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-With the aim of evaluating the possibility of recycling industrial orange wastes as soil conditioners, a research was carried out to study the effects of different doses of this orange wastes on soil parameters, some growth parameters and production of durum wheat in a Mediterranean environment where the soils are generally poor in organic matter. Three doses were used in the first year; in the second year the same doses and the residual effects of the previous treatments were studied. Soil characteristics, crop growth and yield were determined. Conditioning positively influenced some parameters of the soil. The organic matter had only partly modified its own structure due to the decomposition process during the year after the conditioning. The processes of degradation of the organic matter were predominant as compared with the humification ones under the pedologic and climatic conditions of the trials (sandy soil and dry hot climate). Conditioning carried out with doses higher than the minimum had a depressive effect on the crop productivity due to the excessive vegetation vigour.industrial orange wastes / soil parameters / durum wheat / growth / yield

Nowadays agro-industrial waste induces increasing problems due to the high economic cost and heavy environmental impact of disposal. By contrast, its potential re-use as organic fertilizer could represent a sustainable approach to recycling nutrients and reintegrating organic matter into soil. Such recycling should be particularly beneficial in Mediterranean areas because there is a progressive loss of soil fertility. To assess the possible re-use of industrial citrus waste as organic fertilizer, a two-year research project was carried out to study the effects of dried orange waste on the growth and production of durum wheat (Triticum durum Desf.). Two dried orange waste doses of 4 and 8 kg/m 2 were compared with conventional mineral fertilization, of 80 kg/ha 2 of nitrogen, and with a control without fertilization in the first year. During the second year, the residual effects of the past year's fertilization and two-year application of the orange waste doses and mineral fertilization on duration of biological cycle, grain yield, leaf area index, above-ground biomass and crop growth rate were studied. Our results show that organic fertilization gave similar wheat yields to the mineral fertilization, averaging at 3.63 t/ha. Organic fertilization promoted crop growth much more than mineral fertilization, by up to +400%. However, at the highest dose repeated organic fertilization induced a severe depressive effect on crop establishment. It indeed gave the lowest values for leaf area index of 0.6, biomass of 222 g/m 2 dry weight and crop growth rate of 2.5 g m −2 d −1 at the heading stage, and a 50% decrease in wheat grain yield. In both years, the lowest dose of orange waste produced maximum agronomic efficiency. We conclude that an appropriate use of dried orange waste as fertilizer can partially solve environmental problems related to the citrus fruit processing industry, and represents a low cost organic matter source for Mediterranean soil with poor fertility. industrial orange waste / organic soil fertilizer / durum wheat / growth / yield

Field bean (<em>Vicia faba</em> L. var. <em>minor</em>) is one of the major leguminous crops cultivated in the world and mainly destined for animal feed. Although its seed is generally recognised as a good protein source, little is known about its mineral elements profile, which is an important aspect for a balanced animal diet. Therefore, the aim of the present work was to assess the seed mineral elements composition, along with some key production parameters, in eight field bean genotypes grown in a Mediterranean environment, without intensive management, over two years (2009/10 and 2010/11). Independently of the year, the seed of <em>Chiaro di Torre Lama</em> was the richest in phosphorus (P), magnesium, calcium and iron contents, while that of <em>Sint 6</em> and Motta Chiaro 69 were the most effective accumulators of potassium and zinc, respectively. While all the genotypes yielded better in the second year (with more rainfall), the seasonal effect on seed mineral elements composition depended on the genotype. Indeed, the P content was 46% lower in <em>Chiaro di Torre Lama</em>, <em>Motta Chiaro 69</em> and<em> Sint 6</em> in the second year, while there was only a negligible seasonal effect for <em>Sint 8</em> with respect to Fe content. Overall, this crop is reasonably productive under a low management regime and its seed can supply significant amounts of certain minerals (particularly P) in feed formulations. Both aspects are important in a perspective of optimising field bean production in the Mediterranean area and, hence, improving farmers’ income.