in situ composting for chestnut woods protection, valorization and eco-sustainable management

At European, national and regional level, the commitment to encourage sustainable, organic, integrated, alternative to conventional agriculture is strongly felt. Campania is one of the first regions in terms of chestnuts production and covered surface. In many areas, the colture represents a resource of great importance, not only from an economic point of view, but, more relevant, for the role in rural landscape, in safeguarding the environment and in the territory conservation. In recent years, also due to climate change, we are attending a progressive reduction in production and surfaces. The sector is generally, characterized by the presence of small and medium sized enterprises, with highly differentiated production types; therefore, the sector's policies  must be aimed at enhancing  quality of typical products, improving agronomic management also in the prospective of costs reduction  and increasing profitability. The national chestnut plan highlights the need for a requalification of chestnut cultivation towards more sustainable forms of production, capable of opening up new economic opportunities to the agricultural sector.

The valorisation of the obtained biomasses represents an additional value: it  bears to avoid the practice of burning, now criminally pursued, preserves organic substance, prevents fires and reduces CO2 emissions. This biomass after a process of biological oxidation, will constitute a source of organic substance that improves soil structure and fertility, slow-release nutrients, will act on soil biodiversity, with consequent control of plant pathogens and pests.