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Copyright of Plant Cell, Tissue & Organ Culture is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Niphades castanea Chao (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), an important fruit insect pest of chestnuts (Castanea spp.), could cause chestnut involucre abscission ahead of time through larvae boring and feeding basal involucres, eventually causing huge economic losses. In this research, mitochondrial (COI and COII) and nuclear (ITS1) markers were used to investigate genetic variation among 15 different geographical populations of chestnut pest N castanea. The molecular diversity of N. castanea populations revealing three main phylogenetic clusters, with cluster I specifically distributed at high elevations in the western sampling points. Mitochondrial genes indicated population expansion events, and the ITS1 marker suggested a history of population expansion. Genetic diversity differentiation was significant among populations, indicating that geographical isolation impacts genetic differentiation among these places. AMOVA analyses confirmed substantial genetic differentiation between populations. Mantel correlogram analyses revealed a significant positive correlation between genetic differentiation and altitude/geographical distance at lower elevations and ranges, which reversed to a negative correlation at higher altitudes and ranges for all markers, indicating the role of altitude and geographical distance in shaping genetic diversity in N. castanea. This study contributes to a comprehensive understanding of the distribution, genetic diversity, and evolutionary history of N. castanea in the central of China, underscoring the impact of geographical factors on its genetic structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inocybe is the largest genus in the family Inocybaceae, with approximately 1000 species worldwide. Basic data on the species diversity, geographic distribution, and the infrageneric framework of Inocybe are still incomplete because of the intricate nature of this genus, which includes numerous unrecognized taxa that exist around the world. A multigene phylogeny of the I. umbratica–paludinella group, initially designated as the "I. angustifolia subgroup", was conducted using the ITS-28S-rpb2 nucleotide datasets. The seven species, I. alabamensis, I. angustifolia, I. argenteolutea, I. olivaceonigra, I. paludinella, I. subangustifolia, and I. umbratica, were confirmed as members of this species group. At the genus level, the I. umbratica–paludinella group is a sister to the lineage of the unifying I. castanea and an undescribed species. Inocybe sect. Umbraticae sect. nov. was proposed to accommodate species in the I. umbratica–paludinella group and the I. castanea lineage. This section now comprises eight documented species and nine new species from China, as described in this paper. Additionally, new geographical distributions of I. angustifolia and I. castanea in China are reported. The nine new species and I. angustifolia, I. castanea, I. olivaceonigra, and I. umbratica are described in detail and illustrated herein with color plates based on Chinese materials. A global key to 17 species in the section Umbraticae is provided. The results of the current study provide a more detailed basis for the accurate identification of species in the I. umbratica-paludinella group and a better understanding of their phylogenetic placement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article sets out to explore how one can think with notions of the archive, and archival practice, from the departure point of young children's engagements with the environment. The notion of 'tiny archives' is introduced and explored by engaging with photographs and stories related to young children's collecting of nature things — such as stones, sticks and chestnuts — in different spaces in their everyday lives. The notion brings to the fore how young children's practices and collections of things can contribute to knowledge about and beyond early childhood, and for the future. Moreover, it offers an avenue for grappling with the question of how young children — a notably underrepresented group — can be situated in archival theory by theorizing the archive within the particularities of early childhood, rather than the other way around. By doing this, the article offers an approach to archival agency that encompasses the wordless narratives from beginning of life by focusing on what is already 'going on' in young children's lives. The article concludes by emphasizing the importance of attending to the everyday, ephemeral, dispersed, fragile, scattered and broken as important aspects of thinking with notions of the archive to include the tiny histories of the youngest of children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The susceptibility of seven species of chestnuts to the horse