INFLUENCE OF THERMAL GRADIENT ON THE DYNAMICS OF GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT OF EMMER IN GARFAGNANA [INFLUENZA DEL GRADIENTE TERMICO SULLE DINAMICHE DI CRESCITA E SVILUPPO DEL FARRO IN GARFAGNANA]

Emmer (Triticum dicoccum Sch.) is a traditional crop of Garfagnana (Tuscany, Central Italy), where the typical environmental characteristics and a low-input agronomic management favored the development of a local variety. The cultivation area is located at an altitude ranging from about 300 to almost 1200 m a.s.l. characterized by a significant thermal gradient affecting the biological cycle of the crop. The aim of the research, is to assess the influence of such climatic variability in Garfagnana emmer growth and development. Results showed that the altitude and temperature are the most effective variables able to regulate the crop dynamics. In particular, we found that growing degree days calculated with a base temperature of 5 °C is significantly related to the phenological phase of the crop, showing how emmer thermal demand is lower compared to modern wheat varieties. Also, dry mater accumulation and plant height showed that emmer is able to grow even under extreme and marginal conditions. Further analysis will be performed at harvest in order to investigate the productivity of the three crop biotypes (mutico, semi-aristato and aristato) under the different environmental conditions considered.