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Italy

Description

What type of agriculture is being studied in the Po Basin, Italy?

Vegetables

What are the main characteristics of the site?

The Emilia-Romagna region in Italy has one of the last shared ownership systems in Italy. Some of the principal features of the area have remained unchanged for centuries, and still have an important role in the local farming economy and society. There have been changes in the crops grown in the area, including a transition from hemp to increasingly specialized and intensive industrial monocultures, resulting in land degradation. One of the vulnerabilities of the area is its exposure to the expansion of large industrial complexes, which is transforming the whole area into a continuous peri-urban landscape. There is, however, a high percentage of organic farms in the area (13% of land).

When are pesticides applied?

Fungicides and insecticides are applied throughout the year, whilst herbicides are applied in Spring.

Which pesticides are relied on the most in the area?

Conventional farmers apply several herbicides (e.g., glyphosate, terbuthylazine, metolachlor, pyrazole), insecticides (e.g., imidecloprid, thiasmethoxam, chlorantaniliprole, and fungicides (metalaxyl, boscalid, azoxystrobin). Organic farmers use insects to control pests, mulching, and composting of organic residues.

 

Environment