chestnut leaf miner was studied in the arboretum of the Main Botanical Garden of the Russian Academy of Sciences (MBG RAS), taking into account their interspecific characteristics. Using pheromone delta traps, the highest number of Cameraria ohridella moths was shown for Aesculus hippocastanum and the lowest for Aesculus chinensis. A number of anatomical parameters of leaves were investigated, such as the thickness of the epidermal cell wall and the thickness of the palisade and spongy parenchyma layers. As a result, it was shown that the most infected chestnut species had a greater thickness of the nutritious parenchyma tissue. No dependence was found between the degree of susceptibility to the horse chestnut leaf miner and such indicators as the content of chlorophyll a + b and carotenoids in the leaves of seven species of chestnuts. Nevertheless, resistance of different species of the genus Aesculus to Cameraria ohridella under increased tannin content in leaves has been shown. Evaluation of phenolic compounds and flavonoids has not established their reliable role as repellents. The high levels of carbohydrates found during the study contributed to increased susceptibility to the horse chestnut leaf miner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study compared the effects of enzyme extraction (E‐DF), enzyme‐acid extraction (EAc‐DF), enzyme‐alkaline extraction (EAl‐DF), ultrasonic‐enzyme extraction (EU‐DF), and microwave‐enzyme extraction (EM‐DF) on the yield, chemical composition, structural characteristics, physicochemical properties, physiological activities, and hypoglycemic activities of dietary fiber (DF) from Chinese chestnut. EAl‐DF had the highest yield (25.44 ± 0.70%) among all five extraction methods. The structural analysis indicated that other extracts, particularly EAl‐DF, had a more complex and porous structure than E‐DF. Analysis of monosaccharide composition showed that the main sugars in Chinese chestnut DF included Ara, Gal, Glc, and Man. Notably, EAl‐DF exhibited the highest water and oil retention ability and hypoglycemic activity. The DFs extracted by five methods can resist digestion in the digestive tract. These results indicate that enzymatic‐alkaline method is a high‐quality method for extracting DF from Chinese chestnut. And this study provides a theoretical basis for the efficient preparation and development of Chinese chestnut DF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pollen quality of nine Anatolian chestnut (Castanea sativa Mill.) cultivar/genotypes and two hybrid (Castanea sativa × Castanea crenata) cultivars were evaluated in this study. Fort his aim, anther and pollen sizes, amounts of pollen produced in an anther, pollen viability rate and germination percentages were determined. Significant differences were found among the cultivars in terms of the examined characteristics. It was determined that the average amount of pollen per anther of the varieties/genotypes was 5111-8000 pieces, and pollen germination rates varied between 16.93% and 35.35% at 5% sucrose concentration and 23.01% to 36.63% at 10% sucrose concentration. Pollen viability of the cultivars was found to be over 60%. Overall, it has been concluded that the pollination potential of chestnut cultivars/genotypes is sufficient and that alternative options can be offered to producers based on their regional distributions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Four new wood-inhabiting fungi viz. Phanerochaete castanea, P. citrinoalba, P. citrinorhizomorpha, and P. wuyiensis spp. nov. – are proposed based on a combination of morphological features and molecular evidence. Phanerochaete castanea is characterized by soft coriaceous basidiomata detachable from the substrate, becoming reddish brown in KOH , subulate cystidia with an obtuse apex. Phanerochaete citrinoalba is characterized by the coriaceous basidiomata with smooth, cracking hymenial surface, sterile margins with yellowish to whitish rhizomorphs, a monomitic hyphal system, generative hyphae mostly with simple septa and occasionally with clamp connections at basal hyphae. Phanerochaete citrinorhizomorpha is characterized by soft coriaceous basidiomata with a salmon to peach hymenial surface, a sterile margin with yellowish rhizomorphs, simple septate generative hyphae, and clavate to subfusiform or subulate cystidia with an obtuse apex. Phanerochaete wuyiensis is characterized by membranaceous basidiomata with smooth or locally tuberculate hymenial surface and the whitish rhizomorphs, generative hyphae with both simple septa and clamp connections at basal hyphae, cystidia projecting above hymenium. DNA sequences of the ITS and LSU markers of the studied samples were generated, and phylogenetic analyses were performed with Maximum Likelihood and Bayesian Inference methods. The phylogenetic tree inferred from the concatenated ITS +nLSU dataset highlighted the placement of the four new species in the genus Phanerochaete (Phanerochaetaceae, Polyporales). Phylogenetically related and morphologically similar species to these four new species are discussed. Furthermore, an identification key to accepted species of Phanerochaete in China is given. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to explore the extracts of Castanea mollissima Blume, 1851 as rich sources of enzyme inhibitors targeting type 2 diabetic (T2D) drugs. It was proved that the enzyme inhibitor with moderate effect against α-amylase and high inhibition against α-glucosidase may be a potential candidate for T2D management. Among the parts used of C. mollissima, the trunk bark extract demonstrated moderate pancreatic α-amylase inhibitory activity and a high inhibitory effect against α-glucosidase from rat with the IC50 inhibition values of 371.23 and 212.79 μg/mL, respectively. Acarbose—a commercial antidiabetic compound with testing IC50 of 24.01 and 192.35 μg/mL against α-amylase and α-glucosidase, respectively. Notably, the potent mammalian α-glucosidase inhibitory effect of the C. mollissima trunk bark extract collected in Vietnam was reported for the first time. Nineteen compounds (named 1–19) were detected and identified from the C. mollissima trunk bark extract using GCMS and HPLC analyses. Based on GCMS analysis, 9 volatiles were identified (1–9), of these, compounds 1, 4, and 9 were found as major volatiles with areas of 11.44, 13.5 and 45.27%, respectively. The utilization of HPLC techniques resulted in the detection and identification of 3 phenolic (10, 12, 15) and 7 flavonoid compounds (11, 1 3, 14, 16, 17, 18, 19). Of these, compounds 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, and 17 were found to contain in the C. mollissima trunk bark extract with high contents of 120.734, 40.373, 79.826, 43.845, 57.933, and 19.145 μg/mg of dried extract, respectively. The docking result indicated that most major compounds (1, 4, 9, 11, 12, 14, and 17) showed effective binding to α-glucosidase with good binding energy and acceptable RMSD values. In addition, almost all the identified compounds possessed drug properties and showed non-toxic for human use via Lipinski's rule of five and ADMET analyses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Chinese chestnut (Castanea mollissima Blume) is a dioecious plant in which the number of male inflorescences far exceeds that of female inflorescences. Therefore, it is of interest to study the differentiation of male flowers in C. mollissima. In this study, the male inflorescences of "Yanshanhongli" C. mollissima were observed. Then, the main components of the cell wall were stained by fluorescence and immunofluorescence labeling techniques to examine the changes in cell wall components. The results showed that the development of the male inflorescence of C. mollissima had different transverse elongation and longitudinal elongation. In addition, the development of male inflorescences and anthers were divided into five and four major stages, respectively, according to the microstructural changes. Immunostaining indicated that the fluorescence intensity of cellulose increased with the development of male inflorescences of C. mollissima. The fluorescence intensity of low-esterified homogalacturonan (HG) was stronger in the early stage, while the fluorescence intensity of high-esterified HG was stronger thereafter. This research provides new insights into the changes in cell wall components during the growth and development of male inflorescences of C. mollissima and important clues for exploring the growth and development mechanism of male inflorescences of C. mollissima. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The chestnut is a widely appreciated fruit in Europe, Asia, and North America, playing a significant role in the diets of people in these regions. Due to its high nutritional value and diverse health benefits, chestnuts have been gaining considerable research attention. The aim was a comprehensive literature review on the nutritional benefits of chestnuts and the sustainable valorization of their by-products. Following the methodology, all the relevant literature was collected and reviewed. Based on the reviewed data, the chemical composition of chestnuts holds great importance, especially in the food industry, where understanding their nutritional properties can enhance product development. Furthermore, chestnut processing generates a substantial amount of waste, including shells and leaves, which are rich in bioactive compounds with antioxidant properties. Valorizing these by-products presents opportunities for their application across various industries, leading to increased profits, reduced environmental pollution, and enhanced sustainability. This review aims to provide insights into the nutritional benefits of chestnuts and chestnut by-products and explore potential alternative