Content variability of bioactive secondary metabolites in Hypericum perforatum L

Abstract St John’s Wort (Hypericum perforatum L.; Hypericaceae) is a perennial medicinal herb widespread and largely used in folk medicine inside the Mediterranean basin. Many bioactive compounds have been identified within its extracts. Under a pharmacological point of view, the most important of them belong to the chemical classes of naphthodianthrones, phloroglucinols and polyphenols. Many factors have been claimed responsible for the phytochemical variability in Hypericum perforatum, such as genotype, geographical origin, harvesting stage and age of the plants. Yet, when harvested plant material is addressed to the industry, the standardization of the active ingredients over cultivation…

Comparison between different techniques for volatiles analyses in coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.).

Piante officinali:una risorsa per il bacino del Mediterraneo

Potential role of medicinal and aromatic plants for the sustainable development of Mediterranean marginal lands

Prove di pacciamatura con materiali organici su Origano (Origanum heracleoticum L.)

La coltivazione delle piante aromatiche e medicinali, particolarmente quando condotta con i metodi dell’agricoltura biologica, si configura oggi come una possibilità di estremo interesse per il rilancio produttivo di numerose aree interne a rischio di marginalizzazione. Tuttavia, ancora numerosi sono gli aspetti da mettere a punto riguardo all’inserimento delle p.o. negli ordinamenti colturali italiani e siciliani in particolare, ed essi riguardano soprattutto interventi tecnici volti all’abbassamento del rapporto costo/ricavo. la messa a punto per queste dell’agrotecnica più opportuna, in grado contemporaneamente di: a. consentire l’ottenimento di rese ottimali, sia sul piano della quantit…

Coltivazione di officinali con tecniche ecocompatibili

Per valutare l'effetto di alcune pratiche agronomiche adoperate in biologico, su tre piante officinali mediterranee sono stati sperimentati fertilizzanti organici e pratiche di gestione non chimica della flora infestante

Weed and Weeding Effects on Medicinal Herbs

Competition with weeds exerts significant depressive effects on yield and quality features of Medicinal Plants (MPs). According to the crop, the part of plant to be harvested, the environmental features (including cropping technique) and the severity of infestation, yield losses due to the presence of weeds may vary within wide intervals. Furthermore, unlike the majority of other crops, MPs are cultivated with the goal to obtain relevant quantities of specific secondary metabolites, whose final quantity determines the quality level (and, consequently, the market value) of the harvested drug. Almost all papers addressed to this topic agree on the statement that unrestricted weed growth may a…

Phytochemical profiles, phototoxic and antioxidant properties of eleven Hypericum species - A comparative study

Hypericum is one out of the nine genera belonging to the botanical family Clusiaceae Lindl (syn. Hypericaceae Juss.; APG III, 2009). The genus contains 484 species spread worldwide, one of which, Hypericum perforatum, is largely used in folk medicine. The aim of this study was to evaluate the chemical composition, along with the antioxidant and phototoxic activity, of 11 Hypericum species grown in Sicily (H. perforatum L., H. aegypticum L., H. androsaemum L., H. calycinum L., H. hircinum L., H. hirsutum L., H. montanum L., H. patulum Thunb., H. perfoliatum L., H. pubescens Boiss., H. tetrapterum Fr.). Samples of flowering tops collected from these Hypericum species were extracted and analys…

Oilseed Brassica species for fuel production in Mediterranean environments: First field results and technical evaluations

Energy is a major constraint of developed and under-development countries, and the sustainable production of biofuels for use in industrial and domestic sectors has been implemented successfully in many parts of the world. For a number of reasons, some Brassica species, such as B. napus, B. juncea or B. carinata, seem especially interesting as biofuel crops for Mediterranean environments, and many studies and researches have been carried out in order to ensure a successful introduction of them inside the current farming systems. In this work we report the first results of the field trials performed in 2006/07 in the experimental farm “Sparacia” (Cammarata – AG – Sicily), representative of t…

Cultivation of Dill (Anethum graveolens L.) with Different Row Arrangements

Dill (Anethum graveolens L.) is an annual plant from the Umbelliferae. Although in cookery also sprouts and tender leaves are used, the drug from dill is represented by the scented fruits (“seeds”), largely used for flavouring conserved foods and liqueurs, but also by the herbal and cosmetic industry. In this work, we present the results of a trial performed in Sicily, putting under comparison four different row arrangements: CR30 (continuous rows 30 cm apart), CR60 (continuous rows 60 cm apart), CR90 (continuous rows 90 cm apart) and TR (twin rows with a distance of 30 cm inside and 60 cm between twin rows). The plant population on the row (12 plants m-1) was constant and according the row…

Valorizzazione produttiva del germoplasma delle aree interne: prove di coltivazione di Isatis tinctoria L.

COLTIVAZIONE DI PIANTE OFFICINALI ANNUALI DA SEME CON TECNICHE ECOCOMPATIBILI

La Sicilia, caratterizzata da un’ampia variabilità pedo-climatica e da una notevole ricchezza di paesaggi naturali e tradizioni popolari, è sede ideale per la valorizzazione delle risorse vegetali di interesse officinale spontanee o spontaneizzate nell’area mediterranea, da introdurre o diffondere in coltivazione. Sulla base di questa premessa, allo scopo di valorizzare alcune specie officinali mediterranee, è stata condotta una sperimentazione pluriennale, che ha riguardato la coltivazione in pieno campo di tali specie, con tecniche ecocompatibili. Scopo della ricerca è stato quindi la messa a punto dei principali aspetti dell’agrotecnica applicabile ad alcune specie officinali di possibil…

Ruolo delle piante officinali nella salvaguardia della diversità negli ambienti mediterranei

Le aree mediterranee italiane presentano una notevole biodiversità vegetale, nell’ambito della quale particolare importanza assumono le piante aromatiche e medicinali, collettivamente definite “officinali”. Nel presente lavoro, si riportano i risultati di alcune prove preliminari di coltivazione in pieno campo di tre specie autoctone di interesse officinale. Le prove sono state condotte presso l’azienda sperimentale “Sparacia” (Cammarata – AG) negli anni 2006 e 2007. In linea generale, le specie saggiate hanno mostrato una buona adattabilità all’ambiente di coltivazione; la loro introduzione su scala aziendale potrebbe pertanto contribuire alla conservazione ed alla salvaguardia della biodi…

Confronto chemiotipico tra accessioni spontanee e coltivate del genere Thymus raccolte sui monti Nebrodi (Sicilia N-E)

Il genere Thymus, largamente rappresentato all'interno della flora spontanea mediterranea, comprende numerose specie tradizionalmente adoperate dalle popolazioni residenti nel comprensorio, che ne fanno uso per svariate finalità alimentari, medicinali e artigianali. Per questo motivo numerosi timi, oltre che prelevati dallo spontaneo, vengono anche tradizionalmente coltivati all'interno di giardini e orti domestici, che presumibilmente avranno giocato un ruolo importante nelle dinamiche di differenziazione e conservazione delle specie. Con l'obiettivo di acquisire nuove informazioni in tal senso, nella primavera-estate del 2007 accessioni di Thymus spinulosus e Thymus longicaulis sono state…

Effects of Organic and Chemical N-fertilization on Yield and Morpho-biological Features in Coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.).

Although MAPs are subjected to a growing interest (from growers, transformation industries, public and private institutions), a full introduction of such species into the Mediterranean cropping systems still needs the pointing out of many aspects. An important task concerns some aspects of cropping technique, whose definition could allow these crops to optimize the yields (both from the qualitative and the quantitative point of view), also allowing the best exploitation of land resources. One of the most crucial aspects is linked to plant fertilization, above all with Nitrogen. The trial that we report the results of has been performed in 2003- 04 and 2004-05 with the aim to study the effec…

Characterization and hypericins content in some Hypericum species from Sicily

Different species belonging to the genus Hypericum are distributed into many environments of Sicily, where they represent an important component of wild Sicilian flora (Giardina et al., 2007). Among these, H. perforatum (St John’s Wort) is certainly the most common and famous; its floral parts are largely and traditionally used as a folk herbal remedy for treatment of wounds and burns, and considered an important raw matter for pharmaceutical industry due to their acknowledged antidepressant and sedative properties. Although it is not completely clear yet which compounds are responsible for the biological activity of Hypericum, the European Pharmacopoeia takes as a reference index for evalu…

Prove di coltivazione di alcune Composite di interesse officinale in ambiente semi-arido

Specie erbacee di interesse fitoterapico come risorsa produttiva per le aree semiaride mediterranee

La flora spontanea mediterranea è ricca di specie vegetali a cui un’antichissima tradizione popolare attribuisce numerose proprietà medicinali, e ancora oggi le popolazioni locali fanno ampio ricorso a tali specie per la terapia e la prevenzione di numerose patologie sia umane che animali. Negli anni molte di queste essenze sono state oggetto di studi approfonditi, condotti con l’obiettivo di svilupparne le potenzialità per l’agro-industria e di mettere a punto protocolli e sistemi colturali che ne permettessero la produzione su vasta scala; ad oggi, tuttavia, numerosi aspetti attendono ancora una più precisa definizione, sia dal punto di vista tecnologico che chimico. In una prospettiva di…

