Paolo Barberi

Paolo Barberi is a Professor in Agronomy and Field Crops at the University of Tuscia, coordinating the Agroecology Group within the Institute of Life Sciences and the PhD Programme in Agrobiodiversity Research. His work focuses on optimizing organic/low-input cropping systems through functional agrobiodiversity, integrating genetic, species, and habitat diversity to enhance yield, soil quality, and agroecosystem services. He leads projects in Italy, Ethiopia, Madagascar, and Mali, emphasizing participatory research with farmers. Key areas include weed ecology, mycorrhizal interactions, and sustainability indicators in organic systems.

Education details are not explicitly provided in the text, but his roles imply advanced academic credentials in agronomy.

Research Interests: Functional agrobiodiversity in cropping systems, agroecological weed management, mycorrhizal-fungal interactions, and socio-economic sustainability of agroecology. He has pioneered studies on cover crop mixtures, weed functional traits databases, and long-term experiments like MASCOT and CIMAS.

Recent work emphasizes integrated weed management (mechanical/thermal methods), participatory agroforestry in sub-Saharan Africa, and bio-stimulants (vermicompost extracts). His projects address global challenges like urban sprawl impacts on farmland and climate-resilient farming.

Grants/Advising: Advises students on agroecology, cropping systems, and mycorrhizal research (students listed above). His work is funded through EU and national grants, though specific grant names aren’t listed.

Labs/Teams: Leads the Agroecology Group at the Institute of Life Sciences, collaborating with international teams in Africa and Europe on agroecological transitions.