efficiency and the impact of the LabelAgriWaste scheme. The proposed solutions to the unresolved problems are expected to be achieved through the implementation of the LabelAgriWaste scheme. Conclusion The labeling management scheme proposed is designed to be technically feasible, economic and able to satisfy the geographic diversity and the various technical requirements of the major stakeholders throughout Europe, including farmers, plastics producers, recyclers and industrial facilities utilizing alternative fuels for energy production.

Regione Puglia APQ in materia di Beni e Attività Culturali

Plastic materials are generally used for several agricultural applications: films for greenhouse covering, low or medium tunnel, soil mulching and solarisation, silage, nets, irrigation and drainage pipes, bags, containers, pots, and agrochemical containers. At the end of their lifetime, the agricultural plastic materials produce, consequently, high volumes of waste to be disposed of. A non suitable disposal system for agricultural plastic waste could induce economical damages, negative effects on the landscape and on the agro-ecosystem with loss of material or energy. With an optimized process of collection, transport and final disposal of, agricultural plastic wastes become "secondary raw materials" that can be re-used for other different applications. In this way the by-products obtained from agricultural plastic wastes become technically efficient and economically feasible. Unfortunately, the management of plastic waste flux coming from agricultural activities is still far to be solved in some Italian areas. Apulia Region, Southern Italy, is characterized by high densities of greenhouses, tunnels, protected vineyards and mulching films for vegetable cultivation. Due to the huge problems connected to the disposal of agricultural plastic wastes, institutions, local authorities and farmers associations of Apulia Region have been interested in solving this problem during the last decade; first attempts were carried out within the European projects “LabelAgriWaste” and “Free Field”. The Province of Barletta-Andria-Trani, an agricultural area typically suited to vineyards, olive groves, orchards, and vegetables, is interested to realize modernization actions for the growers of the area. In fact the Province of Barletta-Andria-Trani is a partner, together with the University of Bari and other institutions, in the project “Agricultural Waste valorisation for a competitive and sustainable Regional Development – AWARD”, European Territorial Cooperation Programme Greece-Italy 2007-2013. The aim of this project is to offer an optimized management of agricultural plastic wastes. A Geographical Information System (G.I.S) is one of the strategies to pursue at local scale, with regard to the municipal territories of the Province of Barletta-Andria-Trani. In the present paper, the G.I.S. is described at a province scale: the principal agricultural areas with large use of mulching and greenhouse plastic films were examined by means of statistical data (plastic covered surface according to the type of application, the cultivation, the type of plastic material, etc.) and remote sensing survey. These data were introduced in a specific database, based on which three different layers were created. Through the use of the GIS, the road network was evaluated, with reference to the considered agricultural areas and with the existing temporary storage areas, in order to optimize the transport of agricultural plastic waste from the farms to the collecting points and to the recycling firms. The obtained results enabled the analysis and the planning of agricultural plastic waste fluxes, together with the possibility to investigate different development scenarios and to consider new planning strategies for their management.

In recent years the concern about plastic waste from agriculture has raised significantly. A growing social and political awareness on environmental issues has led to laws and regulations aimed at controlling and reducing waste production, encouraging recycling and reuse as well. The mechanical recycling of polymers determines a loss of some of their original chemical, physical and mechanical properties due to the role played by some of the degradation factors (UV radiation, thermal stress, agrochemicals etc.) that they were subjected to during their working life. The properties of the regenerated material can however be improved through the addition in the plastic mixture of other material, such as wood, glass, calcium etc. In this paper, the properties of plastic profiles obtained through mechanical recycling of agricultural plastic material mixed with wood powder (70% LDPE + 30% wood powder) were analyzed. The results of the tensile, compression and bending tests here reported show that the mixture of recycled plastic from agricultural application with a suitable different material could be considered as an interesting option for the improvement of the mechanical characteristics of these new regenerated products.

