Routine chemical analysis
Analysis carried out routinely on seed and/or fruit are: protein, sugar, acids, amino-acids, lipids, plant hormones, chemical elements like C, H, N, S. The basic instrumentation includes: HPLCs and GCs, UV and visible spectrometers, Atomic adsorption spectrometer, 15N emission spectrometer, elemental analyzer, ICP.

Plant physiology & biochemistry
Routine analysis are performed in vivo and in vitro. On intact plants (cucumber, maize, oat, kiwifruit etc.) uptake and efflux of ions and nutrients like H+, NO3-, K+ and enzymatic activities such as FeIII-reductase, and chlorophyll content are measured . Plasma membrane-enriched fractions from root tissues are isolated using methods of differential centrifugation and sucrose gradients or two phase partitioning. Proteic content and enzymatic activities such as H+-ATPase, FeIII-reductase and PEP carboxylase are determined and measured on such fractions. Enzymatic activities involved in peach fruit metabolism are also studied. The basic instrumentation includes: Ultracentrifuge, EF apparatus, densitometer, flame spectrophotometer and UV-vis spectrophotometer.

Soil chemistry & biochemistry
The routine analyses performed in these labs include: Humification index, total organic carbon, soil clay content, biomass carbon, nitrogen, ninhydrin-N, P, soil ATP and soil CO2 evolution and N mineralization, substrate induced respiration. Extraction of different micronutrients and heavy metals and extraction of humic substances are also performed. Separation and chromatographic techniques like ultrafiltration and electrofocusing are employed normally in our labs. The instruments of these labs are: gas chromatographs, HPLC, organic carbon analyser, densitometer, flame spectrophotometer, IR spectrophotometer, ultracentifuge, electrofocusing apparatus, atomic absorption spectrophotometer and ß-counter.

Molecular biology
Molecular biology labs are physically separated in three areas dedicated to: (a) genome analysis, (b) gene cloning and expression, and (c) transformation. Genome analysis. In this area, molecular markers are isolated and assayed for genetic analysis, genome analysis and mapping, population genetics, fingerprinting. The basic instrumentation includes: PCRs, agarose and acrilammide EF apparatus, A.L.F. DNA automatic sequencer, hybridisation ovens, laminar-flow cabinets and Incubators for cloning. A room devoted to procedures requiring the use of radionucletides (labelled-P) equipped with PCR, sequencing gel EF apparatus and other is also available. Gene cloning and gene expression. Labs include facilities required for RNA and cDNA analysis: PCRs devoted to RNA, hybridisation oven, EF apparatus for both DNA/RNA and proteins. Transformation. Transformations via Agrobacterium and particle bombardment are currently carried out. Equipment includes: laminar-flow cabinets, particle gun, incubators and growth chambers, PCR and EF apparatus for both DNA and proteins.

Crop physiology & Ecology
The routine analyses performed in these labs are: sap flow and other measurements of plant water relations, non-destructive leaf chlorophyll content and gas-exchange, acetylene reduction as a tool to measure nodule nitrogen fixation, elemental C-N-S analyses in plant tissues, growth analysis of field crops, technological aspects of wheat flour quality, fatty acids composition in oilseed crops. In these labs the following instruments and equipments are used (some are also available for open field activity): sensors for the main meteorological and micro-meteorological parameters, laboratory and portable IRGA systems, chlorophyll meters, sap flow gauges, mass flow meters, dew point meters, NMR analyzer, dataloggers, growth bench, landfill gas analyzer, gel and capillary electrophoresis systems, GC and HPLC systems, Elemental Analyzer CHN.

GIS (Geographical Information System)
The topics of research in the GIS laboratory include: monitoring changes in alpine rangelands using aerial photographs and GIS; land use mapping with remote sensing; evaluation of the application of agro-environmental policies (Reg. 2078/92) in the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region; GIS applications for landscape analysis, particularily landscape change, landscape mapping, landscape assessment and landscape characterisation. The GIS Laboratory is part of CARTESIO, the interdepartmental centre of the University of Udine for research, education and training in Cartography, Remote Sensing and Geographical Information Systems (GIS).The main facilities of the laboratory are: Sun Sparc Station 10, 32 Mb RAM, 1Gb HD + 2 external Gb; PC Pentium, 64 Mb RAM, 4 Gb HD; PC Pentium, 32 Mb RAM, 4 Gb HD, PC Pentium, 32 Mb RAM, 2 Gb HD, Calcomp 9100 Digitizing table, Calcomp A3 digitizing tablette, A4 scanner, HP Paintjet XL300 printer, Calcomp 1023 pen plotter, CD-ROM writer, MO drives, Jaz and Zip drives. The GIS Lab has at its disposal some of the latest GIS software, including ESRI ArcView 3.1, MapInfo 3.0, IDRISI 2.0 and Grass4.1

Experimental farm
The "A. Servadei" experimental farm is located Udine South and is easily reached in 5' by car or 20' by bus or cycle.