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SUMMARY: Saffron spice owes its commercial appreciation to its specific apocarotenoids: crocins, picrocrocin, and safranal. In Crocus sativus, these compounds are biosynthesized from zeaxanthin through oxidative cleavage by the carotenoid cleavage dioxygenase 2 (CCD2). Transgenic tomato plants expressing CsCCD2 in the fruit, named Tomaffron, accumulate high levels of saffron apocarotenoids despite the low substrate availability for CsCCD2. In the present study, CsCCD2 has been introduced into Xantomato; this tomato variety accumulates high levels of zeaxanthin and β‐carotene in ripe fruit due to a combination of four mutant alleles. Xantomato and Tomaffron genotypes have been combined to optimize apocarotenoid production. The best transgenic lines accumulated 15 and 14 times more crocins and picrocrocin than Tomaffron, alongside a fourfold increase in β‐carotene compared to Xantomato, albeit at a cost in fruit yield. Segregation of the four mutations has been carried out to find the best combination for obtaining high levels of saffron apocarotenoids without adverse effects on fruit yield. Plants harboring the high‐pigmented 3 (hp3) and BETA (BSh) mutations accumulated 6 and 15 times more crocins and picrocrocin than Tomaffron, without observable pleiotropic effects. Additionally, those high levels of saffron apocarotenoids were obtained in fruit accumulating high levels of both lycopene and β‐carotene independently or in combination, suggesting a regulatory role for the apocarotenoids produced and indicating that it is possible to increase the levels of both types of healthy promoting molecules simultaneously. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Auxins have an essential role in callus induction. • Application of ABA causes high quality callus. • 3 % of sucrose has a positive effect on callus features. • Modeling by ML methods is required to predict the results. Saffron is a spice derived from its flower (Crocus sativus L.) and it is grown for its medicinal and culinary uses worldwide. Callus is an intermediate stage between explant and in vitro organogenesis. The fate of embryogenesis and organogenesis depends on the quality of the callus. Callogenesis is a complex biological process and is affected by various intrinsic and extrinsic factors. Machine learning (ML), can effectively cope with the time and cost constraints of experiments. In this study, we emphasized the effects of sucrose and phytohormones (auxin, and abscisic acid) on callogenesis with the aid of a machine-learning algorithm. Among the different tested hormone combinations, maximum callus proliferation was observed in the MS media plate containing 3 % sucrose, supplemented with 100 µM ABA, 2 and 4 mg/L NAA, and 2,4-D. A total of eight different ML tools were used to predict the efficacy of inputs on callogenesis. Out of all applied algorithms, Xtreme Gradient Boosting (XGB) and Gradient Boosted Regression (GBR) provide better prediction performance than other models on callus induction and proliferation. SHAP analysis reveals the significance of sucrose, plant growth regulators (NAA, 2,4-D, and ABA), and time on callogenesis. Therefore, machine learning programs can effectively save cost and time by guiding experiments and facilitating optimization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Saffron (Crocus sativus L.) is a valuable geophyte plant and one of the most expensive spices in the world. Recently, the demand for saffron spice has increased in worldwide markets owing to its enormous application and value. However, the production of saffron is limited by the vegetative propagation technique and the limited number of high-quality corms planted. Furthermore, climatic changes, notably increasing temperatures, negatively influence saffron multiplication and growth. Thus, it is important to develop alternative cultivation and propagation techniques for saffron under a controlled environment, which could ensure an increase in saffron yield and avoid the negative impact of climatic changes. The present study aimed to develop an alternative method for vegetative propagation of Crocus sativus under controlled conditions. The effect of different cross-cuttings, including basal cuttings (BCs) and top-to-bottom cuttings (CTBs), was evaluated on shoot, leaf, flower, and daughter corm production. All the growth parameters examined were influenced by the cutting treatment applied. The results showed that the highest number of shoots formed was obtained by BCs and CTBs, with an average of 6.68 and 5.47 shoots per corm, respectively, compared to the control with an average of 2.70 shoots per corm. The cutting treatment positively affected the formation of daughter corms in which, the high mean number of corms recorded was obtained by the BC treatment. Meanwhile, the lower size of the daughter corms was obtained after the cross-cutting treatment. This is the first report that provides an alternative propagation for saffron using a controlled environment, which could help to improve the production of saffron. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cultivation of Crocus sativus L. to obtain the saffron spice generates a large amount of biowaste, constituted mainly by the flower's tepals. The aim of this work was to evaluate the antioxidant and dermo-protective effect of a complex methanolic extract of C. sativus tepals. The extract's major phenolic content was analyzed using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography with electrospray ionization, coupled with quadrupole-time-of-flight-mass spectrometry (UHPLC-ESI-QTOF-MS). Then, the antioxidant in vitro activity of the extract was studied and related to their chemical composition. Likewise, the effect on intracellular ROS levels in HepG2 and Hs27 cell culture was determined in normal culture and under hydrogen-peroxide-induced oxidative stress. Finally, tyrosinase, hyaluronidase, collagenase, elastase, and xanthine oxidase assays were carried out to determine the dermo-protective capacity of the extract. The high polyphenol content, including flavonoids and anthocyanins, explains the antioxidant effect of the extract both in vitro and in culture assays. The extract has a significant and remarkable protective capacity against oxidative stress induced in culture of the two studied cell lines. It is also remarkable in its ability to inhibit hyaluronidase, tyrosinase, and xanthine oxidase. Results pointed out this biowaste extract as a promising ingredient in the composition of cosmetics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Integrated