The CREA RESEARCH CENTRE FOR HORTICULTURE AND FLORICULTURE was estabilished in 2017 within the CREA (Council for Agricultural Research and Economics), which operates under the supervision of the Italian Ministry of Agriculture with general scientific competence in the fields of agriculture, agroindustry, food, fishery and forestry.
The CREA RESEARCH CENTRE FOR HORTICULTURE AND FLORICULTURE includes 4 research units, located in Pontecagnano (SA), Monsampolo (AP), Sanremo (IM) and Pescia (PT), that carry out research activities on breeding, molecular genetics, propagation, agronomy, greenhouse cultivation and pathology in the field of horticulture, floriculture, ornamental, aromatic and nursery plants production.
The CREA Research Centre located at Pescia started his activity in 1969 as a peripheral research unit of the Experimental Institute for Floriculture of Sanremo.
With regards of the area of the proposal, this Unit carries out research activities on growing techniques for nursery production, in particular for reduction of environmental impact and quality improvement and on innovative substrates for pot plant production: evaluation of organic substrates (compost, plant residuals) and inorganic materials (zeolites) as substitutes of peat. Other research activities include breeding and selection of species for environmental landscaping; development of genomics and molecular biology technologies; use of symbiotic and endophitic microorganisms to improve plant immunity and tolerance to biotic and abiotic stress; adaptability evaluation for urban environment and capability to reduce risks for diffused pathogenetic agents in plant species; energy saving in agricultural production by the use of solar panels, new root zone heating systems and prototypes for air dehumidification; improvement of water use efficiency.
The Research Unit of Pescia has many highly specialized laboratories for chemical, physical, biological and molecular studies, growth chamber and greenhouses.
