- Graduated in Agricultural Science in 1996 at the Faculty of Agriculture of the Catholic University of the Sacred Hear... moreGraduated in Agricultural Science in 1996 at the Faculty of Agriculture of the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart (grade 107/110), in 2002, in the same university, he achieved the Ph.D. in Agricultural Chemistry.
After a period as grant winner at the "Stuard" Experimental farm (S. Pancrazio, Parma, Italy) he worked as research fellow, Ph.D studend and Post Doc Student at the Institute of Environmental and Agriculture Chemistry (Soil Science section) of the Faculty of Agriculture of the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart. In 2004 moved to the Milan State University, Faculty of Veterinary Science (VSA Dept.) where was involved in researches on Dynamic Olfactometry and sensorial analysis (as grant winner and as laboratory technician) focused at assessing the environmental impact of the livestock sector (swine farming in particular) under the olfactive point of view and on agricultural biomass/byproducts characterization/exploitation for biogas production. From August 2011 to November 2012 he worked as fixed time researcher for the Consiglio per la ricerca in agricoltura e l'analisi dell'economia agraria (CREA), Unità di Ricerca per l'Ingegneria Agraria (CREA-ING), Laboratorio di Treviglio. Since December 2012 he's been working as full time researcher in the same Research Board.edit
Introduction In Europe, because of the high production levels of livestock farming in general and pig farming in particular, animal waste management has become increasingly important to comply with the required lowering of livestock... more
Introduction In Europe, because of the high production levels of livestock farming in general and pig farming in particular, animal waste management has become increasingly important to comply with the required lowering of livestock farming environmental pressure. Usually manures undergo solid/liquid separation, which generates one clarified liquid fraction and one nutrient-rich solid fraction suitable for in farm composting (both raw and in mixture with other bulking agents). This can be used to produce soil amendments, whose management can be further improved by pelletization that, against technological and environmental advantages, has the disadvantage of requiring a quite high energy input. Results Four different pelleted organic fertilizer formulations made of swine manure solid fraction (SMSF) composted both by itself and with sawdust (SMSF-SD), wood chips (SMSF-WC) and wheat straw were tested to highlight differences in physico-chemical and land distribution features. They were compared with two pelleted organic fertilizers ordinarily available at retailers. Results show that, as far as physical and chemical features are concerned, the greatest difference from the reference products used in this study is found in pellet size distribution after spreading since the disintegrating action of the rotating vanes does not affect the tested formulation with the same intensity as the commercial products. Distribution tests showed that SMSF-SD was the formulation with better longitudinal and transverse distribution, while SMSF was the one showing good transverse but poor longitudinal distribution. Conclusions In farm pelletizing of SMSF composted with different organic waste materials as co-formulates can turn into organic fertilizer formulations comparable with pelleted organic fertilizers ordinarily available at retailers. SMSF-WC was the formulation with the best resistance to fragmentation induced by spreader vanes. SMSF-SD was the formulation showing better longitudinal and transverse distribution, while SMSF showed good transverse but poor longitudinal distribution. These promising results enhance the importance of co-compost-ing as a way to increase livestock farming sustainability and produce better manure compost for wider agricultural uses.
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... Publication date: 29-Jan-2010. Citation: Consigli per massimizzare la resa di biogas in azienda / M. Brambilla, P. Navarotto. - In: Informatore agrario. - ISSN 0020-0689. - 66:4(2010 Jan 29), pp. 44-46. Type: Article (author). Files... more
... Publication date: 29-Jan-2010. Citation: Consigli per massimizzare la resa di biogas in azienda / M. Brambilla, P. Navarotto. - In: Informatore agrario. - ISSN 0020-0689. - 66:4(2010 Jan 29), pp. 44-46. Type: Article (author). Files in This Item: ...
