IN-FIELD HIGH-TROUGHPUT PLANT PHENOTYPING TO STUDY THE IMPACT OF WOOD VINEGARD ON SAFFLOWER RESPONSE TO WATER LIMITATION

In the last year the Institute for Sustainable Plant Protection (IPSP) of the National Research Council of Italy (CNR) has developed a novel and comprehensive phenotyping Research Infrastructure (RI): the Digital Ecosystems for MEtabolomics, plant Trait Research, and Imaging Systems-Hub (DEMETRISHub). This RI includes a range of state-of-the-art platforms as well as advanced field-based systems, offering an integrated approach to plant phenotyping. In this contribution, we present the first results obtained using the DEMETRIS-Hub RI to evaluate the effects of wood distillate (WD, also known as pyrolytic acid or wood vinegar) on safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.). WD, a byproduct of the pyrolysis process of lignocellulosic matrices to produce biochar and syngas, is considered a green alternative to synthetic chemicals in agricultural production. Owing to its content of bioactive compounds, particularly phenolic derivates, WD can function as a root biostimulant, promoting plant growth, improving nutrient availability in the soil, and increasing tolerance to abiotic stress. To this end, an open-field experiment was conducted at the ALSIA Metapontum Agrobios in Metaponto, Southern Italy, to investigate the interaction between two irrigation treatments (wellwatered and suboptimal) and fertirrigation with two WDs and a tannin-enriched extract on the physiology and productivity of safflower plants (cv. CW99OL) compared to control plots irrigated with water only. To achieve a full factorial design, each plot was subdivided into two subplots to apply the different irrigation regimes, enabling assessment of their interaction. Throughout the experiment, remote and proximal sensing measurements were performed to monitor plant physiological performances. Finally, qualitative analyses will be conducted on the oil extracted from the seeds. The results explore the potential utilization of WDs and tannin extracts in agriculture, suggesting a possible reduction in the use of chemical fertilizers and, consequently, a lower environmental impact. At the same time, these findings support the development of a circular economy supply chain aimed at producing high-value crops rich in bioactive compounds for multiple industrial applications. Project Funded by Missione 4, Componente 2, Investimento 1.4: “National Research Centre for Agricultural Technologies (Agritech)” - Spoke 8 Circular economy in agriculture through waste valorisation and recycle