Research Areas

Agronomy and Herbaceous Crops
Research focuses on the physiological effects of water and nutrient stress on plants, as well as on analyzing the implications of alternative farming techniques aimed at reducing the environmental impact of different production factors. Trials have been conducted on herbaceous crops for biomass production, exploring alternative uses in agriculture and energy generation.

Genetic Improvement
Primarily aimed at increasing the yield and quality of sunflower and barley, other recent studies focus on enhancing disease resistance in soybean, potato, and tobacco, developing new consumer-driven varieties of kiwifruit, and studying grapevine varieties resistant to downy mildew and other diseases.

Fruit Crops and Viticulture
Research includes new plant training systems and various studies, especially in kiwifruit and apple production. Accessions and plant material from multiple countries are being evaluated to support genetic improvement programs. In viticulture, significant attention is being given to the new ampelographic vineyard, which hosts local, national, and international grapevine varieties, as well as species other than Vitis vinifera. Research also covers other fruit crops common in the region, such as apple, pear, and peach, along with less traditional species like cherry.

Animal Production and Welfare
Studies focus on the nutrition of cattle, buffalo, and sheep, and on the introduction and assessment of innovative methods for controlling the extensive farming of both domestic (sheep) and wild (fallow deer) ungulates.

Agricultural Processing Technologies
Research includes microvinification trials. Noteworthy is the new experimental facility dedicated to beer production, designed for research, experimentation, and teaching purposes.