Severe Weather Event Impacts Parma Field Trial – Site Successfully Restored

On 14 June 2025, a tropical storm affected the Parma area, bringing intense wind, rain, and a highly localised hail event. The hail was particularly severe over the experimental tomato field established as part of the DeliSoil project, in collaboration with the local Living Lab partner, Azienda Stuard.

The field had recently been prepared for the start of a new trial, and the tomato plants were in their early growth stages. The storm caused extensive damage, with hail effectively destroying the young plants across the entire plot. The extent of the damage rendered the field unsuitable for continuing the trial in its then-current state.

Following consultation with experts from Azienda Stuard and the University of Parma, and in view of the limited remaining timeframe for completing a full crop cycle, the decision was made to urgently re-establish the field trial. This effort was carried out rapidly by the local DeliSoil team, with additional support from research colleagues and student volunteers. The field was reconstructed to match the original layout and specifications.

As a result of this collective effort, the site is now fully operational again. All planned activities and sampling for DeliSoil are expected to proceed as originally intended.

This incident highlights both the vulnerability of agricultural systems to extreme weather events, and the importance of collaborative, adaptive responses within research infrastructures. It further reinforces the relevance of DeliSoil project’s objectives in promoting sustainable soil management practices that are resilient to climate-related disruptions.