Valutazione di parametri chimici e biologici di suoli in un triennio di prove comparative fra gestione convenzionale e biologica

Dynamics of chemical and biological parameters in a three years project comparing conventional and organic farming in two Italian experimental sites The multidisciplinary research group of BIOGEA project on soil fertility curried out a three years study comparing organic and conventional soil management performed in two sites in growing areas representative of two Italian environments: North East-Ravenna, lat. 44° 25' 4'' N and South-East - Foggia , lat. 41° 28' 0'' N. Materials and methods. The study was carried out on a three years rotation system under organic and conventional management with two final crops: sugar beet and processing tomato. Upon completion of three-years project, chemical (TOC, TEC, HA+FA, Nmin and Ntot dynamics), and biological (TOC, TEC, HA+FA, Nmin and Ntot dynamics) parameters are discussed. Organic management in the adopted agronomic conditions has not significantly improved chemical and biological parameters if compared to conventional farming. However, the dynamics of the majour part of the evaluated chemico-biological parameters is slow in soil environment and therefore, three years is a too short period to draw definitive conclusions.