Aldo Calcante

Evaluation of borage extracts as potential biostimulant using a phenomic, agronomic, physiological and biochemical approach

Biostimulants are substances able to improve water and nutrient use efficiency and counteract stress factors by enhancing primary and secondary metabolism. Premise of the work was to exploit raw extracts from leaves (LE) or flowers (FE) of Borago officinalis L., to enhance yield and quality of Lactuca sativa ‘Longifolia,’ and to set up a protocol to assess their effects. To this aim, an integrated study on agronomic, physiological and biochemical aspects, including also a phenomic approach, has been adopted. Extracts were diluted to 1 or 10 mL L–1, sprayed onto lettuce plants at the middle of the growing cycle and 1 day before harvest. Control plants were treated with water. Non-destructive analyses were conducted to assess the effect of extracts on biomass with an innovative imaging technique, and on leaf photosynthetic efficiency (chlorophyll a fluorescence and leaf gas exchanges). At harvest, the levels of ethylene, photosynthetic pigments, nitrate, and primary (sucrose and total sugars) and secondary (total phenols and flavonoids) metabolites, including the activity and levels of phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL) were assessed. Moreover, a preliminary study of the effects during postharvest was performed. Borage extracts enhanced the primary metabolism by increasing leaf pigments and photosynthetic activity. Plant fresh weight increased upon treatments with 10 mL L–1 doses, as correctly estimated by multi-view angles images. Chlorophyll a fluorescence data showed that FEs were able to increase the number of active reaction centers per cross section; a similar trend was observed for the performance index. Ethylene was three-fold lower in FEs treatments. Nitrate and sugar levels did not change in response to the different treatments. Total flavonoids and phenols, as well as the total protein levels, the in vitro PAL specific activity, and the levels of PAL-like polypeptides were increased by all borage extracts, with particular regard to FEs. FEs also proved efficient in preventing degradation and inducing an increase in photosynthetic pigments during storage. In conclusion, borage extracts, with particular regard to the flower ones, appear to indeed exert biostimulant effects on lettuce; future work will be required to further investigate on their efficacy in different conditions and/or species.

Evaluation of an electronic system for automatic calving detection on a dairy farm

Precise calving monitoring is important for reducing the effects of dystocia in cows and calves. The C6 birth control system is an electronic device that detects the time of the expulsion phase during calving. Several 53 Holstein were fitted on Day 280 ± 5 of gestation with the C6 birth control system, which was left in place until confirmation of calving. Sensitivity and PPV of the system were calculated as 100 and 95%, respectively. The partum events occurring at the group fitted with the system where compared with the analogous occurred at 59 animals without device. When alarmed by the system farm staff were in the calving barn during the expulsion phase in 100% of cases. On the contrary the cows without the device were assisted only in 17% of cases (P < 0.001).

Repair and Maintenance Costs of 4WD Tractors in Northern Italy

Abstract. Purchasing and maintaining tractors along with other machines are two of the most considerable costs for the agricultural sector, which includes farm equipment manufacturers, farm contractors, and farmers. Repair and maintenance costs (R&M costs) typically account for 10% to 15% of the total costs related to agricultural equipment and tend to increase with equipment age. Hence, an important decision in farm management is the optimal time for equipment replacement. Classical R&M cost estimation models, calculated as a function of accumulated working hours, have been primarily developed for U.S. operating conditions. However, R&M costs are strongly influenced by farming practices, operating conditions, crop and soil type, and climatic conditions, which can be specific for individual countries. In this study, R&M cost model parameters were recalculated for the current Italian situation. A complete dataset related to the R&M costs of 100 4WD tractors in northern Italy, including 43 tractors owned by farmers and 57 tractors owned by contractors, was collected. Based on these data, the classical R&M cost estimation model was refined with the purpose of assisting manufacturers in commercial assessment of the domestic market and supporting Italian farmers in their decisions about purchasing new tractors. The main model result indicated that the R&M cost incidence on the price of Italian tractors at 12,000 working hours (the estimated life of local tractors) was 48.6%, compared to a value of 43.2% obtained with the original model formulated for U.S. operating conditions. Further, R&M costs were higher for tractors owned by farmers compared to tractors owned by contractors, at 55.4% of the list price at 12,000 working hours compared to 45.7%.

