Daniela Maura Maria Romano

Curriculum Daniela Romano (3 November 2022)

Scientific formation

• 1983 M.S. in Agricultural Sciences at Catania University.
• 1990 PhD certificate in “Crop Productivity”

Employment

• Full professor in Vegetable and Flower crops (AGR/04) at Catania University, Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment (from March 2022).
• Associate professor in Vegetable and Flower crops (AGR/04) at Catania University (2001-2022).
• Researcher, Assistant Professor at Vegetable and Flower Crop Institute of Catania University (1992-2001).

Teaching and tutoring activity

• Lecturer from 1992 until today of about 70 courses related to Vegetable and flower crops (vegetable crops, floriculture, ornamental landscape, etc.)
• Currently she is lecturer of Vegetable and flower crops (master degree) and Landscape horticulture (degree).
• Lecturer in International Master in “Landscape Designing and Environmental Planning in the Mediterranean Area”, Scuola Superiore Catania (from 2006 to 2009), Master in “Progettazione del paesaggio e delle aree verdi” (Turin University) and in “Progettazione del Paesaggio” (Milan University).
• She was tutor of 5 PhD thesis, about 150 master thesis and over 220 degree thesis.

Academic organizational activities:

• Deputy director of Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment (November 2018 until October 2022)
• President of master course in Agricultural Science (2014- 2018).
• Coordinator of PhD on Crop Productivity in Mediterranean area from 2012 to 2016 and of PhD on Crop Productivity Catania University (from 2008 to 2011).
• Member of the international Ph.D. Board on “Agricultural, Food and Environmental Science” Catania University (2013-2016 and from 2019 until today).
• Member of the Ph.D. Board on Crop Productivity Catania University (2001-2007).
• Member, from 2006 to 2009, of the Organizing Committee of the 2^nd level international master in Landscape design and environmental planning in the Mediterranean area, organized by the Scuola Superiore Catania.

Other institutional positions:

• Member for Italian universities of Tavolo tecnico del Settore Florovivaistico of Ministero delle Politiche Agricole Alimentari e Forestali (MiPAAF) (2012 until today). Member of Steering Committee and Research Commission.
• Member of Tavolo tecnico delle piante officinali of MiPAAF (2018 until today).

Participation of selection boards:

• National member of PhD committee: Turin University (Scienze Agrarie, Forestali ed Agroalimentari”, XXXII cycle, 2020); Sassari University (Scienze Agrarie, curriculum Produttività delle piante coltivate, XIX cycle, 2017); Palermo University (Agronomia Ambientale, XVIII ciclo, 2009); Viterbo University (Ortoflorofrutticoltura, XVIII cycle, 2006); Turin University (Scienze agrarie, forestali e agroalimentari, XVI and XVII cycles, 2005); Bari University (Studio e progettazione del paesaggio”, XVI cycle, 2004 and XIV cycle, 2002).
• Evaluation of the PhD thesis of Crop Science (XXIX cycle Padua University) and Scienze Agrarie, Forestali ed Agroalimentari” (XXXII cycle Turin University).
• Evaluation of research projects for MIUR (2009-2013).

Participation to research project

As a Principal investigator of the all project (Co) or research unit (P.I.)

• PSR Sicilia 2014-2020, Mis. 16.2 LightFlower (Co)
• PSR Sicilia 2014-2020, Mis. 16.1 “Produzione di aromi naturali per la conservazione degli alimenti (A.NA.CO.AL) (Co)
• PON 01_01611 Project “Sostenibilità della produzione di piante in vaso in ambiente mediterraneo” (SO.PRO.ME) (2011-2015) (Co).
• MIPAAF Project “Qualità dei prodotti ornamentali per l’impiego e la stesura di linee guida nella progettazione del verde in ambito urbano ed extraurbano” (QUA.PRO.VER) (2011-2014) (Co).
• PRIN 2009 “Aspetti molecolari, fisiologici e morfologici della risposta di ornamentali a risorse idriche sub-ottimali e stress ionico” (2011-2013) (P.I.)
• PRIN 2007 “Fisiologia post-produzione di ornamentali e tecnologie per il controllo della qualità” (2008-2010) (P.I.)
• PRIN 2005 “Aspetti fisiologici, ambientali e tecnologici della qualità post-produzione di ornamentali” (2006-2008) (P.I.)
• PRIN 2003 “Fisiologia della produzione e tecnologie di programmazione di specie floricole e ornamentali” (2003-2005) (P.I.)
• Interregional program “Recupero e valorizzazione del patrimonio autoctono e naturalizzato: innovazione di prodotto in floricoltura” (RevFlor) (2006-2009) (P.I.)
• MIPAAF Project “Individuazione di tecniche di produzione, di conservazione e commercializzazione finalizzate alla riduzione dell’impatto ambientale e all’ottimizzazione merceologica del prodotto (FLORPRO) (2006-2010) (P.I.)
• MIPAAF Project “Valorizzazione delle produzioni florovivaistiche del meridione (PROFLOMER) (2005-2009) (P.I.)
• MIPA Project “Prodotti e tecnologie innovative su piante ornamentali con particolare riferimento alle aree del meridione” (1997-2003) (P.I.)
• POM B03 – “Miglioramento delle produzioni floricole extrastagionali nel rispetto dell’ambiente”. POM, 94-99 (1999-2001) (P.I.)
• POP, 94-99 “Valorizzazione del germoplasma ortofloricolo siciliano e qualificazione del materiale di propagazione”. (1999-2001) (P.I.)
• Responsible (P.I.) from 1997 to 2005 of 4 research projects of Catania University.

As participant

• Breeding for Resilient, Efficient and Sustainable Organic Vegetable production (BRESOV) Horizon 2020.
• “Salvaguardia e valorizzazione di germoplasma di specie vegetali di interesse agrario a rischio di erosione genetica in Sicilia” Regione Sicilia (2013-2016).
• Raccolta, caratterizzazione e propagazione di germoplasma di specie erbacee, arboree, ortive e floricole di interesse agrario a rischio di erosione genetica nel territorio della Regione siciliana” Regione Sicilia (2013-2016).
• Programma FEOGA Obiettivo 1) “Definizione di standard di qualità relativi a materiali di propagazione di specie ortofloricole siciliane”.
• Qualificazione dell’orticoltura delle aree interne con specie nuove e tradizionali anche in funzione di destinazione dei prodotti diversa dal consumo fresco (Legge Regione Siciliana 26/88 art. 13).
• Valorizzazione di specie della flora siciliana a fini ornamentali – Regione Sicilia (D.A. n 184 del 22/4/1997).
• Optimisation of out-of-season cropping in mild winter greenhouse by crop diversification, quality improvement and better use of production means (EES Research Project 8001-CT90-0015).
• Introducing of promising native ornamental specie to the European market, adapted to low water availability and saline concentration (Contract AIR-PL93-2472).
• Risposta di specie e varietà alle condizioni ambientali della serra in clima mediterraneo (CNR-RAISA Sottoprogetto 2).
• Applicazioni di tecnologie innovative per il miglioramento dell’orticoltura meridionale P.O. “Ricerca, Sviluppo Tecnologico ed Alta Formazione” 94-99 del CNR-MURST.
• Analisi ecofisiologica per l’introduzione e l’adattamento alla coltura in contenitore di nuove specie ornamentali (MURST 40%).
• Mappature dei metalli pesanti nella zona urbana (POP Sicilia 1990-93).

Research activities funded from private companies

• ICL Specialty Fertilizers Convention, Netherlands, for carrying out field tests (2017).
• Convention with Parco Scientifico e Tecnologico della Sicilia for the project HERODOT INTERREG III B Archimed 2000-2006.
• Convention with Regione Siciliana “L’innovazione colturale nelle piante “mediterranee” coltivate in vaso” (2003-2006).

Scientific Association:

• International Society for Horticultural Science, of which she is chair of Landscape Horticulture workgroup.
• Italian Society of Horticulture (SOI), member of the board of directions (2011-2016) and president of Vegetable and flower section (2016-2019).
• Italian Society for Agronomy.
• Accademia dei Georgofili.

Scientific organizational activities:

• Convener of ISHS VIII International Conference on Landscape and Urban Horticulture, Catania (2021).
• Convener of XIII Giornate Scientifiche SOI, Catania (2021).
• Scientific Committee, Editorial Board and Organizing Committee ISHS “Greener Cities for More Efficient Ecosystem Services in a Climate Changing World”, Bologna (2017).
• Scientific Committee XI Giornate Scientifiche SOI, Bolzano (2016).
• Organizing Committee of ISHS “6^th International Symposium on Brassica” e “18^th Crucifer Genetic Workshop”, Catania (2012).
• Editorial Board and Scientific Committee ISHS “Second International Conference on Landscape and Urban Horticulture”, Bologna (2009).
• Organizing Committee VII Convegno Nazionale Biodiversità, Catania (2005).
• Scientific Committee VII Giornate Scientifiche SOI, Napoli (2004).
• Organizing Committee VI International Symposium ISHS “Protected cultivation in mild winter climate”, Ragusa (2002).

Editorial Activities

Member of Editorial Board of Agronomy

Guest Editor Special Issue: Agronomy “Effects of Abiotic Stresses and Their Control on Quality of Horticultural Products”, International Journal of Molecular Sciences “Molecular Aspects of Plant Salinity Stress and Tolerance”, Editor Research Topic Frontiers in Plant Science on “Edible Flowers: Understanding the Effect of Genotype, Preharvest, and Postharvest on Quality, Safety, and Consumption”.

Associate Editor of Frontiers in Floriculture and Landscapes.

Guest Associate Editor of Frontiers in Crop and Product Physiology.

Review Editor of Frontiers in Plant Breeding e Olericulture.

Review Editor of Frontiers in Plant Science (Crop Science and Horticulture).

Member of Scientific Committee of “Collana Università e Formazione”, Edagricole.

Referee for several journals (Acta Horticulturae, Acta Physiologia Plantarum, Advances in Agriculture, African Journal of Biotechnology, African Journal of Plant Science, Agronomy, Arboriculture & Urban Forestry, Australian Journal of Crop Science, Canadian Journal of Plant Science, Ecological Engineering, Environmental and Experimental Botany, Euphytica, Frontiers, HortScience, Italus Hortus, Journal of Agricultural Science and Technology, Land degradation & development, Notulae Botanicae Horti Agrobotanici Cluj-Napoca, Photosynthetica, Plants, The Scientific World Journal, Urban forestry & Urban Greening.).

Research activity

The research activity on vegetable and flower crops is focused on: cultivation techniques and technology; plant-environment interactions; product and process innovation; vegetable and floriculture nursery; biodiversity; functional characteristics of ornamental plants; characteristics of urban green areas. She is author and co-author of more than 270 scientific publications and communications in international and national Symposia related to the areas of competence (Orchid ID = 0000-0002-4810-2124). In ISI/Scopus (ID 35369225300) are presented 66 papers with 927 total citations; HI = 18 (accessed 3 November 2022).

Last edit: 06/30/2023