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Genetic diversity in the seed storage-proteins encoded at the Glu-A1, Glu-B1 and Gli-B1/Glu-B3 loci was studied electrophoretically in 315 individuals belonging to nine populations of T. dicoccoides from Jordan and three from Turkey. The inter- and intra-population distribution of seed storage-protein alleles at the considered loci and its link with geographical factors were investigated. Population differentiation in seed storage-proteins was in some cases very high with very weak correlations with geographic distance. Greater gene differentiation was found within and between populations which were geographically very close in Jordan than between those from Jordan and Turkey. However the distribution of alleles appeared to be non random. Samples collected from populations at locations over 900 m above sea level were less polymorphic than those collected at lower altitudes (500-700 m), whereas the relative genetic differentiation between populations was greater between those collected at higher altitudes. Seed storage-protein differentiation was significantly correlated with the altitude of the collecting sites. Although it is difficult to point out the selective pressure of altitude per se, altitude can reflect an integration of several environmental parameters. The possible adaptive value of seed storage-proteins is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) have gained remarkable importance, having been proved to alleviate drought stress-induced damage in wheat due to their ability to ameliorate plant water use efficiency and antioxidant enzyme activity. However, despite the current relevance of the topic, the molecular and physiological processes at the base of this symbiosis never consider the single cultivar affinity to mycorrhization as an influencing factor for the metabolic response in the AMF-colonized plant. In the present study, the mycorrhizal affinity of two durum wheat species (T. turgidum subsp. durum (Desf.)) varieties, Iride and Ramirez, were investigated. Successively, an untargeted metabolomics approach has been used to study the fungal contribution to mitigating water deficit in both varieties. Iride and Ramirez exhibited a high and low level of mycorrhizal symbiosis, respectively; resulting in a more remarkable alteration of metabolic pathways in the most colonised variety under water deficit conditions. However, the analysis highlighted the contribution of AMF to mitigating water deficiency in both varieties, resulting in the up- and down-regulation of many amino acids, alkaloids, phenylpropanoids, lipids, and hormones., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background and Aim: In recent years, many studies have suggested that ancient wheat products might have beneficial effects on cardiometabolic risk profile, but little is known about their effect on gut microbiota (GM). The aim of the present study was to evaluate whether a replacement diet with pasta made from ancient wheat (AD) could influence the GM composition and its metabolites' production compared to a replacement diet with pasta made from modern wheat (CD)., Methods: A randomized, double-blinded crossover trial with two intervention phases was conducted on 20 clinically healthy adults (9 females; 11 males; mean age 43.1 ± 12.5 years). Study participants were assigned to consume pasta made using semi-whole flour from organic wheat that was either from ancient or modern control wheat for 8 weeks in a random order. An 8-week washout period was implemented between the interventions. Stool samples were collected from all subjects at the beginning and at the end of each intervention period. GM composition, and short- (SCFAs) and medium- chain fatty acids (MCFAs) production was evaluated., Results: Dietary interventions did not produce significant diversity in the GM composition at higher ranks (phylum, class, order and family), but only at genus level. In detail, the AD significantly (adj. p < 0.05) changed the abundance of Erysipelatoclostridium spp., Bacteroides&#95;pectinophilus&#95;group spp., CAG-873 spp., and Holdemanella spp. The CD significantly affected the abundance of Akkermansia spp., CAG-873 spp., Hungatella spp., Lachnospiraceae&#95;UCG-008 spp., NK4A214&#95;group spp., Frisingicoccus spp., Megasphaera spp., Synergistes spp., and Tyzzerella spp. Regarding the production of SCFAs and MCFAs, AD resulted in a significant increase of fecal acetic (+0.7%), isobutyric (+30.1%), 2-methylbutyric (+64.2%), and isovaleric (+22.5%) acids. On the other hand, CD resulted in increased levels of isobutyric (+71.4%), 2-methylbutyric (+116.2%), isovaleric (+99%), and valeric (+21.4%) acids, and a reduction of butyric (-31.6%) and hexanoic (-66.4%) acids., Conclusion: A short-term replacement diet with both ancient and modern wheat pasta determined significant changes in GM composition at the genus level but notably the AD resulted in a greater beneficial impact on anti-inflammatory SCFAs., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Baldi, Dinu, Pagliai, Colombini, Di Gloria, Curini, Pallecchi, Ramazzotti, Bartolucci, Benedettelli, Amedei and Sofi.)

Background: Fibromyalgia (FM) syndrome is mainly characterized by widespread pain, sleeping disorders, fatigue, and cognitive dysfunction. In many cases, gastrointestinal distress is also reported, suggesting the potential pathogenic role of the gut microbiota (GM). The GM is deeply influenced by several environmental factors, especially the diet, and recent findings highlighted significant symptom improvement in FM patients following various nutritional interventions such as vegetarian diet, low-fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols based diets, gluten-free diet, and especially an ancient grain supplementation. In particular, a recent study reported that a replacement diet with ancient Khorasan wheat led to an overall improvement in symptom severity of FM patients., Aim: To examine the effects of ancient Khorasan wheat on the GM, inflammation, and short-chain fatty acid production in FM patients., Methods: After a 2-wk run-in period, 20 FM patients were enrolled in this randomized, double-blind crossover trial. In detail, they were assigned to consume either Khorasan or control wheat products for 8 wk and then, following an 8-wk washout period, crossed. Before and after treatments, GM characterization was performed by 16S rRNA sequencing while the fecal molecular inflammatory response and the short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) were respectively determined with the Luminex MAGPIX detection system and a mass chromatography-mass spectrometry method., Results: The Khorasan wheat replacement diet, in comparison with the control wheat diet, had more positive effects on intestinal microbiota composition and on both the fecal immune and SCFAs profiles such as the significant increase of butyric acid levels ( P = 0.054), candidatus Saccharibacteria ( P = 9.95e-06) and Actinobacteria , and the reduction of Enterococcaceae ( P = 4.97e-04). Moreover, the improvement of various FM symptoms along with the variation of some gut bacteria after the Khorasan wheat diet have been documented; in fact we reported positive correlations between Actinobacteria and both Tiredness Symptoms Scale ( P < 0.001) and Functional Outcome of Sleep Questionnaire ( P < 0.05) scores, between Verrucomicrobiae and both Widespread Pain Index (WPI) + Symptom Severity scale (SS) ( P < 0.05) and WPI ( P < 0.05) scores, between candidatus Saccharibacteria and SS score ( P < 0.05), and between Bacteroidales and Sleep-Related and Safety Behaviour Questionnaire score ( P < 0.05)., Conclusion: The replacement diet based on ancient Khorasan wheat results in beneficial GM compositional and functional modifications that positively correlate with an improvement of FM symptomatology., Competing Interests: Conflict-of-interest statement: The authors declare no competing interests for this article., (©The Author(s) 2022. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.)

Positive effects of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF)-wheat plant symbiosis have been well discussed by research, while the actual role of the single wheat genotype in establishing this type of association is still poorly investigated. In this work, the genetic diversity of Triticum turgidum wheats was exploited to detect roots susceptibility to AMF and to identify genetic markers in linkage with chromosome regions involved in this symbiosis. A tetraploid wheat collection of 127 accessions was genotyped using 35K single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) array and inoculated with the AMF species Funneliformis mosseae (F. mosseae) and Rhizoglomus irregulare (R. irregulare), and a genome-wide association study (GWAS) was conducted. Six clusters of genetically related accessions were identified, showing a different mycorrhizal colonization among them. GWAS revealed four significant quantitative trait nucleotides (QTNs) involved in mycorrhizal symbiosis, located on chromosomes 1A, 2A, 2B and 6A. The results of this work enrich future breeding activities aimed at developing new grains on the basis of genetic diversity on low or high susceptibility to mycorrhization, and, possibly, maximizing the symbiotic effects.

Objective: To investigate the effects of a replacement diet with Khorasan wheat products in patients with fibromyalgia, in comparison with a similar replacement diet with control products made from organic semi-whole-grain modern wheat., Design: Randomized, double-blinded crossover trial., Setting: Outpatient clinic., Subjects: Twenty subjects (19 female and one male, mean age = 48.9 ± 12.3 years) with fibromyalgia., Methods: Participants were randomly assigned to consume either Khorasan or control wheat products (pasta, bread, crackers, biscuits) for eight weeks and then crossed. Validated self-administered questionnaires were collected from each subject at the beginning and end of each intervention period., Results: A general linear model for repeated measurement, adjusted for potential confounders, showed that the overall score reported from each questionnaire improved after both intervention and control periods, but the effect was more evident after the intervention with Khorasan. In particular, a statistically significant difference in Widespread Pain Index (WPI) + Severity Scale (SS) and Functional Outcome of Sleep Questionnaire (FOSQ) was observed, which decreased significantly by 21.5% and 11.7% respectively, only after the Khorasan period, while no statistically significant variations were reported after the control period. Similarly, FM Impact Questionnaire scores decreased significantly only after the Khorasan period, with a reduction that was significantly different between the intervention and control periods (-22.5% vs -0.3%, P = 0.037). The improvement was even greater in people with higher symptom severity., Conclusions: A dietary intervention with Khorasan wheat products seems to benefit patients with fibromyalgia, especially those with greater symptom severity., (© The Author(s) 2020. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Academy of Pain Medicine. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Potential gene flow from transgenic Brassica napus to widely-distributed, cross-compatible weedy relatives has received significant attention. All previous, albeit scarce, research has shown little to no success in producing viable F1 hybrids between B. napus (n = 38) and B. nigra (n = 16). The present study tested the working premise that the propensity for interspecific hybridization is significantly higher between B. napus and wild-growing, B. nigra displaying mixoploidy (n = 32). Controlled hybridization was performed using local, wild-growing B. nigra (♀) x transgenic (Bt Cry1Ac) B. napus (♂). Spontaneous hybridization was performed using the same B. nigra (♀) population x non-transgenic B. napus (♂) under sympatric open-field and greenhouse conditions. The total hybridization frequency, determined by the functional expression of the Bt Cry1Ac endotoxin, was 1.8 % of the F1 hybrids (n = 35). Gene flow from non-transgenic B. napus to B. nigra ranged from 4 to 29 % in F1 hybrids, with combined wind- and wild-insect-mediated pollen dispersal being the most effective. Successful interspecific hybridization is significantly enhanced using mixoploid B. nigra progenitor material. Gene flow rates in F1 hybrids were equivalent to those previously reported between B. napus with B. rapa and B. juncea, respectively, which are at the forefront of risk assessment concerns., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Patients with non-celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS) do not have celiac disease, but their symptoms improve after a gluten-free diet (GFD). However, to date, it is uncertain if gluten or other components of wheat are responsible for these symptoms. The aim of this study was to compare the effects of an organic durum wheat variety with those of standard commercial wheat in patients with known NCGS. We performed a double-blind randomized cross-over trial of 42 patients (mean age 45 years, 8 men) with NCGS diagnosed according to the Salerno criteria and adherence to GFD for at least 12 weeks from screening. Enrolled subjects were randomly assigned to one the following groups of treatment: (A) a two-week diet with Senatore Cappelli wheat variety pasta; (B) a two-week diet with standard commercial pasta. Then, after a two-week washout period on gluten-free diet, each patient crossed over to the other treatment group. Symptoms were assessed through a modified version of the Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale (GSRS), tailored on NCGS. Between April 2018 and July 2018, 42 patients with NCGS were enrolled in the study (70.6% females), and 34 patients completed the study. Patients reported lower overall symptoms scores after eating Senatore Cappelli pasta than standard pasta ( p = 0.03) and also significantly lower scores in several specific gastrointestinal and extra-intestinal symptoms after eating Senatore Cappelli pasta than standard pasta, specifically, bloating ( p = 0.04), abdominal distention ( p = 0.004), eructation ( p = 0.01), flatus ( p = 0.02), feeling of incomplete evacuation ( p = 0.001), dermatitis ( p = 0.01), and limb numbness ( p = 0.03). In our study, patients with NCGS experienced lower gastrointestinal and extra-intestinal symptom scores after eating the Senatore Cappelli wheat variety than a standard commercial wheat. Should our preliminary results be confirmed by further studies, new dietary alternatives may be available to patients with NCGS, with consequent health, economic, and social benefits.

Recently, a large and growing body of literature has investigated the health potential of different wheat species. In particular, a considerable number of studies dealing with nutritional aspects has grown up around the theme of the recovery of ancient wheat varieties (species that have remained unchanged over the last hundred years). According to several studies, indeed, ancient varieties present a healthier nutritional profile than modern ones. In the framework of the European project "CERERE, CEreal REnaissance in Rural Europe: embedding diversity in organic and low-input food systems", this paper aimed to review recent research on the issue of health and nutritional cereal systems by adopting an innovative and participatory multi-actor approach which involved practitioners along with researchers. The participatory approach is the main innovation and peculiarity of this literature review. Nevertheless, the review highlights the many positive effects derived from eating whole and ancient grains such as a significant reduction in the risk of chronic diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, and also a more favorable long-term weight management and increase in satiety. This review may be considered as a fruitful starting point that integrates research results to foster current and future healthier and sustainable practices in cereal systems.

Objective: KAMUT khorasan is an ancient grain with widely acclaimed health benefits. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of a replacement diet with ancient khorasan wheat products in patients with NAFLD, in comparison to a similar replacement diet with control products made from organic semi-whole-grain modern wheat., Methods: Forty NAFLD patients (12 M/28 F; age 55.2 ± 10.4 years) with mild to moderate liver steatosis were included. The experimental design was a randomized, double-blind, parallel-arm study with 20 participants assigned to consume either KAMUT khorasan or control wheat products (pasta, bread, crackers, biscuits) over a 3-month period. Anthropometric measurements, blood analyses, and ultrasonography examination were performed at both the beginning and end of each dietary intervention., Results: After the implementation of a general linear model for repeated measurements adjusted for baseline demographic details, risk factors, and medication, alanine aminotransferase (ALT) was significantly reduced by 12%, aspartate aminotransferase (AST) by 14%, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) by 8%, and cholesterol by 6% only in the khorasan group (p < 0.05 for all). Similarly, significant reductions in circulating proinflammatory tumor necrosis factor-alpha by 50%, interleukin l-receptor antagonist-alpha by 37%, interleukin-8 by 24%, and interferon gamma by 24% were evident only in participants who consumed the khorasan products (p < 0.05 for all). Finally, significant improvements in the liver steatosis grading, Doppler perfusion index values, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production were evident after consumption of both the khorasan and control products., Conclusions: This study suggests that a short-term replacement diet with ancient KAMUT khorasan products is most effective in reducing metabolic risk factors and ameliorating the liver profile in patients with NAFLD.

Wheat is the major staple food in many diets. Based on the increase in worldwide mortality attributable to diet-related chronic diseases, there is an increasing interest in identifying wheat species with greater health potential, more specifically for improved anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. In particular, ancient varieties (defined as those species that have remained unchanged over the last hundred years) are gaining interest since several studies suggested that they present a healthier nutritional profile than modern wheats. This manuscript reviews the nutritional value and health benefits of ancient wheats varieties, providing a summary of all in vitro, ex vivo, animal and human studies that have thus far been published. Differences in chemical composition, and biochemical and clinical implications of emmer, einkorn, spelt, khorasan and various regional Italian varieties are discussed. Although many studies based on in vitro analyses of grain components provide support to the premise of a healthier nutritional and functional potential of ancient wheat, other in vitro studies performed are not in support of an improved potential of ancient varieties. In the light of existing evidence derived from in vivo experiments, the ancient wheat varieties have shown convincing beneficial effects on various parameters linked to cardio-metabolic diseases such as lipid and glycaemic profiles, as well as the inflammatory and oxidative status. However, given the limited number of human trials, it is not possible to definitively conclude that ancient wheat varieties are superior to all modern counterparts in reducing chronic disease risk., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Silymarin is the phytochemical with medicinal properties extracted from Silybum marianum (L.) Gaertn. fruits. Yet, little information is available about silymarin biosynthesis. Moreover, the generally accepted pathway, formulated thus far, is not in agreement with actual experimental measurements on flavonolignan contents. The present work analyses flavonolignan and taxifolin content in 201 S. marianum samples taking into consideration a wide phenotypic variability. Two stable chemotypes were identified: one characterized by both high silychristin and silybin content (chemotype A) and another by a high silydianin content (chemotype B). Through the correlation analysis of samples divided according to chemotype, it was possible to construct a simplified silymarin biosynthetic pathway that is sufficiently versatile in explaining experimental results responding to the actually unresolved questions about this process. The proposed pathway highlights that three separate and equally sized metabolite pools exist, namely: diastereoisomers A (silybin A plus isosilybin A), diastereoisomers B (silybin B plus isosilybin B) and silychristin. In both A and B diastereoisomers pools, isosilybin A and isosilybin B always represent a given amount of the metabolite flux through the specific metabolite pool suggesting the possible involvement of dirigent protein-like enzymes. We suggest that chemotype B possesses a complete silymarin biosynthetic pathway in which silydianin biosynthesis is enzymatically controlled. On the contrary, chemotype A is probably a natural mutant unable to biosynthesize silydianin. The present simplified pathway for silymarin biosynthesis will constitute an important tool for the further understanding of the reactions that drive flavonolignan biosynthesis in S. marianum., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Purposes: The aim of the present study was to examine whether a replacement diet with products made with organic ancient khorasan wheat could provide additive protective effects in reducing glucose, insulin, lipid and inflammatory risk factors, and in restoring blood redox balance in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients compared to diet with product made with modern organic wheat., Methods: We conducted a randomized, double-blinded crossover trial with two intervention phases on 21 T2DM patients (14 females, 7 males). The participants were assigned to consume products (bread, pasta, crackers and biscuits) made using semi-whole flour from organic wheat that was either from ancient khorasan wheat or modern control wheat for 8 weeks in a random order. An 8-week washout period was implemented between the interventions. Laboratory analyses were performed both at the beginning and at the end of each intervention phase., Results: The metabolic risk profile improved only after the khorasan intervention period, as measured by a reduction in total and LDL cholesterol (mean reduction: -3.7 and -3.4 %, respectively), insulin (-16.3 %) and blood glucose (-9.1 %). Similarly, there was a significant reduction in circulating levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and interleukin-1ra, and a significant increase of total antioxidant capacity (+6.3 %). No significant differences from baseline were noted after the modern control wheat intervention phase. The change (from pre- to post-intervention) between the two intervention arms was significantly different (p < 0.05) for total and LDL-c, insulin and HOMA index., Conclusions: A replacement diet with ancient khorasan wheat consumption provided additive protection in reducing total and LDL cholesterol, insulin, blood glucose, ROS production, and some inflammatory risk factors, which are all key factors warranting of control in secondary prevention of T2DM compared to a diet with products made with modern wheat.

Background: Wheat grain (Triticum aestivum L.) possesses significant amounts of antioxidants that contribute to the dietary antiradical protection against a number of chronic diseases. Despite the increasing interest in organic food among both consumers and scientists, the availability of literature studies concerning the environment effect under organic management is still scarce. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antioxidant properties of wheat varieties by considering the genotype response to different environmental factors under biodynamic management., Results: The soluble fraction of phenolic compounds was mainly determined by the environment, whereas a major genotypic effect was observed for the bound forms, which were present at higher amounts in red grain varieties. Moreover, a predominant effect of genotype was observed for yellow pigment content and antioxidant activity determined by the FRAP method. Despite some changes induced by environment, most genotypes had stable antioxidant properties and different phenolic profiles as determined by high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, except for the old variety Inallettabile, which was the most sensitive to environmental fluctuations., Conclusion: The red grain varieties Andriolo, Gentil rosso and Verna were identified as the most promising breeding material for the development of varieties with high nutraceutical value under low-input management. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry., (© 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.)

Khorasan wheat is an ancient grain with previously reported health benefits in clinically healthy subjects. The aim of this study was to examine whether a replacement diet, thereby substituting all other cereal grains, with products made with organic khorasan wheat could provide additive protective effects in reducing lipid, oxidative and inflammatory risk factors, in patients with Acute Coronary Syndromes (ACS) in comparison to a similar replacement diet using products made from organic modern wheat. A randomized double-blinded crossover trial with two intervention phases was conducted on 22 ACS patients (9 F; 13 M). The patients were assigned to consume products (bread, pasta, biscuits and crackers) made either from organic semi-whole khorasan wheat or organic semi-whole control wheat for eight weeks in a random order. On average, patients ingested 62.0 g dry weight (DW) day-1 khorasan or control semolina; and 140.5 g DW day-1 khorasan or control flour, respectively. An eight-week washout period was implemented between the respective interventions. Blood analyses were performed both at the beginning and end of each intervention phase; thereby permitting a comparison of both the khorasan and control intervention phases, respectively, on circulatory risk factors for the same patient. Consumption of products made with khorasan wheat resulted in a significant amelioration in total cholesterol (-6.8%), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) (-8.1%) glucose (-8%) and insulin (-24.6%) from baseline levels, independently of age, sex, traditional risk factors, medication and diet quality. Moreover, there was a significant reduction in reactive oxygen species (ROS), lipoperoxidation of circulating monocytes and lymphocytes, as well as in the levels of Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha. No significant differences from baseline in the same patients were observed after the conventional control wheat intervention phase. The present results suggest that a replacement diet with cereal products made from organic khorasan wheat provides additional protection in patients with ACS. Circulating cardiovascular risk factors, including lipid parameters, and markers of both oxidative stress and inflammatory status, were reduced, irrespective of the number and combination of medicinal therapies with proven efficacy in secondary prevention.

The aim of the present study was to examine the effect of a replacement diet with organic, semi-whole-grain products derived from Triticum turgidum subsp. turanicum (ancient) wheat on irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) symptoms and inflammatory/biochemical parameters. A double-blinded randomised cross-over trial was performed using twenty participants (thirteen females and seven males, aged 18-59 years) classified as having moderate IBS. Participants received products (bread, pasta, biscuits and crackers) made either from ancient or modern wheat for 6 weeks in a random order. Symptoms due to IBS were evaluated using two questionnaires, which were compiled both at baseline and on a weekly basis during the intervention period. Blood analyses were carried out at the beginning and end of each respective intervention period. During the intervention period with ancient wheat products, patients experienced a significant decrease in the severity of IBS symptoms, such as abdominal pain (P< 0·0001), bloating (P= 0·004), satisfaction with stool consistency (P< 0·001) and tiredness (P< 0·0001). No significant difference was observed after the intervention period with modern wheat products. Similarly, patients reported significant amelioration in the severity of gastrointestinal symptoms only after the ancient wheat intervention period, as measured by the intensity of pain (P= 0·001), the frequency of pain (P< 0·0001), bloating (P< 0·0001), abdominal distension (P< 0·001) and the quality of life (P< 0·0001). Interestingly, the inflammatory profile showed a significant reduction in the circulating levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines, including IL-6, IL-17, interferon-γ, monocyte chemotactic protein-1 and vascular endothelial growth factor after the intervention period with ancient wheat products, but not after the control period. In conclusion, significant improvements in both IBS symptoms and the inflammatory profile were reported after the ingestion of ancient wheat products.

For the first time, using chromosome engineering of durum wheat, the underlying genetic determinants of a yield-improving segment from Thinopyrum ponticum (7AgL) were dissected. Three durum wheat-Th. ponticum near-isogenic recombinant lines (NIRLs), with distal portions of their 7AL arm (fractional lengths 0.77, 0.72, and 0.60) replaced by alien chromatin, were field-tested for two seasons under rainfed conditions. Yield traits and other agronomic characteristics of the main shoot and whole plant were measured. Loci for seed number per ear and per spikelet were detected in the proximal 7AgL segment (0.60-0.72). Loci determining considerable increases of flag leaf width and area, productive tiller number per plant, biomass per plant, and grain yield per plant were located in the distally adjacent 0.72-0.77 7AgL segment, while in the most distal portion (0.77-1.00) genetic effects on spikelet number per ear were identified. Contrary to previous reports, trials with the bread wheat T4 translocation line, carrying on 7DL a sizeable 7AgL segment of which those present in the durum wheat-Th. ponticum NIRLs represent fractions, gave no yield advantage. The hypothesis that ABA might be a factor contributing to the 7AgL effects was tested by analysing endogenous ABA contents of the NIRLs and their responses to exogenous ABA application. The 7AgL yield-related loci were shown to be ABA-independent. This study highlights the value of wheat-alien recombinant lines for dissecting the genetic and physiological basis of complex traits present in wild germplasm, and provides a basis for their targeted exploitation in wheat breeding.

Common bean diversity within and between Mesoamerican and Andean gene pools was compared in 89 landraces from America and 256 landraces from Europe, to elucidate the effects of bottleneck of introduction and selection for adaptation during the expansion of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) in Europe. Thirteen highly polymorphic nuclear microsatellite markers (nuSSRs) were used to complement chloroplast microsatellite (cpSSRs) and nuclear markers (phaseolin and Pv-shatterproof1) data from previous studies. To verify the extent of the introduction bottleneck, inter-gene pool hybrids were distinguished from "pure" accessions. Hybrids were identified on the basis of recombination of gene pool specific cpSSR, phaseolin and Pv-shatterproof1 markers with a Bayesian assignments based on nuSSRs, and with STRUCTURE admixture analysis. More hybrids were detected than previously, and their frequency was almost four times larger in Europe (40.2%) than in America (12.3%). The genetic bottleneck following the introduction into Europe was not evidenced in the analysis including all the accessions, but it was significant when estimated only with "pure" accessions, and five times larger for Mesoamerican than for Andean germplasm. The extensive inter-gene pool hybridization generated a large amount of genotypic diversity that mitigated the effects of the bottleneck that occurred when common bean was introduced in Europe. The implication for evolution and the advantages for common bean breeding are discussed.

Cone and seed insects have played a key role in the decline of stone pine nut production in Italy. To evaluate the impact caused by native Palearctic and exotic insects, a greater knowledge of pest symptoms is required. During 2008-2009, first and second-year stone pine cones, as well as the seeds produced, were examined in Tuscany (Italy) to assess viability. Insect damage was characterized based on external signs on the cones and seed endosperms, and the impact of recorded insect species on nut production was evaluated. In the current study, cones attacked by anobiid beetles and Dioryctria spp. were observed, as well as asymptomatic dead cones and cones with resin drops and patches, that could not easily be related to a damaging agent. As regards the anobiid beetles, adults of Ernobius parens (Mulsant and Rey) and E. impressithorax Pic emerged from cones in laboratory rearing. A low number of cones damaged by Dioryctria spp. was recorded whereas high percentages of cones showed resin exudates. The presence of resin cannot be definitely related to a damaging agent, although the feeding activity of Leptoglossus occidentalis Heidemann could be one of the reasons. Damage by L. occidentalis was assessed by seed observation. Most of the seeds displayed tissues that had been damaged by this pest.

Background: The increasing interest in organic food products and environmental friendly practices has emphasised the importance of selecting crop varieties suitable for the low-input sector. Moreover, in recent years the relationship between diet and human health has gained much attention among consumers. The aim of this study was to comparatively evaluate the agronomic performance and the nutrient and phytochemical composition of old and modern Italian wheat genotypes grown under low-input management., Results: Research highlighted that several old wheat genotypes were comparable to the modern ones in terms of agronomic performance and nutrient content. Genotype and environmental conditions (growing season), as well as their interaction, significantly affected the phytochemical composition of wheat grains for most of the analysed bioactive compounds. High variability was observed among the wheat genotypes for dietary fibre (154.7-183.3 g kg⁻¹), polyphenol (1.94-2.77 mg g⁻¹), tocopherol (9.1-21.2 mg kg⁻¹) and carotenoid (701.4-3243 µg kg⁻¹) content., Conclusion: The comparative study of old and modern wheat varieties highlighted that, under low-input conditions, ancient genotypes may equal modern ones in terms of agronomic traits and additionally provide nutraceutical value-added wheat grains. The most promising ancient varieties for the unique phytochemical profiles are Gentil rosso, Marzuolo d'aqui and Verna., (Copyright © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry.)

The health-promoting properties of common wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) have been largely attributed to the presence of unique phytochemicals of whole grains. The aim of this study was to profile the phenolic content of 16 old and 6 modern Italian wheat varieties, cropped in the same location and growing season. High variability was observed among the investigated wheat genotypes, both in the free and bound phenolic extracts. The total polyphenol content ranged from 885.5 to 1715.9 μmol GAE/100 g of grain and, on average, the bound fraction contributed for 72.0% to the total phenolic content. As regards the flavonoid content, the free fraction ranged from 50.7 to 106.1 μmol CE/100 g of grain and the bound fraction from 78.3 to 148.9 μmol CE/100 g of grain. Moreover, the interpretation of the mass spectra allowed the characterization of 34 phenolic compounds (104 including isomer forms) belonging to the phenolic acid, flavonoid, coumarin, stilbene, proanthocyanidin and lignan chemical classes. HPLC-ESI-TOF-MS analysis highlighted remarkable differences in the phytochemical fingerprints of old and modern wheat varieties. Six ancient wheat genotypes (Bianco Nostrale, Frassineto, Gentil Rosso, Gentil Rosso Mutico, Marzuolo d'Aqui, Verna) showed phenolic profiles with a number of total compounds and isomer forms much higher than that identified in the modern cultivars. The present findings confirm that ancient wheat may represent a valuable source of biodiversity, especially as regards phenolic compounds. The investigated old wheat genotypes may be successfully used in breeding programs for developing bread wheat varieties with added value in terms of health-promoting phytochemicals., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

We studied the evaporation-induced pattern formation in droplets of common wheat kernel leakages prepared out of ancient and modern wheat cultivars as a possible tool for wheat quality analysis. The experiments showed that the substances which passed into the water during the soaking of the kernels created crystalline structures with different degrees of complexity while the droplets were evaporating. The forms ranged from spots and simple structures with single ramifications, through dendrites, up to highly organized hexagonal shapes and fractal-like structures. The patterns were observed and photographed using dark field microscopy in small magnifications. The evaluation of the patterns was performed both visually and by means of the fractal dimension analysis. From the results, it can be inferred that the wheat cultivars differed in their pattern-forming capacities. Two of the analyzed wheat cultivars showed poor pattern formation, whereas another two created well-formed and complex patterns. Additionally, the wheat cultivars were analyzed for their vigor by means of the germination test and measurement of the electrical conductivity of the grain leakages. The results showed that the more vigorous cultivars also created more complex patterns, whereas the weaker cultivars created predominantly poor forms. This observation suggests a correlation between the wheat seed quality and droplet evaporation patterns.

Background: The present study was aimed at examining the effect of tuber mineral composition, distinctive for geographical location, on the expression of acrylamide precursors in three potato genotypes (Arinda, Rossa di Cetica and Sieglinde) in three Italian potato cultivation regions (Puglia, Sicily and Tuscany)., Results: Sucrose and amino acids were not correlated with acrylamide formation. In contrast, reducing sugars, limiting with respect to the principal amino acid precursor asparagine, were positively correlated with acrylamide. From analysis of variance, both acrylamide and reducing sugars were not significant for variety but highly significant for location, with higher levels occurring in all three varieties cultivated in Tuscany, followed by Sicily and Puglia respectively. Reducing sugars were negatively correlated with K and Ca and positively correlated with Zn and Cu. Neither N nor P was correlated with reducing sugar content. Path analysis, a statistical technique distinguishing causation and correlation between variables, was implemented to provide additional insight on the interactions between mineral elements and reducing sugars under open field conditions. The variation in reducing sugars in all three varieties was shown to be attributable to Zn., Conclusion: Cultivation location has a significant impact on the composition of tuber mineral elements and, as a result, on genotype in the expression of reducing sugars. The negative correlation between Zn and K and the variation in reducing sugar content attributed to the element Zn, which is particularly available in acid soils, are important factors warranting future research aimed at reducing acrylamide formation from an agronomic perspective., (Copyright 2010 Society of Chemical Industry.)

The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of short-term dietary intake of bread obtained by a selected variety of old grain grown in Tuscany, Italy on some parameters related to the atherosclerotic process. Twenty healthy subjects (median age, 39.5 years) followed for 10 weeks a diet containing bread (150 g/day) made from the test grain (test period) and for the same period a diet containing commercially available bread of the same quantity (control period). Lipid, inflammatory, and hemorheological profiles before and after dietary intervention were evaluated. The test period showed a significant (P < .05) improvement of total cholesterol (pre-intervention, 211.2 +/- 10.8 mg/dL; post-intervention, 196.5 +/- 9.8 mg/dL) and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol levels (pre-intervention, 137.5 +/- 8.1 mg/dL; post-intervention, 119.5 +/- 7.5 mg/dL), whereas no significant changes during the control period were observed. With regard to inflammatory and hemorheological parameters, the test period showed a significant decrease in some of the parameters investigated (interleukin-8 [pre-intervention vs. post-intervention, 67.4 +/- 10.7 vs. 43.9 +/- 4.1 pg/mL], whole blood viscosity at high [4.36 +/- 0.03 vs. 4.32 +/- 0.03 mPa x s, respectively] and low [26.1 +/- 0.4 vs. 24.8 +/- 0.5 mPa x s, respectively] shear rates, and erythrocyte filtration [8.4 +/- 0.7% vs. 9.1 +/- 0.6%, respectively]) relative to the control period, which showed no significant changes. Short-term dietary intake of whole grain bread obtained from an old grain variety seems to impose a favorable status with regard to lower circulating levels of markers of atherosclerosis.

An evaluation of the grain functional components of Italian durum wheat cultivars was conducted. The raw material was obtained from the field trial performed in 2006-2007 at the Experimental Farm of the University of Bologna, (Bologna, Italy). The aim of this study was to define the phytochemical profile of ten varieties, comprised of old and modern durum wheat genotypes, including quantitative and qualitative phenolic and flavonoid content (free and bound forms). The results showed that mean values of total phenolic compound and total flavonoid content in old wheat varieties (878.2+/-19.0 micromol gallic acid equivalent/100g of grain and 122.6+/-25.4 micromol catechin equivalent/100g of grain, respectively) did not differ significantly from those detected in modern genotypes (865.9+/-128.9 micromol gallic acid equivalent/100g and 123.5+/-20.6 micromol catechin equivalent/100g, respectively). However, the HPLC-ESI-TOF-MS analysis highlighted remarkable differences between modern and old cultivars. The interpretation of the mass spectra allowed the identification of 70 phenolic compounds, including coumarins, phenolic acids, anthocyanins, flavones, isoflavones, proanthocyanidins, stilbenes and lignans. The free extracts of ancient wheat varieties showed the presence of a mean number of phenolic compounds and isomer forms (8.7+/-2.5 and 7.7+/-4.7 respectively) significantly higher than in modern genotypes (4.4+/-2.9 and 2.0+/-2.4, respectively). A similar trend was observed also for the bound phenolic fraction. Moreover, the phytochemical profiles showed the presence of unique phenolic compounds in both free and bound fractions of some of the investigated wheat genotypes. Results highlighted that investigated old wheat cultivars may offer unique nutraceutical values for their peculiar contents in bioactive phytochemicals, suggesting their uses into a wide range of regular and specialty products naturally enriched with health-promoting compounds.

Polygalacturonase-inhibiting proteins (PGIPs) are extracellular plant protein inhibitors of endo-polygalacturonases (PGs) that belong to the leucine-rich repeat (LRR) protein family. In bean, PGIP is encoded by a small gene family of four members among which Pvpgip2 encodes the most wide-spectrum and efficient inhibitor of fungal PGs. In order to evaluate the sequence polymorphism of Pvpgip2 and its functional significance, we have analyzed a number of wild and cultivated bean (P. vulgaris) accessions of Andean and Mesoamerican origin, and some genotypes from the related species P. coccineus, P. acutifolius, and P. lunatus. Our analyses indicate that the protein encoded by Pvpgip2 is highly conserved in the bean germplasm. The few detected polymorphic sites correspond to synonymous substitutions and only two wild genotypes contain a Pvpgip2 with a single non-synonymous replacement. Sequence comparison showed a slightly larger variation in the related bean species P. coccineus, P. acutifolius, and P. lunatus and confirmed the known phylogenetic relationships with P. vulgaris. The majority of the replacements were within the xxLxLxx region of the leucine rich repeat (LRR) domain and none of them affected residues contributing to structural features. The variant PGIPs were expressed in Nicotiana benthamiana using PVX as vector and their inhibitory activity compared to that of PvPPGIP2. All the variants were able to fully inhibit the four fungal PGs tested with minor differences. Taken together these results support the hypothesis that the overall sequence conservation of PGIP2 and minor variation at specific sites is necessary for high-affinity recognition of different fungal PGs.

The health-promoting effects of whole-grain consumption have been attributed in part to their unique phytochemical contents and profiles. Wheat is an important component of the human diet; however, little is known about the phytochemical profiles of different wheat varieties, especially of old wheats. The objective of this study was to investigate the distribution of lignans, a class of phytochemicals with proved health benefit effects, of four modern and six old Italian soft wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars. In this work, we describe the first analytical method involving CE coupled to MS (CE-MS) used to identify and quantify lignan compounds in grains of different cultivars of wheat. Total lignan content determined by CE-ESI-MS was 2.60+/-0.21 and 5.00+/-1.30 microg/g dry seed weight for modern and old cultivars, respectively. Secoisolariciresinol and pinoresinol were detected in all ten investigated soft wheat cultivars, whereas arctigenin, hinokinin, and syringaresinol were exclusively detected in old genotypes. Significant differences between modern and old cultivars were also observed for the number of glycosidic forms. Results highlighted the high content and unique composition in lignans of old cultivars suggesting their uses into a wide range of regular and specialty food products naturally enriched with health-promoting compounds.

The flavonoid composition of three phenotypes of "Zolfino" landraces, a typical bean grown in Tuscany, has been elucidated by means of HPLC-DAD and HPLC-MS analysis. Flavonols, isoflavones, and anthocyanins have been separated and determined in the different samples chosen on the basis of their seed coat color. A flavonol that has not been previously found in Phaseolus vulgaris L. seeds has been characterized. The quantitative data show the presence of flavonols (ranging from 709 to 118 mg/kg of fresh weight), isoflavones (ranging from 14 to 2 mg/kg of fresh weight), and anthocyanins, in black beans only. These results show that this genotype could be very interesting from a nutritional point of view.

Starch gel electrophoresis and polyacrylamide gel isoelectric focusing (IEF) were used to investigate the genetic control of Triticeae shikimate dehydrogenase-1 (SKDH-1). Studies of wheat-alien species chromosome addition lines established that Skdh-1 of Hordeum vulgare cv. Betzes is located in chromosome 5H, Skdh-V1 of Dasypyrum villosum in 5V, Skdh-R1 of Secale cereale cvs. Dakold and King II in 5R, and Skdh-S1(1) of Triticum longissimum in 5S1S. Also, the chromosomal locations of the genes that encode SKDH-1 in T. aestivum cv. Chinese Spring, T. umbellulatum, and S. cereale cv. Imperial, determined earlier using zone electrophoresis, were reconfirmed using IEF. Zone electrophoresis and IEF do not differ markedly in their ability to detect the expression of alien Skdh-1 genes in wheat-alien species chromosome addition lines. However, IEF may be superior to zone electrophoresis as a technique for detecting and analyzing SKDH-1 genetic variants within Triticeae species; among the species studied, IEF generally resolved two or more isozymes per Skdh-1 allele present, while zone electrophoresis resolved only one.