Durum wheat: Italian research joins forces. Innovation and sustainability to strengthen the supply chain. Interview with Prof. Michele Pisante, University of Teramo

Italian public research on durum wheat is confirmed as a strategic asset for the sustainability and competitiveness of the agri-food supply chain. The conference “Italian Research for the Sustainability and Quality of the Durum Wheat Supply Chain,” held in Rome on February 12, represented an important moment of synthesis and dialogue between the scientific community and industry operators. It brought together universities, research institutions, and stakeholders to share the results of the PRIN 2020, PRIN 2022, and PRIN 2022 PNRR projects funded by the Ministry of University and Research.

We talked about it with Professor Michele Pisante, Agronomy and Crop Sciences Research and Education Center University of Teramo, one of the promoters and coordinators of the initiative.

Professor Pisante, what was the objective of your conference?

The initiative was launched with the aim of involving all coordinators of PRIN projects on durum wheat, bringing together diverse expertise - from genetics to agronomy, from physiology to crop protection. The response was very positive: we managed to bring together 13 projects, for a total of 28 research units, involving 11 universities, two CNR (Italian National Research Council) institutes, and one CREA (Council for Agricultural Research and Economics) center.

Over two years, these groups have produced knowledge highly relevant to the sector, and the event served as a moment of synthesis to present the results and, above all, their concrete impact, also involving stakeholders. The goal now is to build a stable network capable of ensuring continuity in durum wheat research and overcoming project fragmentation, positioning itself for longer-term national initiatives.

Durum wheat is a strategic crop for our country. What role can research play today in strengthening the competitiveness of the Italian cereal supply chain?

Research can play a role of “scientific diplomacy” along the supply chain, helping to enhance Italian durum wheat not as a mere commodity, but as a product characterized by quality, wholesomeness, and food safety.

Through tools such as satellite monitoring, we are now able to provide real-time information to farmers, supporting more efficient and sustainable decisions. At the same time, New Genomic Techniques (NGTs) could further strengthen our capacity for innovation, offering more sustainable solutions. However, achieving a real breakthrough also requires regulatory progress: research must help overcome ideological resistance by providing solid, replicable quantitative data.

What are the main challenges that research must address along the durum wheat supply chain today?

Durum wheat represents a strategic node for the country, but it also presents clear critical issues. One of the main ones is dependence on imports: over 40% of the wheat processed into semolina is imported. This is compounded by challenges related to climate change, new pathogens, and an increasingly stringent regulatory framework. Research is working to identify solutions capable of combining sustainability and productivity, creating the conditions to strengthen a supply chain that is increasingly competitive and rooted in the territory.

Digital technologies and precision agriculture are increasingly being integrated into crop management. What impact can they have on durum wheat production?

The impact of digital technologies is set to be transformative rather than incremental. Thanks to satellites and investments by the Italian and European Space Agencies, we can now continuously monitor crops and analyse data with machine learning algorithms, identifying variations within individual fields in real time. This makes it possible to support farmers’ and technicians’ decisions, intervening only when necessary and with more precise dosages, thus reducing costs and environmental impacts. The paradox is that, despite the excellence of Italian research, the adoption of these technologies is still limited. A true transition is needed, also at the institutional level: the tools exist, but they are not yet fully applied and are even less widely adopted.

NGTs are opening new perspectives in crop genetic improvement. What opportunities could they offer?

New genomic techniques represent an extraordinary opportunity for improving species of agricultural and food interest, starting with durum wheat. Today we work with advanced tools on “outdated” genetic material; being able to select new material would allow for a significant improvement in quality. NGTs make it possible to better understand and manage information at the cellular, plant, and cropping system levels, integrating it with digital technologies. Through phenotyping, we can more precisely identify when a plant needs nutrients or when biotic and abiotic stresses arise.

In this context, having a clear European regulatory framework is crucial. The current setup represents a limitation to research development and innovation: without the ability to fully use these technologies, the European agricultural system - and the Italian one in particular - risks losing competitiveness compared to other international contexts.