Variability of Hypericins and Hyperforin in Hypericum Species from the Sicilian Flora

Within Sicilian flora, the genus Hypericum (Guttiferae) includes 10 native species, the most popular of which is H. perforatum. Hypericum's most investigated active compounds belong to naphtodianthrones (hypericin, pseudohypericin) and phloroglucinols (hyperforin, adhyperforin), and the commercial value of the drug is graded according to its total hypericin content. Ethnobotanical sources attribute the therapeutic properties recognized for H. perforatum, also to other Hypericum species. However, their smaller distribution inside the territory suggests that an industrial use of such species, when collected from the wild, would result in an unacceptable depletion of their natural stands. This…

Effect of Sowing Time on Coriander Performance in a Semiarid Mediterranean Environment

In semiarid environments, time of sowing is one of the most important factors influencing seed yields. For coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.), the most commonly recommended cropping technique is spring sowing (March–April), since the optimum soil temperature for seed germination ranges between 20 and 23 °C, and the crop shows a remarkable sensitivity to frost and cold. In many semiarid areas of southern Italy, however, the occurrence of prolonged dry periods in summer and spring does not allow for the scheduling of summer crops without irrigation. However, the generally mild winter temperatures and the typical rainfall distribution, which is mostly concentrated over the winter months, could …

Increased illumination levels enhance biosynthesis of aloenin A and aloin B in Aloe arborescens Mill., but lower their per-plant yield

Abstract Leaves of Aloe arborescens Mill. are a relevant source of secondary metabolites of pharmaceutical relevance. Notwithstanding, specialized cultivations of A. arborescens are still rather limited, and a straightforward agronomical research addressed to the obtainment of high-quality material is lacking. With the purpose to fill this gap, from 2016 to 2018, a trial was arranged to evaluate the growth and development of A. arborescens, along with the production of four active metabolites (aloin A and B, aloenin A, and isoaloeresin D) with varying some growth conditions. Two growth substrates (“A”- a commercial substrate, and “B”- the same substrate + 20 % perlite), two durations of pre…

Api e pronubi selvatici nella produzione di Coriandrum sativum L. (Famiglia Apiaceae) in Sicilia occidentale

Coriandrum sativum L. (Apiaceae - Umbelliferae) is an aromatic annual plant, subspontaneous in several Mediterranean countries. It is cultivated in various states of western Asia, North Africa and Europe. In Italy with the increment of immigration the request of coriandrum fresh state (grass cimicina) and powder to seeds are in increase. In Sicilian territory, for estimating the role of pollinators (wild pollinators and bees) in the increment of seeds production of Coriandrum sativum, a triennial surveying has been carried out, comparing three treatments: self-pollination, bees pollination and free pollination. The production of Coriandrum sativum obtained have been in the first year of 132…

Variations in the volatile compounds of a Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare Mill.) variety grown in a semi-arid Mediterranean environment

Fennel is an industrial source of anethole but, recently, further interest has came from the suggested possibility of many industrial uses of this plant. The volatile substances from the seeds of fennel grown in Sparacia (Cammarata - AG - Sicily; 37° 38' N; 13° 46' E) have been investigated and compared on a statistical base with previously reported data. The variety grown in Sparacia fall into the "high fenchone" chemovariety. The substances alpha-toluene, alpha-terpinene, beta-phellandrene + limonene and camphene appear the components most sensitive to environment and grow condition modifications. Fennel is an industrial source of anethole but, recently, further interest has come from the…

Psillio

Piante di interesse fitoterapico: dalla raccolta delle spontanee alle esperienze di coltivazione

Le essenze vegetali di interesse erboristico e fitoterapico rappresentano una componente estremamente importante della flora spontanea delle più diverse parti del mondo, e la raccolta nell’ambito delle popolazioni naturali è sicuramente il metodo più antico per l’approvvigionamento da parte delle comunità locali. Tale pratica, tuttavia, è in grado di sostenere le richieste della popolazione solo fino a quando queste rimangono circoscritte ad ambiti quantitativamente limitati e qualitativamente poco definiti. In seguito, quando l’interesse verso la specie si consolida, l’incremento della domanda non può venire soddisfatto unicamente intensificandone la raccolta dai luoghi di vegetazione natu…

Modifications over time of volatile compounds in coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.)

Coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.) is an annual strongly-smelling herb belonging to the family Apiaceae, which is cultivated all over the world for its aromatic fruits (“seeds”) and, in many Asiatic and South American countries, for its green leaves. The aromatic features of leaves and fruits are sharply different, and the strong smell coming from leaves (many times referred to as a “bug” scent) is not always pleasant to many consumers from western countries. In our work, one Coriander small-seeded biotype has been grown in plastic covered greenhouses, and at given time intervals samples of leaves, flowers and fruits have been analyzed by means of HS-SPME and GC-MS to study the evolution ove…

Caratterizzazione chimico-morfologica di accessioni spontanee di origano siciliano (Origanum heracleoticum L.) del territorio dei monti Nebrodi

Il genere Origano è estremamente diffuso nel bacino del Mediterraneo, con diverse specie presenti nel territorio siciliano. Il comprensorio dei Monti Nebrodi (Sicilia N-E), esteso per circa 200.000 ettari, è una delle aree siciliane in cui è presente la massima biodiversità vegetale; l'area è caratterizzato prevalentemente dalla presenza di Origanum heracleoticum, reperibile in ambienti ecologicamente anche assai diversificati. Con l'obiettivo di acquisire informazioni utili ai fini della caratterizzazione delle accessioni di Origanum heracleoticum spontanee nel comprensorio nebroideo, a partire dal 2007 è stato avviato su di esse un lavoro di ricognizione e collezione sistematica. Campioni…

An integrated approach to the study of Hypericum occurring in Sicily

An integrated approach to the study of taxa of the genus Hypericum occurring in Sicily is proposed. The results of morphological, biochemical, and molecular analyses are combined to better assess the relationships between the species investigated and test the suitability of DNA barcoding technique in the discrimination of these taxa. For the name Hypericum aegypticum subsp. webbii (Spach) N. Robson a lectotype is designated. For Hypericum triquetrifolium Turra a lectotype and a supporting epitype are designated. The presence of Hypericum perforatum L. subsp. perforatum is excluded from Sicily and the previous reports have to be referred to H. perforatum subsp. veronense (Schrank) Ces. Hyper…

Quality Characteristics of Wholemeal Flour and Bread from Durum Wheat (Triticum turgidum L subsp. durum Desf.) after Field Treatment with Plant Water Extracts

The use of selected plant water extracts to control pests and weeds is gaining growing attention in organic and sustainable agriculture, but the effects that such extracts may exert on the quality aspects of durum wheat are still unexplored. In 2014, 5 plant water extracts (Artemisia arborescens, Euphorbia characias, Rhus coriaria, Thymus vulgaris, Lantana camara) were prepared and distributed on durum wheat cv Valbelice to evaluate their potential herbicidal effects. After crop harvesting, the major physicochemical and technological parameters of wholemeal flours obtained from each treatment were measured and compared with those from chemical weeding and untreated controls. A baking test w…

PROVE DI COLTIVAZIONE DI COMPOSITE DI INTERESSE OFFICINALE IN AMBIENTE SEMI-ARIDO.

All’interno della flora officinale mediterranea, le Composite assumono un ruolo di primaria importanza. Nella sola Sicilia, esse rappresentano circa il 19 % del totale delle specie spontanee considerate di maggior interesse erboristico, costituendo la famiglia a diffusione più ampia. Alcune delle essenze più significative sono senza dubbio la Calendula (Calendula officinalis L.), il Partenio (Tanacetum parthenium L.) e il Cardo mariano (Silybum marianum Gaertn.). Prospettive estremamente interessanti appaiono inoltre collegate all’introduzione di Composite alloctone dotate di forti potenzialità agroindustriali, tra le quali ad esempio il Piretro (Chrisanthemum cinerariaefolium (Trev) Bocc.)…

Phenolic Profiles, Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Activities of Hydrodistillation Wastewaters from Five Lamiaceae Species

Distillation is the most widely used method to obtain an essential oil from plant material. The biomass used in the process is returned as a solid residue together with variable amounts of water rich in water-soluble compounds, which currently are not addressed to any further application. The scope of this work was to evaluate the phytochemical composition of wastewaters coming from hydrodistillation (DWWs) of five aromatic plants belonging to the Lamiaceae family, and to assess their in vitro antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. The phenolic profiles of the DWWs were determined by HPLC-DAD and HPLC-ESI/MS. Free radical scavenging ability, oxygen radical antioxidant capacity and su…

Prove di coltivazione di Calendula (Calendula officinalis L.) in ambiente semi-arido

Inside the family Asteraceae, Marigold is one of the most relevant species bearing some herbal interest. The evaluation of the bio-agronomical and yield response of the species to the field cropping conditions, especially when a low input cropping technique is applied, is the base for its full exploitation. With this objective, a long-term research activity has been started out by the DAAT (Department of Environmental and Land Agronomy) of the University of Palermo in the experimental farm “Sparacia” (Cammarata – AG – Sicily), performing observations on Marigold plants managed with a minimum recourse to external technical inputs (nor pesticides neither chemical weeding, and a light (50 kg h…

Comparison between Different Techniques for Volatiles Analyses in Coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.)

