Land Suitability Assessment For Linseed Introduction In Tuscany Based On A Cultivar-Specific Phenological Model

Crop diversification is one of the main strategies of agroecological transition, playing a key role in enhancing land resource utilization, reducing the agricultural inputs, alleviating biotic and abiotic stresses, and stabilizing yields and economic returns. At the same time, it is a key adaptive action in response to weather challenges. In this contest, linseed represents a possible alternative for Tuscany cropping systems as autumn-winter crop thanks to its ability to withstand low winter temperatures a few degrees below zero, even in the early stages of plant vegetative development. However, crop performances, in term of seed yield and quality, can be negatively affected by spring frost during the flowering stages, as well as by high temperatures and drought occurring from the early flowering stage to seed development, with adverse effects on flower fertility and seed filling (Cross et al., 2003). On the other hand, Tuscany region is characterised by a Mediterranean climate with a great interannual variability in weather conditions with frequent occurrences of spring frost, that usually takes place during April, and high temperatures and prolonged drought in the late spring. Furthermore, rainfall distribution and crop evapotranspiration are strongly affected by the orography of the region, as well as minimum and maximum temperatures are influenced not only by latitude, but also by altitude and distance from the sea. Finally, the different soil texture gradients determine, under the same weather conditions, a strong variability in crop responses due to their effect in the soil hydrological properties and, consequently, on the entire soil-water-crop system. So, within the "SIC-OLEAT - Crop Innovation Systems for Tuscany Oilseed Crops" project, funded by Tuscany Region (PSR 2014-2020), land suitability to linseed cultivation in Tuscany was evaluated, starting from the phenological observations directly recorded from the experimental trials carried out in 2 different locations (San Piero a Grado – Pisa province and Alberese – Grosseto province) for 2 consecutive growing seasons (2019 and 2020) comparing 5 linseed varieties and different sowing times.