Prof. Bartolomeo Dichio

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Fruit tree physiology, General fruit growing and Nursery techniques

Training: Born in Montescaglioso (Italy) on 10^th of February 1967, he obtained his 1^st degree in Agricultural Science at the University of Basilicata (Italy) in 1991. Three years later in 1994 he received his PhD in “Plant Productivity” with a thesis entitled “Drought  Defence Mechanisms in Olive Trees”.

Professional: Since 1995 he has worked as a scientist in the Pomology Section, Department of Crop Production at the University of Basilicata, where in 2004 he obtained the appointment of Associate Professor in Pomology.

Overseas: From September 2000 to May 2001 (8 months) he worked with plant physiologists at HortResearch, Palmerston North, New Zealand.

Publications: He is author of more than 100 papers in both national and international refereed journals.

Research:

1          Plant nutrition in tree crops

He has studied the effect of different agronomic techniques, such as tilling and green manuring, on plant nutritional status, on the development and growth of the root system and on various soil-fertility parameters.

2          Response of tree crops to water stress

2.1       Agronomy: Agronomic responses to soil-water deficit have been studied in olive, peach, apricot, grapevine and kiwifruit. The effect of fertilisation, irrigation scheduling, regulated-deficit irrigation, pruning and training systems on vegetative and reproductive growth of these species has been studied. Alternative orchard-management strategies to reduce negative impacts of tree-crop production on the environment and to increase fruit yield and quality have also been researched. 

2.2       Water relations and gas exchange: The research has focussed on a study of mechanisms involved in the physiological responses of fruit trees to water deficit including during the stress-recovery phase. The work has also evaluated water-use efficiency in different species and their ability to exploit the soil-water resource.

2.3       Water transport in plants and key characteristics of their water-conducting systems: Xylem flows have been studied in vivo on two-year-old olive trees using the heat-balance technique. The data highlighted the very high sensitivity of this method to detecting fluctuations in transpiration in response to variations in soil-water content and to changes in radiation, temperature and VPD. 

3          Training systems and light interception

Here research has focused on how various canopy-training systems affect vegetative growth, leaf area development and canopy light interception. Also, on the direct effects of light on fruit quality and on morphological and physiological characteristics of flower buds, flowers and fruit-bearing wood.