Residual effect of long-term applications of farmyard manure to silage maize

Sluijsmans and Kolenbrander developed a simple model to describe the availability of animal manure, assuming a readily available, an easily decomposable and a slowly decomposable N fraction. We tested this model on data from an experiment in which farmyard manure had been applied for eleven successive years to silage maize [Zea mays L.] grown on a light sandy soil. The residual effects of this FYM were then measured by growing Italian ryegrass [Lolium multiflorum Lamk.] in the 12th year. The measured uptake of N by the grass of the FYM residues was then compared with the computed values. The measured amounts of N taken up agreed fairly well with the calculated amounts for applications of 50 and 100 t FYM per ha per year.If the rates of manure application are adjusted to crop requirement, the model shows that the potential, long-term release of N from the residual N fraction of FYM will not exceed 20 kg N per ha. For cattle slurry with a smaller residual fraction, the release will be at most 10% of the total annual N application.     

A spatial decomposition of the shift-share components of labour productivity inequality in Italy

This paper explores the components of aggregate labour productivity inequality between Italian regions from 2000 to 2013. The Gini index of inequality in aggregate labour productivity is decomposed, showing the extent to which sector productivity differentials and differences in industry-mix contribute to regional productivity inequality. In addition, the contribution of the interaction between differences in industry-mix and sector productivity differentials is revealed by the decomposition. Each of these contributions to inequality is measured by considering the spatial dimension of regional inequality, since the contributions of inequality between non-neighbouring regions and inequality between neighbouring regions are separated.     

Decomposing regional business change at plant level in Italy: A novel spatial shift‐share approach

In this paper, spatial shift‐share decomposition is analysed when applied to Italian data on regional business change at plant level, over the period 2004–2009. A new type of spatial decomposition, which looks more effectively at neighbourhood influence, is introduced here. Notable results emerge from the empirical investigation. First, it can be seen that the spatial level of aggregation greatly affects results. Second, evidence of neighbourhood advantage in the Southern NUTS 3 regions is found, together with opposite results for the Central‐Northern NUTS 3 regions. Finally, evidence of positive industrial mix effects is only found in Central‐Northern Italy.     

Renzo Piano: Poet of Technology

The architecture of the Renzo Piano Building Workshop (RPBW) is renowned internationally for the formal refinement of its components and detailing as well as for its sensitive responses to context, both in terms of its physical surroundings and local construction traditions. But, as architectural author and Piano specialist Peter Buchanan reminds us, the central concern of the practice remains focused on the original core impetus of expandingthe bounds of what technology and materials can achieve.     

城市与建筑之间的庭院——意大利城市的中介空间探究

本文通过对分布在意大利城市的几个不同时期的中介空间案例进行考察和分析,讨论庭院在城市空间中的运用,利用其中介的特征和过渡的作用,来处理城市与建筑之间的轴线对位、尺度缩放、空间转化及过渡等问题。     

Medium term market perspectives,goal prices and competitiveness of renewable resources in the Italian energy system

Using a multiperiodal LP model (MARKAL) the authors assessed the likely potential of solar thermal and biogas systems under various circumstances. The study covered the period 1980–2005, in five segments of five years. It focused only on the subsystem of the energy end-uses which can be substituted for by solar and biogas technologies. In this paper we show the main results of the study regarding the competitiveness of the single solar and biogas technologies in different scenarios and their sensitivity to incentives and prices, together with the essential technical data regarding demand and supply technologies which produced those results. The analysis performed of the potential penetration of renewable technologies into the Italian energy system shows that their contribution will remain very marginal if the price of conventional energy carriers remains constant in constant money. However, the objective of removing with renewable technologies 1.5 per cent of the total Italian energy consumption appears to be realistic in the short-medium term.     