This monograph is a critical review of the biological activities that occur during virgin olive oil (VOO) extraction process. Strategic choices of plant engineering systems and of processing technologies should be made to condition the enzymatic activities, in order to modulate the nutritional and the sensory quality of the product toward the consumer expectations. “Modulation” of the product quality properties has the main aim to predetermine the quantity and the quality of 2 classes of substances: polyphenols and volatile compounds responsible of VOO nutritional and sensory characteristics. In the 1st section, a systematic analysis of the literature has been carried out to investigate the main olive enzymatic activities involved in the complex biotransformation that occurs during the mechanical extraction process. In the 2nd section, a critical and interpretative discussion of the influence of each step of the extraction process on the polyphenols and the volatile compounds has been performed. The effect of the different mechanical devices that are part of the extraction process is analyzed and recommendations, strategies, and possible avenues for future researches are suggested. Practical Application In the field of virgin olive oil industry, time and energy should be spent on developing innovative processing plants and equipment able to better modulate the physical parameters that influence endogenous olive enzyme activities, such as temperature, time, amounts of processing water and oxygen. This review paper can be a useful resource to design and develop innovative equipment by offering an exhaustive analysis of mechanical effects of industrial devices and biological effects of endogenous enzymes on the sensory and nutritional properties of virgin olive oil.

The phenomenon of urban warming, known as urban heat island, negatively influences outdoor comfort conditions and pollutants concentration, as well as increases the environmental impact due to the energy demand for air conditioning. In Mediterranean climate regions the main problem is to control the solar heat gain, that increases building’s temperature during the hot season, in order to protect the conditions of well-being of those who live or work in the buildings. Solar heat can be mainly reduced by increasing the insulation between the exterior and interior of the building, as well as shading the building surface from direct sun exposure. A sustainable technology for improving the energy efficiency of buildings is the use of green roofs and green walls in order both to reduce the energy consumption for conditioning in summer by physically shading the building structures and by promoting evapotranspiration, and to increase the thermal insulation in winter. Aim of this paper is to describe the green roofs and walls design requirements and to develop an energetic model capable of simulating the energy exchanges that take place in the presence of roofs / green walls. The energy model of the microclimate inside a building covered with plant species in Mediterranean climate depends on several different parameters that influence the indoor building microclimate such as external air temperature and relative humidity, incident solar radiation, long wave radiation exchange between the structure and its surroundings, incidence and speed of the wind, air exchanges, physical and thermal properties of the building’s envelope materials, design variables such as building dimensions and orientation. The model takes into account also the effect of different plant species. Solar heat is transferred to the internal air through the envelope by the heat transfer mechanisms as conduction, convection and radiation. The physical properties of the surface, such as the solar reflectance, infrared emittance and the convection coefficient, influence the surface temperature. The use of green roofs and walls can contribute to mitigate the phenomenon of heat island, the emissions of greenhouse gases and the storm water runoff affecting human thermal comfort, air quality and energy consumption in buildings.

The world consumption of plastics in agriculture amounts yearly to 6.5 million tons. In addition to conventional polymers used in agriculture for greenhouses and mulches such as PE, PVC, EVA, photo-selective and luminescent polymers have been used, in order to improve the quality of crops. For the same reason plastic nets are used mainly in countries with tropical and Mediterranean climates. For an environmentally friendly agricultural activity, an alternative strategy can be represented by bio-based agricultural raw materials. For low environmental impact applications, biodegradable materials for agricultural films are nowadays produced. An overview of the main methods for the disposal and recycling of plastic materials are presented with the results of mechanical and radiometric tests on recycled plastics. The strategies to reduce the burden of plastics in agriculture are: a correct procedure for the collection, disposal and recycling of post-consumption plastics; the increase of lifetime duration and performance; and the introduction and promotion of bio-based materials.

Nets are commonly used for agricultural applications. However, only little is known about the radiometric properties of net types and how to influence them. In order to investigate the influence of net construction parameters on their radiometric properties, a set of radiometric tests were performed on 45 types of agricultural nets. Laboratory tests on large size net samples was performed using a large and a small integrating sphere. Open field radiometric test were carried out by means of an experimental set up (120x120x50 cm) and a full scale shade house. Small differences (less than 5%) occurred between laboratory and open field tests. Results highlighted that the porosity and the mesh size, combined with the colour and secondarily, with the fabric and the kind of threads of the net influenced the shading performance of the net. The colour influenced the spectral distribution of the radiation passing through the net absorbing its complementary colours. Since nets are three-dimensional structures the transmissivity of direct light under different angles of incident of solar radiation changes when installed in the warp or weft direction. Transmissivity could be considered one of the main parameters involved in the agronomic performances of the netting system.

