Nazareno Strampelli

Who was Nazareno Strampelli?

Nazareno Strampelli was an Italian agronomist and plant breeder. He was the forerunner of the so-called green revolution. N. Strampelli’s work allowed Italy to become almost self-sufficient in bread wheat production, going from an average yield of 1.0 t/ha at the beginning of the 19th century to about 1.5 t/ha in the 1930s.

After graduating in agriculture at the University of Pisa, he taught for a few years at the University of Camerino and in Reggio Calabria.

In 1900, while in Camerino, he started his research on the hybridization of wheat, although he was unaware of the concurrent work of Gregor Mendel. In 1903 he was chair of agriculture in Rieti, while there he continued to cross wheat varieties and within a few years developed new high-performing hybrid combinations. From 1907 he was in charge of the "Wheat experimental station".

His wheat breeding programs achieved the shortening of the growing phase and increasing of the disease tolerance through the reduction of the stem size. Strampelli's best performing varieties were named Gregorio Mendel, Luigia, Varrone, followed by small sized and high baking varieties such as Villagloria, Ardito, Mentana, Edda, Balilla and Fanfulla. In order to disseminate the results of his studies, he established a farmers' association in Rieti.