Research Paper Developing integrated computer-based information systems for certified plant traceability: Case study of Italian citrus-plant nursery chain S.M.C. Porto, C. Arcidiacono*, G. Cascone University of Catania, Department of agri-food and environmental systems management, Building and Land Engineering Section, Via S. Sofia, 100 e 95123 Catania, Italy article info Article history: Received 10 November 2010 Received in revised form 22 February 2011 Accepted 24 February 2011 Published online 3 April 2011 Certified plant production process usually requires the handling of a number of sub- products deriving from various production centres located in different geographical sites. In this context, supply-chain traceability systems are suitable tools for controlling plant disease diffusion and they can be implemented by means of integrated computer-based information systems (ICBISs) which incorporate data from different production centres. This paper proposes a methodology for the design of ICBISs to implement supply-chain traceability procedures regarding certified plants for food, fresh fruit production, and agro- processing industries. The use of international standards and regulations, put forward by plant certification programs to develop the phase of ‘Requirements analysis and specifi- cations’, addresses the lack of standards application in certified plant traceability proce- dures. Conceptual and logical models are suggested to model information content and functions of the ICBIS. An innovative system architecture is developed to fulfil supply- chain traceability system requirements and specifications. The proposed methodology was applied to a case study of the Italian certified citrus-plant nursery chain. The results of this research could constitute guidelines for developing ICBISs for certified citrus-plant nursery chain traceability in other major producing countries. ª 2011 IAgrE. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. 1. Introduction In the current economic situation, in which trade global- isation has led to a wider and faster exchange of products than in the past, plant propagating materials (PPMs) are the primary contributor to the diffusion of plant diseases that are now widespread in fruit-growing areas. The production of healthy and high quality PPMs and plants, as well as the protection against exotic pests, are the main purposes of certification programs developed in several countries. Within such programs, the plant production process usually requires a number of sub-products to be handled. The production of each sub-product implies sub-processes that could be carried out in various production centres, usually located in different geographical sites. In this context, supply-chain traceability systems are suitable tools to control plant disease diffusion. However, such systems imply the management of a signifi- cant amount of multi-source data. At the farm level, farm information systems (FISs) allow breeders and growers to control and maintain production * Corresponding author. Tel.: þ39 0957147576/8; fax: þ39 0957147600/5. E-mail addresses: carcidi@unict.it, carcidia@gmail.com (C. Arcidiacono). Available at www.sciencedirect.com journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/issn/15375110 biosystems engineering 109 (2011) 120 e129 1537-5110/$ e see front matter ª 2011 IAgrE. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.biosystemseng.2011.02.008