Italian ryegrass silage in winter feeding of organic dairy cows: forage intake, milk yield and composition

BACKGROUND: Organic milk production aims at efficient use of home‐grown feeds, especially forages, to minimise the quantity of purchased feeds. In conventional agriculture, Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.) is known for its high energy content and palatability, and the aim of the present study was to examine its suitability as feed for organic dairy cows. Therefore a feeding trial was conducted comparing a diet including 50% (of silage dry matter (DM)) of Italian ryegrass silage with a control diet based on grass/clover silage (a mixture of the second cut from permanent grassland and the second cut from a perennial clovergrass ley) alone. RESULTS: Inclusion of Italian ryegrass silage in the diet increased forage intake significantly (14.5 vs 13.4 kg DM in the control group) and concentrate intake did not differ, but milk yield was slightly lower (20.3 vs 21.0 kg) owing to the low energy and protein concentration of Italian ryegrass silage. CONCLUSION: Italian ryegrass was indeed found to be highly palatable, confirming in principle its suitability as feed for organic dairy cows. However, higher energy and protein concentrations in this forage would be necessary to translate the high intakes of Italian ryegrass silage into improved milk production as well. Copyright © 2010 Society of Chemical Industry     

Anthocyanin composition and extractability in berry skin and wine of Vitis vinifera L. cv. Aglianico

BACKGROUND: The present article reports the anthocyanin content in the berry skin and wine of the Italian red grape cultivar Aglianico (clone VCR11 grafted onto 1103 Paulsen), one of the most ancient vines and famous for its deep‐red colour. Anthocyanins were extracted from frozen berry skin in an acidified methanol solution. The extraction mixtures, monitored for 120 h, were analysed by high‐performance liquid chromatography. RESULTS: The extraction from berry skin of delphinidin, petunidin and malvidin appeared to be a time‐independent process, whereas the concentration of peonidin increased linearly with time. Peonidin‐O‐acetyl‐glucoside was transferred from skin more slowly than petunidin‐O‐acetyl‐glucoside and malvidin‐O‐acetyl‐glucoside. The anthocyanin composition of the resulting wine showed that the total anthocyanin content was about one‐tenth of the corresponding berry skin content. The ratio acetyl/coumaroyl anthocyanins in the wine was sharply higher than the value in berry skin (0.85 and 0.10, respectively), indicating an enrichment of acetyl derivatives in the wine. CONCLUSION: Levels of single anthocyanins in wine were not always correlated with those detected in grapes, as they were affected by winemaking. The high values of some anthocyanins in Aglianico wine could ameliorate its quality, increasing the chromatic properties, aging stability and product acceptance. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry     

Assessment of future snowfall regimes within the Italian Alps using general circulation models

General Circulation Models GCMs are widely adopted tools to achieve future climate projections. However, one needs to assess their accuracy, which is only possible by comparison of GCMs’ control runs against past observed data. Here, we investigate the accuracy of two GCMs models delivering snowfall that are included within the IPCC panel's inventory (HadCM3, CCSM3), by comparison against a comprehensive ground data base (ca. 400 daily snow gauging stations) located in the Italian Alps, during 1990-2009. The GCMs simulations are objectively compared to snowfall volume by regionally evaluated statistical indicators. The CCSM3 model provides slightly better results than the HadCM3, possibly in view of its finer computational grid, but yet the performance of both models is rather poor. We evaluate the bias between models and observations, and we use it as a bulk correction for the GCMs' snowfall simulations for the purpose of future snowfall projection. We carry out stationarity analysis via linear regression and Mann Kendall tests upon the observed and simulated snowfall volumes for the control run period, providing contrasting results. We then use the bias adjusted GCMs output for future snowfall projections from the IPCC-A2 scenario. The two analyzed models provide contrasting results about projected snowfall during the 21st century (until 2099). Our approach provides a first order assessment of the expected accuracy of GCM models in depicting past and future snowfall upon the (Italian) Alps. Overall, given the poor depiction of snowfall by the GCMs here tested, we suggest that care should be taken when using their outputs for predictive purposes.