University Of Tuscia Research Articles

Global Administrative Law: Preface

The essays collected in this Issue were discussed during a seminar on Global Administrative Law, held on June 10-11, 2005 in Viterbo, at the Political Science Faculty of Tuscia University. These studies have been carried out within the research project on Lo spazio giuridico globale headed by Sabino Cassese and financed by the Ministere dell'istruzione, dell'UniversitA e della ricerca and the research units set up by the University of Rome La Sapienza, the University of Siena, the University Tuscia, Viterbo, the University of Urbino Carlo Bo, and by the Istituto di ricerche sulla pubblica amministrazione (IRPA), which contributed to organise the seminar. The contributions were introduced by senior discussants: those of Martina Conticelli and Luisa Perrotti by Giacinto della Cananea (Cosmos and taxis: the role of governance and networks of global organizations), those of Chiara Martini and Mario Savino by Bernardo G. Mattarella (Beyond multilevelism: member States' participation in international organizations); those of Maurizia De Bellis and Hilde Caroli Casavola by Marco D'Alberti (Globalizing standards: overlaps and coexistence); those of Alessandra Battaglia, Marta D'Auria and Maria Rita Circi, by Stefano Battini (Global limits upon national regulators: input and mediation by supranational and non-State actors). Beside the mentioned scholars, the following experts took part in the discussion: Jean-Bernard Auby, Francesca Bignami, Sabino Cassese, Edoardo Chili, Mario P. Chili, Maria Rosaria Ferrarese, Benedict Kingsbury, Nico Krisch, Giulio Napolitano, Luis Ortega, Nicoletta Rangone, Aldo Sandulli, Richard B. Stewart, Luisa Torchia, Giulio Vesperini, and Armin von Bogdandy. This Special Issue does not report the opinions of all those who have intervened: however, they have been taken into account by the authors in the final draft of the proceedings. The Italian version of all the essays collected is published in 'Diritto e amministrazioni nello spazio giuridico globale', edited by S. Cassese and M. Conticelli, in Quaderni della Rivista trimestrale di diritto pubblico, Milano, 2006. Copyright © 2006 The Berkeley Electronic Press. All rights reserved.

FLOATING SYSTEM CULTIVATION OF RADISH (RAPHANUS SATIVUS L.): PRODUCTION AND QUALITY

FLOATING SYSTEM CULTIVATION OF RADISH (RAPHANUS SATIVUS L.): PRODUCTION AND QUALITY

WATER USE EFFICIENCY OF GREENHOUSE SUMMER SQUASH IN RELATION TO THE METHOD OF CULTURE: SOIL VS. SOILLESS

WATER USE EFFICIENCY OF GREENHOUSE SUMMER SQUASH IN RELATION TO THE METHOD OF CULTURE: SOIL VS. SOILLESS

An Innovative Vegetative Propagation System for Large-scale Production of Globe Artichoke Transplants. Part II. Propagation System Validation

Research was conducted at the University of Tuscia (central Italy) to validate the propagation system for globe artichoke (Cynara cardunculus var. scolymus) described in a previous paper for a 1-year production cycle. The resulting globe artichoke plants were used in a 2-year field trial to investigate the field response of plantlets obtained with our propagation technique in comparison with plantlets produced by in vitro propagation and by offshoots harvested in commercial fields. The total number of artichoke plantlets obtained with our propagation system was 62.7 plantlets/m2 per year. In the first year, the globe artichoke production (bud number and fresh bud weight) was higher in plants obtained with our propagation system and by micropropagation than in those obtained from offshoots harvested in commercial fields. The production cost of plantlets obtained with our propagation technique was 52% lower than those of the micropropagated plantlets. This could lead to a significant reduction of production costs for artichoke growers, while preserving the advantages of in vitro propagation (disease-free plants and plant uniformity).

