Growing aromatic plants in pots: innovative substrates (INNOAROSUB)
CSR 2023-2027 Liguria - SRG01
Goals
In recent years, large-scale retail trade and EU regulations on environmental sustainability have placed considerable emphasis on the use of alternative substrates to peat, used for decades alone or mixed with aggregates such as pumice or perlite. This has ensured the production of aromatic, non-potted plants. This has brought a series of advantages to the operator, both in terms of the continuous and consistent supply of raw materials and the fine-tuning of cultivation techniques, particularly in terms of water and nutritional management. The current trend is to use alternative substrates, both peat-free and stratified, for which the physical, chemical, and hydrological behavior of the plants grown on these raw materials is unknown. Therefore, assessing the adaptability of different species to new growing conditions requires field testing, understanding the challenges and seeking the best solutions to ensure their growth. The objective will be achieved by preparing a protocol useful for the cultivation of the aforementioned species, with peat-free or low-peat substrates.
The project
INNOAROSUB: an experimental field project for growing aromatic herbs in pots using innovative substrates has begun in Liguria.
INNOAROSUB " Potted Aromatic Herb Cultivation: Innovative Substrates" has officially launched . This new cooperation project, funded by the Liguria Regional Rural Development Complement 2023–2027, is dedicated to one of the most pressing challenges of potted aromatic herb production in the Albenga plain: developing and validating the use of peat-free substrates in the field, given the pressing need to minimize or completely eliminate the use of peat, both due to strong environmental and legislative pressure.
The project is scientifically led by Professor Luca Incrocci of the University of Pisa - Department of Agricultural, Food, and Agro-Environmental Sciences (DiSAAA-a ) in collaboration with Florcoop Sanremo (leader), a leading agricultural organisation for Western Liguria, and CIPAT Imperia , specialising in training and technical dissemination.
Peat is becoming increasingly rare, both due to increased demand from Asian countries and reduced extraction capacity due to adverse weather conditions. Added to this are rising transportation costs given the remoteness of the main production centers. Switching to alternative substrates, such as wood fiber, coconut, bark, etc., requires extensive experimentation to identify the most suitable substrate for growing aromatic herbs and the associated irrigation management protocol (knowing the main physical characteristics and consequently adjusting the inputs during each irrigation) and fertilization appropriate to the chosen substrate, in order to compensate for any nitrogen sequestration by the wood fiber or any potassium fixation by the coconut.
An experimental project in the field, directly in the aromatic herb plots
One of INNOAROSUB's distinctive features is that the experiment will be conducted directly in the field, in the Albenga plain, a prime location for the production of a vast array of aromatic plants, especially in 14-diameter pots, the most difficult to manage. The core of the project is to validate and practically demonstrate the feasibility of growing using peat-free substrates, monitoring water and nutrient requirements throughout the growing cycle using a smart irrigation control unit with dielectric sensors and digital ion-specific sensors to measure substrate nutrients, respectively.
A strategic project for the future of Ligurian aromatic herb production
In a region where the primary activity is the production of a vast range of aromatic herbs primarily intended for export, INNOAROSUB represents a decisive step towards more resilient and innovative management.
A project that comes from the territory and returns to the territory
INNOAROSUB is designed to be useful, replicable, and immediately applicable.
The developments