CLEANSED Innovative integrated methodology for the use of decontaminated river sediments in

plant nursing and road buildingLIFE12ENV /IT/000652

ACTIONS B.3 – Demonstration of the use of decontaminated river sediments as a substrate for plant nursing

ACTION C.2 – Monitoring and validation of the use of decontaminated sediments for plant nursing

Institute of Biometeorology, Firenze

April 3, 2014. Pisa

April 3, 2014. Pisa

OBJECTIVE:Test decontaminated sediments as agronomic substrates in plant nursing, to replace the soil when the plant is explanted for sale

BACKGROUND:Plant nursing is a productive field activity which demands high quantity of soil. A European estimation calculates that every year plant nursing consumes about 5,2·106 m3 of soil.

April 3, 2014. Pisa

Fellowship contract to Francesca Ugolini for the measurements field campaign and dissemination

Contract to Ce.Spe.Vi. (Centro Sperimentale per il Vivaismo) for experimental plan setting

Experiment planning

LIST OF ACTIVITIES UNTIL NOW:

Preparation of abstracts:Ugolini F., Massetti L., Martelli F., Sabatini F., Macci C., Doni S., Masciandaro G. REUSE OF DECONTAMINATED RIVER SEDIMENTS FOR PLANT NURSING (CLEANSED-LIFE+). European Forum on Urban Forestry 2014, June 3 - 7, Lausanne, Switzerland.

Ugolini F., Massetti L., Martelli F., Sabatini F., Macci C., Doni S., Masciandaro G. RECYCLING OF RIVER SEDIMENTS FOR PLANT NURSERY. AN EXPERIMENTAL STUDY IN EUROPE: CLEANSED - LIFE+ PROJECT. Urban Environmental Pollution, 12-15 June, Toronto, Canada.

April 3, 2014. Pisa

Location:

EXPERIMENTAL SETTING:

~50 Km~30 Km

Pistoia province : top level for tree nursery production in the world (more than 4000 hectares)

LOCATION:

Director: dr. Paolo Marzialetti

April 3, 2014. Pisa

EXPERIMENTAL SETTING:

1. ASSESSMENT OF HYDRAULIC AND PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF THE SUBSTRATES

2. EVALUATION OF THE EFFECTS OF THE SUBSTRATES ON PLANT GROWTH AND PHYSIOLOGY

3. ASSESSMENT OF THE AGGREGATING POWER OF SEDIMENTS WHEN PLANTS ARE EXTRACTED FOR SALE (root ball soil cohesion)

DETAILED OBJECTIVES

April 3, 2014. Pisa

In order to:

ASSESS THE DOSE-EFFECT RELATIONSHIP AIMING TO IDENTIFY THE BEST PROPORTION BETWEEN GROUND AND DECONTAINATED SEDIMENTS

DETAILED OBJECTIVES

April 3, 2014. Pisa

April 3, 2014. Pisa

EXPERIMENTAL SETTING:

MATERIALS FOR SUBSTRATES

Decontaminated sediments available: 5 m3

Field ground (without gravel); 13.5 m3

April 3, 2014. Pisa

EXPERIMENTAL SETTING:

TREATMENT CTL T1 T2

% DEC. SEDIMENT 0 25 50

m3 DEC. SEDIMENTS + m3 GROUND 0+6 1.5+4.5 3+3

NUMBER OF REPLICATES 2 2 2

TEST:5 m3 OF DECONTAMINATED SEDIMENTS AVAILABLE

April 3, 2014. Pisa

EXPERIMENTAL SETTING:

2 WOODEN FRAMES per TREATMENT

Photinia x fraseri var. Red

Robin

Viburnum tinus L.

Eleagnus macrophylla L.

3m

2m

DEPTH: 0.5m

April 3, 2014. Pisa

EXPERIMENTAL SETTING:

SPECIES Photinia x fraseri var. Red Robin

Viburnum tinus L. Eleagnus macrophylla

NUMBER OF REPLICATES

16 16 16

CHARACT. evergreen evergreen evergreen

PROVENIENCE China Mediterranean Japan

SOIL NEEDS Fertile ground Fertile ground Fertile ground

CHARACTERISTICS Fast growthExigent in water

intermedie Slow growthxerophytic

Ornamental species:

April 3, 2014. Pisa

EXPERIMENTAL SETTING:

Photinia x fraseri var. Red Robin

Viburnum tinus L. Eleagnus macrophylla L.

Ornamental species:

PHYSICAL PROPERTIES:

texture,

bulk density

HYDRAULIC PROPERTIES:

water retention capacity,

soil moisture, temperature

CHEMICAL ANALYSIS:

pH , EC

C, N, P

April 3, 2014. Pisa

MEASUREMENTS ON SUBSTRATES

CLEANSED, Oct, 11, 2013. Pisa April 3, 2014. Pisa

MONITORING OF PLANT GROWTH

PHYSIOLOGICAL BEHAVIOUR AND STRESS SIGNALS

Photosynthesis rate, water use efficiency (leaf gas exchanges)

PSII efficiency (chlorophyll a fluorescence)

Leaf water potential Ψp & Ψm

GROWTH AND BIOMASS

Elongation and branching

Biomass allocation

Leafage colour & aesthetic value

EVALUATION OF ROOT BALL

April 3, 2014. Pisa

SOIL COHESION

ROOT BIOMASS & DISTRIBUTION

ROOT VITALITY

Scientific responsibility and project management:

Eng. Luciano Massetti l.massetti@ibimet.cnr.it

Financial management:

dr. Francesca Martelli f.martelli@ibimet.cnr.it

Field measurement campaign:

dr. Francesca Ugolini f.ugolini@ibimet.cnr.it

CLEANSED, Oct, 11, 2013. Pisa

CONTACTS

April 3, 2014. Pisa