https://doi.org/10.4081/ija.2023.2215
On-farm experimentation in agronomic research: an Italian perspective
Published: 29 February 2024
Abstract Views: 502
PDF: 424
HTML: 76
HTML: 76
Publisher's note
All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.
All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.
On-farm experimentation (OFE) renovates agronomic research since it brings researchers out of their experimental field stations to the farms, shaping the direction of research in collaboration with farmers. In the context of increasing interest in OFE, this paper aims to map the current picture of agronomic research articles published on OFE in Italy. We observe that few articles are published on OFE in Italy. Moreover, among these articles, only a few explicitly mentioned farmers’ opinions or involvement, while none of them mentioned digital technologies as enablers of OFE. Therefore, we started a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) analysis to identify the main weaknesses and threats limiting OFE developing in Italy, along with the opportunities and strengths enabling OFE development. Despite the time-consuming research underpinning OFE, the lack of recognition by the academic community, the risk of not robust statistic, and difficulties in publishing, there are a series of opportunities emerging at the national level for which the implementation of OFE could be crucial to properly target the scopes set by the EU concerning agricultural research and innovation.
Allan C, Nguyen TPL, Seddaiu G, Wilson B, Roggero PP, 2013. Integrating local knowledge with experimental research: case studies on managing cropping systems in Italy and Australia. Ital. J. Agron., 8(2), e15.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4081/ija.2013.e15
Antichi D, Carlesi S, Mazzoncini M, Bàrberi P, 2022. Targeted timing of hairy vetch cover crop termination with roller crimper can eliminate glyphosate requirements in no-till sunflower. Agron Sustain Dev., 42(5), 87.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13593-022-00815-2
Anzivino M, Ceravolo FA, Rostan M, 2021. The two dimensions of Italian academics’ public engagement. Higher Education, 82, 107-125.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-020-00624-0
Arzeni A, Giarè F, Lai M, Lasorella MV, Ugati R, Vagnozzi A, 2023. Interactive Approach for Innovation: The Experience of the Italian EIP AGRI Operational Groups. Sustainability, 15(19), 14271.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/su151914271
Bellon Maurel V et al., 2022. Proceedings of the 1st International Conference on Farmer-centric on- farm experimentation (OFE2021): Digital tools for a scalable transformative pathway. 1st International Conference farmer-centric on-farm experimentation (OFE2021), Oct 2021, Montpellier, France. 2022.
Bocchi, S., Christiansen, S., Oweis, T., Porro, A., & Sala, S. (2012). Research for the innovation of the agri-food system in international cooperation. Italian Journal of Agronomy, 7(3), e36-e36.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4081/ija.2012.e36
Bramley RG, Song X, Colaço AF, Evans KJ, Cook SE, 2022. Did someone say “farmer-centric”? Digital tools for spatially distributed on-farm experimentation. Agron Sustain Dev., 42(6), 105.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13593-022-00836-x
Bullock DS, Boerngen M, Tao H, Maxwell B, Luck JD, Shiratsuchi L, ... & Martin, NF, 2019. The data‐intensive farm management project: changing agronomic research through on‐farm precision experimentation. Agronomy J, 111(6), 2736-2746.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.2134/agronj2019.03.0165
Campi P, Modugno F, Palumbo DA, Mastrorilli M, 2010. Dimensioning the irrigation variables for table grape vineyards in litho-soils. Ital. J. Agron., 5(4), 315-322.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4081/ija.2010.315
Ceseracciu C, Branca G, Deriu R, Roggero PP, 2023. Using the right words or using the words right? Re-conceptualising living labs for systemic innovation in socio-ecological systems. J. Rur. Stud., 104, 103154.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrurstud.2023.103154
Chambers R, Jiggins J, 1986. Agricultural Research for Resource Poor Farmers: A Parsimonious Paradigm. DP 220.
Coquil X, Cerf M, Auricoste C, Joannon A, Barcellini F, Cayre P, ... Prost L, 2018. Questioning the work of farmers, advisors, teachers and researchers in agro-ecological transition. A review. Agron Sustain Dev., 38, 1-12.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13593-018-0524-4
CREA – Consiglio per la ricerca in agricoltura e l’analisi dell’economia agraria, 2023. Annuario dell’agricoltura italiana 2022. Available online at: file:///C:/Users/User/Downloads/Annuario2023_02_web_DEF_01.pdf
Fontanelli, M., Frasconi, C., Martelloni, L., Pirchio, M., Raffaelli, M., & Peruzzi, A. (2015). Innovative strategies and machines for physical weed control in organic and integrated vegetable crops. Chem- Eng. Trans., 44, 211-216.
Giannini V, Raimondi G, Toffanin A, Maucieri C, Borin M, 2023. Agronomic management strategies to increase soil organic carbon in the short-term: evidence from on-farm experimentation in the Veneto region. Plant Soil, 1-14.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-023-06135-y
Grillo F, Piccoli I, Furlanetto I, Ragazzi F, Obber S, Bonato T, ... & Morari F, 2021. Agro-environmental sustainability of anaerobic digestate fractions in intensive cropping systems: insights regarding the nitrogen use efficiency and crop performance. Agronomy, 11(4), 745.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11040745
Hazell P, Wood S, 2008. Drivers of change in global agriculture. Philos. Trans. R. Soc. Lond., B, Biol. Sci., 363(1491), 495-515.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2007.2166
Hermans F, Klerkx L, Roep D, 2015. Structural conditions for collaboration and learning in innovation networks: using an innovation system performance lens to analyse agricultural knowledge systems. J. Agric. Educ. Ext., 21(1), 35-54.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/1389224X.2014.991113
ISTAT, 2022. Infografiche sul 7° Censimento dell’Agricoltura. Come cambiano le aziende agricole. Available online at: https://www.istat.it/it/archivio/272689 Accessed the 14th of February 2024.
Jackson-Smith D, Veisi H, 2023. A typology to guide design and assessment of participatory farming research projects. SEPR, 1-16.
Knobloch NA, 2003. Is experiential learning authentic?. J. Agric. Educ., 44(4), 22-34.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5032/jae.2003.04022
Jindo K, Kozan O, Iseki K, Maestrini B, van Evert FK, Wubengeda Y, Arai E, Shimabukuru YE, Sawada Y, Kempenaar C, 2021. Potential utilization of satellite remote sensing for field-based agricultural studies. Chem. Biol. Technol. Agr., 8(1), 1-16.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s40538-021-00253-4
Lacoste M, Cook S, McNee M, Gale D, Ingram J, Bellon-Maurel V, ... & Hall A, 2022. On-Farm Experimentation to transform global agriculture. Nature Food, 3(1), 11-18.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s43016-021-00424-4
Lamichhane JR, Messéan A, Ricci P, 2019. Research and innovation priorities as defined by the Ecophyto plan to address current crop protection transformation challenges in France. Adv. Agron., 154, 81-152.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/bs.agron.2018.11.003
Laurent A, Kyveryga P, Makowski D, Miguez F, 2019. A framework for visualization and analysis of agronomic field trials from on‐farm research networks. J. Agron., 111(6), 2712-2723.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.2134/agronj2019.02.0135
Lazzeri L, D'Avino L, Mazzoncini M, Antichi D, Mosca G, Zanetti F, ... & Spugnoli P, 2009. On farm agronomic and first environmental evaluation of oil crops for sustainable bioenergy chains. Ital. J. Agron., 4, 171-180.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4081/ija.2009.4.171
Lesiv M, Laso Bayas JC, See L, Duerauer M, Dahlia D, Durando N, Hazarika R, Kumar Sahariah P, Vakolyuk MY, Blyshchyk V, Bilous A., 2018. Estimating the global distribution of field size using crowdsourcing. GCB, 25(1),174-86.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.14492
Mantino A, Cappucci A, Annecchini F, Volpi I, Bargagli E, Bonari E, Ragaglini G, Mele M, 2021. An on-farm rotational grazing trial: restricting access time to pasture did not affect the productivity of a dairy sheep flock in spring. Ital. J. Agron., 16(1).