Ammonia, methane, and carbon dioxide are the primary atmospheric emissions from cattle and pig farms. A significant part of these emissions is produced by the decomposition of slurry organic matter during manure storage and treatment... more
Ammonia, methane, and carbon dioxide are the primary atmospheric emissions from cattle and pig farms. A significant part of these emissions is produced by the decomposition of slurry organic matter during manure storage and treatment phases. Present solutions to contain emissions from storage lagoons generally involve reducing the free surface of the slurry by covering it either with permanent fixed
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ABSTRACT Extensification has recently become an important option in Western European agriculture, driven both by economic considerations (product surpluses together with the fact that developed countries cropping systems have been heavily... more
ABSTRACT Extensification has recently become an important option in Western European agriculture, driven both by economic considerations (product surpluses together with the fact that developed countries cropping systems have been heavily relying on fossil energy) and growing public concern on the possible adverse effects of intensive farming on the environment and human health. The adoption of rational fodder crop rotations, with the rediscovery of the beneficial effect of the meadow, is viewed as a possible mean to reduce the impact of farming systems in the lowlands of Northern Italy, characterised by highly intensive cropping and animal husbandry. For this reason our study examines the effects of crop rotation on the energy balance during 1985-2007 period in a long-term crop rotation trial in Northern Italy comparing five fodder crop systems, different in the degree of crop intensification and for the presence or absence of the meadow: a 1-year continuous cereal double cropping (R1); a 3-year rotation (R3); a 6-year rotation (R6); a permanent meadow (PM); and a continuous grain maize cropping (CM). Each rotation was subjected to two input treatments, defined as high (mostly used in lowlands of northern Italy) and low (input reduction of ca. 30%) respectively, in terms of nutrient levels, herbicide doses, and soil tillage methods. The crop rotations exerted a marked influence on the energy balance. The most efficient rotations in terms of net energy production energy efficiency have been characterized by reduced length and presence of maize and catch-crops.
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... The authors are Massimo Brambilla, Laboratory Technician, Pierluigi Navarotto, ASABE Member, Full Professor, and Marcella Guarino, ASABE Member, Researcher, Department of Veterinary Science and Technology for Food ... Cosio, MS, D.... more
... The authors are Massimo Brambilla, Laboratory Technician, Pierluigi Navarotto, ASABE Member, Full Professor, and Marcella Guarino, ASABE Member, Researcher, Department of Veterinary Science and Technology for Food ... Cosio, MS, D. Ballabio, S. Benedetti, and C.Gigliotti ...
The understanding of the processes that control the behavior of radionuclides in crops can support policymakers to take actions to protect the environment and safeguard human health. Data concerning the behavior of radionuclides in fruits... more
The understanding of the processes that control the behavior of radionuclides in crops can support policymakers to take actions to protect the environment and safeguard human health. Data concerning the behavior of radionuclides in fruits are limited. Strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa Duchesne) plants were contaminated on the aboveground part by sprinkling an aqueous solution of 134Cs and 85Sr at three growing stages: predormancy, anthesis, and beginning of ripening. Intercepted activity was more affected by the posture and physical orientation of leaves rather than by leaf area or biomass. Fruit interception ranges from 0.2 to 1.2% of the sprinkled activity. Translocation coefficients from leaf to fruit are on the order of 10(-4) for 134Cs and 10(-5) for 85Sr. Translocation reaches its highest intensity between anthesis and ripening. If deposition occurs when plants are bearing fruits, the fruit activity will be affected by the activity initially deposited on the fruit surfaces. This is important for 85Sr as it is not translocated in the phloem. The loss of the dead leaves at the resumption of growth causes high plant decontamination, but a fraction of both radionuclides remains in the storage organs, roots, and shoots, which is retranslocated to fruits in the following spring. The values of the environmental half-time, t(w), after deposition at predormancy are 114 d for 134Cs and 109 d for 85Sr. Cesium-134 tends to be allocated to fruits, while 85Sr remains in leaves and crowns. Translocation of radionuclides to roots results in soil contamination.