Although many papers have been devoted to the study of Coriander fruits aromatic pattern, many differences show up according not only to the provenience of seeds, but also to the analytical methods chosen. In our work, samples from one Coriander small-seeded biotype has been analysed, verifying the differences between (1) the oil extracted by means of a Soxhlet apparatus (2) the same oil sampled by means of HS-SPME and (3) the HS-SPME on the roughly ground seeds, all analysed by direct injection in the GC-MS. The volatile composition detected by means of HS-SPME on oil resembles tightly that performed on Soxhlet extract. With respect to the direct injection, the HS-SPME shows a higher sensi…

Long-Term Field Evaluation of Conventional vs. Micropropagated Plants of Chrysanthemum cinerariifolium

Pyrethrum is a perennial herbaceous plant endemic to the eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea, and introduced in large areas of nearly all continents, where it is cultivated for the industrial extraction of pyrethrins. Pyrethrins are a group of six closely related monoterpene esters, widely used as natural insecticides. The world production of natural pyrethrins is lower than the market demand, and a wider introduction of this crop within the Mediterranean agrosystems could be an appealing opportunity for farmers and manufacturers. The availability of adequate amounts of selected plant material to bring into cultivation is, however, one of the major issues. Therefore, the in vitro propagation …

Variations of essential oil constituents in oregano (Origanum vulgare subsp. viridulum (= o. heracleoticum) over cultivation cycles

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Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi altered the hypericin, pseudohypericin, and hyperforin content in flowers of Hypericum perforatum grown under contrasting P availability in a highly organic substrate

St. John's Wort (Hypericum perforatum) is a perennial herb able to produce water-soluble active ingredients (a.i.), mostly in flowers, with a wide range of medicinal and biotechnological uses. However, information about the ability of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) to affect its biomass accumulation, flower production, and concentration of a.i. under contrasting nutrient availability is still scarce. In the present experiment, we evaluated the role of AMF on growth, flower production, and concentration of bioactive secondary metabolites (hypericin, pseudohypericin, and hyperforin) of H. perforatum under contrasting P availability. AMF stimulated the production of aboveground biomass und…

Coriandolo

Piante medicinali in Sicilia: un’opportunità di sviluppo tra tradizione e innovazione

L’area del Mediterraneo, caratterizzata da una estrema variabilità di ambienti naturali e quindi da un elevato grado di biodiversità vegetale, possiede un grande numero di specie dotate di proprietà medicinali; in Sicilia, molte di queste fanno parte da tempi remotissimi della tradizione popolare, che tuttora ne fa largo uso per l’automedicazione erboristica e in terapia veterinaria. In epoca recente, la crescente tendenza dell’industria e dei consumatori verso l’utilizzazione di prodotti “naturali” ha aperto la strada verso l’uso di piante medicinali anche in settori di mercato che, fino a qualche tempo fa, erano dominati dai prodotti di sintesi. In tale contesto, ci si interroga su come f…

Nonchemical weeding of medicinal and aromatic plants

International audience; Medicinal and aromatic plants are major crops of domestic and industrial interest. Medicinal and aromatic plants are increasingly organically grown to enhance profitability. However, the presence of weeds may lead to a decrease in both yield and quality. Therefore, nonchemical methods of weed control are needed. In this study, mechanical weeding, flaming, stale seedbed, and biodegradable mulch were tested from 2003/2004 to 2006/2007 on coriander, fennel, and psyllium. Biomass and seed yield were measured. The biomass of weeds remaining at harvest was also measured. Results show a high sensitivity of coriander, fennel, and psyllium crops to the presence of weeds. Stal…

Le specie aromatiche a distribuzione mediterranea come fonte di conservanti alimentari naturali

EFFECTS OF ORGANIC AND CHEMICAL N-FERTILIZATION ON YIELD AND MORPHO-BIOLOGICAL FEATURES IN CORIANDER (CORIANDRUM SATIVUM L.).

Variabilità dell’olio essenziale di finocchio (Foeniculum vulgare Mill.) per effetto di trattamenti agronomici

Il Finocchio da seme (Foeniculum vulgare Mill.), è una specie erbacea annuale o biennale della famiglia delle Apiaceae (ex Ombrellifere), spontanea e largamente diffusa all’interno del bacino del mediterraneo, di cui si utilizzano i frutti (comunemente detti “semi”) come aromatizzanti in numerosi preparati tradizionali e come base per la preparazione di diversi composti di interesse farmaceutico ed alimentare. Il presente lavoro illustra i risultati ottenuti a seguito di un’indagine sulla composizione dell’olio essenziale di finocchio, eseguita utilizzando materiale proveniente da un triennio (2004-2006) di prove agronomiche di controllo delle infestanti svolte in ambiente mediterraneo (Cam…

Modifications Over Time of Volatile Compounds in Coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.)

Phytochemical profile and phototoxicity of eleven Hypericum species extracts

The genus Hypericum (family Hypericaceae) contains 484 species, one of which, Hypericum perforatum, is largely used in medicine as antidepressant, as well as antinflammatory, and antimicrobial agent. Hypericin, together with the other naphthodianthrone derivatives named hypericins (the red pigments recognized as partially responsible for biological activities of this plant), has been identified largely in more than 300 Hypericum species (Skalkos et al., 2006). Particularly, hypericins are one of the most potent naturally occurring photodynamic agents; indeed, upon light irradiation, they very effectively induce apoptosis and/or necrosis of cancer cells (Karioti et al., 2010) and thus might …

Prove di coltivazione di Camomilla comune (Chamomilla recutita Rausch.) nell’ambiente semiarido mediterraneo.

La Camomilla comune (Chamomilla recutita (L.) Rausch) è una pianta erbacea annuale originaria del sud-est asiatico, che oggi, grazie alle sue riconosciute proprietà calmanti e sedative, è largamente diffusa e coltivata in tutto il mondo. In tempi recenti, un forte interesse verso la specie deriva anche dalla sua possibilità di utilizzazione in svariate branche dell’industria, dalla farmaceutica (che ne sfrutta le proprietà sedative e antinfiammatorie), alla cosmetica (che la utilizza per la preparazione di creme, detergenti, profumi e shampoo), all’alimentare (che ne fa uso per bevande, dolci, gelati, liquori e vermouth). La larga diffusione della specie fa sì che in larga parte la sua tecn…

MAPs in Sicily: cultivation, uses, and potentiality

In Sicily, MAPs have been used and cultivated for centuries, with many uses ranging from the preparation of fresh or stored food items, flavoring of foods and beverages, home-made human or animal therapy or even aesthetical purposes. Many of them grow spontaneously into such areas, and are claimed to play a significant role inside land biodiversity. The widespread belief that only under “natural” conditions MAPs find their optimum quality features has driven in many cases to their uncontrolled collection from the wild, and as a result many of them are nowadays at a risk of extinction. The field cropping of such spontaneous species could play an important role in safeguarding biodiversity, a…

Biological Activity of Extracts from Artemisia arborescens (Vaill.)L.: An Overview about Insecticidal, Antimicrobial, Antifungal and Herbicidal Properties

Following their evolutionary process, many plants have oriented their secondary metabolism towards the production of complex molecules, which often show an apparent protective function against pests (insects, fungi, viruses, but also competing plants). The identification and the study of such compounds could play a significant role in the frame of the development of new techniques for sustainable plant protection, where they could help in achieving the goal of a reduction in the use of the most highly-impact chemicals. The Mediterranean basin, with its very large biodiversity, represents a huge reservoir of highly promising plant material, which is scarcely explored as far. Indeed, prelimin…

Variabilità della risposta produttiva in Brassica carinata al variare della precessione colturale.

Numerose brassicacee, tra cui B. napus e B. carinata, sono oggi al centro dell'attenzione quali potenziali fonti di olio industriale per la produzione di biodiesel. Negli ambienti interni siciliani, sperimentazioni diverse hanno già messo in evidenza l'ampia adattabilità di queste specie alle condizioni pedoclimatiche prevalenti; in semina autunnale esse possono consentire buoni livelli produttivi usufruendo degli apporti idrici naturali, occupando nell'avvicendamento il posto dei cereali autunno-vernini e permettendo così di interrompere la monosuccessione cerealicola. Numerosi testi di riferimento, peraltro, collocano le brassicacee oleifere nel gruppo delle colture "da rinnovo", soprattu…

Modifications over years of volatile compounds and agronomic features in a Sicilian Clary sage biotype.

Clary sage is a biennial native to Mediterranean area, spontaneous and often ubiquitous in many environments of inner Sicily. The large white-pinkish flowers are used, besides for ornamental purposes, for extracting a strongly-scented essential oil largely used by perfume industries. This work has been carried out with the aim to observe over several years the behaviour of a Sicilian Clary sage biotype, grown on experimental plots laid out in Sparacia (Cammarata - AG - Sicily). For this purpose seeds of Clary sage collected from a wild population growing in Pietraperzia (EN) were sown in experimental plots each year for seven consecutive years (from 1998 to 2005). Since Clary sage is a bien…

Studi preliminari sulla propagazione gamica e vegetativa di Hypericum perforatum in ambiente mediterraneo

La conoscenza dei fattori che influenzano la propagazione di una specie rappresenta un passo cruciale nella messa a punto di strategie per la sua moltiplicazione di massa e introduzione in coltura, sia in campo che in ambiente controllato. Sono stati approfonditi alcuni aspetti della propagazione gamica di Hypericum perforatum (di cui è nota la bassa germinabilità del seme), verificando in particolare gli effetti di variabili diverse (soddisfacimento delle esigenze in freddo, temperatura, substrato, presenza di PGPR, batteri promotori della crescita). Sono stati inoltre approfonditi gli studi sulle potenzialità di moltiplicazione vegetativa della specie, da proporre come possibile alternati…

Multifunctional role of medicinal and aromatic plants: Perspectives and constraints

Multifunctionality is one of the newest claims addressed to agricultural practices, that are nowadays requested to overpass their classical role to furnish food and fibers for human needs, also addressing to the fulfillment of other human necessities, such as to accomplish recreational services and to give a contribute for environmental safeguard. Medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs) may be an important tool for the advancement of agricultural practice towards multifunctionality: they represent a mean for crop (and economical) diversification, contribute to land valorization by means of their aesthetical value, may fit into integrated agro-industrial pathways, may give raw matters and inter…

Milk Thistle (Silybum Marianum L.) as a Novel Multipurpose Crop for Agriculture in Marginal Environments: A Review

Milk thistle (Silybum marianum (L.) Gaertn.) is a versatile crop that has adapted to the broadly different soil and environmental conditions throughout all continents. To date, the fruits (“seeds”) of the plant are the only reliable source of silymarin, which, given its recognized therapeutic effects and its many present and potential uses, has led to a significant re-discovery and enhancement of the crop in recent years. Overall, although many studies have been carried out globally on the bioactivity, phytochemistry, and genetics of milk thistle, few and discontinuous research activity has been conducted on its basic agronomy as well as on the farm opportunities offered by the cultivation …

Sustainable production of fennel and dill by intercropping

Intercropping is claimed to be one of the most significant cropping techniques in sustainable agriculture, and much research and many reviews attribute to its utilization a number of environmental benefits, from promoting land biodiversity to diversifying agricultural outcome. In this sense, intercropping is thought to be a useful means of minimizing the risks of agricultural production in many environments, including those typical of under-developed or marginal areas. In order to validate this hypothesis in a representative area of the semiarid Mediterranean environment, we evaluated the possibility of growing dill and fennel, both belonging to the family Apiaceae, in temporary intercroppi…

Ruolo delle piante officinali nella salvaguardia della biodiversità negli ambienti mediterranei

Mediterranean Italian lands have a considerable plant biodiversity, and Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (MAPs) play a significant role inside it. Some preliminary trials carried out by the DAAT (Dipartimento di Agronomia Ambientale e Territoriale – Department for Land and Environmental Agronomy) of the University of Palermo had the goal to evaluate the suitability of three native species (Hyssop, St. John’s Wort, Lavender) with an herbal interest to the field cropping conditions. The research activity has been carried out in the experimental farm “Sparacia” (Cammarata - AG – Sicily, 37° 38' N - 13° 46' E; 415 m a.s.l.) from 2006 to 2007. The trials confirmed the good suitability of the tested…

Nitrogen fertilisation in coriander (Coriandrum sativumL.): a review and meta-analysis

Nitrogen (N) fertilisation is one of the most important external inputs in assessing coriander seed yield and plant growth. Recent concerns related to the misuse of N fertilisers in agricultural environments, however, stress the opportunity for a fine-tuning of N management in order to optimise the use of this element, avoiding losses and reducing environmental hazards. In this study, some results from the literature concerning N fertilisation in coriander are reviewed and, by means of statistical analysis, an attempt is made to derive from them some general suggestions about practices of N fertilisation. In most cases examined, N fertilisation allowed a 10–70% increase in seed yields in co…

Exploitation of native Labiatae in Sicily

The family Labiatae is extremely rich in genera and species, and many of them are native to Mediterranean environments. In Sicily, a great interest is devoted since ancient times to their cultivation and use, and they are traditionally used for a great deal of purposes, from cookery to phytotherapy. When their cultivation is addressed to their traditional purposes (as spices, savory herbs or herbal medicines), the major aspects of their cropping technique are well established. However, there are two many reason why their traditional cropping technique should be deeply reviewed. First, many of their productive steps (from sowing to harvest) require a great deal of manpower, and the enhanceme…

Hop (Humulus lupulus L.): Suitability of Traditional Cultivars to a Low-Trellis Farming System in a Semiarid Environment

Humulus lupulus is a dioecious twining herb, with an outstanding vertical development capacity. Hop plants are usually grown on trellises up to 4.5 to 6.0 m high, whose management requires intense use of water, fertilizers, pesticides, and labor. In semiarid Mediterranean areas, where native resources are often scarce, the adoption of low-trellis farming systems could be a sustainable option for hop cultivation. With the aim of evaluating hop suitability to low-trellis cultivation in a Mediterranean environment, in 2018 and 2019 three traditional hop genotypes (‘Cascade’, ‘Chinook’, and ‘Nugget’) were grown, and their development rate was evaluated and put in relation with the plants’ cone,…

Control of Erigeron bonariensis with Thymbra capitata, Mentha piperita, Eucalyptus camaldulensis, and Santolina chamaecyparissus Essential Oils

In the search of sustainable and environmentally friendly methods for weed control, there is increasing interest in essential oils (EOs) as an approach to reduce synthetic herbicide use. The phytotoxicity of Thymbra capitata, Mentha piperita, Eucalyptus camaldulensis, and Santolina chamaecyparissus EOs against the noxious weed Erigeron bonariensis were evaluated in pre- and post-emergence assays in greenhouse conditions. The EOs were applied at 2, 4, and 8 &micro

Prove di coltivazione di Iperico (Hypericum perforatum L.) in ambiente semi-arido

L’Iperico (Hypericum perforatum L.; Fam. Hypericaceae) è una specie erbacea perenne largamente diffusa allo stato spontaneo, insieme alle altre specie congeneri, all’interno degli ambienti mediterranei. Secondo la Farmacopea Europea (IV Ed.), la droga dell’Iperico è costituita dalla parte aerea e dalle sommità fiorite essiccate, che trovano utilizzazione in diverse aree del mondo per il trattamento di un gran numero di disturbi interni ed esterni. Nelle aree mediterranee, grazie al suo marcato effetto lenitivo del dolore e alla proprietà di stimolare la formazione di nuovo tessuto, la principale utilizzazione tradizionale dell’Iperico è tradizionalmente rivolta al trattamento esterno di ust…

Cultivation Trials of Dill (Anethum graveolens L.) with Different Row Arrangements

Dill (Anethum graveolens L.) is an annual plant from Umbelliferae. Although in cookery also sprouts and tender leaves are used, the drug from Dill is represented by the scented fruits (“seeds”), largely used for flavouring conserved foods and liqueurs, but also by herbal and cosmetic industry. In this work, we present the results of a trial performed in Sicily, putting under comparison four different row arrangements: CR30 (continuous rows 30 cm apart); CR60 (continuous rows 60 cm apart), CR90 (continuous rows 90 cm apart) and TR (twin rows with a distance of 30 cm inside and 60 cm between twin rows). The plant population on the row (12 plants m-1) was constant and according the row distanc…

Phytotoxic Lignans from Artemisia arborescens

A systematic bioassay-guided fractionation of methylene chloride extracts of the aerial part of Artemisia arborescens was performed in order to identify its phytotoxic compounds Two lignans were isolated, sesamin and ashantin, that inhibited growth of Agrostis stolonifera (bentgrass), a monocot, and Lactuca sativa (lettuce), a dicot, at 1 mg mL–1. In a dose-response screening of these lignans for growth inhibition against Lemna paucicostata (duckweed), ashantin was the most active with an IC50 of ca. 224 μM. The mode of action of these compounds is still unknown. In mosquito larvicidal bioassays the pure compounds sesamin and ashantin did not cause mortality at the highest dose of 125 mg/L…

