Damiano Zanotelli

Damiano Zanotelli serves as Professor at the Free University of Bozen-Bolzano's Faculty of Agricultural, Environmental and Food Sciences, where he conducts pioneering research on climate change adaptation in mountain agriculture. His work bridges fundamental plant science with practical solutions for sustainable food production in Alpine regions, with particular emphasis on water management and fruit tree resilience.

His research portfolio centers on:

• Physiological responses of apple and grapevines to heatwaves and drought stress
• Evapotranspiration dynamics and precision irrigation systems in mountain orchards
• Carbon sequestration mechanisms in vineyard and orchard ecosystems
• Soil-plant-atmosphere interactions under climate extremes
• Sustainable management of mountain crop ecosystems

Analysis of his 15 most recent publications (2023-2025) reveals a dominant focus on climate stressors, with 80% addressing water relations during heat events. His methodology combines isotopic tracing, multi-sensor monitoring, and computational modeling to develop practical irrigation strategies. A distinctive trend is the integration of physiological measurements (sap flow, chlorophyll fluorescence) with ecosystem-level carbon flux analysis, particularly in Italian Alpine vineyards and apple orchards.

No scientific awards were documented in the available materials. Professor Zanotelli teaches six courses across bachelor's, master's, and doctoral programs including Sustainable Management of the Mountain Environment and Statistical Methods for Agricultural Research. He leads an active research group focused on water management systems for apple cultivation, as highlighted in university news regarding efficient irrigation solutions for South Tyrolean apple production. His team employs field experiments, sensor networks, and modeling approaches to optimize water use while maintaining productivity under climate change.