applications for these materials in the food industry. Such applications will possibly positively affect producers' income and are in line with the circular economy strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cryphonectria hypovirus 1 (CHV1) is successful in controlling Cryphonectria parasitica, the causal agent of chestnut blight, but little is known regarding its transmission to other fungi, for example the European Cryphonectria radicalis. In this study, CHV1 was transmitted (circa 200,000–800,000 copies/microliter) to seven C. radicalis isolates from infected C. parasitica. Reverse transmission to virus-free C. parasitica (European 74 testers collection) was achieved, although it was less successful (250–55,000 copies/µL) and was dependent on the vegetative compatibility (VC) group. In C. radicalis, the virus infection led to colony colour change from pink to white and smaller colonies, dependent on the virus concentration. The virus was concentrated in the colony edges, and vertically transmitted to 77% of conidia. However, several in vitro experiments demonstrated that C. radicalis was always outcompeted by the blight fungus, only suppressing the pathogen between its 25–50% inoculum level. It presented good secondary capture only when acting as a pioneer. Two types of in planta assays (individual and challenge inoculations) were undertaken. Cryphonectria radicalis behaved as a saprotroph, while chestnut blight fungus behaved as an aggressive pathogen, and lesions after treatment with C. radicalis were no smaller in general, only when using cut branches. Overall, the results showed that infected C. radicalis was unable to control cankers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Consumers are increasingly interested in chestnuts for their health benefits and also for their organoleptic qualities. It is therefore very important to enhance the chestnut from a sensorial point of view. The sensorial characteristics of commercial chestnuts from three Italian Marrone cultivars (M1 'Marrone di Antrodoco'; M2 'Marrone dei Monti Cimini'; M3 'Marrone del Mugello' PGI) were investigated with the aim of identifying their sensory profiles. The sensory evaluation was conducted according to (ISO 8589 in Sensory analysis. General guidance for the design of test rooms, 2007; UNI EN ISO 13299 in Sensory analysis. Methodology. General guidance for establishing a sensory profile, 2016). Each descriptor was scored on a range with intervals ranging from 0 (absence of the descriptor) to 10 (maximum intensity of the descriptor). The M1 cultivar is characterized by greater crunchiness (8.0, on a scale from 0 to 10), sweetness (7.5), aromatic intensity (7.9) and caramel aroma (3.3). The M2 cultivar is distinguished by its buttery (3.2) and floral aroma (3.0) with a wood/musk note (1.9) that is missing from the other two cultivars. The M3 cultivar has an almond aroma (5.2) and is distinguished by walnut (3.0) and citrus (2.8) aromas, which are absent in cultivars M1 and M2. The results of this study are important as they experimentally demonstrate that the identification of characteristic sensory profile makes the qualitative differences between cultivars evident. The results showed that linoleic, oleic and palmitic acids were the main components of the lipid fraction of chestnut nuts. In all samples the unsaturated fraction predominated over the saturated one. It is also important to note that there were significant quantitative differences between cultivars. The valorization of Marrone chestnut cultivars contributes to promoting consumer use of these products with their high nutritional value and therefore contributes to the promotion of public health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A key question in insect community ecology is whether parasitoid assemblages are structured by the food plants of their herbivore hosts.Tritrophic communities centred on oak‐feeding cynipid gallwasps are one of the best‐studied tritrophic insect communities. Previous work suggests that host plant identity is a much stronger predictor of oak–cynipid interactions than of cynipid–parasitoid interactions. However, these relationships have not been formally quantified.We reason that the potential for 'bottom‐up' effects should increase with host plant phylogenetic diversity. We, therefore, generated quantified interaction network data for previously unstudied tritrophic cynipid communities in Sichuan, China, where, in addition to Quercus, cynipid host plants include Castanea, Castanopsis and Lithocarpus. We characterise these communities taxonomically and compare the extent to which host plant taxonomy predicts plant–herbivore and plant–parasitoid associations.We sampled 42,620 cynipid galls of 176 morphotypes from 23 host plant species, yielding over 4500 specimens of 64 parasitoid morphospecies. Many parasitoids were identifiable to chalcidoid taxa present in other Holarctic oak cynipid communities, with the addition of Cynipencyrtus (Cynipencyrtidae). As elsewhere, Sichuan parasitoid assemblages were dominated by generalists.Gallwasp–plant interaction networks were significantly more modular than parasitoid–plant association networks. Gallwasps were significantly more specialised to host plants (i.e. had higher mean d' values) than parasitoids. Parasitoid assemblages nevertheless showed significant plant‐associated beta diversity, with a dominant turnover component.We summarise parallels between our study and other Fagaceae‐associated cynipid communities and discuss our findings in light of the processes thought to structure tritrophic interactions centred on endophytic insect herbivores. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since its introduction into Europe in the first half of the 20th century, Cryphonectria parasitica has been gradually spreading across the natural range of the sweet chestnut (Castanea sativa Mill.), infecting the trees and causing lethal bark cankers. Serendipitously, a hyperparasitic Cryphonectria hypovirus 1 (CHV1), which attenuates C. parasitica virulence in combination with more tolerant European chestnut species, was able to ward off the worst effect of the disease. In North America, unfortunately, the native Castanea dentata is now functionally extinct since it occurs only as root sprouts in eastern deciduous forests where it was once dominant. In our work, we investigated changes in C. parasitica populations over time and the regional variability in chestnut populations' tolerance toward the blight disease. While vegetative compatibility (vc) type diversity and prevalence of hypovirulence remained similar as in previous studies, in the Buje population, unlike in previous studies, we were unable to find any hypovirulent fungal strains. The most common vegetative compatibility types (vc types) were EU-1, EU-2 and EU-12. However, several rare EU-types were found, including one previously unreported: EU-46. By inoculating several C. parasitica strains on tree stems from several chestnut populations, we observed that the induced lesion size was affected by the type of inoculum (CHV1-free or CHV1-infected), genotype-related individual chestnut stem and chestnut stem population of origin-related variability. The largest lesions were induced by CHV1-free fungal isolate DOB-G: 20.13 cm2 (95% C.I. 18.10–22.15) and the smallest by CHV1-infected L14/EP713: 2.49 cm2 (95% C.I. 1.59–3.39). Surprisingly, the size of the lesions induced by other CHV1-infected strains fell somewhere in between these extremes. The size of induced lesions was dependent on the population of origin as well and ranged from 11.60 cm2 (95% C.I. 9.87–13.33) for stems from the Moslavačka gora population to 17.75 cm2 (95% C.I. 15.63–19.87) for stems from Ozalj. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Henan Agricultural Sciences is the property of Editorial Board of Journal of Henan Agricultural Sciences and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Food & Fermentation Industries is the property of Food & Fermentation Industries and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

A survey conducted in the 1920s, prior to the chestnut blight, indicated that chestnuts and oaks were codominant canopy species in White Oak Canyon, Shenandoah National Park, Virginia. A second survey in 1977 suggested that chestnuts were being replaced by tree species present before the blight, particularly oaks. In 2021, we resurveyed the 10 sites included in our 1977 survey and also recorded canopy and understory trees that grew above remnant chestnut sprouts. The canopy changed more substantially during the second interval (since 1977). Birch and maples were now more abundant. Hemlock declined, and oaks were less common in the canopy. In general, the trees considered as early to mid-successional have replaced oaks and hemlock. Chestnut sprouts have become much less common since 1977, presumably as repeated cycles of diebacks have weakened rootstocks. Those sites where chestnut sprouts have persisted until 2021 differed from neighboring sites without them. Chestnut sprouts were rare in sites with birch and hemlock; chestnut has persisted in locations with red oaks in the canopy and with few other understory competitors. This survey has been conducted over a longer time interval than previous studies that asked similar questions and our results suggest that changes to the forest composition following the loss of the American chestnut may be greater than previously recognized although the relative contribution of losing this codominant species is unclear. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Chestnut flour plays an important role in the production of bread, bakery products, and gluten‐free foods. Most of the references in the literature focus on the drying process itself and not on the effects of the drying and milling processes. Moreover, the literature is lacking recommendations regarding optimal moisture content and milling speed, thus motivating the present study. The first aim is to understand the chestnut drying process through an in‐depth evaluation of drying kinetics; the second aim is to assess the effects of three different moisture content (2%, 4% and 6%) and three different stone rotational speeds (120, 220 and 320 rpm) on operative milling parameters (flour yield, milling time, energy consumption, temperature increase, average power, specific milling energy), flour particle size distribution, and chestnut flours characteristics. RESULTS: The results show that moisture content and stone rotational speed have statistically‐significant effects on milling operative parameters, flour particle size and chestnut flour composition. In particular, stone rotational speed affected almost all the tested variables (mill operative parameters, flour particle size distribution, and flour characteristics). Therefore, as the stone rotational speed increases, energy consumption, average power, specific energy, and damaged starch content significantly increase. CONCLUSION: These findings clearly show that moisture content and stone rotational speed are powerful tools that allow the exploiation of the milling process to modulate the characteristics of the obtained flours. In conclusion, two different approaches for chestnut milling were suggested depending on the type of flour to be produced. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chestnut is an essential food source in many countries. Nutritional quality and potential health benefits of Anatolian chestnut trees (Castanea sativa Mill.) have led to increased concern and interest in chestnut production. However, knowledge of the factors that influence the chemical content of chestnut fruits still needs to be improved. Thus, the chemical compositions were evaluated for Anatolian chestnut fruits collected at 14 different locations in northern Türkiye, which is one of the biggest chestnut producers in the world. The effects of latitude, longitude, altitude, aspect, mean annual temperature (°C) (TMA), and mean annual precipitation (mm) (PMA) of the study locations on the chemical compositions of chestnut fruits were monitored. The effects of these parameters on several chestnut characteristics were examined using a mixed-effects multiple regression model. Latitude, longitude, TMA, and PMA were correlated with the mean concentrations of sucrose, free amino acid, glycine betaine, nitrogen (N) (%), and total carbon (C) (%) of the chestnut samples. The moisture content of the fruits was affected by longitude. The antioxidant and mineral content of the chestnut samples also varied by location. These findings may be helpful in site selection, production, and conservation of chestnut cultivars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Food Research & Development is the property of Food Research & Development Editorial Department and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The genus Strumigenys is the third most diverse among ants, having been reviewed globally. Despite this comprehensive review, new species are frequently discovered in most biogeographic regions. Here, we describe two new species, Strumigenys itannae sp. nov. and Strumigenys xoko sp. nov., based on material collected in the Amazon and the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. Additionally, new records for S. castanea, S. metrix, and S. orchibia are provided, expanding the known distribution of these species. We discuss morphological variation in S. schulzi and provide biological notes that indicate some species within the schulzi group are arboreal inhabitants. We provided an identification key for the newly described species as an amendment to the identification key for the Neotropical Strumigenys. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Jumping spiders (Salticidae) are a diverse group of non‐web‐building predators and the most species‐rich spider family. The Salticidae Tribe Nannenini consists of a small group of Oriental jumping spiders that are very poorly known. The use of explicit phylogenetic analyses to establish its affinities has so far remained limited. The Nannenini genus Epidelaxia has a peculiar morphology, making its systematic position uncertain. In this study, we present a comprehensive dataset combining molecular and morphological data for Nannenini, including exemplars from all genera. This dataset comprises DNA sequences of approximately 2400 bp, including nuclear genes (18S, 28S and H3) and the mitochondrial gene CO1, sequenced for 40 taxa (20 ingroups and 20 outgroups), along with 61 morphological characters. Notably, both DNA sequences and morphological traits were analysed separately and concurrently for the first time. The Nannenini clade is recovered with high support. Further, Epidelaxia is monophyletic and sister to Tubalaxia gen. n. This is the first hypothesis on the internal phylogenetic structure of Epidelaxia and its placement within the Tribe Nannenini. A new genus Tubalaxia gen. n. and the following new species are described: E. bharathi sp. n., E. somasundaram sp. n., T. castanea sp. n., T. aurea sp. n. The following new combination is proposed: Tubalaxia minuta (Prószyński, 1992) comb. n. Epidelaxia albostellata, E. albocruciata and E. obscura are redescribed. It is worth noting that the newly described species face endangerment due to their limited distribution and small population sizes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The chestnut tree (Castanea sativa Mill.) is a widespread plant in Europe, rich in high-value compounds, which can be divided mainly into monomeric polyphenols and tannins. These compounds exhibit various biological activities, such as antioxidant, as well as anticarcinogenic and antimicrobial properties. Chestnut wood (CW) extracts were prepared using different extraction techniques, process conditions, solvents, and their mixtures. This work aimed to test various extraction techniques and determine the optimal solvent for isolating enriched fractions of vescalagin, castalagin, vescalin, and castalin from CW residues. Supercritical CO2 extraction with a more polar cosolvent was applied at different pressures, which influenced solvent density. According to the results, the proportions of the components strongly depended on the solvent system used for the extraction. In addition, HPLC-DAD was used for semiqualitative purposes to detect vescalagin, castalagin, vescalin, and castalin. The developed valorization protocol allows efficient fractionation and recovery of the polyphenolic components of CW through a sustainable approach that also evaluates pre-industrial scaling-up. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cynipoidea is a well-known and widely distributed superfamily of Hymenoptera. Members of Figitidae are parasitoids, and members of Cynipidae are phytophagous. Specimens belonging to this superfamily, collected from the Samsun province of Türkiye, have been studied. Two new Cynipoidea records are established from this country: Alloxysta castanea (Hartig, 1841) and Xestophanes potentillae (Retzius, 1783). New locality information is also given for the species Alloxysta victrix (Westwood, 1833), Synergus pallipes Hartig, 1840, Synergus physocerus Hartig, 1843, and Diplolepis spinosissimae (Giraud, 1859). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dryocosmus kuriphilus, commonly known as the chestnut gall wasp, belongs to the family Cynipidae and is native to China. It is a highly invasive insect species causing serious damage to chestnut trees and has rapidly spread to various continents, including Europe, North America, and Oceania. The D. kuriphilus has become one of the important pests of chestnut plants in the world and is listed as a quarantine object by the European and Mediterranean Plant Protection Organization (EPPO). In this study, we used PacBio long reads, Illumina short reads, and Hi-C sequencing data to construct a chromosome-level assembly of the D. kuriphilus genome. The assembled genome includes 14,729 contigs with a total length of 2.28 Gb and a contig N50 of 0.8 Mb. With Hi-C technology, 2.17 Gb (95.02%) of contigs were anchored and oriented into the 10 pseudochromosomes with the scaffold N50 of 198.8 Mb and the scaffold N90 of 158.8 Mb. In total, 24,086 protein-coding genes were predicted in the assembled D. kuriphilus genome as the reference gene set. A total of 1.82 Gb repeats (occupying 79.7% of the genome), including 1.42 Gb of transposable elements and 0.40 Gb of tandem repeats, were identified in D. kuriphilus genome. In the evaluation of completeness, the BUSCO analysis determined a level of 98.1% completeness for the assembled genome sequences based on the Insecta database (OrthoDB version 10). The high-quality genome assembly of D. kuriphilus will not only provide a valuable reference for the study of its evolutionary history and genetic structure but also facilitate the research of host-pest interactions and invasiveness. Moreover, this genome assembly will promote in the development of effective management strategies to mitigate the economic and ecological impacts of this invasive pest on chestnut trees and ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Northwest A & F University - Natural Science Edition is the property of Editorial Department of Journal of Northwest A&F University (Natural Science Edition) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The production of high-quality aged marc spirits includes a minimum period of six months of ageing in oak barrels. Lastly, producers are interested in alternative botanical origin wood. The present study is aimed at investigating the influence of Greek oak (Quercus