Two photoselective and three photoluminescent greenhouse plastic films were studied for their effects on the spectral distribution of solar radiation and their influence on the growth of cherry and peach trees in the field and in laboratory tests.The two photoselective films modified the ratio of the photon fluence rate in the red to that in the far-red (R/FR), while the three photoluminescent films increased both the blue and red solar radiation by moving energy from the ultra-violet range to the blue and red wavelength range.The photoselective film that reduced the R/FR ratio, from 1.14 (open-field) to 0.93, enhanced shoot growth in peach (46.1 cm) and cherry trees (68.7 cm) compared to trees grown in the open-field (13.5 cm and 39.3 cm for peach and cherry trees, respectively). Trees grown under the red-emitting photoluminescent film showed increases in shoot length of 27.2 cm and 55.8 cm for peach and cherry trees, respectively; while plants grown under the blue-emitting photoluminescent film showed increases of 22.4 cm and 48.9 cm for peach and cherry trees, respectively. This research showed that a significant enhancement of shoot growth in peach and cherry trees can be obtained using plastic films that modify the spectral distribution of solar radiation. Further research should explore the potential for the development of film-additives that promote more compact vegetative growth.

Alteration of spectral wavelength distribution of the solar radiation influence plant growth, development and productivity, thus the nets can be used for the purpose of vegetative control for tree cultivated under covering materials instead of use of growth regulators. Changes in red radiation (R, 600-700 nm), in far-red radiation (FR, 720- 740 nm), or in blue radiation (B, 400-500 nm) in the growing environment affect plant photomorphogenesis, involving the activation of photoreceptors, such as the phytochrome. The phytochrome response is studied in terms of the bichromatic R/FR ratio of the photon fluence rate in the red to that in the far-red. The aim of this paper is to investigate the influence of the radiometric properties of coloured nets on peach tree morphogenesis, by studying the modification of the spectral distribution of the transmitted radiation and thus the effects on the tree vegetative cycle. The radiometric properties of the nets were evaluated by means of laboratory tests. A field experimental test using different coloured nets (BLUE, RED, PEARL, GREY and YELLOW) for the protection of peach trees was carried out. Peach trees in OPEN FIELD conditions were used as control. The RED and BLUE nets influenced mainly the B/FR ratio: the former net decreased and the latter increased the B/FR ratio. The growth of the trees cultivated in OPEN FIELD was lower in comparison to the growth of the trees grown under the nets. The RED, PEARL, YELLOW and GREY nets increased the growth of the trees more than the other nets.

Wastes and by-products of agro-food industries and paper-textile manufacturing companies, such as tomato peels and seeds, and hemp, were glued with sodium alginate in order to produce biodegradable pots for plant transplanting in agriculture, thus aiming both to reduce such wastes and also to fight the accumulation of plastic pot wastes produced in plant nurseries. Laboratory tests performed on polysaccharide films and biocomposites based sheets prepared with the same materials developed for preparing the pots, were carried out in order to understand the chemico-physical correlations between resin, ionic crosslinking agent, reinforcing fibers and water. To this aim, mechanical tests, water vapour permeability tests, water up-take evaluations and morphological analysis were carried out. It was found a strong physical interaction between sodium alginate and calcium ions in the development of a three-dimensional network. The crosslinked structure was able to physically entrap the reinforcement fibers by means of hydrogen bonding, as evidenced by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Energy-Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS) analysis. SEM analysis performed on fracture surfaces of the biocomposites evidenced that the fibers were well embedded inside the three-dimensional network, even if their dispersion needed some improvement; EDS analysis revealed the presence of calcium in rather all the selected internal micro-zones, thus suggesting a well structured network. In order to assess the agronomic performance of the novel biodegradable pots in seedling transplanting activity, the pots were tested in real field condition during 2009 at the experimental farm of the University of Bari, Italy. From the analysis of the young plants transplanted in the field, it was inferred that the biodegradable containers had enhanced the roots plants development and the plant growing, avoiding transplant shock and root deformation. After the using time, they completely degraded into the soil within 2 weeks

A review of agricultural plastic waste generation and consolidation in Europe is presented. A detailed geographical mapping of the agricultural plastic use and waste generation in Europe was conducted focusing on areas of high concentration of agricultural plastics. Quantitative data and analysis of the agricultural plastic waste generation by category, geographical distribution and compositional range, and physical characteristics of the agricultural plastic waste per use and the temporal distribution of the waste generation are presented. Data were collected and cross-checked from a variety of sources, including European, national and regional services and organizations, local agronomists, retailers and farmers, importers and converters. Missing data were estimated indirectly based on the recorded cultivated areas and the characteristics of the agricultural plastics commonly used in the particular regions. The temporal distribution, the composition and physical characteristics of the agricultural plastic waste streams were mapped by category and by application. This study represents the first systematic effort to map and analyse agricultural plastic waste generation and consolidation in Europe.