An Innovative Vegetative Propagation System for Large-scale Production of Globe Artichoke Transplants. Part I. Propagation System Setup

A research project was conducted at the University of Tuscia, Viterbo (central Italy), to set up a vegetative propagation system for producing diseasefree artichoke transplants (Cynara cardunculus var. scolymus) of the Romanesco type (cultivar C3). The system included the following steps: 1) micropropagated plantlets were grown in a soilless culture year-round in greenhouse conditions, starting at the end of August; 2) stock plants were periodically treated with a chemical growth regulator [6-benzylamino purine (BA)] and then cut back at the collar level to promote offshoot production; 3) offshoots were periodically harvested and cold stored; and 4) cuttings were rooted at the end of spring under conditions of high humidity in multi-pack trays so as to be ready for summer transplanting. Results showed that the foliar application of BA to the stock plants increased the offshoot number quadratically to 200 mg·L-1. The rooting percentages of cuttings and root growth were enhanced by raising the cutting weight class (30-45 g) and by the application of naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) to the cutting root zone at a rate of 2000 mg·L-1. The percent rotten cuttings increased as the 2 °C cold-storage time increased from 30 to 150 days. Similarly, the percentage of rooting and root growth decreased approximately from 60 to 150 days.

EFFECTS OF SUBSTRATES ON YIELD, QUALITY AND MINERAL COMPOSITION OF SOILLESS-GROWN CUCUMBERS

Cucumber plants (Cucumis sativus L.) were grown in soilless culture under greenhouse conditions at the Experimental farm of University of Tuscia, Central Italy to evaluate the effects of four substrates (rockwool, pumice, perlite, and coir) on growth, yield, fruit quality, and plant mineral composition. Plants grown in coir, perlite and pumice yielded more than those grown in rockwool. Similar results were obtained for dry weight of leaves, stems, and fruits. Fruit quality in term of dry matter, soluble solid content, titratable acidity, and pH was not significant affected by treatments. Concentrations of K and Na were highest in nutrient solution, and fruits of coir treatment while perlite and pumice treatments had highest Ca concentration in nutrient solution, leaves and fruits. Phosphorus and Mg were highest in nutrient solution and plant organs of coir treatment, respectively. The above findings may be explain by the different chemical and physical properties of substrates and their interaction with nutrient solution composition and plant nutrient uptake.

