The European Union Directive 91/676/EEC, known as Nitrates Directive, has dictated basic agronomic principles regarding the use of animal manure source as well as livestock and waste waters from small food companies. The use of nitrification inhibitors together with animal effluents as organic fertilizers could be beneficial for nutrient recycling, plant productivity, and greenhouse gas emission and could offer economic advantages as alternative to conventional fertilizers especially in the Mediterranean region. The aim of the present study was to investigate differences in plant productivity between bovine effluent treatments with (or without) addition of a nitrification inhibitor (3,4 DMPP) in a short rotation woody crop system. Results of the field experiment carried out in a Mediterranean dry environment indicated that the proposed strategy could improve tree growth with indirect, beneficial effects for agroforestry systems. 1. Introduction Short rotation woody crops (SRWC) include fast growing species (e.g., poplar, willow, eucalyptus, and black locust) capable of producing large amounts of biomass for energy purpose in a relatively short time. Lake Albacutya provenance of Eucalyptus camaldulensis Dehnh is one of the best choices for SRWC in Mediterranean environments [1, 2]; however in low quality soils with dry periods the species is able to cover the soil but with low yields [3]. Some eucalypt clones have been selected as more productive than E. camaldulensis, and for two of these clones (Viglio and Velino) the European Union plant patent has been requested [3, 4]. Two cultivation models are suggested for eucalyptus SRWC in Italy: (i) 5,000–5,500 plants/ha？1 for 3-4 rotation cycles 2-3 years each and (ii) 1,100–1,600 plants/ha？1 for 2 rotation cycles instead of 5-6 age. Eucalyptus SRWC with rotation age of 2-3 years each requires higher amount of water and nutrients than conventional Eucalyptus crop. In Brazil SRWC Eucalyptus plantation 2.5 years of age (5,000–6,000 plants/ha？1 and 2/3 years of rotation age) is estimated to absorb in the vegetal tissues high amounts of N,P, K, and Ca from soil [5] three times higher than a conventional plantation (600 to 1,600？p？ha？1 and eight years of rotation age). Moreover water contribution was estimated to be four times higher [5]. In conventional E. globulus Labill. plantation in Spain and Brazil, the quantity of water to produce 1？kg of dry biomass is evaluated in 306 and 344 liters, respectively [3, 6]. The use of irrigation and fertilization to satisfy SRWC request is not feasible because it is usually
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