New cropping systems in semi-arid Mediterranean environments: potential role of medicinal and aromatic plants

The semi-arid Mediterranean environments represent somehow “fragile” ecosystems, whose correct management needs some special attention. It is crucial therefore to study and point out some innovative farming systems able to deal with an income for workers, but in the meantime environmentally friendly and requiring the minimum energetic and technical inputs. In such sense, the cultivation of some selected medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs) could be an important strategy. In our work we made an attempt to to sketch a comprehensive evaluation of the input levels required by 23 selected herbaceous MAPs, taking into consideration the indicative average levels of the energetic (including manpowe…

Sustainable Fertilization in Medicinal and Aromatic Plants

The nutrient level in the soil is one of the most investigated aspects of agricultural research, also including research into Medicinal and Aromatic plants. The effect of fertilization has been studied in detail for many species, with contrasting results as concerns above all the qualitative aspects of production. Generally speaking, an increased level of nutrients induces an enhancement of plant biomass, but when the goal of cultivation is different from herbage yield, i.e. when a special plant part (seeds, or roots, or flowers) is of interest, or when the quality features are especially important, the outcome of fertilization may be dramatically different. A fine-tuned fertilization pract…

Essential oil crops for sustainable agriculture - A review

Multifunctionality and diversification of farming systems, integration of agricultural practices both inter se and with the non-agricultural productive systems operating on the territory, biodiversity safeguards, and reduction in off-farm inputs, are key factors for all modern development strategies in agricultural areas. Such issues are valid worldwide, but are especially true in areas in which the cultivation of the more widespread and “classical” crops is constrained by factors of varying degree and importance. In Mediterranean areas, where many environmental and economic factors often reduce rural areas to marginal conditions, the search for new crop opportunities has become one of the …

The scent of Mare Nostrum: medicinal and aromatic plants in Mediterranean soils

In the Mediterranean area, the simultaneous occurrence of pedological, climatic and economic constraints often sets a limit on the profitability of agriculture, and farmers are forced to grow a reduced number of species, dealing with a secure – albeit low – market income. The introduction of medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs) inside the current farming systems could represent a useful means to meet the multifunctional role of agriculture: producing safe food, in respect of the environment, and contributing to the development of rural areas. The study of the relationships between MAPs and the soils in which they may be grown may have two approaches: (1) the evaluation of yield and qualitat…

BIOTECHNOLOGICAL APPROACHES TO THE GENETIC IMPROVEMENT OF CHRYSANTHEMUM CINERARIAEFOLIUM L.

The interest in sustainable agriculture has increased the demand of plant-derived compounds which can be less toxic both to mammals and to the environment than the synthetic agrochemicals. Chrysanthemum cinerariaefolium L. (Asteraceae), commonly termed pyrethrum, is an economically important crop from highlands of tropical and subtropical regions of the world. It is grown for the extraction of pyrethrins, natural insect repellents of plant origin. Pyrethrins are a mixture of six compounds produced by esterification of two acids (chrysanthemic and pyrethric acid) with three mono-terpene-alcohols (pyrethrolone-5, jasmolone-3 and cinerolone-4). The principale source of pyrethrins are the dried…

Phenological and agronomical evaluation of chamomile in Mediterranean environments

Chamomile (Chamomilla recutita (L.) Rausch.) is an annual crop, known worldwide as one of the major medicinal herbs. Its flower heads are reported in the official Pharmacopoeia of 26 countries. In order to evaluate the suitability of chamomile to a low-input field cropping management into a semiarid Mediterranean environment, a long-term research activity has been carried out in the experimental farm “Sparacia” (Cammarata – AG – Sicily); hereby we report the results obtained on plants grown in self-seeded experimental plots in 2007/08. Plants development was observed from November 2007 up to (visually assessed) flowers appearance. Blooming started in middle February, and in middle April (af…

Prove di coltivazione di Hypericum perforatum in ambiente mediterraneo

La possibilità di introduzione dell’iperico negli ordinamenti colturali mediterranei richiede la definizione di numerosi aspetti relativi alla tecnica di coltivazione, il cui approfondimento permetterebbe di ottimizzare le rese sia sul piano della quantità che della qualità, rispettando al contempo il criterio della massima efficienza nell’uso delle risorse produttive. Accessioni di H. perforatum ottenute da seme proveniente da tre diverse aree italiane (nord-Trento, centro-Siena e sud-Agrigento) sono state coltivate sia in pieno campo che in vaso. La raccolta delle sommità fiorite è stata effettuata tra giugno e luglio dell’anno successivo a quello della semina (massima fioritura). Contemp…

La valorizzazione della flora spontanea attraverso lo studio di nuovi biopesticidi: Artemisia arborescens L.

A seguito del loro processo evolutivo, numerose specie vegetali hanno orientato il loro metabolismo secondario verso la produzione di molecole complesse, dotate in molti casi di un’evidente funzione protettiva nei confronti delle avversità (insetti, funghi, virus, ma anche altre piante in competizione). Lo studio e la valorizzazione di queste molecole, da utilizzare nell’ambito delle tecniche di difesa sostenibile ed integrata con l’obiettivo di ottenere una riduzione dell’impiego di prodotti sintetici ad elevato impatto ambientale, costituiscono oggi una tematica di ricerca di grande interesse. All’interno della flora spontanea mediterranea, molto rappresentata è Artemisia arborescens L., …

Valorizzazione della biodiversità vegetale in ambiente semi-arido: lo Psillio (Plantago psyllium L.)

La Sicilia, caratterizzata da un’ampia variabilità pedo-climatica e da una notevole ricchezza di paesaggi naturali e tradizioni popolari, è sede ideale per la valorizzazione delle risorse vegetali di interesse officinale spontanee o spontaneizzate nell’area mediterranea, da introdurre o diffondere in coltivazione. In questo contesto trova collocazione lo psillio (Plantago psillium L.), una Plantaginacea officinale a ciclo annuale, largamente diffusa nella flora spontanea mediterranea. La droga dello psillio è costituita dai semi, tradizionalmente utilizzati nell’automedicazione erboristica grazie al loro contenuto in mucillagini, sostanze dotate della proprietà di rigonfiarsi ed aumentare d…

La città e le erbe: Palermo tra aromi e spezie

A low-cost multispectral imaging system for the characterisation of soil and small vegetation properties using visible and near-infrared reflectance

Current Proximal Sensing technologies are based on multispectral imaging systems able to capture images in a few spectral bands, usually centred in VIS and NIR regions, to derive vegetation indices. However, most of such systems lack an internal radiometric calibration to estimate the actual reflectance of the observed target, making them sensitive to the local radiative environment and requiring a per-session calibration against a reference target. To overcome such dependence, the instrument described adopts an active illumination of the target surface, allowing the monitoring of soil and low vegetation surfaces by a radiometrically pre-calibrated imaging camera. The system, driven by a mi…

La coltivazione delle specie officinali in ambiente mediterraneo: il pirodiserbo come tecnica ecocompatibile di gestione delle infestanti

La produzione di specie officinali richiede oggi la rispondenza a requisiti di qualità sempre più precisi, considerati l’unica concreta possibilità di fronteggiare la competizione con le merci reperibili a bassissimo prezzo dai paesi extraeuropei. Per garantire questi requisiti qualitativi, l’adozione delle tecniche di produzione biologica viene sempre più considerata una necessità imprescindibile. Rispetto alla coltivazione con metodi convenzionali, la coltivazione delle officinali in biologico richiede tuttavia un livello più approfondito di conoscenze tecniche ed una maggiore cura nella tempistica e nella tecnica di esecuzione delle operazioni colturali. Per gli operatori in biologico, l…

LA VALORIZZAZIONE DELLA FLORA SPONTANEA ATTRAVERSO LO STUDIO DI NUOVI BIOPESTICIDI: ARTEMISIA ARBORESCENS L.

Il termine “biopesticidi” identifica un vasto insieme di molecole, sintetizzate naturalmente da piante od altri organismi vegetali, in grado di manifestare un’attività biologica nei confronti di agenti fitopatogeni di diversa origine, quali virus, batteri, funghi, artropodi ed altri. Tale attività può spaziare dalla semplice repressione di un particolare stadio di sviluppo del patogeno (sporulazione, crescita vegetativa, riproduzione) fino alla induzione di reazioni e processi metabolici che ne determinano la morte. Negli ultimi anni sono stati proposti molti nuovi formulati con queste caratteristiche, la cui diffusione, pur se ancora contenuta, si presenta in continua espansione. Verso que…

Rooting and acclimatization of micropropagatedHypericum perforatumL. native to Sicily

Hypericum perforatum L. is traditionally used as a medicinal plant because of its different bioactive compounds with documented antidepressant and antiinflammatory activities. Plantlets’ mass production with high content of these secondary metabolites has been enhanced through in vitro culture but the process has often been stopped at the multiplication phase. A study was conducted in order to set up an efficient in vitro rooting and acclimatization protocol of a H. perforatum Sicilian genotype well-adapted to south Mediterranean conditions. Aseptic nodal segments were cultured onto a Murashige and Skoog (MS) basal medium supplemented with 4.44 µM 6-benzyladenine for multiplication. Microsh…

CHEMICAL AND BOTANICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF A ROSMARINUS OFFICINALIS L. BIOTYPE FROM SICILY

Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.) is widely cultivated all over the world as ornamental and aromatic plant. Today, the interest towards its cultivation is strongly arising, due to the many biological activities exerted by the essential oil extracted from its leaves and flowers. Which compounds confer to Rosemary's essential oil its properties is still unclear, but it seems likely that these effects must be attributed to a mixture of different principles, acting contemporarily and synergically. The diverse composition of the essential oils of Rosemary's ecotypes coming from different geographical areas could be the reason of their various level of activity. With the aim of obtaining furth…

Statistical analyses on the essential oil of italian coriander (coriandrum sativum L.) fruits of different ages and origins

Thirty-one samples of Coriandrum sativum L. fruits, of different origin, year of cultivation (harvest) and crop management systems were subjected to volatile component analysis by combining Head Space Solid Phase Microextraction (HS-SPME) with GC/MS. In order to determine the importance of the major sources of volatile variability, some statistical analyses, including Cluster Analysis (CA) and Principal Component Analysis (PCA), were performed on the obtained data. The compounds, which gave the main contribution to the partition and classification of the original data, were α-pinene, p-cymene, γ-terpinene and linalool. The age of the fruits, which ranged from 1–16 years, seemed to generate …

Biodiversità in alcune specie del genere Mentha nel territorio dei Monti Nebrodi (Sicilia N-W).

In Nebrodi Mountains (N-E Sicily), the genus Mentha is represented by an high number of species, in many cases typical of humid and subhumid environments. This work was addressed to investigate about the biomorphological traits of various accessions belonging to 3 Mentha species collected in the Nebrodi highlands, namely 22 accessions of Mentha spicata, 12 of Mentha suaveolens and 13 of Mentha aquatica. Plant material was picked up starting from the early spring 2007, from different sites as in altitude and in pedological and climatic traits, that were distributed over an area of 200.000 ha approx.. Later on, all collected plant individuals were transplanted in a collection field, appositel…

Risposta bio-agronomica e produttiva del Coriandolo (Coriandrum sativum L.) alla fertilizzazione azotata organica e minerale: risultati di un biennio di sperimentazione

N use and partitioning in coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.) after organic and conventional N fertilization

In coriander, a well known spice herb, many studies concerning the effect of N fertilization have been conducted in special areas where the cultivation of such plant has a major importance, such as India. Limited information is available as concerns the response of coriander to N fertilization under Mediterranean climatic conditions, above all when organic N fertilizers (mandatory when organic cropping management is chosen) are used. This work refers about some observations realised from 2004 to 2006 by an experiment on organic and mineral N fertilization techniques in coriander, carried on in the experimental farm “Sparacia” (Cammarata, AG, Sicily). Similarly to what suggested for other sp…

VALORIZZAZIONE PRODUTTIVA DEL GERMOPLASMA DELLE AREE INTERNE: PROVE DI COLTIVAZIONE DI ISATIS TINCTORIA L.

Le linee più recenti della politica agricola comunitaria attribuiscono grande importanza all’espansione, o reintroduzione, di colture che, assenti dai sistemi colturali ordinari, siano in grado di fornire le più diverse tipologie di materie prime di interesse industriale. Tra queste, un ruolo considerevole spetta a tutte le specie utilizzabili per l'estrazione di principi coloranti. Isatis tinctoria L., conosciuta anche come Guado, viene adoperata in Europa fin da tempi remotissimi per l’estrazione dell’indaco, sostanza colorante blu contenuta in buona quantità nelle foglie. Nel corso del tempo, per effetto di svariate circostanze di ordine commerciale e politico, l’interesse verso questa C…

Chemical Composition and Antibacterial Potential of Artemisia arborescens L. Essential Oil

This study was undertaken to characterize the essential oil (EO) of Artemisia arborescens growing wild in Sicily. EO, extracted by steam distillation, was examined for its chemical composition and for its capability to inhibit some food-borne pathogen bacteria. A total of 43 compounds (13 monoterpene hydrocarbons, 14 oxygenated monoterpenes, 10 sesquiterpene hydrocarbons, three oxygenated sesquiterpenes and less amount of other three compounds), which account 93.73% of the total oil, were identified by gas chromatography and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Oxygenated monoterpenes (57.32%) constituted the main fraction, with β-thujone as the main compound (45.04%), followed by the sesq…

CARATTERIZZAZIONE DI TIPI DI “ANETO” COLTIVATI IN AMBIENTE MEDITERRANEO

Dill (Anethum graveolens L.) is an annual containing relevant amounts (2-4%) of essential oil, easily obtained through steam distillation of the whole aerial part or of the seeds alone. In Sicily, true dill is not present as wild plant; on the contrary, another Umbelliferae plant, Ridolfia segetum Moris., is largely widespread. The rather limited available literature is mostly devoted to the study of some botanical aspects or, at most, to chemical and analytical characterization of its leaves and flowers. Although at a deep examination the conformation of fruits is rather different between the two species, inside the inland Sicily the two genotypes, both referred to with the same dialectal …

NUOVE COLTURE DI INTERESSE MEDICINALE VALUTATE IN SICILIA

La coltivazione della calendula (Calendula officinalis L.) come prodotto erboristico.

All’interno della flora officinale mediterranea, la famiglia delle Asteracee (ex Composite) assume un ruolo di primaria importanza, comprendendo circa il 19% del totale delle specie di interesse erboristico censite in Sicilia. Tra queste, molto rappresentata è la calendula (Calendula officinalis L.), la cui droga è tradizionalmente costituita dai capolini, di un acceso colore arancione, che vengono largamente adoperati, da soli o in miscela con altri derivati vegetali, in erboristeria e dall’industria farmaco-cosmetica. Le proprietà attribuite alla specie sono numerose e assai diversificate: oltre alle note e tradizionalmente utilizzate azioni antiinfiammatoria, cicatrizzante, emolliente ed…

Prove di coltivazione di Miscanthus x giganteus (Greef & Deuter) in ambiente semiarido siciliano

Artemisia arborescens L.: essential oil composition and effects of plant growth stage in some genotypes from Sicily

Essential oils from aerial parts of several Artemisia arborescens L. populations, collected in five different localities of Sicily, were analyzed by gas chromatograph–flame ionization detector (GC–FID) and GC–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) in order to study the chemical composition and its variability due to phenological stage. Forty-three compounds, accounting for more than 92% of the oil, were identified. Monoterpene fraction with the exception of Petru population was higher than the sesquiterpene fraction. β-Thujone (20.5–55.9%), chamazulene (15.2–49.4%), camphor (1.3–10.7%) and germacrene D (2.3–3.4%) were the main compounds. Chemical composition was influenced by phenological stage, with an…

Resilience of hop (Humulus lupulus L.) to salinity, heat and drought stresses: A mini-review

Over recent years, the cultivation of hops (Humulus lupulus L.) has spread widely in the Mediterranean, also affecting the southern regions of Spain and Italy with a typical semi-arid climate. Several and recent studies have investigated the responses of this species to the main abiotic stresses, which is an aspect of absolute relevance to the knowledge of the adaptive capacity of hops to the growing conditions of a new cultivation environment. Moreover, given the fact that hops’ phytochemical composition is determined primarily by genetic and environmental factors, and that the species is perennial, the lack of knowledge on the effects of abiotic stress could be reflected in subsequent yea…

Use of Plant Water Extracts for Weed Control in Durum Wheat (Triticum turgidum L. Subsp. durum Desf.)

The use of plant water extracts to control weeds is gaining attention in environmentally-friendly agriculture, but the study of the effect that such extracts may exert on the yield of durum wheat is still unexplored. In 2014 and 2016, the herbicidal potential of several plant water extracts was field tested on durum wheat (cv Valbelice). In 2014, extracts obtained from Artemisia arborescens, Rhus coriaria, Lantana camara, Thymus vulgaris, and Euphorbia characias were used, whereas in 2016 only A. arborescens and R. coriaria were tested as &ldquo

Effects of organic and conventional N-fertilization on quality traits in coriander(Coriandrum sativum L.)

In organic cropping management of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants, the best quality expression is crucial to gain satisfactory incomes. Coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.) is an annual herbaceous plant with a commercial value due to the typical scent of its fruits (commonly termed “seeds”), rich in a pale yellow oil (1-2% in small-sized types, 0.2-0.5% in large-sized ones). Several studies have been done for determining the composition of volatile fraction of Coriander, which was found to vary also as a consequence of cropping techniques, including nitrogen fertilization. In order to gain useful information about the effects, if present at all, of organic N fertilization on Coriander quality in…

Sustainable Weed, Disease and Pest Management in Medicinal and Aromatic Plants

As for all other crops, in MAPs as well, weeds, diseases and pests are important yield-reducing factors, which may severely curtain biomass production and, that is maybe more important, may affect several qualitative aspects of production. Research about this topic is generally lacking, for two main reasons: the first is that MAPs are generally grown on rather limited areas, and the incidence of specific pests and diseases rarely takes a relevance outside rather narrow boundaries. The second reason is that the economical importance of MAPs is much lower than that ascribed to the “major” crops, which the bigger efforts of research are addressed to. In the changing scenario of latter years, h…

Plant species for mucilages as crops for Mediterranean environments.

