Agroecology Lab

 
Photo of Gianfranco Ferro

Gianfranco Ferro

Ph.D. student

e-mail:
gianfrancomaria.ferro@unipd.it 		Resume (PDF)

EDUCATION
Ph.D. Environmental Agronomy, University of Padova (in progress).

B.Sc. Agricultural Science and Technologies, University of Padova. 2003.


RESEARCH INTERESTS
Sustainable practices for improve the quality of agro-environment Use of biomass in agriculture Soil quality

Projects

Soil Organic Matter and Soil Nitrate Dynamics in Agrarian Soils Fertilized with Biomass

The main purpose of this project is to understanding if the application of new biomass (from composting process) is an agronomically interesting practice, for the conservation and improvement of soil quality, as well as an attractive organic waste management strategy. The research is composed from three field experiments conducted in intensive cropping systems, characterized for high input of nutrients and high yields. The three experiments are located in the Po’ plain (Veneto Region, North Italy), in soils that are characterized for different chemical and physical properties. The specific objectives of the project are:
  • Determine the short-term effect of organic and conventional mineral fertilizers on the cycling and stabilization of soil C and N.
  • Look for changes in soil aggregates in order to determine if and how the soil organic pool is affected by fertilizer application.
  • Study the evolution of humic matter by considering its molecular-weight distribution after extraction from organic matter.
  • Verify, by studying microbial biomass, if there is a transition period where organic fertilizers stimulate microbial activity. Then, identify the main microbial activity.
  • Estimate, by incubation tests on the organic products, how fast C and N are released from the mineralization of amendments and how much this release affects the cycle of C and N in the soil.
  • Evaluate trends of crop yield and the quality of production.