Italy

Central Sicily (Italy)– Bell Peppers

In August, bell pepper farmer Carmelo Piazza began a plot test in plastic tunnels with Solum Naturale SumaGrow inside. Farmers in Central Sicily are hampered in the hot, dry area by having to grow crops in sandy soil which are heavily infested with parasitic nematodes.

Carmelo soaked the seedlings in a Solum Naturale SumaGrow inside solution before planting. The control crop was fertilized and planted in the traditional manner. Towards the end of November, Carmelo observed that the control plants had yellowish top leaves, indicating the start of a nematode infestation; however, the test plots were visibly greener and healthier with no discoloration. Solum Naturale is designed to boost the natural defenses of the plants by increasing the health of the soil with a synergistic consortium of native microbes of the rhizosphere. Healthy soil contains all kinds of interdependent organisms that release mineral nutrients and water.

In January, Sicily had a rare snowstorm accompanied with freezing temperatures. As a result, all the plants were very stressed. In fact, all control plants died and had to be removed. The test plants treated with Solum Naturale SumaGrow inside, though stressed, survived and were still very healthy and yielding delicious, good-sized bell peppers. Central Sicily (Italy)– Bell Peppers pic 1

Central Sicily (Italy)– Bell Peppers pic 2

Control Plants

Test Plot Plants

Central Sicily (Italy)– Bell Peppers pic 3 The severe weather created a large bell pepper shortage. Prices greatly increased and Carmelo was able to recoup some of his losses. According to Carmelo “We were the only growers in the area able to bring bell peppers to market.”

Organic Cucumbers in Italy Fertigation Grown Produce Much Healthier Plants

Solum Naturale, SumaGrow inside, test in Organic Agriculture. Cucumber test plot on tunnel with Fertigate system. Soil and foliar applications with excellent results in increased Brix level, more resistance to extreme temperature, larger and tastier fruits.

“Following the second application, done by foliar on the cucumbers, I noticed that the leaves were faded green, partially wilted on the control plot, and the fruits were still too small to be picked. The plants treated with Solum Naturale (SumaGrow), looked very healthy with green leaves and each plant had three or more good sized cucumbers ready to be picked, this led to me to decide to apply the product in all my fields.”

Dr. Barbara Calgari, Agronomist, Azienda Agricola Calegari – Bagnarola di Budrio (BO) – Italy

Trial of Five Potato Varieties in Italy Agriculture Institute, Prever – Osasco

REPEATED RANDOMIZED PLOT TEST ON POTATOES

WITH SOLUM NATURALE SUMAGROW INSIDE

Solum Naturale Sumagrow inside test was conducted on potato plots planted at Cascina Buffetta, situated at 1050 m. above sea level, in the town of Angrogna, 45 km southwest of Turin. Potatoes were planted on 6 ridges in simple row, each with length of 15 – 20 meters, leaving in each a plot a section (10%) as control on which no Solum Naturale SumaGrow inside, was applied.

All other crop operations were ordinary (no base fertilization was applied, as dealing with fertile soils, recently activated after a long cultivation rest; in absence of Colorado potato beetle no insecticides was required; Two preventive applications with Bordeaux mixture were applied against downy mildew).

Results were observed on 4 different potato cultivars, three white pastes (Agria, Monalisa and Mozart, the latter red-skinned) and one, the Bergerach, with purple flesh and skin (less productive and with smaller tubers).

No culture differences were observed during the vegetative phase, plants appeared healthy and in good condition in the test areas as well as control, with no detectable differences. The results are reported by yields in kg. per plot linear meter.

PLOT		Yield in Kg/linear meter
PLOT		Test	Control	Variation
Plot	1 ‘ Agria	5,2	4,4	18%
Plot	2 ‘ Bergerach	2,2	1,8	22%
Plot	3 ‘ Mozart	3,2	3,0	7%
Plot	4 ‘ Mona Lisa	3,7	3,7	0%
Plot	5 ‘ Bergerach	2,4	2,0	20%

Conclusions

In four out of five plots, we observed good effectiveness of Solum Naturale SumaGrow inside, and only in one plot it was irrelevant. Yield increase, per linear meter, was about 20% in three out of five plots. The overall yield increase result was 13.4%.

The limiting plot extension does not allow us to state with certainty whether the product would be useful in all culture applications, however, the results are uniquely pointing to the direction of definite production-induced increase by the use of this product.

Angrogna, October 2013

Marco Ramotti (Teacher of di Agriculture Ecology – Agriculture Institute, Prever–Osasco)

Joussef El Kaoukabi (Internship third year student at Agriculture Institute, Prever–Osasco)

Downloadable one page report: Italy Potato Report