Department: SAGA – Department of Agro-Environmental Systems, University of Palermo, Italy

Contact information: salvatore.labella@unipa.it

Tel : 0039 091 23862231

Current post:  University Researcher in the Department of Agro-Environmental Systems at the University of Palermo, Italy

B.SC -M.Sc. in Agricultural Sciences from the Department of Agriculture, General Agronomy and Herbaceous Crops with a special interest in industrial crops in hot-dry climates. (110/110 with honours, Italian University system) 1992-1997 - University of Palermo

Dissertation title: “New prospects for difficult hilly hinterland areas in Sicily. A quali-quantitative study of early high-oleic sunflower varieties”.

PhD in Productivity in cultivated plants, University of Sassari 2001   

Professional Agronomy exams, University of Palermo Jan 1998

Position confirmed as Researcher in the Department of Agro-Environmental Systems, University of Palermo (2011)

Awarded provisional post of Researcher in the Department of Agro-Environmental Systems, University of Palermo (2008-2011 SSD AGR/02)

Director of research at Corissia – Research centre for the Development of Agro-environmental Systems (2006 - 2008)

Teaching Assistant in Agronomy of Organic farming systems in the Department of Agronomy, University of Palermo (2003)

Teaching Assistant in General Agronomy, Herbaceous studies and Ecology in Agriculture in the Department of Agronomy, University of Palermo (2007)

Post-PhD researcher in the field of  “Biodiversity as a development opportunity. A study of Medicinal and Aromatic Species in Sicily” in the Department of Agronomy, Herbaceous Crops and Soil studies at the University of Palermo (2002-2006).

Category D technician (technical –scientific sector and data elaboration) in the Department of Agronomy, Herbaceous crops and Soil studies at the University of Palermo (2000-2001).

Lecturer in Territorial Agronomy and Constructed Wetlands in the Department of Agriculture in Palermo. (2010 to date)

Lecturer in Herbaceous cover and anti-erosion crops in the Department of Agriculture in Palermo (2009-2010)

Lecturer in Territorial Agronomy in the Department of Agriculture in Palermo. (2008-2010)

Lecturer in Agronomy of Organic farming systems

Professional Training Course ‘Mediterranean Gardens’ including an 8-hour secondment at CRESM (Centro di Ricerche Economiche e Sociali per il Meridione –Research Centre in Economic and Social Studies for the South of Italy) (2000)

IFTS ‘Expert in Plant production’ course in General Agronomy at the High School ‘Don Calogero di Vincenti’, Biascquino, Palermo (2007).

Scientific Activity and interests

Salvatore carries out his research activities within the Department of Agro-Environmental Systems at the University of Palermo, and the Research Centre for Agro-environmental Systems (CoRiSSIA). His studies include General Agronomy and Ecology in Agriculture with a special interest in biodiversity in Medicinal and Aromatic plants, forage crops, turfgrass studies and the quantitative and qualitative growth response of various agricultural crops to Southern Mediterranean, semi-arid climates. 

Salvatore La Bella has written over 60 papers which have been published in journals, and national and international conference papers; testimony of his research experience to date.

He is also working on a number of regional, national and international research projects and is a referee for several international journals.

His 5 most recent publications are:

1. LETO C., TUTTOLOMONDO T., LA BELLA S., BONSANGUE G., LICATA M., - 2011 – “BIO-agronomic and ENERGY potential of Carthamus tinctorius L. In the Mediterranean area”. 19th European Biomass Conference & Exhibition - Berlin, 6 - 10 June.
2. LETO C., TUTTOLOMONDO T., LA BELLA S., BONSANGUE G., LICATA M., - 2011 – “Bio-agronomic evaluation of Brassica carinata A. Braun. In a semi-arid area of Sicily ”. 19th European Biomass Conference & Exhibition - Berlin, 6 - 10 June.
3. TUTTOLOMONDO T., LA BELLA S., G. RUBERTO, VIRGA G., D’ANNA E. – 2011 – Comparative study of different populations of oregano (Origanum vulgare ssp. Hirtum (Link) Ietswaart) found in Sicily. First International Symposium on Medicinal, Aromatic and Nutraceutical Plants from Mountainous Areas (MAP – Mountain 2011). 6-9 july 2011 – Saas-Fee, Switzerland. Published by ISHS August 2012. Acta Horticulturae n. 955 pp. 119-123. ISSN 0567-7572, ISBN 978 90 6605 505 6.
4.  TUTTOLOMONDO T., LA BELLA S., LICATA M., VIRGA G., LETO C., SAIJA A., TROMBETTA D., TOMAINO A., SPECIALE A., NAPOLI E. M., SIRACUSA L., PASQUALE A., CURCURUTO G., RUBERTO G. - Biomolecular Characterization of Wild Sicilian Oregano: Phytochemical Screening of Essential Oils and Extracts – Evaluation of Their Antioxidant Activities. Chemistry & Biodiversity. IN PRESS.
5. LETO C., TUTTOLOMONDO T., LA BELLA S., LICATA M., Ethnobotanical study in the Madonie Regional Park (Central Sicily, Italy). Medicinal use of wild shrub and herbaceous plant species. Journal of Ethnopharmacology. IN PRESS.

Board of Directors of the Research Centre CoRiSSIA (Consorzio di Ricerca per lo Sviluppo di Sistemi Innovativi Agroambientali)

Member of SIA (Italian Agronomy Association) since 2002 

Vice-President of the Agrigento Friends of the Earth

Member of ISHS – International Society for Horticultural Sciences

Member of IDIMED – Istituto Dieta Mediterranea (Institute for the Mediterranean Diet)