The paper reconstructs the history, analysis activity and research perspective of the Istituto Bacologico of Padua (IT), one of the oldest institutions in Europe for silk analysis and research on silk worm rearing, and still among the active laboratories in the field.
It will, in particular, focus on the historical and economic context that led to the foundation of the Institute (relevance of North Italian silk economy, mid 19th century silk disease, creation of the “Istituto Bacologico di Gorizia in 1869, and, with the open support of the Minister of Agriculture, Industry and Commerce Luigi Luzzatti, of that of Padua (Reale Stazione Bacologica Sperimentale di Padova) in 1871. It will then highlight the development of the Institution under the guidance of Enrico Verson, already at the head of the Istituto Bacologico di Gorizia, as well as the transformation during the fascist period, marked by the opening of the new site of Brusegana. Finally, after having presented the work of the Istituto after the second world war – a period marked by the crisis of Italian silk industry – we will analyze present day evolutions, stressing the new relevance of the Institution for high quality, high level research on silk, above all thanks
to research on biotechnologies applied to silkworm rearing.
The paper is based on available scientific literature, as well as local newspapers and the publication of the Cassa di Risparmio di Padova e Rovigo, of the University of padovam, and of the CREA-API.