1. The different substrates were used to fill 35-liter plastic containers
Project LIFE14 ENV/IT/113 - Demonstration of the suitability of dredged remediated sediments
for safe and sustainable horticulture production
Action B.3: Demonstration of the use of decontaminated sediments as a substrate for growing pomegranate and strawberry and for fruit production
‘Demonstration of the use of decontaminated sediments as a substrate for growing pomegranate, strawberry and lettuce for crop production’
B Preparation of the sediment-based substrates
TS50
50% PBCS
50% TS
TS100
100% TS
TS0
100% PBCS
The different substrates were used to fill 35-liter plastic containers

2. for safe and sustainable horticulture production
Project LIFE14 ENV/IT/113 - Demonstration of the suitability of dredged remediated sediments
for safe and sustainable horticulture production
Action B.3: Demonstration of the use of decontaminated sediments as a substrate for growing pomegranate and strawberry and for fruit production
‘Demonstration of the use of decontaminated sediments as a substrate for growing pomegranate, strawberry and lettuce for crop production’
B Planting and cultivating pomegranate plants
5th May 2016: Pomegranate saplings were planted in Italy in the nursery of Zelari
Two selected commercial pomegranate cultivars were chosen: Mollar de Elche and Purple Queen®.
Preformed well-grown saplings were planted in 35-liter containers filled with the three different substrates; they were grown adopting standardized cultural (irrigation, fertilization, protection, etc.) practices.
Number of plants: 90 (2 cv x 5 plants x 3 treatments x 3 blocks)
MPQ-TS100-B2
MPQ-TS0-B3
MMo-TS50-B1
MMo- TS0-B1
MMo-TS100-B2
MPQ -TS50-B2
MMo - TS50-B3
MPQ-TS100B1
MMo-TS0-B2
MMo - TS00-B1
MPQ-TS50-B1
MMo-TS100-B3
MPQ-TS50-B3
MMo-TS0-B3
MPQ-TS0-B1
MPQ-TS0-B2
MMo-TS50-B2
MPQ-TS100-B3
Pomegranate demonstration trial technical design
M= pomegranate;
Mo= Mollar de Elche; PQ= Purple Queen®;
B1, B2, B3= blocks;
TS0 = PBCS 100%; TS50 = mixed TS/PBCS 50/50%; TS100 = TS 100%

3. for safe and sustainable horticulture production
Project LIFE14 ENV/IT/113 - Demonstration of the suitability of dredged remediated sediments
for safe and sustainable horticulture production
Action B.3:- Demonstration of the use of decontaminated sediments as a substrate for growing pomegranate and strawberry and for fruit production
‘Demonstration of the use of decontaminated sediments as a substrate for growing pomegranate, strawberry and lettuce for crop production’
B Assessment of plant growth and development
Growth, development, and production performances of pomegranate plants on the different substrates have been evaluated through the measurement of different morphological and physiological parameters on plants and leaves.
The following parameters have been evaluated according to Deliverable A1.2:
1.1. Plant mortality (number; percentage)
1.2. Trunk diameter (mm)
1.3. Plant height (cm)
1.4. Leaf surface (mm2) (on 30 leaves from each cv-substrate plot)
1.5. Leaf blade colour (L, a, b coordinates) (on 30 leaves from each cv-substrate plot)
1.6. Chlorophyll content (SPAD Index) (on 15 leaves from each plot)
Qualitative assessment on plants was carried out taking into account non destructive analysis only
(first year).

4. for safe and sustainable horticulture production
Project LIFE14 ENV/IT/113 - Demonstration of the suitability of dredged remediated sediments
for safe and sustainable horticulture production
Action C.2: Monitoring and validation of the use of remediated sediments for plant nursing
C.2.2. Qualitative evaluation of strawberry, pomegranate and lettuce on different substrates.
After transplant pomegranate growth was measured every twenty days or more
Pomegranate
25-05
15-06
05-07
27-07
12-08
05-09
30-09
Cv Purple Queen TS50
Cv Mollar de Elche TS100
At each sampling, a visual evaluation of the whole plant was first made in order to evaluate general plant health status and detect abiotic stress.
Qualitative assessment on plants was carried out taking into account non destructive analyses listed in Deliverable A1.2.
At the end of vegetative season leaves were collected and dried to evaluate heavy metals content.

5. for safe and sustainable horticulture production
Project LIFE14 ENV/IT/113 - Demonstration of the suitability of dredged remediated sediments
for safe and sustainable horticulture production
Action C.2: Monitoring and validation of the use of remediated sediments for plant nursing
C.2.2. Qualitative evaluation of strawberry, pomegranate and lettuce on different substrates.

6. for safe and sustainable horticulture production
Project LIFE14 ENV/IT/113 - Demonstration of the suitability of dredged remediated sediments
for safe and sustainable horticulture production
Action C.2: Monitoring and validation of the use of remediated sediments for plant nursing
C.2.2. Qualitative evaluation of strawberry, pomegranate and lettuce on different substrates.
For each cultivar x treatment:
Mean values of Leaf blade colour measured on 30 leaves
Mean values of SPAD Index measured on 15 leaves
Mean values Leaf surface measured on 30 leaves

7. for safe and sustainable horticulture production
Project LIFE14 ENV/IT/113 - Demonstration of the suitability of dredged remediated sediments
for safe and sustainable horticulture production
Action B.4: Demonstration of the use of remediated sediments as substrate for the nursery production of pomegranate saplings
‘Demonstration of the use of remediated sediments as substrate for the nursery production of pomegranate saplings and lettuce seedlings’
B Demonstration of the use of remediated sediments as substrate for the nursery production of pomegranate saplings
TS50
50% PBCS
50% TS
TS0
100% PBCS
TS100
100% TS
25th May 2016: Pomegranate cuttings were planted in Italy in the nursery of Zelari
Two selected commercial pomegranate cultivars were chosen: Mollar de Elche and Purple Queen®.
Cuttings were grown in 1.5 l pots filled with three different combination substrate/sediments; they were grown adopting standardized cultural (irrigation, fertilization, protection, etc.) practices.
Number of cuttings: 180
Cuttings were planted in 10 replicates for substrate type, each combination cultivar x substrate was replicated in 3 blocks (2 cv x 10 plants x 3 treatments x 3 blocks); for each cultivar 90 plant were planted
1.5 l plastic pot

8. Pomegranate cuttings - 2016
Project LIFE14 ENV/IT/113 - Demonstration of the suitability of dredged remediated sediments
for safe and sustainable horticulture production
Action B.4: Demonstration of the use of remediated sediments as substrate for the nursery production of pomegranate saplings
‘Demonstration of the use of remediated sediments as substrate for the nursery production of pomegranate saplings and lettuce seedlings’
B Demonstration of the use of remediated sediments as substrate for the nursery production of pomegranate saplings
Growth performances of pomegranate cuttings grown on the different substrates have been evaluated through measurement, every 20 days, of different morphological parameters on cuttings and leaves:
MPQ-TS100-B2
MPQ-TS0-B3
MMo-TS50-B1
MMo- TS0-B1
MMo-TS100-B2
MPQ -TS50-B2
MMo - TS50-B3
MPQ-TS100B1
MMo-TS0-B2
MMo - TS00-B1
MPQ-TS50-B1
MMo-TS100-B3
MPQ-TS50-B3
MMo-TS0-B3
MPQ-TS0-B1
MPQ-TS0-B2
MMo-TS50-B2
MPQ-TS100-B3
Pomegranate cuttings
15-06
05-07
27-07
12-08
05-09
30-09
Plants were arranged according to an experimental design with randomized blocks
Destructive analysis (data collection only at the end of the trials)
1.9. Fresh weight of the whole plant
1.10. Dry weight of the whole plant
1.11. Fresh weight of stem (aerial part)
1.12. Dry weight of stem
1.13. Fresh weight of root system
1.14. Dry weight of root system
1.15. Heavy metals on leaves
Analysis of contaminants (end of trial)
1.16. Heavy metals on plants (roots + stems + leaves)
1.1. Mortality (number; percentage)
1.2. Stem diameter
1.3. Stem height (tallest part in absolute)
1.4. Leaf surface (18 leaves from each cv x substrate)
1.5. Leaf blade colour (L, a, b coordinates)
1.6. Chlorophyll content (SPAD Index)

9. for safe and sustainable horticulture production
Project LIFE14 ENV/IT/113 - Demonstration of the suitability of dredged remediated sediments
for safe and sustainable horticulture production
Action C.3: Monitoring and validation of the use of remediated sediments for nursery horticultural production
C.3.1 Monitoring and validation of the use of remediated sediments on pomegranate cuttings
Cultivar
Treatment
Mortality
Sample size
Dead %
PURPLE QUEEN
TS0 30 1
3,3
TS50 2
6,7
TS100
MOLLAR DE ELCHE 3
10,0
Data on pomegranate cuttings mortality at the end of the trial.