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The results of an experimental study on the behaviour of 134Cs, 85Sr and 65Zn in processing tomato plants grown in peat substrate are presented. Plants were contaminated by wet deposition of 134Cs, 85Sr and 65Zn, either by sprinkling the... more
The results of an experimental study on the behaviour of 134Cs, 85Sr and 65Zn in processing tomato plants grown in peat substrate are presented. Plants were contaminated by wet deposition of 134Cs, 85Sr and 65Zn, either by sprinkling the above ground part at two phenological stages or by administering 134Cs, 85Sr and 65Zn to the soil. The plants contaminated at the second phenological stage intercepted 38.3% less than those contaminated at the first stage, although leaf area increased by more than double. Transfer coefficients from peat soil to ripe fruit for 134Cs are significantly higher than those for 85Sr and 65Zn. Leaf to fruit transfer coefficients for 134Cs are one order of magnitude higher than for 65Zn and two orders higher than for 85Sr. Only when deposition affects fruits, as at the second phenological stage, are transfer coefficients to fruits similar for the three radionuclides.
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This paper summarizes research carried out on fruits by the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore (UCSC) in Piacenza, Italy. Among the fruit crops studied, strawberry, blackberry, grapevine, apple, pear, and olive, research on strawberry... more
This paper summarizes research carried out on fruits by the Università
Cattolica del Sacro Cuore (UCSC) in Piacenza, Italy. Among the fruit crops studied, strawberry, blackberry, grapevine, apple, pear, and olive, research on strawberry and blackberry was funded by the Food Standard Agency (UK). Fruit plants were grown in pots, kept under tunnels or in open field, and contaminated with 134Cs and 85Sr via leaves or via soil. Interception in strawberry plants ranges 39–17 % for 134Cs, from anthesis (April) to predormancy (November). Leaf-to-fruit translocation occurs to a greater extent for 134Cs than for 85Sr. The distribution of contamination in fruit crops is an element-specific process: 134Cs is preferentially allocated to fruits and 85Sr to leaves. However, the activity in leaves is also species-specific: fruit species show different leaf-to-fruit translocation. Results on apple, pear, and grape crops indicate that the highest transfer from leaf to fruit occurs in apple crops. Olive plants also
show 134Cs translocation from leaves to trunks. Grapevines grown on mineral soil show a root uptake higher for 85Sr than for 134Cs, while strawberries grown on a peat substrate show a root uptake higher for 134Cs than for 85Sr. Rinsing directly contaminated fruits removes 85Sr (36 %) to a greater degree than 134Cs (24 %). Transfer to olive oil is low. A 57%of 134Cs is transferred from grapes to white wine.
Cattolica del Sacro Cuore (UCSC) in Piacenza, Italy. Among the fruit crops studied, strawberry, blackberry, grapevine, apple, pear, and olive, research on strawberry and blackberry was funded by the Food Standard Agency (UK). Fruit plants were grown in pots, kept under tunnels or in open field, and contaminated with 134Cs and 85Sr via leaves or via soil. Interception in strawberry plants ranges 39–17 % for 134Cs, from anthesis (April) to predormancy (November). Leaf-to-fruit translocation occurs to a greater extent for 134Cs than for 85Sr. The distribution of contamination in fruit crops is an element-specific process: 134Cs is preferentially allocated to fruits and 85Sr to leaves. However, the activity in leaves is also species-specific: fruit species show different leaf-to-fruit translocation. Results on apple, pear, and grape crops indicate that the highest transfer from leaf to fruit occurs in apple crops. Olive plants also
show 134Cs translocation from leaves to trunks. Grapevines grown on mineral soil show a root uptake higher for 85Sr than for 134Cs, while strawberries grown on a peat substrate show a root uptake higher for 134Cs than for 85Sr. Rinsing directly contaminated fruits removes 85Sr (36 %) to a greater degree than 134Cs (24 %). Transfer to olive oil is low. A 57%of 134Cs is transferred from grapes to white wine.