Within the framework of the VENUS Project, the Consortium has concluded its core task focused on the field experimentation of halophytic species at the pilot sites of Gesia (Cavarzere) and Zennare (Chioggia). The activities concentrated on the agricultural enhancement of areas characterized by extreme pedological and hydraulic fragility, with land subsidence reaching -4 meters below sea level.
In these contexts, progressive soil salinization—a phenomenon documented since the 1990s and exacerbated by the 2022 drought, when the salt wedge moved 18 km upstream—has necessitated rigorous testing of non-conventional crop resilience.
Methodology and Implementation The trial involved two plots of 4,000 and 8,000 sqm, formerly marginal lands used for the disposal of dredged sediments and bank mowing residues. The technical protocol included:
* Soil Preparation: A preliminary soybean cycle to stabilize the substrate.
* Transplanting Schedule: Two distinct phases, autumn (November 2024) and spring (May 2025), to evaluate plant response across different seasonal cycles.
* Botanical Selection: Five target species were tested: Salicornia, Atriplex, Beta Marittima, Salsola oppositifolia, and Suaeda Maritima.
To validate agronomic success in silty and saline soils, the halophytes were also tested alongside tomato crops, allowing the Consortium’s technical team to perform a direct comparison of productivity under osmotic stress.
Key Findings The collected data confirm the effectiveness of the planting density and the transplanting protocols. Almost all species demonstrated adaptation levels exceeding initial expectations. The only exception was Salicornia, which underperformed relative to targets:
preliminary analysis suggests this outcome is due to a soil salinity level that was paradoxically too low for the species’ specific ecological requirements.
These results validate the Consortium’s role in managing crop experimentation, providing the VENUS partnership with a robust dataset for future soil reclamation strategies within the Venetian lagoon basin.