nutrient management is an environment friendly approach of plant nutrition being used for crop productivity and improvement in soil quality on sustainable basis. A three-year multi-location experiment was conducted to estimate the spice quality of saffron subjected to the integration of organic and inorganic nitrogen sources. At each location, the experiment was laid out in randomized complete block design. The treatments were T1 = control (without organic/inorganic N source/amendment); T2 = Full recommended nitrogen (i.e. urea fertilizer @ equivalent to 100 kg N ha−1; UN100); T3 = Poultry manure (PM) @ equivalent to 100 kg total N ha−1 (i.e. PM100); T4 = Farm yard manure (FYM) @ equivalent to 100 kg total N ha−1 (i.e. FYM100); T5 = PM50+FYM50; T6 = UN75 + PM25; T7 = UN50 + PM50; T8 = UN25 + PM75; T9 = UN75 + FYM25; T10 = UN50 + FYM50; T11 = UN25 + FYM75 and T12 = UN50 + PM25+ FYM25. Among treatments, poultry manure (100%) and urea nitrogen with poultry manure (UN50 + PM50) significantly affected the quality attributes of saffron. On the other hand, among sites, the crocin, picrocrocin and saffranal contents were in order of Khaigala (23.81% crocin, 20.01% picrocrocin and 0.27% saffranal) >Trarkhel (19.04% crocin, 16.99% picrocrocin and 0.25% saffranal) and > Abbaspur (17.80% crocin, 15.45% picrocrocin and 0.23% saffranal). Similarly, among years, the crocin, picrocrocin and saffranal contents were significantly higher in the third year compared to the first and second year. In conclusion, the integration of organic nitrogen sources with inorganic nitrogen has the potential to improve saffron quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Saffron in the Middle Ages was the most precious spice, a luxury good with an important international trade. Italy was the main producer in Europe, together with Spain and, to a lesser extent, France; Italian saffron was among the most valuable and sought-after qualities. In the Peninsula, the cultivation of saffron was practiced in some territorial contexts, including Apulia, the second center in the Kingdom of Naples after the Abruzzi. This contribution will deal with the cultivation and trade of this spice in Terra d'Otranto between the 15th and 16th centuries. The purpose of the paper is to show the importance assumed by saffron in the economy of this province, a periphery at the center of international commercial circuits, a crop often marginalized by historical research, to the advantage of olive growing. Different sources will be used (fiscal, notarial, historical-geographical, commercial) to illustrate the spread of crocus cultivation and its presence on foreign markets thanks to the presence of foreign merchants, especially Germans. After examining the phenomenon in the province, Casalnuovo in the 16th century was taken into consideration as a case study, for which some notarial deeds were examined from which interesting details emerge. Ultimately, the fiscal aspects of the saffron trade were exposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This document contains summaries of three different articles. The first article discusses the potential of new quinolinium salts as antiproliferative agents in cancer treatment. The article highlights the challenges of current chemotherapy treatments, such as toxicity and drug resistance, and proposes the use of tetrahydroisoquinoline derivatives to inhibit the interaction between hyaluronic acid and CD44, which can promote tumor cell growth. The synthesis and biological evaluation of these compounds are described, with the aim of developing new compounds with antitumor properties.The second article focuses on the anticancer potential of Crocus sativus corms (saffron) and melatonin combination in breast and colon cancer. The article explains that saffron production generates significant by-products, including corms that are unsuitable for commercial sale. The researchers studied the anticancer activity of these corms alone and in combination with melatonin, finding that they exhibit significant potential against breast and colon cancers. The study suggests that exploring the combination of saffron corms with other natural products presents a promising approach to cancer treatment while minimizing industrial impact on the environment.The third article discusses different extraction treatments for the mRNA contained in the lipid nanoparticle of the Comirnaty® COVID-19 vaccine. The article explains that a new generation of vaccines based on single-stranded mRNA has emerged in recent years. The researchers evaluate various extraction methods for the mRNA in the vaccine, providing insights into the composition and stability [Extracted from the article]

• Saffron inoculated with Rhizophagus intraradices produced a spice richer in safranal. • R. intraradices modulated the transcription of CCD2 and UGT709G1. • The expression of the genes for SLs and ABA biosynthesis did not change. • A biofertilizing effect was observed in the corms at flowering. Crocus sativus L. (saffron) has been propagated for millennia to produce the precious spice saffron from the red stigmas. The inebriant organoleptic and bioactive properties mainly depend on the content of crocins (dyeing capacity), picrocrocin (flavor), and safranal (aroma), apocarotenoids deriving from zeaxanthin. In this study, an integrated biochemical and molecular analysis was carried out on fresh saffron stigmas to investigate the influence exerted by the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus (AMF) Rhizophagus intraradices on the production of the main saffron apocarotenoids responsible for the properties of the spice. Since mineral enrichment due to AM symbiosis has been related to changes in the secondary metabolism of plants, the mineral content of saffron corms at flowering was also analyzed. Rare arbuscules (AMF trade structures) were found in mycorrhized plants. However, the expression of D27, CCD7 , and NCED involved in the synthesis of strigolactones (SLs) and abscisic acid (ABA), which promote AM symbiosis, did not change in the stigmas. The transcription of β-LYC and CCD4a/b was not affected by AMF, whereas that of CCD2 , which encodes the key enzyme producing major apocarotenoids, was upregulated. The crocin content was reduced in treated plants even if the expression of ALDH, UGT74AD1 , and UGT91P3 , involved in crocin synthesis, did not change. Conversely, UGT709G1 , implicated in picrocrocin synthesis, was overexpressed in the inoculated plants, thus the safranal content was increased in the spice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]