EVALUATION OF OLD ITALIAN APPLE CULTIVARS BY MEANS OF SENSORY ANALYSIS

Sensory analysis has been applied to characterize and to evaluate old/local germplasm with the aim to obtain information on fruit quality and to explore the cultivar acceptability. In 1999, thirty-six old Italian cultivars were analysed for their sensory profile and qualitative characteristics in comparison with four cultivars presently widely grown in Italy. The fruits were tasted by 15-17 partially trained panelists, and the following descriptors were assessed by means of a non-structured scale: sweetness, acidity, flavour, astringency, crispness, firmness, mealiness, juiciness; a global preference was also expressed. Soluble solid content, titratable acidity, pH and penetrometric index were measured. The coefficients of multiple regression among global preference and sensory attributes show that sweetness and crispness were the most important determinants, sweet, crispy and aromatic apples being the most appreciated by the panelists. Positive relationship, with flavour and juiciness, and negative with astringency and mealiness were observed. Some local cultivars (Zuccherina, Iaccia) were appreciated at the same level of the old and always highly estimated Annurca and more than Golden Delicious, Red Delicious and Ozark Gold. INTRODUCTION In the last twenty years attention has been devoted in Italy to the collection, conservation and evaluation of fruit tree diversity, with two main purposes: to guarantee the availability of a wide genetic variability for breeding programs and to extend the possibility of diversification of fruit offer. The potential of exploitation of old varieties is dependent on the interest of consumers for a wider range of fruit traits and for intrinsic quality and to the tendency to the application of organic or integrated fruit growing processes. The old apple cultivars are generally characterized by quite unusual pomological traits and have sometimes a lower external appeal with respect to the standard apples. As a consequence, the success of their introduction into commercial production for niche markets is highly dependent on the intrinsic quality of the fruits and on the capacity of the consumer to distinguish the peculiar characteristics in comparison with the conventional cultivars. The hypothesis of a re-proposal of old local cultivars for fruit growing may be then supported by the evaluation of the level of acceptability and of the capacity of the consumer to perceive peculiar qualitative traits. Sensory analysis has been applied in the last years to the classification of fruit cultivars and to the evaluation of the effect of provenance, harvesting time and storage conditions on sensory profile (Durner et al., 1992; Daillant-Spinnler et al., 1996; Bernalte et al., 1999; Eccher Zerbini et al., 1999; Stainer et al., 2000). The results of a panel test could help to the exploitation of old local germplasm, integrating the characterization and evaluation work and giving supplementary information on fruit quality. In that way, the hypothesis of introduction of old varieties may be better supported by the evaluation of the level of acceptance and of the perception capacity of the distinctive traits of the fruit by the consumer. The aim of this work was to evaluate old apple cultivars individuated in central Italy and collected at the experimental farm of Tuscia University on the basis of their acceptability, qualitative traits and sensory profile, in comparison with well known and Proc. IS on Sust. Use Of Plant Biodiv. Eds. E. Duzyaman Y they had previously received some training on sensory evaluation of apple for the understanding of the meaning of the attributes and for the assessment of sweet and sour taste and aroma intensity, according to Eccher Zerbini et al. (1999). At each sensory test 8 varieties were evaluated. The evaluation was conducted in a room equipped with individual sites and with white incandescent light. Two slices of anonymous samples were submitted to the panelists. They were invited to drink a sip of water and eat some saltless crackers between samples, in order to avoid tiring effects. The most important descriptors of apple taste and quality were assessed: sweetness, acidity, flavour, astringency, crispness, firmness, mealiness, juiciness; a global appreciation was also expressed. A sensory score sheet with a 11 cm unstructured line scale, each with anchored terms at both ends was used for descriptive terms. The judjes were requested to indicate the intensity of each attribute by placing a vertical line on the unstructured scale line. Sensory data were then quantified as the distance from the origin and the vertical line. Statistical Analysis Analysis of variance was performed on all the collected data, using the procedure SYSTAT MGLH (Wilkinson, 1998). The agreement among panelists was checked by ANOVA, considering cultivar, panelist and the interaction cultivar x panelist. Multiple regression analysis between global preference and the tested attributes was then applied. The coefficient of correlation among sensory variables was also calculated.

Ecology and biology of microfungi from Antarctic rocks and soils

Cryptoendolithic microbial communities, living in porous sandstone rocks in the McMurdo Dry Valleys (Ross Desert) of Southern Victoria Land, Antarctica, were found within weathered pegmatite rocks in Northern Victoria Land, and the first endemic Antarctic fungal genus Friedmanniomyces endolithicus anam.‐gen. and sp. nov. was isolated from this community. Selected microfungi from these communities and from soil were examined for the production of extracellular enzymes and antibiotic substances. The cryptoendolithic strain CCFEE 5001 was particularly remarkable for consistent glycosidase activity, coupled with barely detectable growth. Chitinase activity was highest in the soil mi‐crofungus Verticillium cfr. lecanii (CCFEE 5003). This strain and its purified chitinase were active on Mucor plumbeus, Cladospori‐um cladosporioides, Aspergillus versicolor, and Penicillium verrucosum, producing mycelial damage and cell lysis. The strain CCFEE 5020, isolated from rocks, showed antibiotic activity against Pseudomonas putida, Sarcina sp., Bacillus subtilis, and Escherichia coli, under the test conditions. Good antibiotic activity was produced in the temperature range of 5° to 25° C, pH 4.0, agitation at 700 rpm, and areation at 1.0 vvm, in media containing 0.5% substrate sugar, though this supported only minimal growth. The investigation of soil microfungi in contrasting sites at the BIOTAS area at Edmonson Point indicated that both the presence of bird colonies and changes in temperature and UV exposure obtained by using plastic cloches influenced species composition and density. A ‘Culture Collection of Fungi from Extreme Environments’ (CCFEE) has been established at the University of Tuscia, housing fungal strains from Antarctica.