In vitro rooting and acclimatization of Sicilian Hypericum perforatum

Hypericum perforatum L. is traditionally used as a medicinal plant because of different bioactive compounds with documented antidepressant and anti-inflammatory activities. Plantlets mass production with high content of these secondary metabolites has been enhanced through in vitro culture but often the process has been stopped at the multiplication phase. A study was conducted in order to set up an efficient in vitro rooting and acclimatization protocol of a H. perforatum Sicilian genotype well-adapted to south Mediterranean conditions. Aseptic nodal segments were cultured on to a Murashige and Skoog (MS) basal medium supplemented with 4.44 μM 6-benzyladenine (BA) for multiplication. Micro…

Gestione ecocompatibile delle infestanti nel finocchio da seme (Foeniculum vulgare Mill.)

Nelle coltivazioni officinali, l'adozione di tecniche a basso impatto ambientale (tra cui la produzione in regime di agricoltura biologica) costituisce una scelta quasi obbligata per consentire al prodotto un'adeguata competitività sui mercati nazionali ed esteri. In quest'ambito, gli evidenti effetti che le infestanti esercitano sulla produzione e sui suoi parametri qualitativi pongono la gestione delle infestanti tra i principali nodi dell'agrotecnica delle colture officinali. Nel quadriennio 2004 -2007, il DAAT dell'Università di Palermo ha pertanto svolto una serie di sperimentazioni in campo tendenti a verificare l'efficacia contenitiva e gli effetti sulla coltura di alcune tecniche di…

Prove di coltivazione di Hypericum perforatum L. in ambiente mediterraneo

La richiesta di Hypericum perforatum da parte dell'industria farmaceutica e cosmetica, sia come droga grezza che come derivati di prima trasformazione, in questi ultimi anni si sta incrementando mentre la sua disponibilità commerciale appare ancora piuttosto limitata. La possibilità di introduzione negli ordinamenti colturali mediterranei delle diverse specie di Hypericum è divenuta dunque potenzialmente assai interessante, ma richiede ancora la definizione di numerosi aspetti relativi alla risposta delle specie alla coltivazione, sia in pieno campo che in vaso, soprattutto quando questa viene condotta in ambienti diversi da quelli di vegetazione naturale. L'approfondimento di tali aspetti …

Real cover crops contribution to soil organic carbon sequestration in sloping vineyard

Abstract The research focused on the evaluation of the effect of soil erosion processes on SOC sequestration rate after 5 years of cover crop soil management in Mediterranean vineyards (Sicily, Italy). Two paired sites, one in a sloping area and another one in a contiguous flat area, were chosen. The vineyard soils of the two plots of each paired site were managed with conventional soil tillage (CT) and Vicia faba cover crop (CC) the preceding 5 years. SOC was measured in three points along the slope (top, middle and foot parts) and in the flat area. Results showed that in the slope area the highest SOC content was found in CC management, with an average value of 9.52 ± 0.34 g kg−1, whereas…

Finocchio selvatico

Sustainability and multifunctionality in Mediterranean cropping systems: the role of medicinal and aromatic plants

Medicinal and Aromatic Plants, shortly termed MAPs, are a huge category of plant species, which have in common their aptitude to supply substances, respectively medicines and flavours, that are or may be used by people for a large number of uses, having a various level of complexity: from plants which are used by man “as they are” or after a minimum transformation, addressed to human food (the spices), or herbal self-therapy (the traditional medicinal plants), it is possible to drop to species employed by highly sophisticated industrial sectors such as perfume or cosmetic industries, passing through almost all intermediate ways and complexities. Many of these plants find the best growing co…

VALORIZZAZIONE DELLA FLORA SPONTANEA DI INTERESSE OFFICINALE: LO PSILLIO

Cultivation trials of hop (Humulus lupulus L.) in semi-arid environments

Abstract The recent developments in the market and craft beer industry in Italy have led to an increasing demand for local raw materials, such as barley malt and hops. Few works have been addressed to evaluate suitability and productivity of hop in semi-arid Italian environments. With this purpose, two experiments were carried out in 2018 and 2019, testing the suitability to cultivation of three commonly used hop varieties (Cascade, Chinook and Nuggett) in two typical semi-arid environments in Sicily. Phenological stages were also evaluated, and GDDs accumulated in vegetative and reproductive stages were calculated according to 9 different methods, dealing with three Tbase temperatures (0 °…

Valorizzazione produttiva della biodiversità in ambiente mediterraneo: il genere Hypericum

Una conoscenza approfondita delle specie appartenenti al genere Hypericum, finalizzata alla loro introduzione negli ordinamenti colturali come specie di interesse industriale e/o ornamentale, comporta la dettagliata descrizione dei parametri morfologici e ambientali delle piante nei loro siti di vegetazione spontanea, e l’accertamento delle loro caratteristiche fitochimiche. Negli anni 2012-2013 è stata svolta un’attività di ricognizione a tale scopo. In Sicilia le perlustrazioni svolte hanno portato all'individuazione di 23 accessioni di H. perforatum, H. perfoliatum, H. pubescens, H. tetrapterum e H. calycinum; numerose altre se ne sono aggiunte, provenienti dall’appennino tosco-romagnolo…

Le piante officinali: colture antiche per un'agricoltura multifunzionale.

The scent of Mare Nostrum : medicinal and aromatic plants in Mediterranean soils

In the Mediterranean area, the simultaneous occurrence of pedological, climatic and economic constraints often sets a limit on the profitability of agriculture, and farmers are forced to grow a reduced number of species, dealing with a secure—albeit low—market income. The introduction of medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs) inside the current farming systems could represent a useful means to meet the multifunctional role of agriculture: producing safe food, in respect of the environment, and contributing to the development of rural areas. The study of the relationships between MAPs and the soils in which they may be grown may have two approaches: (1) the evaluation of yield and qualitative …

Hypericum spp.: A Resource from Wild Mediterranean Flora for the Treatment of Mild Depression

The present volume of the series, "Bioactive Phytochemicals: Perspectives for Modern Medicine - Vol. 3" with 21 original research and review articles written by eminent scientists and researchers from within India and abroad has been compiled, and the notable amongst which include: Lupeol as Anticancer Drug; Bioactive Phytochemicals as Phytomedicine and its Pharmacology and Toxicology of Genus Capparis; Artesunate with its Antimalarial Profile; Fractionation and Structural Characterization of Antimicrobials from Woodfordia fruticosa Kurz.; Exocyclic-Nitrogen Alkaloids in Herbalism as a Source of New Drugs; Naringin, a Citrus Flavonone Inhibits the Benzo[a]pyrene (BaP)-Induced Forestomach Ca…

Plant structure as a determinant of coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.) seed and straw yield

Abstract Coriander (Coriandrum sativum L., Apiaceae) is a Mediterranean aromatic plant that is mainly cultivated for its fruits. Understanding the association between various vegetative and reproductive structures as they pertain to yield can help addressing efforts for achieving the highest productivity levels, by improving both cropping techniques and breeding. Multiple Regression (MR) analysis is a suitable tool to understand this association; notwithstanding, due to the plant’s inherent “weedy” growth, the interpretation of MR results in coriander is often difficult. Therefore, in our analysis we also calculated additional indicators of variable contribution to the model and to one anot…

Characterization of Sicilian rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.) germplasm through a multidisciplinary approach.

In Sicily, small differences exist between wild and cultivated rosemary biotypes; VOCs and genetic profiles may be a useful tool to distinguish them. A germplasm collection of Rosmarinus officinalis L. was harvested from 15 locations in Sicily. Eleven wild and four cultivated populations were collected and, due to the surveyed area covered, they can be considered as a representative panel of Sicilian genetic background of the species. Ex situ plant collection was transferred to the field cultivation in homogeneous conditions for characterizing through a multidisciplinary approach. The study included morphological traits observations (growth habitus, flower color, number and size of leaves, …

Accrescimento, sviluppo ed evoluzione delle componenti aromatiche nel Coriandolo (Coriandrum sativum L.)