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4081/ija.2020.1711
MIUR – Ministero dell’Istruzione, dell’Università e della Ricerca Scientifica, 2015. Rideterminazione dei macrosettori e dei settori concorsuali. Available online at: http://attiministeriali.miur.it/anno-2015/ottobre/dm-30102015.aspx
Paccioretti P, Bruno C, Gianinni Kurina F, Córdoba M, Bullock DS, Balzarini M, 2021. Statistical models of yield in on‐farm precision experimentation. J. Agron., 113(6), 4916-4929.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/agj2.20833
Pagliarino E, Orlando F, Vaglia V, Rolfo S, Bocchi S, 2020. Participatory research for sustainable agriculture: the case of the Italian agroecological rice network. Eur. J. Fut. Research (2020) 8: 7
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s40309-020-00166-9
Pellegrini F, Carlesi S, Nardi G, Barberi P, 2021. Wheat–clover temporary intercropping under Mediterranean conditions affects wheat biomass, plant nitrogen dynamics and grain quality. Eur. J. Agron., 130, 126347.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eja.2021.126347
Rakshit S, Baddeley A, Stefanova K, Reeves K, Chen K, Cao Z, ... & Gibberd M, 2020. Novel approach to the analysis of spatially-varying treatment effects in on-farm experiments. Field Crops Res., 255, 107783.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fcr.2020.107783
Raffaelli M, Fontanelli M, Frasconi C, Ginanni M, Peruzzi A, 2010. Physical weed control in protected leaf-beet in central Italy. Renew. Agric. Food Syst., 25(1), 8-15.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S1742170509990287
Razinger J, Vasileiadis VP, Giraud M, van Dijk W, Modic Š, Sattin M, Urek G, 2016. On‐farm evaluation of inundative biological control of Ostrinia nubilalis (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) by Trichogramma brassicae (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae) in three European maize‐producing regions. Pest Manag. Sci., 72(2), 246-254.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/ps.4054
Reid, J., & Brazendale, R. (2014). Insights from the New Zealand experience of farmer first research. Outlook on Agriculture, 43(3), 213-217.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5367/oa.2014.0171
Ripple WJ, Wolf C, Newsome TM, Barnard P, Moomaw WR, Grandcolas P, 2019. orld scientists' warning of a climate emergency. BioScience 70(1): 8-12
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/biosci/biz152
Roques SE, Kindred DR, Berry P, Helliwell J, 2022. Successful approaches for on-farm experimentation. Field Crops Res., 287, 108651.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fcr.2022.108651
Severini S, Castellari M, Cavalli D, Pecetti L, 2021. Economic sustainability and riskiness of cover crop adoption for organic production of corn and soybean in Northern Italy. Agronomy, 11(4), 766.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11040766
Stendal J., Aldana J., Pirrone N., 2023. European Partnership “Agriculture of Data”
- Unlocking the potential of data for sustainable agriculture - Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda. Available online at: https://research-and-innovation.ec.europa.eu/system/files/2023-08/AgData%20SRIA%20final_version.pdf (Accessed 27 January 2024).
Šūmane S, Kunda I, Knickel K, Strauss A, Tisenkopfs T, des Ios Rios I, ... & Ashkenazym A, 2018. Local and farmers' knowledge matters! How integrating informal and formal knowledge enhances sustainable and resilient agriculture. J. Rural Stud., 59, 232-241.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrurstud.2017.01.020
Toffolini Q, Hannachi M, Capitaine M, Cerf M, 2023 Ideal-types of experimentation practices in agricultural Living Labs: Various appropriations of an open innovation model. Agr Syst., 208:103661.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agsy.2023.103661
Toffolini Q, Jeuffroy MH, 2022. On-farm experimentation practices and associated farmer-researcher relationships: a systematic literature review. Agron. Sustain Dev., 42: 114
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13593-022-00845-w
Vasileiadis VP, Otto S, Van Dijk W, Urek G, Leskovšek R, Verschwele A, ... Sattin M, 2015. On-farm evaluation of integrated weed management tools for maize production in three different agro-environments in Europe: Agronomic efficacy, herbicide use reduction, and economic sustainability. Eur. J. Agron., 63, 71-78.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eja.2014.12.001
Vasileiadis VP, Van Dijk W, Verschwele A, Holb IJ, Vámos A, Urek G, ... & Sattin M, 2016. Farm‐scale evaluation of herbicide band application integrated with inter‐row mechanical weeding for maize production in four European regions. Weed Res., 56(4), 313-322.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/wre.12210
Weissteiner CJ, García-Feced C, Paracchini ML., 2016. A new view on EU agricultural landscapes: Quantifying patchiness to assess farmland heterogeneity. Ecol Indicators, 61:317-27.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2015.09.032
Zanetti F, Angelini LG, Berzuini S, Foschi L, Clemente C, Ferioli F, ... & Tavarini S, 2022. Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) a winter multipurpose oilseed crop for the Mediterranean region: Lesson learnt from on-farm trials. Ind. Crops Prod., 184, 115042.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indcrop.2022.115042
Zucchini M, 1970. Le cattedre ambulanti di agricoltura, G. Volpe, Roma
How to Cite
Giannini, V., & Marraccini, E. (2024). On-farm experimentation in agronomic research: an Italian perspective. Italian Journal of Agronomy, 18(4). https://doi.org/10.4081/ija.2023.2215
Copyright (c) 2024 The Author(s)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
PAGEPress has chosen to apply the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC 4.0) to all manuscripts to be published.