10. for safe and sustainable horticulture production
Project LIFE14 ENV/IT/113 - Demonstration of the suitability of dredged remediated sediments
for safe and sustainable horticulture production
Action C.3: Monitoring and validation of the use of remediated sediments for nursery horticultural production
C.3.1 Monitoring and validation of the use of remediated sediments on pomegranate cuttings

11. for safe and sustainable horticulture production
Project LIFE14 ENV/IT/113 - Demonstration of the suitability of dredged remediated sediments
for safe and sustainable horticulture production
Action C.3: Monitoring and validation of the use of remediated sediments for nursery horticultural production
C.3.1 Monitoring and validation of the use of remediated sediments on pomegranate cuttings
For each cultivar x treatment:
Mean values of Leaf blade colour measured on 18 leaves
Mean values of SPAD Index measured on 30 leaves
Mean values of Leaf surface measured on 18 leaves

12. for safe and sustainable horticulture production
Project LIFE14 ENV/IT/113 - Demonstration of the suitability of dredged remediated sediments
for safe and sustainable horticulture production
Action C.3: Monitoring and validation of the use of remediated sediments for nursery horticultural production
C.3.1 Monitoring and validation of the use of remediated sediments on pomegranate cuttings

13. for safe and sustainable horticulture production
Project LIFE14 ENV/IT/113 - Demonstration of the suitability of dredged remediated sediments
for safe and sustainable horticulture production
Action C.3: Monitoring and validation of the use of remediated sediments for nursery horticultural production
C.3.1 Monitoring and validation of the use of remediated sediments on pomegranate cuttings

14. for safe and sustainable horticulture production
Project LIFE14 ENV/IT/113 - Demonstration of the suitability of dredged remediated sediments
for safe and sustainable horticulture production
Action B.3: Demonstration of the use of decontaminated sediments as a substrate for growing pomegranate and strawberry and for fruit production
‘Demonstration of the use of decontaminated sediments as a substrate for growing pomegranate, strawberry and lettuce for crop production’
B Planting and cultivating pomegranate plants
Pomegranates plants have been maintained during winter according to the common cultural practices.
Plants are going to sprout in the next weeks and from the beginning of the vegetative season we will start to collect data monthtly.
27th February Pomegranate demonstration trial

15. for safe and sustainable horticulture production
Project LIFE14 ENV/IT/113 - Demonstration of the suitability of dredged remediated sediments
for safe and sustainable horticulture production
Action B.4: Demonstration of the use of remediated sediments as substrate for the nursery production of pomegranate saplings
‘Demonstration of the use of remediated sediments as substrate for the nursery production of pomegranate saplings and lettuce seedlings’
B Demonstration of the use of remediated sediments as substrate for the nursery production of pomegranate saplings
6th March 2017
Two new demonstration trials with pomegranate cuttings were set: in the Zelari nursery and at DISPAA.
From this date data will be collected monthly.

16. for safe and sustainable horticulture production
Project LIFE14 ENV/IT/113 - Demonstration of the suitability of dredged remediated sediments
for safe and sustainable horticulture production
Action B.5: Chemical quality and sensorial analysis of fruits
‘Chemical quality and sensorial analysis of crops’
B.5.1. Screening crops based on determination of pollutants
In these graphs it is shown the element concentration in leaves, stem and root cutting
NO differences between the cutlivar cutting for strontium and cromium

17. for safe and sustainable horticulture production
Project LIFE14 ENV/IT/113 - Demonstration of the suitability of dredged remediated sediments
for safe and sustainable horticulture production
Action B.5: Chemical quality and sensorial analysis of fruits
‘Chemical quality and sensorial analysis of crops’
B.5.1. Screening crops based on determination of pollutants
Copper, zinc and iron are moslty accumulated by cutting on TS100 and TS50.
Cutting on TS0 have the greatest amount of manganese.

18. for safe and sustainable horticulture production
Project LIFE14 ENV/IT/113 - Demonstration of the suitability of dredged remediated sediments
for safe and sustainable horticulture production
Action B.5: Chemical quality and sensorial analysis of fruits
‘Chemical quality and sensorial analysis of crops’
B.5.1. Screening crops based on determination of pollutants
There is a great variability between each cultivar for Nikel and cromium determination.
Chromium concentration is similar between leaf on TS100 and TS0 for Purple cultivar. In Mollar, Cromium is most concentrated in TS100.
Nickel is not present in leaves grown on ts50 in purple queen cultivar. However, looking at the Molar cultivar results, leaves on TS50 have taken Nickel.
Aluminium for both cultivar is moslty accumulated by leaves on TS0.
Similar situation for strontium concentration between cultivar and treatment

19. for safe and sustainable horticulture production
Project LIFE14 ENV/IT/113 - Demonstration of the suitability of dredged remediated sediments
for safe and sustainable horticulture production
Action B.5: Chemical quality and sensorial analysis of fruits
‘Chemical quality and sensorial analysis of crops’
B.5.1. Screening crops based on determination of pollutants
For zinc and copper we see a similar situation: leaves on TS100 and Ts50 have the greatest amount of copper and zinc.
Manganese is greatly accumulated by leaves on TS0
Similar concentration of iron for each treatment.