Characterization of an Italian biotype of clary sage (Salvia sclarea L.) grown in a semi-arid Mediterranean environment

An Italian spontaneous biotype of clary sage (Salvia sclarea L.) was evaluated for its suitability to be cultivated in a semi-arid area and for the influence of these growth conditions on the essential oil composition. Seeds gathered from a spontaneous biotype were sown directly in the field, using a seeding density calculated to achieve a plant population of 7 plants/m2. Essential oils from the inflorescences and leaves of plants harvested at full flowering and early seed ripeness stages were obtained by steam distillation and characterized by GC and GC–MS. The plants showed a good tolerance to the semi-arid growth conditions, yielding more than 700 flowers/plant and about 21 g seeds/plant…

Crop rotation, nitrogen fertilization and genotype effects on durum wheat productive characteristics

A field trial was performed in 2000/01 and 2001/02 in the experimental farm “Sparacia” (Cammarata – AG – Sicily) in order to evaluate the qualitative and quantitative response of four varieties of durum wheat when grown after a legume crop (field pea) or in rotation with itself and when submitted to different N-fertilization levels: no fertilization (N0, control), 60 kg ha-1 (N 60, rate advised by the EC n. 2078/92 for the Sicilian territory) and 120 kg ha-1 (N 120, fertilization rate commonly used under the “traditional” cropping technique). In the first trial year, the fertilized trial expressed a better yield performance than the control, but in 2001/02, characterized by severe and prolo…

The genetic improvement of Pyrethrum (Chrisanthemum cinerariaefolium L.): a biotechnological approach. suppl.3: .

Pyrethrum (Chrisanthemum cinerariaefolium L. = Tanacetum cineariaefolium (Trev.) Schultz-Bip.) is a perennial herbaceous plant belonging to the family Asteraceae, native to Albania and the area of former Yugoslavia. Pyrethrum is the only species in the genus Tanacetum having an agronomic importance, although the genus consists of several species producing similar types of bioactive metabolites. The species is grown in order to obtain the insecticidal compounds collectively termed pyrethrins, which are found primarily in the flower head. Pyrethrum may be easily propagated by seeds, vegetative splits, stem cuttings (rooted or not under mist), and tissue culture. The first attempts to introduc…

Cultivating for the Industry: Cropping Experiences with Hypericum perforatum L. in a Mediterranean Environment

Hypericum perforatum is an intensively studied medicinal plant, and much experimental activity has been addressed to evaluate its bio-agronomical and phytochemical features as far. In most cases, plant material used for experimental purposes is obtained from wild populations or, alternatively, from individuals grown in vases and/or pots. When Hypericum is addressed to industrial purposes, the most convenient option for achieving satisfactory amounts of plant biomass is field cultivation. Pot cultivation and open field condition, however, are likely to induce different responses on plant’s metabolism, and the obtained yield and composition are not necessarily the same. To compare these manag…

Propagation of Artemisia Arborescens L. by stem-cutting: Adventitious root formation under different conditions

Artemisia arborescens L. has gained a strong importance worldwide due to its many industrial uses and it has been recently considered as ornamental plant. A major constraint to its widespread cultivation is represented, by far, by the scarce availability of high-quality plant material for field establishment; hence, development of a fast and effective methods for its vegetative propagation is needed. An experiment was conducted to assess the effects of different harvest periods, NAA, and rooting substrates on rooting of stem cuttings of A. arborescens. Semi hardwood cuttings were collected from wild plants in February, April, and November. Half of the material was treated with 0.4% NAA and …

Le piante aromatiche in Sicilia

Les plantes aromatiques sont toutes les espéces vegetales caractérisées par avoir des substances volatiles parfumées traditionnelement utilisées pour aromatiser les aliments ou les produits pharmaceutiques ou cosmétiques. Beaucoup des espéces aromatiques ont aussi des différentes propriétés spécifique (antioxydants, colorants, thérapeutique) qui les rendent attrayants pour de nombreux secteurs de l'industrie. La flore naturelle sicilienne se compose de plusieurs des espécés avec ces caractéristiques et leur culture sur de superficies moyen-large peuvent contribuer à la création de nouvelles sources de revenus supplémentaire pour des environnements marginaux. Dans ce but il faut affiner des …

Organic and chemical N fertilization on coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.)

Coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.) is an annual herbaceous Medicinal and Aromatic Plant (MAP) dealing with a great industrial interest because of its strongly-scented fruits (“seeds”). The role of N fertilization in coriander seed yield is matter of debate as far; information is missing, for instance, about the effects of organic N fertilization, a mandatory technique when the organic cropping management is chosen. Organic and chemical N fertilizers have been supplied on coriander from 2001–2002 to 2006–2007 in a Mediterranean semi-arid environment, and their effects on the formation of biomass and seeds yield have been evaluated. Different organic fertilizers, allowed by EU regulations conc…

Variations in the Volatile Compounds of a Fennel (Foeniculum VulgareMill.) Variety Grown in a Semi-Arid Mediterranean Environment

Abstract Fennel is an industrial source of anethole but, recently, further interest has came from the suggested possibility of many industrial uses of this plant.The volatile substances from the seeds of Fennel grown in Sparacia (Cammarata – AG – Sicily; 37° 38’ N; 13° 46’ E) have been investigated and compared on a statistical base with previously reported data. The variety grown in Sparacia fall into the “high fenchone” chemovariety. The substances α-toluene, α-terpinene, β-phellandrene+limonene and camphene appear the components most sensitive to environment and grow condition modifications.

Organic and chemical n fertilization on coriander (coriandrum sativum L.) in a Mediterranean environment

Abstract Coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.) is an annual herbaceous Medicinal and Aromatic Plant (MAP) dealing with a great industrial interest because of its strongly-scented fruits (“seeds”). The role of N fertilization in coriander seed yield is matter of debate as far; information is missing, for instance, about the effects of organic N fertilization, a mandatory technique when the organic cropping management is chosen. Organic and chemical N fertilizers have been supplied on coriander from 2001–2002 to 2006–2007 in a Mediterranean semi-arid environment, and their effects on the formation of biomass and seeds yield have been evaluated. Different organic fertilizers, allowed by EU regulat…

Herbicidal activity of Thymbra capitata (L.) Cav. essential oil

The bioherbicidal potential of Thymbra capitata (l.) Cav. essential oil (EO) and its main compound carvacrol was investigated. In in vitro assays, the EO blocked the germination and seedling growth of Erigeron canadensis L., Sonchus oleraceus (l.) L., and Chenopodium album L. at 0.125 &micro

Cultivation of wild medicinal species: opportunities and constraints.

In medicinal plants (MPs), the transition from “discovery” to “cultivation” stage involves a decreasing recourse to their collection from the wild, accompanied by an increasing interest in their suitability into agricultural or silvicoltural cropping systems. Collecting from the wild, although is surely the oldest method for obtaining MPs, allows to satisfy very limited needs and is hardly suitable to an industrial use, because: 1) gathering from the wild does not guarantee the quantitative and qualitative uniformity that nowadays are well defined requirements of the consumers. Spontaneous yields are difficult to quantify and sometimes may be overestimated, above all when random and unfores…

Non-chemical weeds management in two Mediterranean culinary herbs

Weeds management is one of the most relevant constraints to the cultivation of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants, especially when they’re cultivated with “organic” methods, that, according to EU regulations, do not allow the use of chemicals. A strong interest is therefore devoted to pointing out “alternative” (agronomical and physical) methods for weeds control. This work reports the results of a trial performed in 2003-04 and 2004-05 in order to evaluate the effects on Coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.) and Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare Mill.) of four non-chemical methods for weeds control: FS (False seeding), PD (Flaming), MZ (Mechanical weeding), SM (Hand weeding) compared with two untreated co…

Hydrolate and EO Application to Reduce Decay of Carica papaya during Storage

Postharvest fruit loss is caused by the absence of advanced handling and storage technologies and the quiescent presence of fungal pathogens. Therefore, there is a growing demand for sustainable decisions for the planet. This study focused on the use of two types of edible coatings: one was based on the essential oil of Origanum vulgare L. subsp. viridulum with Aloe arborescens Mill. gel (EC1), and the other was based on the hydrolate only (EC2). These treatments were applied to provide defense against fungal infections in papaya (Carica papaya L. cv Solo), and the storage time was 25 days (T5 ± 1 °C). Fruits coated with EC1 were more contaminated with fungal pathogens than both control (CT…

Herbicidal potential of aqueous extracts from Melia azedarach L., Artemisia arborescens L., Rhus coriaria L. and Lantana camara L.

In the search for new strategies for weed management in agricultural systems, a great interest is to use the plant extracts to replace or integrate, chemical weed control. Two experiments were done to test the effects of plant water extracts from Chinaberry (Melia azedarach L.), Tree Wormwood (Artemisia arborescens (Vaill.) L.), Sicilian Sumac (Rhus coriaria L.) and Lantana (Lantana camara L.) on seed germination of Rocket (Eruca sativa Mill.), Rapeseed (Brassica napus L.), Bladderflower (Araujia sericifera Brot.) and Psyllium (Plantago psyllium L). The water extracts (pure and 50% mixtures) from the donor species were applied on seeds of recipient plants. In second experiment in pots, thes…

Cultivation and use of culinary herbs in Sicily