Apple Browning: Double Award for FEM Researcher

Lorenzo Vittani, a young researcher at FEM working in the Fruit Tree Genetics and Breeding Unit, has recently received two major scientific awards for his PhD research conducted at the Agriculture, Food and Environment Center (C3A) of the University of Trento, focused on the phenomenon of superficial scald in apples — a postharvest physiological disorder that causes skin browning and can compromise product quality.

On April 14th in Bologna, during the opening ceremony of the 218th Academic Year, he was awarded a special mention "CAP4AgroInnovation", granted by the National Academy of Agriculture and Image Line as part of the Filippo Re Award, in recognition of a study published in the journal Frontiers in Plant Science.

On June 8th, Dr. Vittani received the Mario Bonsembiante Award 2025, promoted by the Venetian Institute of Sciences, Letters and Arts, which recognizes the best doctoral theses in the agri-food and nutrition sectors. The award ceremony took place during the Solemn Assembly marking the close of the Academic Year at the Ducal Palace in Venice.

The aim of this research is to provide the agricultural sector with practical solutions to improve the storage of fruit and vegetable products, thereby enhancing the quality and sustainability of food production.

Through an integrated approach based on genetic and metabolic analyses, the study on apple browning investigated the mechanisms behind the disorder and assessed the effectiveness of preventive strategies such as the use of 1-methylcyclopropene and controlled atmosphere storage with low oxygen levels.

The research was conducted on different apple varieties and under various storage conditions, with the goal of optimizing postharvest management and reducing losses in the fruit and vegetable sector.