Sara Lombardo

Fixed-term Assistant Professor (RTDB) of Agronomy and field crops [AGR/02]

Current Position:

Researcher (art. 24 c.3-a L. 240/10), within the AGR/02 ‘Agronomia e coltivazioni erbacee’ (‘Agronomy and herbaceous field crops’) scientific disciplinary sector, at the University of Catania (Italy) - Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment (Di3A)

Studies:

Master’s degree in Food Science and Technology, 110/110 cum laude, 10/15/2004, University of Catania (Italy). Thesis title: “Variazioni del contenuto in nitrati nei tuberi di patata precoce in rapporto alla concimazione azotata e al genotipo” (Variation of nitrate content in the ‘early’ potato tubers as affected by nitrogen fertilization and genotype), advisor: prof. G. Mauromicale.

PhD in ‘Productivity of cultivated plants’ curriculum “Biology of Mediterranean crops”, 04/24/2009, University of Catania (Italy). Thesis title: “Profili di qualità e destinazione d’uso dei capolini di carciofo” (Qualitative profiles and end-uses of globe artichoke heads), advisor: prof. G. Mauromicale.

Visiting Positions

In September 2007 visiting PhD student at the Section of “Plant Foodstuff Technology” of the “Institute of Food Science and Biotechnology”, University of Hohenheim (Stuttgart, Germany), where, under the guidance of Professor Reinhold Carle and his team, SL was able to further deepen the knowledge about the techniques of extraction and analysis of polyphenols.

Collaboration to Scientific Projects

  • PRIN “Profili qualitativi di patata e carciofo in ambiente tipico siciliano” (“Qualitative profiles of potato and globe artichoke in a typical Sicilian environment”), funded by Mi.P.A.F.;
  •  “Costituzione di varietà di patata adatte alle produzioni biologiche” (VAPABIO) (“Establishment of potato varieties suitable for organic production”), funded by Mi.P.A.F. - Convenzione di ricerca tra l’Istituto Sperimentale per le Colture Industriali del Consiglio per la Ricerca e la Sperimentazione in Agricoltura e il Dipartimento di Scienze Agronomiche Agrochimiche e delle Produzioni Animali;
  • “Produzione di biomassa per energia e di granella in nuovi genotipi di Cynara cardunculus L.” (“Production of biomass for energy and grain in new genotypes of Cynara cardunculus L.”) funded by University of Catania;
  •  “Modelli colturali e tecnologie innovative per il carciofo da industria” (MOTICI) (“Crop production models and innovative technologies for globe artichoke industry”), funded by Regione Siciliana;
  • “Valorizzazione del germoplasma di carciofo attraverso la costituzione varietale ed il risanamento da virus” (CAR-VARVI) (“Enhancement of globe artichoke germplasm through varietal constitution and virus recovery”), funded by Mi.U.R.;
  • “Costituzione e valutazione dell’adattabilità di genotipi di Cynara cardunculus L. per la produzione di biomassa e di biodiesel in ambiente mediterraneo (CYNERGIA)” (“Constitution and evaluation of the adaptability of Cynara cardunculus L. genotypes for the production of biomass and biodiesel in the Mediterranean environment”), funded by Mi.P.A.F.;
  • “Innovazione di processo e di prodotto per una cinaricoltura sostenibile” (“Process and product innovations for a sustainable globe artichoke production chain”), funded within P.S.R. Sicilia 2007-2013 Misura 124;
  • “Innovazioni bioagronomiche e fitopatologiche per il contenimento del virus della Tristeza e per il rinnovamento dell’agrumicoltura siciliana” (“Bio-agronomic and phytopathological innovations for the containment of the Tristeza virus and the renewal of Sicilian citrus cultivation”), funded by Regione Siciliana;
  • PON “Shelf-life - Utilizzo integrato di approcci tecnologici innovativi per migliorare la shelf-life e preservare le proprietà nutrizionali di prodotti agroalimentari” (“Shelf-life-Integrated use of innovative technological approaches to improve shelf-life and preserve the nutritional properties of food products”) funded by MiUR;
  • FIR “L’inerbimento con trifoglio sotterraneo nella gestione sostenibile di un agroecosistema mediterraneo” (“The grassing with underground clover in the sustainable management of a Mediterranean agro-ecosystem”), funded by University of Catania.

Awards

From 07/28/2017 honoured with the National Scientific Qualification (Abilitazione Scientifica Nazionale) as Associate Professor within the Competition Sector 07/B1 “Agronomia e sistemi colturali erbacei ed ortofloricoli”.

From 07/10/2020 honoured with the National Scientific Qualification (Abilitazione Scientifica Nazionale) as Full Professor within the Competition Sector 07/B1 “Agronomia e sistemi colturali erbacei ed ortofloricoli”.

Collaboration with other Institutions

  • Section of “Plant Foodstuff Technology” of the “Institute of Food Science and Biotechnology”, University of Hohenheim (Stuttgart, Germany)
  • School of Food Science and Nutrition, University of Leeds (Leeds, United Kingdom)
  • Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development (ENEA), Casaccia Research Center (Rome, Italy)
  • Laboratory of Bioresources, Integrative Biology and Valorisation - Higher Institute of Biotechnology of Monastir and Dentistry Faculty, University of Monastir (Monastir, Tunisia)
  • Di.Va.P.R.A. Plant Genetics and Breeding, University of Torino (Grugliasco, Italy)

Other information

Author of about 100 scientific publications on national and international journals. In particular, co-author of 81 WoS and/or Scopus works with the following current bibliometric indicators: h-index: 27 (Scopus), Citations: 2,042 (Scopus).

Last edit: 09/20/2023

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Yield and nutritional responses of different Mediterranean crops to environmental conditions

Effects of crop management (fertilization, irrigation, pest control, etc.) on the quality of Mediterranean crops, particularly globe artichoke and potato

Bioactive compounds in globe artichoke and cardoons

Possible alternative utilization of Cynara cardunculus L.

Effects of organic farming on food quality

Interaction between pre-harvest factors (genotype, fertilization regime, location, harvest time) and post-harvest treatments (ozone application, packaging, minimal processing) on quality of globe artichoke and potato