Bio-Agronomic Evaluation of Brassica Carina A. Braun in a Semi-Arid Area of Sicily

The need to reduce fossil fuel consumption for environmental and economic reasons is placing the farming sector in a whole new light with a new set of tasks to face. Concerns arising from climate change and decisions resulting from the Kyòto Protocol have helped reinforce the idea that multifunctional farms can make a real contribution to achieving the targets set for 2012. As a producer of dedicated energy crops – crops used to supply biomass for energy – the farm becomes a supplier of raw materials for fuel production or of energy directly. For economic, social and environmental reasons, agro-energy may be the way forward to encourage multi-functionalism in farming and, therefore, increase opportunities for farmers. To make this possible, research must address the economic sustainability of the system to ensure feasibility. The issue of energy sustainability proposed in this study was addressed by evaluating the introduction of Brassica carinata A. Braun into crop farming systems in Sicily and making use of the lignocellulosic crop residue biomass in addition to the seeds (for which it is traditionally cultivated). Trials from 2007-09 showed a group of Ethiopian mustard accessions with both good performance and energy production levels