The “ project turns one year old“Healthier soil and more virtuous production with Symbiotic Agriculture in the fruit sector, first research experience by a PO on Symbiotic Agriculture, produced by OP JOINFRUIT of Verzuolo (CN) in collaboration with the plant-microorganism interactions research group at the Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology of the University of Turin.
The source of inspiration for the research project, which is part of the OP Joinfruit Operational Plan 2021-2023, the activity of Società Consortile Ecosìthanks to the willingness to Sergio Capaldo, founder of La Granda (leader in the promotion of the Piedmontese Breed, Slow Food Presidium) and has always been the National Livestock Manager for Slow Food and Meat Quality Manager for the Eataly group, And so It has created a Quality Agri-food Production Process Certification, with the aim of restoring, maintaining, and improving the biodiversity and microbial functionality of soils.
After 12 months implementation of Symbiotic farming practices in the field, Joinfruit share the first “Soil microbial identity card”, a true mapping of the composition in microbial species present in the soil (figure 1). The analysis, relating in particular to a New peach tree planting (Najirene variety), made it possible to identify an average of 1590 species between fungal and bacterial, revealing a good general level of biodiversity in the orchard soil.
“This is a very satisfying first step towards our goal – comment Bruno Sacchi, Director of Joinfruit – This is the aim of becoming the first PO to bear witness to the more environmentally sustainable nature of this production system for fruit trees. Some differences attributable to natural fertilisation (achieved through inoculation with soil microbial formulations) are already visible after this first year of investigation, both in terms of reducing the use of chemical fertilisers and improving production. Mapping soil fertility and biodiversity is a way to move closer to the agriculture of tomorrow: healthy soil means protection from diseases, respect for the environment, and better quality fruit.”
The analysis of the diversity of bacterial and fungal species living in close proximity to plant roots (the so-called “rhizosphere”was conducted by the Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology of the’University of Turin. “To bear witness to the more environmentally sustainable nature of Symbiotic Agriculture explain the Prof. Alessandra Salvioli of Fossalunga – During this first year, microbial inoculants have been implemented on the plots foreseen by the project, and the status of the plants between the treated and control theses has been monitored. Root and rhizosphere soil samples were also collected with the aim of analysing the diversity of bacterial and fungal species living in the rhizosphere, in the presence and absence of commercial inoculants, using a large-scale, high-depth sequencing approach of the extracted DNA. In particular, on a newly planted Najirene peach tree, biodiversity analyses were carried out on control plants and plants inoculated with a product containing a mix of rhizosphere bacteria and fungi, according to the principles of symbiotic agriculture: the analysis highlighted how the rhizosphere of treated plants is richer in microbial species with biocontrol activity, while potentially pathogenic species are less abundant (Figures 2 and 3).’
is the first time a research project on Symbiotic Agriculture has been applied with organised and strategic action on the member companies by a Producer Organisationlaunched last year to mark Earth Day, it will have a biennial duration, extendable for a further two years.
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