Fabio D'anna
Personal data Professor Fabio D’Anna was born in Marsala the 18th of November of 1950 (Italian fiscal code: DNNFBA50S18E974B), and lives in Palermo at 38 Nicolò Garzilli Street.
In 13/03/1977 he obtained the degree in Agriculture Science at the Agriculture Faculty of Palermo University, discussing the thesis “Researches on the algalization of the nutritive solution for the tomato hydroponic crop” with the eminent Professors Pietro Caruso and Waldemaro Balloni.
The 1st of November 1977 he won a CNR (National Centre for Research) fellowship and from the 1st of August 1980 he is a researcher on the group of subjects nr 150. Then he won the competition for Associate Professor for the group nr GO2C “Horticulture and Floriculture” and from the 1st of November 1992 he hold the chair of “Protected Crops” and taught the discipline at the Agriculture Faculty of Palermo University. From the 1st of September 2001 he won the competition for Full Professor at the Agriculture Faculty of Palermo University and continued to teach the discipline “Protected Crops” with the new academic position, substituted nowadays by “Management of cropping systems in greenhouses”.
He has been often active member of the Habilitation Examination Commission for the Agronomic profession and he is member of the Italian Horticulture Society, Floriculture section.
He participated sometimes as supervisor to numerous Workshops and Technical Refresher Courses relative to Physiology, Vegetal Biology, Agronomic Genetic, Nutrition, Management of soilless crops, eco friendly agronomic techniques at low environmental impact, generally regarding horticulture and floriculture species.
He visited several expositions relative to Agriculture sector and for research purposes he has been abroad (Spain, Holland, Finland, Turkey and Morocco).
From the academic year 1977-78 to the 1980-91 he performed practical lessons of Horticulture and Floriculture as CNR scholar both in the lecture hall and in the experimental fields of the Institute or of pioneering Private Farms.
From the academic year 1981-82 to the 1991-92 he performed supplementary teaching activity as researcher for the Ministry of Education for the courses of “Horticulture and Floriculture”. The teaching activity has been articulated in practical and theoretical lessons and seminars regarding mainly Horticulture and Floriculture, Biology, Pedo-climatic requirements, Crop Techniques of the most important horti and flower species (Tomato, Eggplant, Pepper, Strawberry, Broad Bean, Bean, Rose, Carnation, Gerbera etc.). Particularly he performed lessons on the most updated cultivation techniques of horti and flower species. Moreover he has been one of the teaching members of the Training and Specialization courses in Technical Assistance and Agriculture Popularization.
From the academic year 1992-93 to nowadays he performs with continuity practical and theoretical lessons integrated by excursions in the main areas of Sicily cultivated with protected crops.
From the academic year 2000-2001 to nowadays he is substitute teacher for the course of “Management for the cropping systems in greenhouses” part of the subject “Nutrition and management of crops”.
· “Management for the cropping systems in greenhouses” for the subject “Production crop techniques” for the degree course in Agro-Engineering.
· “Horticulture in open fields” for the subject “Management of Horticulture systems” of the degree course in Science of Production and Agriculture technologies.
He participated together with other researchers of SAGA (Agro-Environmental systems) Department to the following researches:
- Research on soil improvement obtained from a mixture of limestone fragmented together with organic matter and different minerals
- Improvement of vegetal productions for food and industrial purpose through generic interventions – Sub project nr. 4: grain legumes
- Production improvement of grain legumes
- Crop alternations in greenhouses
- Production techniques of garden and flower species
- Production and biological development of gladiolus and ranunculus propagation material within different pedo-climatic conditions in Sicily
- Physiology of bean production processes
- Strawberry Genetic Improvement in southern areas
- “Crop alternations under protective practices”
- Research Program “Retrieval and development of Sicilian horticulture germplasm” financed with Athenaeum Funds, Scientific responsible Prof. Giovanni Incalcaterra
- Research Program “Glassy propagation of Mediterranean species for the production of flower pots” financed with Athenaeum Funds, Scientific responsible Prof. Giovanni Iapichino
- Research Program “Propagation of different species of Sansevieria through traditional and glassy cultivation methods” financed with Athenaeum Funds, Scientific responsible Prof Ubaldo Amico Roxas
- Project “Effects of slow and controlled release formulated minerals on potted plants” financed by MiPAF (Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry) relative to the National Project “Development of floro-vivaistic productions in Southern areas” Scientific responsible Dr Ubaldo Amico Roxas
Responsible of National and International research groups
- “Study of agronomic techniques of horticulture species”
- CEE Project (European network for strawberry cultivar evaluation) Cost 836
- POM B03 Project “Improvement of extra-seasonal eco- friendly floristic productions”
- POM B30 Project “Technique and defence innovative lines at low environmental impact of Southern Strawberry cultivations”
Currently as scientific responsible conducts the following research projects:
- Program “Strawberry varietal lists” funded by MiPAF
- Program “Frumed – Sub project INNOVA” funded by MiPAF
- Research Program “Soilless Cultivations” funded by Athenaeum
- Project “Strawberry Nursery in Sicily” funded by Department of Agriculture and Forestry, IX Service for Development, Sicilian Region
- Inter-regional Program 2003 – C6 Project Horticulture sector for wild and common Strawberries” funded by Department of Agriculture and Forestry, IX Service for Development, Sicilian Region
- AZORT Project “Nitrogen Fertilization of vegetables” by Department of Agriculture and Forestry, IX Service for Development, Sicilian Region
- PRIN Project – “Conservative systems of open field horticulture in Sicily”
- SEMENTIERO Project - Department of Agriculture and Forestry, Sicilian Region
- Project “Innovation of Sicilian strawberry line – Fragolosa” mis 124 of PSR Sicily 2007/2013
The activity of Prof D’Anna is documented by about two hundred scientific papers relative to horticulture and floriculture problematic both in open and protected field.
He constituted nine strawberry cultivars:
- Clea, Egla and Teodora in 1994;
- Paros, Demetra and Rubea in 2003;
- Kilo, Nora and Palatina in 2008
and two bean cultivars:
