Chemical-physical and nutritional characteristics of mature-green and mature-ripe ‘Kensington Pride’ mango fruit cultivated in Mediterranean area during cold storage
Introduction - Mango is a very short postharvest life climacteric fruit. Mangoes are usually harvested firm and green because they are often assigned to long transportation before reaching the market, or they are collected after color break for local markets. In both cases, temperature control is the most critical factor in fruit ripening management. The aim of this study was to investigate the quality evolution of mature-green and mature-ripe mango fruit submitted to 8°C and 90 ± 5% of relative humidity to assess the possibility to prolong its postharvest life. Materials and methods - The fruit of mango (Mangifera indica L. cv. Kensington Pride) grown in a Mediterranean environment was s…
Rilassometria in fase solida di tessuti di una solanacea affine a melanzana a differenti frequenze di Larmor protoniche
Degradazione di pesticidi organofosforici in matrici ambientali
Matrici quali acqua, suolo ed aria sono costantemente soggette a forti pressioni antropiche. I pesticidi pur avendo apportato grandi benefici alle attività agricole influiscono negativamente sugli equilibri degli ecosistemi. Circa 85-90% dei principi attivi applicati in agricoltura non raggiunge gli organismi a cui sono destinati, ma viene disperso nell’ambiente. In tale contesto l’individuazione di microrganismi deputati alla loro degradazione diventa un importante mezzo per la salvaguardia ambientale e della salute umana. Lo scopo del presente lavoro è stato quello di isolare batteri del suolo capaci di degradare composti organofosforici, i quali rivestono una notevole importanza nelle pr…
Elementi di chimica del suolo
Il suolo non è solo il substrato sul quale poggiano i nostri piedi ma è anche la sede di tutto un mondo, dalle piante agli animali, ai microrganismi che vi trovano nutrimento, ambiente accogliente, in poche parole condizioni di vita. Inoltre essendo a contatto diretto con l’atmosfera, reagisce e interagisce con essa in una serie di processi fisici e chimici capaci di modificarlo profondamente. Il suolo è un essere vivente e come tale soggiace a cambiamenti che, in armonia con le leggi naturali della fisica, della chimica e della biologia, e sotto la costante pressione antropica, lo indirizzano in una evoluzione inesorabile ed in alcuni casi irreversibile. Una caratteristica che salta agli o…
The distribution of Rare Earth Elements discriminates the growth substrate of Vitis vinifera L.
Sustainable agricultural, food-related strategies and geographic traceability require understanding of the plant physiological response to stress potentially generated by contaminated soils. Here, we have investigated the effect of contaminated substrate on growth of Vitis vinifera L. plants analysing the distribution of full Rare Earth Elements (REE) spectra in different parts of the plant. Experiments were carried out using pristine plants growing in a handmade substrate (blank experiment) and in REE artificially-enriched soil (spiked experiment). Our results show that both plant mass and REE amount in leaves are not influenced by the substrate enrichment while roots are by one-order of m…
Challenges and opportunities for citrus wastewater management and valorisation: A review.
Citrus wastewaters (CWWs) are by-products of the citrus fruit transformation process. Currently, more than 700 million of m³ of CWWs per year are produced worldwide. Until nowadays, the management of CWWs is based on a take-make-use-dispose model. Indeed, after being produced within a citrus processing industry, CWWs are subjected to treatment and then discharged into the environment. Now, the European Union is pushing towards a take-make-use-reuse management model, which suggests to provide for the minimization of residual pollutants simultaneously with their exploitation through a biorefinery concept. Indeed, the recovery of energy nutrients and other value-added products held by CWWs may…
Influenza della diversa gestione di due cover crops sui bioindicatori della qualità di un suolo a vigneto
Effects of Tray-Drying on the Physicochemical, Microbiological, Proximate, and Sensory Properties of White- and Red-Fleshed Loquat (Eriobotrya Japonica Lindl.) Fruit
Loquat fruits, highly valued by consumers for their characteristic aroma and pleasant taste, have a short post-harvest life and are susceptible to mechanical damage, loss of firmness, and initial organoleptic characteristics. The aim of this work was to develop a drying method suitable for storing loquat fruits in polyamide/polyethylene (PA/PE) bags containing two gaseous mixtures (treatments): MAPN2 (100% N2) and MAPP (21% O2 and 0.04% CO2), at room temperature (20 ± 1 °C) for at least 2 months. The effects of these conditions on the physico-chemical, microbiological, proximate, and sensory properties of fruit stored over a 50-day time interval were studied. The results showed that convect…
SHORT-TERM RESPONSE OF SOIL MICROORGANISMS TO ESSENTIAL OILS WITH ALLELOPATHIC POTENTIAL EXTRACTED FROM MEDITERRANEAN PLANTS
Essential oils (EOs) with allelopathic compounds have been used to reduce or avoid weed germination and growth. The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential phytotoxic effects of EOs extracted from different Mediterranean plants on soil microbial biomass and activity. EOs were extracted from leaves of Eucalyptus camaldulensis Dehnh (EUC); Eriocephalus africanus L. (ERI); Thymus capitatus (L.) Hoffmanns. & Link (TCP); Citrus reticulata Blanco var. ‘Clemenules’ (TAN) and Citrus limon (L.) Osbeck var. ‘Eureka’ (LEM). Each EO was supplied to pots containing 560 g of soil at three different doses (low, medium, high). After 15, 30, 90, 120 days the supply of EOs, soils were destructively a…
Rivalutazione degli Idrolati dell’industria agrumaria siciliana.
Gli idrolati, o acque aromatiche, sono i prodotti dell'idrodistillazione di specie aromatiche. Possono essere ottenuti dall'intera pianta o parti di essa, allo stato fresco o in buona conservazione come fiori o, nel nostro caso, dai frutti del Genere Citrus. Le sue proprietà sono utilizzate nella produzione di alimenti, cosmetici e profumi, o in farmacia e aromaterapia. Essi sono comunemente considerati un sottoprodotto degli oli essenziali, ma in realtà, data la diversa composizione e la conseguente maggiore delicatezza, hanno un loro apprezzabile utilizzo, legato comunque al mantenimento delle proprietà delle piante da cui derivano. La produzione degli oli essenziali nell'industria agruma…
Effect of rootstock on trunk growth and foliar mineral content in cv. Bianca pistachio (Pistacia vera L.) trees
Trunk cross-sectional area (TCSA) and mineral content were recorded for 4 years in the major Sicilian pistachio cultivar, Bianca, budded in 1991 onto eight in v/fro-propagated clonal rootstocks (Pistacia atlantica and P. integerrima) and one seedling rootstock (P. terebinthus). The trees were grown using standard cultural practices for Sicilian dry-land farming in a fine sandy soil, located inland in Sicily (20 km SW of Palermo, 350 m a.s.l.). From nine trees per rootstock, samples of 10 leaflets from the mid-section of current year shoots were taken yearly in August and analyzed for the main plant mineral elements (N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu and B). The TCSA was measured at the end of…
Processi di trasporto di particelle solide e nutrienti in bacini forestali
Interrelazioni quali-quantitative tra descrittori fisici, chimici e biochimici di un pedon, prima e dopo il disturbo antropico
La descrizione dei suoli può iniziare col telerilevamento; proseguire con il riconoscimento dell'elemento territoriale e continuare con la determinazione delle caratteristiche chimico-fisiche del terreno, che sono un insieme di analisi, definite di base, necessarie e (supposte) sufficienti ad identificare le caratteristiche fondamentali del suolo. Con le attuali tecniche analitiche sono oggi disponibili descrittori più fini quali contenuto di metalli in traccia e caratteristiche biochimiche. Nel nostro caso-studio, la sensibilità di risposta al disturbo antropico ordina le classi di descrittori nel senso terre rare < metalli < indicatori chimici < indicatori biochimici. I descrittori pedolo…
Bioindicators and nutrient availability through whole soil profile under orange groves after long-term different organic fertilizations
We investigated long-term (18 years) effects of three organic (cow manure (CM), poultry manure (PM), compost from agro-industry orange wastes (OW)) and one inorganic fertilization (IF) on various soil biological indicators (microbial biomass C, soil respiration, total phospholipid fatty acids (PLFAs), total bacteria, Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria and fungi) and nutrient contents (total and extractable organic C, total and mineral N, available P and K) along the profile of a Typic Haplustept under orange Mediterranean orchards. All fertilizers were added on the same N content basis (190 kg N ha−1 per year). Variables related to carbon cycling gradually worsened with depth, regardl…
DINAMICA DEI NITRATI E MINERALIZZAZIONE DEL CARBONIO IN UN SUOLO A VIGNETO IN AMBIENTE SEMIARIDO
La gestione agronomica del vigneto in ambiente semiarido è spesso caratterizzata sia dalle frequenti lavorazioni del suolo che dall’apporto di fertilizzanti inorganici, in particolare azotati. Tale gestione, congiuntamente alle caratteristiche pedo-climatiche tipiche dell’ambiente semiarido, causa spesso un depauperamento del contenuto in sostanza organica del suolo e, dall’altro lato, incrementa il rischio di dilavamento di nitrati dal suolo. Al fine di controbilanciare tali effetti indesiderati, sono state introdotte nella gestione del suolo a vigneto tecniche di agricoltura conservativa, quali l’introduzione delle cover crops e l’interramento, previa trinciatura, dei residui di potatura,…
Biomassa, attività e struttura della comunità microbica in un suolo di ambiente semiarido sotto diverse essenze forestali
Solanum aethiopicum gr. gilo and Its Interspecific Hybrid with S. melongena as Alternative Rootstocks for Eggplant: Effects on Vigor, Yield, and Fruit Physicochemical Properties of Cultivar 'Scarlatti'
Grafting is generally considered effective in ameliorating vegetable crop tolerance to biotic and abiotic stresses. The use of interspecific hybrid as rootstock for eggplant may represent a valid alternative approach to enhance eggplant performance. However, studies on the effects of different rootstocks on eggplant plant vigor, yield, and fruit quality traits often show conflicting results. Thus, an experiment was performed in two spring&ndash
CHARACTERIZATION OF LEAF ESSENTIAL OIL COMPOSITION OF HOMOZYGOUS AND HETEROZYGOUS Citrus clementina HORT. EX TAN. AND OF ITS ANCESTORS
Attitudine alla trasformazione dei prodotti agricoli
Seasonal variations of antimicrobial activity and chemical composition of essential oils extracted from three Citrus limon L. Burm. cultivars
In order to investigate the seasonal variations of antimicrobial properties and chemical composition of essential oils (EOs), three different cultivars of Citrus limon L. Burm. spp. (Femminello Santa Teresa, Monachello and Femminello Continella) were collected at 6-week intervals, from December 2012 to April 2013, for a total of four harvests. The EOs were extracted from lemon peel by hydro-distillation. The antimicrobial activity, tested by paper disc diffusion method, was evaluated against common food-related pathogenic bacteria (Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella enterica and Enterobacter spp.). EOs were more effective against Gram-positive than Gram-negative bacte…
Biodegradazione di miscele di gasolio in suoli contaminati
Il biorisanamento mediante l’utilizzo di microrganismi ha un ruolo fondamentale nelle pratiche di trasformazione di molecole potenzialmente tossiche quali gli idrocarburi, che quotidianamente vengono riversati negli ecosistemi provocando fenomeni di antropizzazione in equilibri naturali particolarmente sensibili. Numerosi ceppi batterici sono abili degradatori e mineralizzatori di sostanze inquinanti xenobiotiche di sintesi e recalcitranti non esistenti in natura, quali i derivati di idrocarburi aromatici e policlorobifenili (PCB). Mediante colture su mezzo minerale Bushnell-Haas agarizzato (BH) in presenza di una miscela di idrocarburi come unica fonte di carbonio sono stati isolati 5 cepp…
Soil profile dismantlement by land levelling and deep tillage damages soil functioning but not quality
We investigated the effects of land levelling followed by deep tillage, thus inducing a drastic dismantlement of soil profile, on both soil functioning and quality by monitoring various bioindicators (microbial biomass and community structure, basal respiration, enzyme activities) expressed on either whole soil and TOC mass units, respectively. As expected, in disturbed soils all measured properties had much higher coefficients of variation (CVs), regardless of either whole soil or TOC mass basis, due to the induced spatial variability. The amount of total organic C in the first cubic meter of soil profile was of one order of magnitude greater in undisturbed soils compared to disturbed ones…
Soil microbial biomass responses to essential oils extracted from different Mediterranean herbs
Essential oils (EOs) extracted form herbs contain terpenes, terpenoids and polyphenols which show inhibitory effects on seed germination and seedling growth of weeds. Therefore, EOs are potential sources for the development of new bioherbicides. A previous study carried out by the authors has found EOs extracted from Thymbra capitata (L.) Cav., Mentha x piperita L., and Santolina chamaecyparissus L. were able to reduce the emergence and seedling growth of many weeds. However, due to their potential antimicrobial activity, EOs could affect all soil processes mediated by microorganisms. Since EOs impacts seem to be rather complex as they have been found not only to inhibit but also stimulate …
Avocado “born in Sicily”, gli agricoltori scommettono su questa produzione
In questo lavoro è stato possibile mettere a confronto la qualità dei frutti di avocado Born in Sicily e di quelli Imported. I risultati ottenuti evidenziano per i frutti raccolti in Sicilia valori più elevati del contenuto di sostanza grassa, di alcune vitamine e minerali rispetto a quelli importati, indicando nell’avocado isolano un frutto ricco di componenti dall’alto valore nutrizionale.
RICERCHE SULLA VARIAZIONE DELLA FRAZIONE VOLATILE IN FOGLIE DI 14 CULTIVAR DI OLIVO IN RELAZIONE ALL’EPOCA DI PRELIEVO
FERTILITY DECLINE IN AN ANTRHROPOGENIC SOIL Subjected since many years to intensive viticulture.
The nutritional composition of selected wild edible mushrooms from Sicily (southern Italy)
The wide consumption of wild fungi by the local population is the basis for an evaluation of the as yet unknown nutritional composition of some selected species. Wild edible mushrooms (Fistulina hepatica, Infundibulicybe geotropa, Laetiporus sulphureus, Macrolepiota procera var. procera and Suillus granulatus) were collected in a number of Sicilian (southern Italian) forest ecosystems and analysed according to standard methodologies of fungal analysis, for their basic composition (ash, water, protein, fat, carbohydrate and vitamin). The results showed that the investigated mushrooms could be suggested as a source of nutritional elements for the human diet.
