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Species diversity is one of the highest in organic agriculture yet arable farming is still characterized by the dominance of a few cereal species. The present work summarizes the results of a 3-year experiment on hulled wheats as potential candidates of food system diversification. 10 winter and 3 spring emmer and 5 winter einkorn accessions, most of them being landraces, were investigated on 10m2 plots under marginal sandy soil conditions in East-Hungary. Most winter accessions adapted well to these conditions, producing grain yield above 3 t/ha in 3-year average, and some landraces were even ranked higher than registered varieties. Einkorn proved to be resistant to leaf fungal diseases, however, Fusarium infected both species similarly. Compared to emmer, einkorn seeds contained higher bound flavonoids and had higher antioxidant activity. Based on our findings on grain yield and quality traits both emmer and einkorn can be a good alternative for organic growers.

Modern agriculture depends on the production of very few crop species, which provide lower nutritive value for consumers. The present work summarizes the results of a three-year experiment on hulled wheat varieties as potential candidates for food system diversification. The organic field cultivation tests with 10 emmer and five einkorn landraces and varieties were conducted on ~10m2 plots on sandy soil, and from 2017, under on-farm conditions in eastern Hungary. Most accessions adapted well to the marginal conditions, with some landraces even yielding higher than registered varieties—over 3 t per ha on average over three years. Compared to emmer, einkorn had higher maximum grain yields, but its yield performance varied more than that of emmer. Grain protein and the total phenolic content were high in both species. Compared to emmer, einkorn seeds exhibited a 3.8 times higher content of bound flavonoids and had 3.4 times higher antioxidant activity. Four einkorn accessions were resistant to leaf spot, as well as yellow and leaf rusts. Fusarium infected both species similarly. Our findings indicate that not only registered varieties of ancient wheat species but also their landraces can provide sustainable alternatives both for organic farmers and also for the diversification of agriculture.

Environmental impacts of genetically modified crops are mandatorily assessed during their premarket phase. One of the areas of concern is the possible impact on nontarget organisms. Crops expressing Cry toxins might affect Lepidoptera larvae living outside cultivated fields, through pollen deposition on wild plants, which constitute their food source. While pollen toxicity varies among different events, possible exposure of nontarget species depends on the agro-environmental conditions. This study was conducted in two protected areas in Italy, characterized by different climatic conditions, where many Lepidoptera species thrive in proximity to maize cultivations. To estimate the possible exposure in absence of the actual stressor (e.g., Cry1-expressing maize plants), we conducted a two-year field survey of butterflies and weeds. Indicator species were selected—Aglais (Inachis) io in the Northern site and Vanessa cardui in the Southern site—and their phenology was investigated. Pollen dispersal from maize fields was measured by collection in Petri dishes. Duration and frequency of exposure was defined by the overlap between pollen emission and presence of larvae on host plants. Different risk scenarios are expected in the two regions: highest exposure is foreseen for A. io in the Northern site, while minimal exposure is estimated for V. cardui in the Southern site. In the latter case, locally grown maize cultivars flower in mid-summer in coincidence with an aestivation period for several butterfly species due to hot and dry conditions. Moreover, host plants of V. cardui are at the end of their life cycle thus limiting food availability.

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.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.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.

The maintenance of the endothelial function, challenged by oxidative stress and inflammation, is a fundamental target of preventive dietary strategies. The aim of this study was to investigate the protective activities of a wheat peptide belonging to the family of the "non-specific lipid transfer protein type 2" (nsLTP2). Results showed that HUVECs pretreatment with nsLTP2 significantly decreased both oxidative stress and cell damage induced by inflammation, and significantly counteracted the increased expression of adhesion molecules (VCAM-1, ICAM-1, E-selectin). Moreover, nsLTP2 increased the expression of HO-1, similarly to statins. As HO-1 has been shown to ameliorate inflammation in part through its ability to inhibit expression of endothelial adhesion molecules, experiments were also conducted using two HO-1 inhibitors, showing that the induced expression of HO-1 contributes to the anti-inflammatory activity exerted by nsLTP2. Taken together, obtained results suggest a nutraceutical role played by nsLTP2 in maintaining vascular health. This work was supported by BACCHUS project (FP7 European Commission Grant Agreement 312090)

L’invenzione concerne una composizione e un metodo per promuovere la crescita di piante erbacee, in particolare piante erbacee comprese in tappeti erbosi per uso sportivo o ornamentale e in terreni agricoli, e favorire un accumulo di sostanza organica nel terreno in cui vivono e crescono le suddette piante erbacee.

When engineered nanoparticles (NPs) reach soil through contaminated biosolids or irrigation water they could affect plant growth. Our results showed that the above- and below-ground growth was stunted in tomato exposed to SnO2-NPs, moreover the NPs enter into the root system. These research contribute to the setting of reference baseline values of tin dioxide in soil-plant system.

Nanotechnology is the new frontier of research and nowadays many nanoproducts are utilized in common goods, in medical supplies and in agricultural products. However, little is known about the impact of these new materials on humans and environment. Several studies assert that the soil could be the environmental compartment designed to be the major recipient of engineered nanoparticles (NPs). To investigate the impact of commercially relevant NPs on soil-plant continuum we compared the effect of Ag, CeO2, Co, Fe3O4, Ni, SnO2, TiO2 NPs on Ocimum basilicum. Basil is a culinary herb normally used fresh in Mediterranean cuisine and could constitute one of the means to accumulate NPs through the food chain. The seedlings were spiked once per week with 50mL of NP solutions at 100mg metal L-1 concentration, to simulate a chronic dose. For the control test only water was supplied. At the end of the experiment (28 days) the following analysis were performed in plant and soil: biomass production, total elements concentrations, plant pigments concentrations, lipid peroxidation, pH, metals availability, total metals concentrations. Results showed that Ag NPs treatment reduced significantly root and leaf dry matter of basil plant with respect to the control. The larger amount of metal-NPs was accumulated in basil roots and the concentration in leaves was significantly higher compared to the control for Ag, CeO2, Co and Ni. Notably, also in the relative short exposure there was an accumulation of Ca in roots, suggesting that the metabolic alteration in plants could be aimed at counteracting the membrane damage generated directly or indirectly by NPs. The physiological parameters did not show significant differences; probably tissues involved in the photosynthesis are not damaged by NPs. Nevertheless, further studies are required to evaluate the impact of these NPs over several generation and their fate in food chain.