Analysis of electric energy consumption of automatic milking systems in different configurations and operative conditions

Automatic milking systems (AMS) have been a revolutionary innovation in dairy cow farming. Currently, more than 10,000 dairy cow farms worldwide use AMS to milk their cows. Electric consumption is one of the most relevant and uncontrollable operational cost of AMS, ranging between 35 and 40% of their total annual operational costs. The aim of the present study was to measure and analyze the electric energy consumption of 4 AMS with different configurations: single box, central unit featuring a central vacuum system for 1 cow unit and for 2 cow units. The electrical consumption (daily consumption, daily consumption per cow milked, consumption per milking, and consumption per 100L of milk) of each AMS (milking unit + air compressor) was measured using 2 energy analyzers. The measurement period lasted 24h with a sampling frequency of 0.2Hz. The daily total energy consumption (milking unit + air compressor) ranged between 45.4 and 81.3 kWh; the consumption per cow milked ranged between 0.59 and 0.99 kWh; the consumption per milking ranged between 0.21 and 0.33 kWh; and the consumption per 100L of milk ranged between 1.80 to 2.44 kWh according to the different configurations and operational contexts considered. Results showed that AMS electric consumption was mainly conditioned by farm management rather than machine characteristics/architectures.

Real-time dry matter content of corn silage by a microwave sensor

Daily dry matter (DM) intake in dairy cow is a central point to meet nutritional requirements and optimal performance, reducing the incidence of metabolic diseases. DM content of some forages, such as silages, can undergo huge variations during storing, affecting the total daily DM consumed. Reference laboratory method is time consuming and cannot be applied to daily changes in diet composition. Currently, new promising real-time technologies are available to monitor the DM content of feeds. The aim of the study was to test and calibrate a portable microwave sensor (MS) for DM content in corn silage samples. Twenty-two samples were collected from a corn silage front; sampling procedure was optimized to collect as much as DM content variability as possible within the samples. MS readings were performed with 3 different methods for each samples: 1) directly on the silage front, 2) with the MS over the collected sample and 3) with MS placed under the sample. After the first MS reading, a correspondent silage sample was obtained by a silage corer for readings 2 and 3 and the laboratory DM content assay. A simple regression analysis was performed (JMP, SAS Institute, Cary, NC, 2015) over obtained data. Results evidences as the best MS reading method is represented by the probe burdening on the sample (R 2 =0.75) with respect to the other methods. The obtained results outlined as, with a correct reading method, MS can be valuable tool to determine DM content of corn silage directly at farm level.

A Study of a Barometric Methodology for Assessing the Agricultural and Forestry Machine’s Seat Comfort

The agricultural operations carried out with machines, require the operator spends a substantial amount of hours in a seated position on a seats often not properly padded therefore the parts of the body in contact with the seat are subject to considerable stresses. In addition, the operator must not only control the task he has done but he must also continually monitor actively with a significant commitment to operate levers, buttons and steering. Therefore, the operators body is subject to various twists carried out in dynamic conditions according to the crop processing to perform. The parts of the body in contact with the seat, in particular the buttocks and the back, receive continuously, at irregular intervals, and with different intensity, different mechanical stresses that are translated immediately in pressure to the them tissues. Often these compressions occur in a concentrated manner, especially if the body is skinny and therefore the pressures could immediately affect the comfort perceived by the operator and at a later time, if repeated by the same operator and with the same machine, they could degenerate into occupational diseases because of the possible an incidence on blood flow. The purpose of this paper is to propose a new methodology based on barometric mapping, to investigate how forces are applied to the back and buttocks while driving a tractor, under standardized test conditions. In particular, the experimental tests have been conducted on a smooth surface free of roughness which is the simplest movement a vehicle can do along a road, such as transporting a trailer. The data were collected through an acquisition system based on a carpet with small pressure sensors. It has been used a carpet of 1024 cells for the sitting and one for the backrest. Acquisitions between the two sides of the seat were synchronized and the tests were repeated five times in order to develop an adequate analysis. Statistical analysis was mainly aimed at verifying the variability among datasets in order to study the effect of the seat on the value recorded. The statistical analysis was mainly aimed at verifying the variability between the data sets to study the effect of the seat on the pressure value recorded. The results showed, for the observed correlations, this method based on pressure between the seat and the body is a good tool to help the valuation judgment of a seat.