Influence of Citrus Essential Oils on the Microbiological, Physicochemical and Antioxidant Properties of Primosale Cheese
The aim of this study was to produce a fresh ovine pressed cheese within Pecorino “Primosale” typology with the addition of citrus essential oils (EOs). For this purpose, ewe’s pasteurized milk was added with EOs from the peel of lemons, oranges and tangerines. Seven cheese productions were performed at the pilot plant scale level, including one control production (CP) without the addition of EOs and six experimental productions obtained by the addition of two EO concentrations (100 and 200 µL/L) to milk. The acidification process was obtained by means of the starter cultures Lactococcus lactis CAG4 and PON36. All cheeses showed levels of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) a…
Inhibition of foodborne pathogen bacteria by essential oils extracted from citrus fruits cultivated in Sicily
Abstract The antagonistic activity of the essential oils (EOs) extracted by hydrodistillation from the fruit peel of several citrus genotypes (pummelo, grapefruit, orange, kumquat, mandarin and lemon) was evaluated against foodborne pathogen bacteria (43 strains of Listeria monocytogenes , 35 strains of Staphylococcus aureus and 14 strains of Salmonella enterica ). Five commercial EOs were used for comparison. Most of the EOs were more effective against the Gram-positive bacteria rather than Salmonella . EOs of lemon genotypes 14 and 15 showed the best results in terms of number of strains inhibited and width of the inhibition zone. The most susceptible strain of each species ( L. monocytog…
CPMAS 13C NMR Characterization of Leaves and Litters from the Reafforestated Area of Mustigarufi in Sicily (Italy)
Reafforestation is generally based on the planting of exotic fast growing tree species suitable for adapting to even harsh environments. Once the introduced plants ameliorate soil conditions, they can be progressively replaced by au- tochthonous plant species. Reafforestation is applied worldwide. However, only few studies on the effect of reafforesta- tion on lands from Mediterranean regions are available. This paper reports the characterization by cross polarization 13C NMR spectroscopy of fresh leaves and superficial litters from a reafforestated area in central Sicily (Italy). NMR assign- ment is attempted. A differentiation among the molecular systems within leaves and litters is also …
The oil composition of homozygous and heterozygous plants of Citrus clementina Hort. ex Tan.".
Nespole disidratate: un nuovo prodotto creato a partire da frutti di scarto
La disidratazione delle nespole, sia a polpa gialla che a polpa bianca, rappresenta un metodo innovativo per prolungare la shelf-life dei frutti e per poter reinventare un prodotto che altrimenti verrebbe individuato come scarto alimentare. Anche se alcuni parametri, come il colore e la consistenza, hanno subito un cambiamento, rimangono comunque apprezzati a livello sensoriale. Tra tutti i trattamenti le nespole disidratate a polpa bianca della cv Claudia hanno mostrato una migliore evoluzione dei parametri qualitativi e la tecnica di packaging in MAP non ne ha influenzato l’evoluzione dei parametri. In definitiva, tramite una semplice trasformazione, come la disidratazione in corrente di …
Assessing of bio-indicators and heavy metals in soils of Lampedusa for level background proposal
Green coffee, bioactive compounds’ analysis of experimental cultivation in Sicily: a new frontier in the Sicilian food sector
Recently, climate change represents a new possibility for tropical cultivars fruit in Mediterranean areas. The focus of this work is the evaluation of the real possibility of coffee cultivation in Sicily, like coffee plants grown in tropical and subtropical regions. The objective was to evaluate plant adaptation to our climate and to study the chemical qualities of green coffee pulps and seeds: total phenolic content, antiradical capacity, fatty acids, amino acids, alkaloids, vitamins, proximate composition, polyphenolic profile and other bioactive compounds of cosmetic, pharmaceutical and agrary interest. Temperature, light and vegetative growth of Coffea arabica L. cv. “Caturra” plants we…
Oil composition of homozygous and heterozygous plants of Citrus clementina Hort. ex Tan.
Differenze tra tessuti del frutto di una solanacea affine a melanzana a differenti tempi di maturazione attraverso misure di dinamica molecolare NMR
Caratterizzazione mediante spettroscopia NMR in fase solida di foglie e lettiera di quattro essenze forestali
La velocità di degradazione del materiale vegetale che arriva al suolo dipende dalle caratteristiche chimico-fisiche dei residui che ne influenzano l’appetibilità e, dunque, la facilità con cui i microrganismi li degradano. Molti studi hanno evidenziato come elevate percentuali di lignina e di composti polifenolici possano limitare l’attività dei microrganismi, in quanto poche specie microbiche hanno un apparato enzimatico completo per la degradazione dei suddetti polimeri. Obiettivo del presente lavoro è l’analisi, tramite spettroscopia NMR in fase solida (CPMAS 13C-NMR), della composizione molecolare delle foglie e della relativa lettiera di 4 essenze forestali: Eucaliptus occidentalis En…
Stabilità della comunità microbica di suoli boschivi dopo riscaldamento ed inumidimento controllati
Da diversi anni gli incendi nell’area del bacino del Mediterraneo tendono ad incrementare per numero e superficie interessata. Ad oggi, in Italia la superficie territoriale percorsa dal fuoco è pari a circa 100.000 ettari anno-1, metà dei quali boschivi. A livello nazionale, la Sicilia è tra le regioni più funestate dagli incendi boschivi. Gli effetti dell’incendio possono essere fondamentalmente distinti in due tipi: a) diretto, tramite la combustione, il cui impatto è proporzionale alla durata e al decorso dell’incendio ed b) indiretto, mediato dal riscaldamento indotto del suolo e che si ripercuote sull’entità e sulla velocità dei processi che in esso avvengono. La combustione è un proce…
New Clones and Old Varieties: Quality of Sicilian Hillside Apple Cultivation
Aims: The aim of this study is to evaluate the qualitative characteristics of the new clones according to the Mediterranean hillside growing environment and, at the same time, to highlight the qualitative peculiarities of the old varieties in order to avoid genetic loss. Introduction: Several apple varieties are constantly selected for improved quality traits and introduced for cultivation and marketing in addition to a few traditional and affirmed varieties. On the other side, local genotype and ancient varieties are still valorised due to the request of a niche market. Methods: We have studied the physico-chemical quality and the sensory traits of the fruit obtained in this particular en…
Key Biochemical Attributes to Assess Soil Ecosystem Sustainability
Soil is not a renewable resource, at least within the human timescale. In general, any anthropic exploitation of soils tends to disturb or divert them from a more “natural” development which, by definition, represents the best comparison term for measuring the relative shift from soil sustainability. The continuous degradation of soil health and quality due to abuse of land potentiality or intensive management occurs since decades. Soil microbiota, being ‘the biological engine of the Earth’, provides pivotal services in the soil ecosystem functioning. Hence, management practices protecting soil microbial diversity and resilience, should be pursued. Besides, any abnormal change in rate of in…
Confronto fra la frazione volatile da foglie di cultivar di olea europea L. in Sicilia .
Soil chemical and biochemical properties of a salt-marsh alluvial Spanish area after long-term reclamation
Marisma, one of the largest salt-marsh alluvial areas in SW Spain, has been reclaimed since 1970 by artificial drainage and amendment with phosphogypsum (PG) so as to reduce Na+ saturation. Within the reclaimed area, two 250- × 20-m plots were treated as follows: (1) amendment with 25 Mg/ha of PG every 2 to 3 years between 1979 and 2003 (plot PY); (2) like PY but PG treatment stopped after 1997 (plot DR). A contiguous virgin Marisma salt-marsh plot (MV), neither drained nor amended, was the control. In MV, soil microbial biomass C, most enzyme activities and total organic C content were much greater than in PY and DR soils, despite the salinity stress. The decrease in soil organic matter co…
Assessing hydrological connectivity inside a soil by fast-field-cycling nuclear magnetic resonance relaxometry and its link to sediment delivery processes
Connectivity is a general concept used to represent the processes involving a transfer of matter among the elements of an environmental system. The expression “hydrological connectivity inside the soil” has been used here to indicate how spatial patterns inside the soil (i.e., the structural connectivity) interact with physical and chemical processes (i.e., the functional connectivity) in order to determine the subsurface flow (i.e., the water transfer), thereby explaining how sediment transport due to surface runoff (i.e., the soil particle transfer) can be affected. This paper explores the hydrological connectivity inside the soil (HCS) and its link to sediment delivery processes at the p…
Effetti del diverso management colturale e della dose di fertilizzante organico su biomassa ed attività microbica del suolo
La coltivazione della papaia (Carica papaya L.) in Sicilia: aspetti agronomici e qualità dei frutti
Tutte le cultivar analizzate raggiungono tratti chimico-fisici che soddisfano le esigenze del mercato. Tuttavia, i nostri risultati hanno mostrato una vasta gamma di variabilità in termini di tratti fisicochimici, composizione prossimale, capacità antiossidante e caratteristiche sensoriali che potrebbero essere dovuti all’alta variabilità genetica. Per quanto riguarda l’analisi sensoriale, i descrittori relativi a difetti o sensazioni sgradevoli hanno sempre punteggi molto bassi. In conclusione, possiamo dire che i nostri dati sono paragonabili ai frutti tropicali e subtropicali. Dunque, esiste la possibilità di ottenere frutti di papaia di qualità in un clima mediterraneo raccogliendo frut…
Shifting Long-Term Tillage to Geotextile Mulching for Weed Control Improves Soil Quality and Yield of Orange Orchards
Weed control in urban and peri-urban orange orchards is challenging due to operational and legislative restrictions. Tillage, besides from negatively affecting soil fertility and microorganisms, is demanding for humans. On the other hand, herbicides are advised against due to the possibility to reach waterbodies from the soil surface. Therefore, in urban and peri-urban areas, instead of tillage and herbicides, mulching with black plastic geotextile fabric is often used. This study aimed at assessing the impact of long-term soil mulching with black plastic geotextile fabric on soil fertility, microbial community and yield of an orange orchard in comparison to conventional tillage. To this ai…
Use of Aloe vera gel-based edible coating with natural anti-browning and anti-oxidant additives to improve post-harvest quality of fresh-cut 'Fuji' apple
Recently, there is increasing use of edible and biodegradable films and packaging that are both environmentally friendly and functional for storage and market distribution. Fresh-cut &lsquo
Determinazione dell’erodibilità dei suoli
Biodegradazione di n-alcani a catena lunga in ecosistemi contaminati
“Golden” Tomato Consumption Ameliorates Metabolic Syndrome: A Focus on the Redox Balance in the High-Fat-Diet-Fed Rat
Tomato fruits defined as “golden” refer to a food product harvested at an incomplete ripening stage with respect to red tomatoes at full maturation. The aim of this study is to explore the putative influence of “golden tomato” (GT) on Metabolic Syndrome (MetS), especially focusing on the effects on redox homeostasis. Firstly, the differential chemical properties of the GT food matrix were characterized in terms of phytonutrient composition and antioxidant capacities with respect to red tomato (RT). Later, we assessed the biochemical, nutraceutical and eventually disease-modifying potential of GT in vivo in the high-fat-diet rat model of MetS. Our data revealed that G…
Citrus somatic hybrid leaf essential oil
The essential oil from the leaves of a Citrus interspecific somatic hybrid obtained by symmetric protoplast fusion between ‘Milam’ lemon [purported sexual hybrid of C. Jambhiri Lush (×) C. sinensis] and ‘Femminello’ lemon (C. limon L. Burm f.) has been characterized by steam distillation GC–MS analysis and its composition compared with that of the corresponding oils obtained from the parent plants. The amount (%) of the different classes of substances present in the oils show, in the new hybrid, an overall lowering of the hydrocarbon fraction and an increase of the oxygenated components. The somatic hybrid shows a close similarity in the amounts of terpenes, sesquiterpenes and alcohols with…
Degradation of long-chain n-alkanes in soil microcosms by two actinobacteria
The ability of two recently isolated actinobacteria, that degrade medium and long chain n-alkanes in laboratory water medium, was investigated in soil microcosms using different standard soils that were artificially contaminated with n-alkanes of different length (C(12)- C(20)- C(24)- C(30)). The two strains, identified as Nocardia sp. SoB and Gordonia sp. SoCp, revealed a similar high HC degradation efficiency with an average of 75% alkane degraded after 28 days incubation. A selectivity of bacteria towards n-alkanes of different length was detected as well as a consistent effect of soil texture and other soil physical chemical characteristics on degradation. It was demonstrated the specif…
Studio sulla presenza di metalli pesanti nell'alveo di una via d'acqua contigua alla distilleria "Bertolino Spa" e utilizzato per lo scarico di acque reflue aziendali
Influenza del diverso interramento di una cover crop (Veccia/Avena) sui bioindicatori della qualità del suolo
Nella presente ricerca è stato valutato l’effetto delle diverse modalità di interramento di una cover crop (consociazione veccia/avena) su alcuni bioindicatori della qualità del suolo. L’area di studio è situata in Sambuca di Sicilia (AG), su suoli (Typic Haploxerepts) a vigneto, con tessitura argillosa, pH neutro e pendenza media del 10%. L’interramento della biomassa vegetale è stato effettuato con tre diverse modalità: erpicatura (E), fresatura (F) e sfalcio (S). Il campionamento dei suoli è stato eseguito a 2 diverse profondità (0-20 cm; 20-40 cm) dopo circa un mese dall’interramento; contemporaneamente, è stato campionato un suolo contiguo gestito con tecniche colturali tradizionali (T…
Determinazione degli acidi grassi dei fosfolipidi (PLFA) nel suolo
Dinamica del C labile in suoli forestali simulando l'impatto da incendio ed il successivo spegnimento con acqua marina
Obiettivo del presente lavoro è stato quello di valutare, in diversi suoli forestali ed a condizioni controllate di laboratorio, l’impatto del riscaldamento da incendio e del successivo spegnimento con acqua marina sulla dinamica del C estraibile e sulla cinetica di respirazione. A tal fine, in un’area pedoclimatica omogenea, sono stati selezionati 4 suoli sotto diverse essenze forestali: Eucalyptus camaldulensis (EC), E. occidentalis (EO), Pinus halepensis (PH) e Cupressus sempervirens (CS). I campioni di suolo sono stati riscaldati a 25 (controllo), 160 e 380 °C per 30 minuti ed umidificati al 50% della capacità idrica di campo con acqua marina o distillata (controllo), ottenendo così 6 d…
Phospholipid fatty acids in anthers of eggplant (S.melogena), allied species and correspondent introgression lines
EVALUMION OF THE CHEMICAL PHYSICAL DIFFERENCES AMONG SICILIAN HONEYS
SOIL FERTILITY, GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS AND AGRONOMIC PERFORMANCE IN A VINEYARD WITH DIFFERENT SOIL MANAGEMENT IN A SEMIARID MEDITERRANEAN ENVIRONMENT
In the semiarid Mediterranean environment, vineyard soils are often characterised by intensive tillage and large supply of inorganic fertilizers. Those practices, coupled with the semiarid Mediterranean climate features (warm to hot, dry summers and mild, wet winters),speed up the mineralisation of soil organic matter (SOM) so that many lands have lost much fertility. To counteract SOM decline, the introduction of cover crops with or without nitrogen (N) fixing forage legumes, has become a management technique widely used. Indeed, cover crops besides increasing SOM and potentially mineralisable N, it can mitigate soil erosion in sloping vineyards. However, the competition risk for soil wate…
Fertilita’ dei suoli nell’area costiera fra i comuni di Torretta e Capaci (PA) e processo di desertificazione
Volatile organic compounds in wild fungi from Mediterranean forest ecosystems
AbstractHead Space-Solid Phase Micro Extraction (HS-SPME) extractions and Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis allowed the identification of 72 different compounds isolated from 7 different wild inedible fungi collected in Mediterranean forest ecosystems. The VOCs reported in this study, including a total of 5 esters, 17 alcohols, 14 aldehydes, 9 ketones, 18 terpenes and 9 other compounds, have been never characterized before for Tricholoma ustaloides, Hygrophorus cossus, Russula foetens and Mycena pura.
Interrelazioni quali-quantitative tra descrittori fisici, chimici e biochimici di un pedon, prima e dopo un disturbo antropico
La descrizione dei suoli può iniziare col telerilevamento; proseguire con il riconoscimento dell'elemento territoriale e continuare con la determinazione delle caratteristiche chimico-fisiche del terreno, che sono un insieme di analisi, definite di base, necessarie e (supposte) sufficienti ad identificare le caratteristiche fondamentali del suolo. Con le attuali tecniche analitiche sono oggi disponibili descrittori più fini quali contenuto di metalli in traccia e caratteristiche biochimiche. Nel nostro caso-studio, la sensibilità di risposta al disturbo antropico ordina le classi di descrittori nel senso terre rare < metalli < indicatori chimici < indicatori biochimici. I descrittori pedolo…
Hybrids and allied species as potential rootstocks for eggplant: Effect of grafting on vigour, yield and overall fruit quality traits
Abstract Grafting of fruiting vegetables is an effective technique to overcome pests and diseases in modern cropping systems and it is often used to improve yield and fruit quality. Eggplant is an important vegetable crop that benefits significantly from grafting. In this regards, the exploitation, valorization and breeding of new rootstock genotypes as possible substitute to those commonly used (Solanum torvum and tomato hybrids) would permit an intensive eggplant crop system in those situations where a rootstock rotation is required. In the present article, we study the effects of several potential rootstocks including both wild/allied species of eggplant [S. torvum (STO), S. macrocarpon …
Metabolic responses of microbial community in soil amended with fresh leaves and leaf extracts from eucalyptus spp.
Field observations reveal that often large areas of soil surface beneath Eucalyptus occidentalis Endl. are completely bare or with scant vegetation. Moreover, previous studies have showed that other species of Eucalyptus, such as Eucalyptus camaldulensis Dehn, may be effective in suppressing seed germination and weed growth. Such effects have been ascribed to the large number of secondary metabolites within Eucalyptus leaves. Due to their inhibition activity against weeds, leaf extracts might be used for an integrated weed management context, in accordance with the Directive 2009/128/EC. Several studies exist about the effects of Eucalyptus leaf extracts on weeds, whereas they are lacking o…
Attività antifungina e composizione chimica di oli essenziali estratti da agrumi coltivati in Sicilia.
Risulta comprovata nell’industria agroalimentare l’efficacia di oli essenziali di agrumi quale tecnologia per esaltare la sapidità di cibi e bevande. Ad oggi, il rinnovato interesse verso gli oli essenziali deriva dalle loro proprietà antibatteriche ed antifungine, che possono trovare ampia applicazione in sistemi hurdle-technology ai fini di prolungare la shelf-life di agroprodotti, specie in cibi minimally-processed e di IV gamma. Infatti, la necessità di ricercare nuove sostanze non di sintesi con proprietà antimicrobiche deriva dai cambiamenti legislativi in campo alimentare, dalla tendenza dei consumatori ad acquistare cibi processati naturalmente e dalla crescente resistenza dei patog…
Risposta produttiva del pomodoro in coltura protetta, irrigazione con acque saline e impatto ambientale nella piana di Licata (AG)
EFFECTS ON SEED GERMINATION OF DIFFERENT BIOCHARS FROM INDUSTRIAL THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES
Char or biochar is a type of charcoal obtained from gasification/pyrolysis of biomasses. Instead of burning standing biomass from cleared forest, the resource is charred. The result is a highly porous, carbon-rich solid residue, really similar in appearance to the coal produced by natural burning. First considered an industrial waste, in recent years, the interest in this material has grown enormously given its ability to improve physical, chemical, biological and mechanical properties of soils, when used as amendment. However, its effects are highly variable depending onits chemical-physical properties which in turn depend greatly on the starting feedstock. The present study reports about …
Seasonal variations of antimicrobial activity and chemical composition of Citrus limon L. Burm. spp. essential oils
The interest towards the application of essential oils (EOs) is increasing due to the antimicrobial potential to be used as “natural” alternative to the chemical preservation of foods [1]. EOs are aromatic oily liquids produced as secondary metabolites in various plants exerting different biological properties, such as antibacterial, antiviral, antimycotic and insecticidal. EOs are complex mixtures of lipophilic substances and the chemical composition, thereby the biological activities, is influenced by the raw plant material (genotype, part of the plant, harvest time, geographical, ecological conditions and cultural techniques) and extraction method [2].
Modified Atmosphere Packaging and low temperature storage extend marketability of cherimoya (Annona cherimola Mill.)
Cherimoya is a subtropical fruit characterized by a delicious, sweet flavor and beneficial health properties, which found suitable growing conditions in the South of Italy. However, the marketing of this product is halted by its high perishability, which limits the shelf-life of the fresh fruit to few days after harvest and does not allow for commercialization beyond local markets. Studies have shown that storage of this fruit in controlled atmosphere, using Modified Atmosphere Packaging technologies, extended the post-harvest life of Cherimoya, but little is still known about the evolution of its sensory, nutraceutical and microbiological characteristics during such storage period. In this…
Caratteristiche qualitative di frutti di Lici (Litchi Chinensis) coltivati nella Sicilia Nord-Orientale
Confronto tra la frazione volatile in foglie di cultivar di Olea europea L. in Sicilia
Grafting suitability of Sicilian eggplant ecotypes onto Solanum torvum: Fruit composition, production and phenology
The eggplant (Solanum melongena L.) is one of the most widely cultivated crops in tropical and temperate regions around the world and is suitable for propagation through grafting. In many parts of the world, grafting is a routine technique used in continuous cropping systems, because in the horticulture field is a sustainable technique that allows cultivators to overcome abiotic or biotic stress. The objective of this research was to evaluate the suitability at the grafting of four Sicilian eggplant ecotypes grown in open field in Sicily, Italy. Vegetables in general are a great source of minerals in the human diet and the eggplant (Solanum melongena L.) provides significant quantities of v…
Characterization of Leaf Essential Oil Composition of Homozygous and HeterozygousCitrus clementinaHort. Extan. and its Ancestors
Clementine is a natural tangor, resulting from an interspecific cross between mandarin and sweet orange. Gametic embryogenesis, allowing the single-step development of complete homozygous line from the heterozygous parents, increases the efficiency of perennial crop breeding programs. Tri-haploids have been regenerated through pollen embryogenesis (specifically, by anther culture) of Citrus clementina Hort. ex Tan., cv. Nules. Two of them (HOMO1 and HOMO2) have been acclimatized and grafted in vivo in 2000. Research regarding the chemical characteristics of plant regenerated by pollen embryogenesis or gynogenesis are useful to study the “gametoclonal variation”, as well as for further appli…
Isolation Of Organophosphorus Pesticides Bacteria Degraders From Agricultural Sicilian Soils.
Pesticides are generally categorized according to their great or low persistence in the environment. Although new biological, chemical, and management technologies are continually being developed to provide more sustainable production alternatives, it is expected that the use of pesticides will continue to be an essential tool in the integrated pest management. Pesticides are biologically active compounds designed to interfere with metabolic processes. Organophosphorus pesticides (OP) pesticides are less persistent than Organochlorine pesticides (OC), they are not without environmental risks, so this justifies the social concern about their level in different kind of matrices like soil, wat…
Effects of afforestation with four unmixed plant species on the soil–water interactions in a semiarid Mediterranean region (Sicily, Italy)
Purpose An assessment of the effect of plant cover on the properties of four afforested soils in central Sicily was performed with the aim of discriminating among them after 60 years of afforestation. Materials and methods Chemical and biochemical soil analyses were coupled to fast field cycling (FFC) NMR relaxation investigations in order to monitor surface interactions of water in water-saturated soils. Results and discussion The traditional soil analyses revealed that the most stable soil properties such as soil texture and pH are not affected by 60 years of afforestation. Soils developed under eucalyptus trees showed larger amounts of hydrophilic organic matter as compared to the soils …
Utilizzo di Attinobatteri per la degradazione di N-alcani a catena lunga
Health deterioration in 25-year reclaimed and cotton cropped salt-marsh soils in SW Spain
Physicochemical, Nutraceutical and Sensory Traits of Six Papaya (Carica papaya L.) Cultivars Grown in Greenhouse Conditions in the Mediterranean Climate
Six papaya (Carica papaya L.) cultivars, grown in a Mediterranean climate under greenhouse conditions, were screened for physicochemical properties, antioxidant capacity, nutritional and sensory characteristics. The fruits, harvested with more than 50% of yellow surface (between 60% and 77%) were tested for carotenoids content, phenolic content, reducing activity (ABTS) and cellular antioxidant activity (CAA50). The physicochemical traits were measured in terms of the titratable acidity and soluble content whereas proximal composition along with moisture, fats, total sugar, ash, vitamin A, C and E content. Moreover, the sensory profile was analyzed by a semi-trained panel. Although the six …
Mineralizzazione di carbonio ed azoto nel suolo di aranceti concimati inorganicamente, biologicamente o con fanghi oleari
Recenti acquisizioni nel settore delle sistemazioni idraulico-Processi di trasporto di particelle solide e di nutrienti in bacini forestali
Fruit production and quality evaluation of four litchi cultivars (Litchi chinensis Sonn.) grown in Mediterranean climate
Introduction - The agronomic and qualitative responses of the litchi fruit (Litchi chinensis Sonn.) grown in Mediterranean climate are not yet studied. In this study, yield components, physico-chemical and sensory traits of four commercial litchi cultivars were recorded over two productive seasons. Materials and methods - Fruits of the cvs Tai So, Wai Chee, Brewster and Kwai Mai were collected at commercial maturity stage and subjected to productive (yield, efficiency, number of fruits, crop load), analytical (fruit weight, transversal diameter, longitudinal diameter, moisture, total soluble solid content (TSS), titratable acidity (TA), TSS/TA ratio, seed weight, peel weight, percentage of …
Natural Organic Compounds in Soil Solution: Potential Role as Soil Quality Indicators
This review focuses on the chemical nature of that fraction of already dissolved organic matter into soil solution, or extracted by mild extractants, which is truly readily available for microbial activity and, consequently, more sensitive than total soil organic matter to changes in management and/or environmental conditions. In particular, we deal with low molecular weight compounds such as monosaccharides, amino sugars and amino acids. Soil sampling strategy and extraction procedure, prior to analyses, are crucial to make comparable results among laboratories. Although soil management and climatic conditions may cause large variability, extractable organic C and N may indicate the amount…
BIOMASSA, ATTIVITÀ E STRUTTURA DELLA COMUNITÀ MICROBICA DI UN SUOLO IN AMBIENTE SEMIARIDO SOTTO DIVERSE ESSENZE FORESTALI
Low field NMR spectroscopy for quality evaluation of natural organic matter
Citrus cybrid leaf essential oil
The essential oil from the leaves of a Citrus cybrid plant, obtained by somatic hybridization between ‘Valencia’ sweet orange (Citrus sinensis L. Osbeck), embryogenic parent, and ‘Femminello’ lemon (C. limon L. Burm f.), leaf parent, has been studied by steam distillation and GC–MS analysis and compared with the correspondent oils from the parent plants. Although the overall composition of the cybrid essential oil appears much closer to that of ‘Femminello’, the relatively higher percentage of β-caryophyllene, as well as the qualitative and quantitative modifications of the esteric fraction, are characteristic of the new hybrid. Since cybrid cells possess the nuclear genome of the mesophyll…
Uso della spettroscopia di risonanza magnetica nucleare 1H-HRMAS e della gas cromatografia per la differenziazione di Solanacee affini a melanzana (S.melongena L.)
Contenuto minerale delle foglie e qualità dei frutti di agrumi per la trasformazione
In the present study, we analyzed leaf mineral contents fruit quality traits of orange, lemon and tangerine varieties grown in Sicily. The purpose of this research was to individuate chemical or physical fruit quality parameters useful to establish the best possible use of the crop, fresh market or processing. Moreover, leaf mineral analyses were conducted in order to characterize nutritional levels of citrus varieties grown in Sicily. In a second study, we evaluated fruit quality of orange trees cv Valencia in response to deficit irrigation.
Characterization of fruits of four different lemon cultivars, Collected in the northern coast of sicily
The present work is focused on the study of the characteristics of the fruits of four main lemon (Citrus limon L. Burm.) varieties cultivated in Sicily: 'Femminello Comune', 'Monachello', 'Zagara Bianca', and 'Femminello Santa Teresa'. Physical and chemical properties as well as aroma compounds were analysed as quality discrimination factors. Also the effect of the storage conditions was verified. Standard experimental techniques were used to determine: weight, longitudinal and transverse diameters, pH, titratable acidity, total soluble solids, juice percentage and total polyphenols. The volatile component was analysed by i) a gas chromatographer with a mass spectrometer detector and ii) an…
Supramolecular organization of triglycerides in extra-virgin olive oils as assessed by high and low field NMR spectroscopies
Variazioni dei descrittori fisici,chimici e biochimici della qualità di un suolo vulcanico coltivato a pistacchio (Pistacea vera L.)in rapporto alle concimazioni fogliari con urea e con estratti proteici.
Solid-state 1H-NMR relaxation properties of the fruit of a wild relative of eggplant at different proton Larmor frequencies
1H longitudinal relaxation time profiles (T1) at different proton Larmor frequencies were registered for a solid state plant tissue by using fast field cycling (FFC) nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. T1 distributions were obtained and the curves deconvoluted in order to differentiate among the different T1 components. Among the components, two were assigned to hydrophobic (e.g. fatty acids) and hydrophilic (e.g. saccharides) molecular systems, whereas the remaining others were attributed to bulk and bound water. This paper showed for the first time solid state FFC-NMR spectroscopy applied to plant tissue, and revealed that relaxometry is a very promising technique for studying …
Composizione e attività biologica di “idrolati” di agrumi
Gli idrolati, o acque aromatiche, sono prodotti naturali ricavati dalla distillazione di piante o parti di piante fresche che conservano intatte le loro proprietà e possono essere utilizzati a diverso scopo1. Essi sono comunemente considerati un sottoprodotto degli oli essenziali, ma in realtà, data la diversa composizione e la conseguente maggiore delicatezza, hanno un loro apprezzabile utilizzo, legato comunque al mantenimento delle proprietà delle piante da cui derivano. Nell’industria agrumaria gli idrolati sono il risultato della produzione degli oli essenziali attraverso spremitura a freddo delle bucce degli agrumi e sono considerati un rifiuto da smaltire. Lo studio della composizion…
Current and Potential Use of Citrus Essential Oils
Since the Middle Ages, citrus essential oils (EOs) have been widely used for their bactericidal, virucidal, fungicidal, antipara- sitical, insecticidal, medicinal and cosmetic proprieties. Also nowadays, they find important applications in pharmaceutical, sanitary, cosmetic, agricultural and food industries. The best method to extract EOs from citrus plant tissue is steam distillation because of a vari- ety of extracted volatile molecules such as terpenes and terpenoids, phenol-derived aromatic components and aliphatic components. In vitro physicochemical assays classify most of them as antioxidants.
Effetti degli oli essenziali di agrumi applicati in post-emergenza sul controllo delle infestanti e sulla comunità microbica del suolo
Sebbene gli erbicidi sintetici ad oggi siano il mezzo più utilizzato per il controllo delle erbe infestanti, è ampiamente dimostrato che essi hanno un impatto negativo sul suolo, sull'ambiente e, inoltre, iniziano a manifestarsi fenomeni di resistenza. Pertanto, è importante sviluppare mezzi alternativi che siano al contempo efficaci e rispettosi dell’ambiente. Gli olii essenziali estratti dalle piante sono stati da sempre utilizzati per molteplici usi come agenti battericidi, virucidi, fungicidi, insetticidi, medicinali e cosmetici. Diversi studi hanno dimostrato tali attività degli oli essenziali estratti dagli agrumi, ma scarsi sono gli studi che hanno investigato il loro potenziale uso …
Research on the volatile fraction in leaves of Olea europaea subsp. oleaster and Olea europaea subsp. sativa.
Effects of compost input and tillage intensity on soil microbial biomass and activity under Mediterranean conditions
Organic amendment and tillage reduction are two common practices to contrast soil organic matter decline, thus promoting sustainable cropping and carbon sequestration. In a horticultural land use system under Mediterranean climate, we evaluated the 9-year effects of two compost inputs (15 and 30 t ha−1 y−1, low and high input, respectively) and two tillage intensities (intensive and reduced) on soil macronutrients concentration, microbial biomass and activity. Total organic C, total N and POlsen were smaller in plots amended at low input, whilst intensive tillage decreased them at both compost inputs. These decreases in intensively tilled plots was ascribed to the disruption of soil aggrega…
SW—Soil and Water
Abstract Recent research has directed attention to the properties of the eroded material because of its influence in deposition phenomena and in carrying capacity of pollutant materials. In this paper, the spatial distribution of the content of nitrogen, phosphorus and total organic carbon is firstly deduced using the measurements carried out in 129 soil samples well distributed over the Sicilian Sparacia Basin and a Kriging interpolation method. Then the load of each chemical was calculated at morphological unit and basin scale using the above-mentioned spatial distributions and sediment yield values calculated by a parametric approach such as the revised universal soil loss equation (RUSL…
Pomological, Sensorial, Nutritional and Nutraceutical Profile of Seven Cultivars of Cherimoya (Annona cherimola Mill)
In this work, the food quality of four international (Campas, Chaffey, Fino de Jete and White) and three local (Daniela, Torre1 and Torre2) cultivars of Cherimoya (Annona cherimola Mill) was investigated. With this aim, pomological traits, sensorial attributes, physiochemical parameters (pH, total soluble content and total acidity), nutritional composition (macro- and micro-nutrients) and nutraceutical values (bioactive compounds, radical scavenging and antioxidant properties) were evaluated. Among the seven observed cultivars, Fino de Jete was identified as the best, not only for its commercial attributes such as pomological traits and physiochemical values, but also for its nutritional co…
Field and laboratory approaches for determining sodicity effects on saturated soil hydraulic conductivity
Abstract Dilution of high-sodicity soil water by low-sodicity rainfall or irrigation water can cause declining soil hydraulic conductivity (K) by inducing swelling, aggregate slaking and clay particle dispersion. Investigations of sodicity-induced reduction in K are generally restricted to repacked laboratory cores of air-dried and sieved soil that are saturated and equilibrated with sodic solution before tests are conducted. This approach may not yield a complete picture of sodicity effects in the field, however, because of loss of antecedent soil structure, small sample size, detachment of the sample from the soil profile, reliance on chemical equilibrium, and differing time scales betwee…
RECUPERO A FINI AGRONOMICI DI SUOLI PALUDOSO-SALMASTRI DELLA MARISMA DI LEBRIJA (SPAGNA)
La salinizzazione del suolo interessa un’area di circa 830 milioni di ettari. Le principali conseguenze nelle aree coltivate sono una graduale perdita di fertilità dei suoli, con conseguente diminuzione o perdita dei raccolti. In Spagna, dove oltre 100 mila ettari di terre irrigate è affetto da salinità e un altro 15% è a rischio, la bonifica a scopo agricolo è una pratica comune. Obiettivo della presente ricerca è stato quello di investigare le variazioni della biomassa e dell’attività microbica in suoli paludoso-salmastri bonificati e non. L’area di studio è la Marisma di Lebrija, nell’estuario del fiume Guadalquivir, nel sud-ovest della Spagna. Sono stati presi in esame due parcelle di t…
Effetti della concimazione fogliare con urea e con estratti proteici sui descrittori fisici, chimicie biochimici della qualità di un suolo vulcanico coltivato a pistacchio (Pistacia vera L.)
La produttività di una coltura e la qualità delle produzioni sono strettamente correlate alla disponibilità dei nutrienti nel suolo. In passato, la concimazione era vista quasi esclusivamente come mezzo per massimizzare le produzioni unitarie delle colture mentre venivano trascurati alcuni aspetti, oggi divenuti fondamentali come, per esempio, il mantenimento di ottimi livelli di fertilità del terreno in assenza di rischi di inquinamento ambientale. La valutazione della fertilità complessiva di un suolo e della relativa qualità è, pertanto divenuto, uno dei principali fattori ai fini dello sviluppo di modelli colturali a basso impatto ambientale. Nella presente nota si riferisce dei primi r…
Potential Effects of Essential Oils Extracted from Mediterranean Aromatic Plants on Target Weeds and Soil Microorganisms
Essential oils (EOs), extracted from aromatic plants, have been proposed as candidates to develop natural herbicides. This study aimed to evaluate the herbicidal potential of Thymbra capitata (L.) Cav., Mentha ×
Anti-Listeria activity of citrus essential oils in a fresh ovine cheese
The aim of this study was to evaluate the anti-Listeria activity of essential oils (EOs) extracted from the peel of lemons, oranges and tangerines in a fresh cheese produced with pasteurized ewe’s milk. Four cheesemaking trials were performed at the pilot plant scale level, including one control production without the addition of EOs and three experimental productions obtained by the addition of 200 μL/L of each EOs to milk. Before the addition of EOs, the milk of all trials was inoculated with 107 CFU/mL of the starter cultures (Lactococcus lactis NT1 and NT5) and 104 CFU/mL of pathogenic bacteria (Listeria monocytogenes ATCC19114). Plate counts confirmed the dominance of the starter cultu…
SOIL QUALITY INDICATORS AS AFFECTED BY SHALLOW TILLAGE IN A VINEYARD GROWN IN A SEMIARID MEDITERRANEAN ENVIRONMENT
Within the Mediterranean basin, soil tillage enhances the mineralisation of soil organic matter. We assessed the short-term impact of shallow tillage [field cultivator (FC), rotary tiller (RT) and spading machine (SM)] on some soil quality indicators [bulk density, water-stable aggregates, total and labile organic C pools (microbial biomass and extractable organic C), soil respiration and related eco-physiological indexes] in a Sicilian vineyard. Also no tillage was included. We hypothesized that (i) RT and FC worsened soil quality indicators more than SM, and (ii) within the same tillage system, labile C pools, soil respiration and eco-physiological indexes will respond more efficiently th…
Un suolo antropogenico a confronto con un suolo originario non disturbato:andamento di vari bio- indicatori
Risposta dei bioindicatori della qualità del suolo alla diversa fertilizzazione di un aranceto nell’ Italia Meridionale
Lo scopo della ricerca è stato quello di valutare i cambiamenti indotti dalle diverse tipologie di fertilizzazione sui parametri chimici e biologici di un suolo. Il suolo dell’agro di Lentini (SR, Sicilia), coltivato ad arancio da oltre 50 anni, a partire dal 1995 secondo il metodo biologico , omogeneo per portinnesto e cultivar, è stato addizionato con 4 diversi tipi di fertilizzanti (pollina, minerale, compost da pastazzo e letame). Quattro profili di suolo, ciascuno per tipo di fertilizzazione, sono stati campionati e studiati secondo la sequenza degli orizzonti genetici. In totale 18 campioni orizzonte-specifici di suolo sono stati prelevati e sottoposti ad analisi per valutare il conte…
The nutritional value of Leccinum corsicum, aniche product from Sicily (southern Italy)
The nutritional value of Leccinum corsicum, a wild edible mushroom used as a food in many Italian regions and restricted communities of Sicily, is here evaluated. The results show that L. corsicum is a valuable niche product and an important source of nutritional elements for the human diet.
