La coltivazione del giaggiolo in Toscana: dalla marginalità alla valorizzazione

The cultivation of iris (Iris spp) for the use of rhizomes began in Tuscany in the mid 1800. The Tuscan producers are now mainly concentrated in two hill top areas (Pratomagno Aretino and Chianti). Research has been conducted between 2009 and 2014 to study the soil and climate of the production area and to evaluate the qualitative characteristics of the rhizomes. Results showed a high iridali content in the rhizomes planted and the absence of substantial differences between the two traditional distribution areas of the iris cultivation. The estimate of income was differentiated on the two types of finished product: the black rhizome (dried only) and the white rhizome (peeled, cut and dried). Profitability of the white rhizome was higher (750 €/q for the white and 570 €/q for black), however the Tuscan companies favor the production of the black rhizome for the greater dynamism of demand. The direct survey showed that the dried rhizome of iris is currently sold to three different markets: mainly the French perfume industry, the Italian beverages alcoholic industry, and a small niche represented by the German baby pacifiers manufacturers. However, the high multifunctional value of the crop is pushing towards its valorization also on a territorial basis.