Search results for "Arboricoltura"
showing 10 items of 857 documents
Quality evaluation of extra-virgin olive oils from Sicilian genotypes grown in a high-density system
2019
Studying the sensory profile and chemical composition of monovarietal extra-virgin olive oils (EVOOs) is important to define and manage their quality and uniqueness. Chemical and sensory traits of olive oils from 14 minor Sicilian olive genotypes in comparison with oils from six major Sicilian and three international cultivars were analysed. Oils were extracted in 2015 from fruit of the 23 genotypes grown in an experimental orchard at a planting density of 1140 trees ha−1. Fatty acid composition, phenol composition, carotenoid content and antioxidant power were determined and analysed using univariate and multivariate procedures, in particular Nocellara Etnea along with carotenoid, phenol c…
Field non-destructive determination of nectarine quality under deficit irrigation
2021
This study investigated the effects of deficit irrigation (DI) at different fruit growth stages and tree orientation on fruit quality of ‘September Bright’ nectarines (Prunus persica L. Batsch). Control trees were fully irrigated throughout the entire fruit development period, whereas deficit irrigation was supplied at fruit growth stage I (cell division, DI-I), II (pit hardening, DI-II), IIIa (cell expansion, DI-IIIa) and IIIb (fruit maturation, DI-IIIb). Non-destructive measurements of fruit maturity and quality were carried out using portable devices based on near-infrared spectrometry and pigment fluorescence on west- and east-oriented trees of an Open Tatura system. Chlorophyll degrada…
Current and Potential Use of Citrus Essential Oils
2013
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.
Recurrent deficit irrigation and fruit harvest affect tree water relations and fruitlet growth in ‘valencia’ orange
2019
Background – Partial rootzone drying is an irrigation strategy known for increasing water use efficiency without significantly affecting tree water status. ‘Valencia’ oranges have a very long development period and nearly mature fruit and new fruitlets may be present at the same time on the tree, competing for water and assimilates. Objectives – The present study investigates the effect of recurrent deficit irrigation and fruit harvest on tree water status and fruitlet growth of ‘Valencia’ orange. Methods – Forty-eight adult trees were exposed to three irrigation treatments for seven years (2007–2013): irrigation with 100% of ETc (CI), continuous deficit irrigation (DI, 50% of CI) and parti…
Seasonal variations of antimicrobial activity and chemical composition of essential oils extracted from three Citrus limon L. Burm. cultivars
2014
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…
Genetic Improvement of Sweet Chestnut in Sicily (Castanea sativa Mill.) by the Selection of Superior Autochthonous Genotypes
2010
In Sicily, the chestnut (Castanea sativa Mill.) grows in limited areas of the South eastern Mt. Etna volcano and of the Northern Mountains, namely Madonie and Nebrodi. In the Island, chestnut can be considered as a neglected species, because of the modest importance recognized to it for horticultural and forestry exploitation. Recently, the Sicilian regional government founded the 'Horticultural Forestry' project to promote the cultivation of chestnut as possible fruit tree for local city farmer markets, where typical products are usually sold. The project was developed in five steps, carried out during three years by the Dipartimento di Colture Arboree of Palermo University: identification…
Identifying conserved genes involved in crop tolerance to cold stress
2022
Low temperature is a limiting factor for crop productivity in tropical and subtropical climates. Cold stress response in plants involves perceiving and relaying the signal through a transcriptional cascade composed of different transduction components, resulting in altered gene activity. We performed a meta-analysis of four previously published datasets of cold-tolerant and cold-sensitive crops to better understand the gene regulatory networks and identify key genes involved in cold stress tolerance conserved across phylogenetically distant species. Re-analysing the raw data with the same bioinformatics pipeline, we identified common cold tolerance-related genes. We found 236 and 242 common…
Urban gardens and institutional fences: The case of communal gardens in Turin
2017
Urban gardens take on different forms and meanings, which vary depending on the socio-economic context where they located/used and how it evolves over time. This makes a garden comparable to a micro-social ecosystem, different from other gardens and ever changing. As with every social-ecosystem resulting from a territorialisation process, there is a certain degree of social inertia that makes it difficult for outsiders with new motivations and demanding new spaces to enter into the "garden ecosystem". Drawing on existing literature and fieldwork in two urban communal gardens in Turin, the paper is mainly concerned with the spatiotemporal dimension of urban gardening, with a special focus on…
Study on consumer preferences for quality attributes of fig fruit after storage at room temperature
2021
Fig (Ficus carica L.) is a nutritious fruit, rich in fiber, potassium, calcium, and iron. It is an important source of vitamins, amino acids, antioxidants and phenolic compounds that contribute to a healthy diet. In addition to Asian countries, fig is cultivated in the Mediterranean basin, where quality fruit has been produced since ancient times. Sicily in southern Italy traditionally cultivated ‘San Giovanni’ figs, but fig consumption has decreased. This cultivar is very interesting for its intrinsic qualities and its appreciation after storage by consumers could help its commercialization. The objective of this study is to know consumer preferences for quality attributes of ‘San Giovanni…
Improvement of plum storage with modified atmosphere packaging
2010
Post-harvest supply chain is a critical point for agro-food marketing. The management of freshness in the storage is fundamental to maintain high profits in the agro-food sector to improve the distribution and to respond to retailers and consumers' requirements. Plums are considered to have a climacteric-ripening pattern, in which ethylene is the hormone responsible for ripening. Modified atmosphere (MA) storage is a method helpful to maintain the natural quality of fruits. MA added to low temperatures influence fruit metabolism and reduce ethylene production, weight losses, hardness of pulp, preserving vitamins and organic acids. The objective of this study was to increase the condition of…