Wastewaters from citrus processing industry as natural biostimulants for soil microbial community
Abstract Citrus fruit processing wastewaters (CWWs), being rich in organic matter, may be a valuable resource for agricultural irrigation and, possibly, for the improvement of soil organic carbon (TOC). This issue is becoming crucial for soils of arid and semiarid environments increasingly experiencing water scarcity and continuous decline of TOC towards levels insufficient to sustain crop production. However, before using CWWs in agriculture their effects on the soil living component have to be clarified. Therefore, in this study we assessed the impact of CWWs on soil chemical and biochemical properties. Under laboratory conditions, lemon, orange and tangerine wastewaters were separately a…
Biodiversity of organophosphorus-degrading bacteria isolated from agricultural soils
Organophosphorus (OP) insecticides are used all over the world for crop protection. Although OPs are less persistent than organochlorine pesticides, they still constitute an environmental risk thus increasing the social concern about their levels in soils, surface and ground waters. Biodegradation by microorganisms is primarily responsible for elimination of the OP insecticides released to the environment. In the present study the OP degrading potential of agricultural soils with different agronomic history was investigated. Using enrichment cultures, with parathion or dimethoate as the sole C and energy sources, 47 bacterial isolates were obtained from OPs contaminated and pristine agricul…
Studio quantomeccanico della struttura e delle conformazioni di pesticidi organofosforici
pesticidi,organofosforici,quantomeccanico
Caratterizzazione fisico chimica di suoli su depositi piroclastici nell’isola di Lipari (Me)
Microbiological, chemical and sensory aspects of bread supplemented with different percentages of the culinary mushroom Pleurotus eryngii in powder form
Pleurotus eryngii (DC.) Quél. powder was used in bread production. Three dough trials (0, 5 and 10% of mushroom) were obtained with commercial baker's yeast. P. eryngii powder was first tested against several yeast species; 10% P. eryngii trial was characterised by the highest pH and total titratable acidity. P. eryngii did not influence negatively the fermentation process, since all trials reached yeast levels of 10 8 CFU g −1 . Mushroom powder decreased bread height and softness, increased crust redness and crumb void fraction and cell density and, although the breads were scored diverse, the overall assessment was comparable. The final breads provided higher concentrations of thiamin, ri…
Notes on a New Productive Strain of King Oyster Mushroom, Pleurotus eryngii (Higher Basidiomycetes), a Prized Italian Culinary-Medicinal Mushroom
In this paper, the authors provide data on a culinary-medicinal, host-specific variety of P. eryngii species-complex that is known in Italy as "cardoncello". A species description, the techniques of isolation of a new strain (C-142-c), and the preparation of the substratum are illustrated. Data on the productivity of substratum inoculated with C-142-c strain and the nutritional value of cultivated "cardoncello" mushrooms are also provided.
Mapping quantitative trait loci affecting biochemical and morphological fruit properties in eggplant (Solanum melongena L.)
Eggplant berries are a source of health-promoting metabolites including antioxidant and nutraceutical compounds, mainly anthocyanins and chlorogenic acid; however, they also contain some anti-nutritional compounds such as steroidal glycoalkaloids (SGA) and saponins, which are responsible for the bitter taste of the flesh and with potential toxic effects on humans. Up to now, Quantitative Trait Loci (QTL) for the metabolic content are far from being characterized in eggplant, thus hampering the application of breeding programs aimed at improving its fruit quality. Here we report on the identification of some QTL for the fruit metabolic content in an F2 intraspecific mapping population of 156…
Sediment delivery processes and chemical transport in a small forested basin
Recent reaserch has directed attention to the properties of the eroded material because of its influence in deposition phenomena and in carrying capacity of pollutant materials
Antilisterial effect of citrus essential oils and their performance inedible film formulations
[EN] The antimicrobial activity of eight essential oils (EOs) extracted from the fruit peel of Citrus genotypes (orange, mandarin and lemon) was evaluated against 76 strains of Listeria monocytogenes, previously isolated from different food matrices. EOs showing the most (EO L2 and EO L8) and least (EO O3 and EO M7) effective inhibition activities were chemically characterized by gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC/MS) to compare their composition. EO L2 and EO L8 were chosen to determine the MIC and to evaluate the cell viability of the most sensitive strains (L. monocytogenes LM35 and LM69) after 1, 2, 4 and 6 h of exposure. The effectiveness of chitosan (CH) and methylc…
Potentiality of extensive green roofs soils in sustaining Mediterranean annual dry grassland of the EU-Habitat 6220*
Nature-based solutions are defined as living solutions inspired by, continuously supported by and using nature (Final Report of the Horizon 2020 Expert Group on 'Nature-Based Solutions and Re-Naturing Cities'). In line with this statement and according to the European research and innovation policy agenda, green roofs (GRs) represent a fundamental requisite for urban sustainable development, being potential stepping stones for plants and animals, including those characterizing habitats of Community interest. In our work, we tested the suitability of green roofs in hosting Mediterranean annual dry grassland of the 92/43 ECC Habitat 6220* (pseudo-steppe with grasses and annuals of the Thero-B…
Dynamics of carbon pools in a soil covered with different forest tree species after controlled heating and wetting
Fire-induced soil heating deeply affects soil organic C pools and their dynamics. The objective of this study was to investigate, in a soil covered with different forest tree species (Eucalyptus camaldulensis, E. occidentalis, Pinus halepensis, and Cupressus sempervirens), the effect of controlled heating on C pools and C mineralization dynamics. Soil samples were heated under controlled condition in laboratory (160 and 380°C) and then wetted with distilled or sea water to simulate the extinction of wildfires. Soil organic C pools react to heating in different way depending on forest tree species. Total organic C was almost halved following the heating of soils at 380°C. Soil covered with P…
MINERALIZZAZIONE DEL CARBONIO IN SUOLI BOSCHIVI DOPO RISCALDAMENTO ED INUMIDIMENTO CONTROLLATI
Biodegradation of organophosphorus pesticides by soil bacteria.
A number of studies in the 1980s and 1990s showed that crop-protection products, applied to drained fields, could move downwards through the soil profile and to the groundwater. Organophosphorus insecticides (OPs) are used all over the world for crop protection, for other agricultural practices such as sheep dipping and, in aquaculture, for the control of sea lice. Ops besides showing a specific neurotoxicity and have also been related to various modern diseases, including Creutzfeldt–Jakob (CJD) and the Gulf War syndrome. Although OPs are less persistent than Organoclorine pesticides (OCs), they still constitute an environmental risks thus increasing the social concern about their levels i…
Tree-Ripe Mango Fruit: Physicochemical Characterization, Antioxidant Properties and Sensory Profile of Six Mediterranean-Grown Cultivars
Some of the key components that contribute to the acceptance of high-quality fresh mangoes by consumers are its flavour, odour, texture and chemical constituents that depend mainly on level of maturity. In the European market, the demand for tree-ripened fruit has increased in recent decades. Nevertheless, the qualitative response and the marketable characteristics of tree-ripened mango fruit grown in the Mediterranean area are not yet studied. Tree-ripened fruits of cv Keitt, Glenn, Osteen, Maya, Kensington Pride and Tommy Atkins were submitted to analytical (fruit weight, transversal diameter, longitudinal diameter, flesh firmness, total soluble solid content, titratable acidity, seed wei…
Biodegradation of oganophosphorus pesticides by soil bacteria
A number of studies in the 1980s and 1990s showed that crop-protection products, applied to drained fields, could move downwards through the soil profile and to the groundwater. Organophosphorus insecticides (OPs) are used all over the world for crop protection, for other agricultural practices such as sheep dipping and, in aquaculture, for the control of sea lice. Ops besides showing a specific neurotoxicity and have also been related to various modern diseases, including Creutzfeldt–Jakob (CJD) and the Gulf War syndrome. Although OPs are less persistent than Organoclorine pesticides (OCs), they still constitute an environmental risks thus increasing the social concern about their levels i…