In Italy, a large number of agricultural areas are contaminated by organic and inorganic polluting substances. In such areas, the agricultural operators come into contact with the environmental contaminants through inhalation and dermic contact with dusts and vapour, and this exposure can potentially alter the biological equilibrium with consequent poisonings and/or work-related illness. The aim of this paper is to apply a methodological procedure for the numerical evaluation of the health risk for agricultural employees operating in open fields or inside greenhouses located in areas contaminated with organic pollutants. This procedure is in response to the lack of calculation models concerning these types of environment and agricultural activities. As a case study, this methodology has been applied to an agricultural area of southern Italy characterised by the presence of pollutants. The results underline that in this area there is a smaller concentration of pollutants in open field cultivations than inside greenhouses owing to a phenomenon of dispersion into the atmosphere. This numeric analysis will later be verified by measurements carried out in situ in order to evaluate the real situation on the ground.

In Italy, a large number of agricultural areas are contaminated by organic and inorganic polluting substances. In such areas, the agricultural operators come into contact with the environmental contaminants through inhalation and dermic contact with dusts and vapour, and this exposure can potentially alter the biological equilibrium with consequent poisonings and/or work-related illness. The aim of this paper is to apply a methodological procedure for the numerical evaluation of the health risk for agricultural employees operating in open fields or inside greenhouses located in areas contaminated with organic pollutants. This procedure is in response to the lack of calculation models concerning these types of environment and agricultural activities. As a case study, this methodology has been applied to an agricultural area of southern Italy characterised by the presence of pollutants. The results underline that in this area there is a smaller concentration of pollutants in open field cultivations than inside greenhouses owing to a phenomenon of dispersion into the atmosphere. This numeric analysis will later be verified by measurements carried out in situ in order to evaluate the real situation on the ground

The intrinsic factor of variability of renewable energy sources often limits their broader use. The photovoltaic solar systems can be provided with a power back up based on a combination of an electrolyzer and a fuel cell stack. The integration of solar hydrogen power systems with greenhouse heating equipment can provide a possible option for powering stand-alone greenhouses. The aim of the research under development at the experimental farm of Department of Agro-Environmental Sciences of the University of Bari “Aldo Moro” is to investigate on the suitable solutions of a power system based on photovoltaic energy and on the use of hydrogen as energy vector, integrated with a ground source heat pump for greenhouse heating in a self sustained way. The excess energy produced by a purpose-built array of solar photovoltaic modules supplies an alkaline electrolyzer; the produced hydrogen gas is stored in pressured storage tank. When the solar radiation level is insufficient to meet the heat pump power demand, the fuel cell starts converting the chemical energy stored by the hydrogen fuel into electricity. This paper reports on the description of the realized system. Furthermore the efficiency and the operational mode of the electrolyzer were evaluated during a trial period characterized by mutable solar radiant energy. Anyway the electrolyzer worked continuously in a transient state producing fluctuations of the hydrogen production and without ever reaching the steady–state conditions. The Faradic efficiency, evaluated by means of an empirical mathematic model, highlights that the suitable working range of the electrolyzer was 1.5÷2.5 kW and then for hydrogen production more than 0.21 Nm^3h^-1.

In this paper the results of a survey investigating the possibilities to producing a new regenerated film through mechanical recycling, from post-consume agricultural plastic films are analyzed. Four recycled films, made from tunnel and greenhouse covering material, have been extruded and subsequently characterized by mechanical tests and spectro-radiometric analysis. At the same time two new materials made from recycled LDPE and EVA were also tested on their mechanical and spectro-radiometric properties. The results allow the definition of the main engineering properties of these materials, and the possibilities for further investigation in order to have new products as an economic efficient and environmentally friendly alternative.

The energy and economic performance analysis of integrated photovoltaic and geothermal systems, for greenhouse heating, was investigated in a experimental study developed at the University of Bari, Southern Italy. A 7.2 kW geothermal heat pump combined with a 120 m vertical double U-bend ground heat exchanger was installed in order to supply the thermal energy demand of 48 m 2 single plastic skin greenhouse. Heat extraction energy from the soil, air temperature above the heated cultivated surface, growing media temperature, water temperature inside the heating system were measured and recorded continuously by a system composed of sensors and data logger. Results of the experiment showed that the use of geothermal sources integrated with photovoltaic panels can supply of totally heat energy demand of greenhouse with zero air emission and economy saving of 40% compared to the traditional heating systems.