trojana) and Greek chestnut (Castanea sativa) compared with French (Quercus petraia) and American oak (Quercus alba) on the chemical composition and sensorial characteristics of aged tsipouro, produced from marc from the Black Muscat variety. Gas chromatography–olfactometry–mass spectrometry (GC–O–MS) was used to identify volatile compounds of the aged tsipouro. Also, colour and polyphenol measurements were made, and an organoleptic evaluation was performed by 16 trained tasters. The findings revealed rather similar results between the tsipouro made from different wood species, especially between Greek and French oaks, and relative differentiation for that of chestnut. All the aged distillates exhibited a pleasant and rich aromatic potential, dominated by floral and fruity terpene varietal aromas as well as wood-related volatiles. Chestnut, with a high phenolic potential, gives pleasant organoleptic effects over time and can be an alternative wood for ageing spirits. This research highlights the importance of wood selection in the tsipouro ageing process and enables the use of Greek wood species in the ageing of spirits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Escin, extracted from horse chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum) has anti-edema and anti-inflammatory effects. It is used to treat several clinical conditions, including venous insufficiency, pain, inflammation, and edema. Considering escin's pharmacodynamic, the inhibition of the bradykinin pathway represents a particular effect, decreasing the local edema and conferring an advantage in comparison to other compounds. In this narrative review, we described the effects of escin considering its effects on bradykinin pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Bulletin of Botanical Research is the property of Bulletin of Botanical Research Editorial Department and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Chestnuts become sweetened with better tastes for fried products after cold storage, but the possible mechanism is not clear. The dynamics of sugar components and related physiological responses, as well as the possible molecular mechanism in chestnuts during cold storage, were investigated. Sucrose accumulation and starch degradation contributed to taste improvement. Sucrose content reached the peak after two months of cold storage, along with the accumulation of reducing sugars of maltose, fructose and glucose to a much lesser extent. Meanwhile, alpha-amylase and beta-amylase maintained high levels, and the activities of acid invertase and sucrose synthase increased. Transcriptome data demonstrated that differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were significantly enriched in the process of starch and sucrose metabolism pathway, revealing the conversion promotion of starch to sucrose. Furthermore, DEGs involved in multiple phytohormone biosynthesis and signal transduction, as well as the transcription regulators, indicated that sucrose accumulation might be interconnected with the dormancy release of chestnuts, with over 90% germinated after two months of cold storage. Altogether, the results indicated that cold storage improved the taste of chestnuts mainly due to sucrose accumulation induced by DEGs of starch and sucrose metabolism pathway in this period, and the sweetening process was interconnected with dormancy release. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Castanea sativa Mill. is important for ecosystems and societies. Its rich historical and cultural significance, remarkable ecological contributions, and diverse applications have inspired scientific research. This comprehensive review and conceptual mapping of chestnut research consolidates existing knowledge, identifies emerging trends, and highlights untapped potential to inform future investigations. First, the Scopus database was searched to retrieve all data-driven articles in English related to C. sativa published in English from 1951 to 2023. Second, the R language, Scopus Analytics, and VOSviewer were used to analyze the year of publication, authors, countries, affiliations, keywords, and citations. Finally, network analysis was performed to evaluate the hotspots and developmental trends of C. sativa. A total of 1889 research articles were recovered. Results: The articles showed an exponential progression, with a regression coefficient of 0.9435 (R2) and an annual growth rate of 6.28%. Italy (19.87%), Spain (15.56%), Portugal (13.39%), Turkey (6.92%), and Switzerland (5.17%) were the most prolific countries. C. sativa (798), sweet chestnut (54), cryphonectria parasitica (44), honey (38), phenolic compounds (35), chestnut blight (33) and antioxidant activity (31) are the keywords that occur the most frequently. The main research groups in the thematic map are "forest management," "Cryphonectria parasitica," "wood," "Spain" and "ethnobotany." Research on C. sativa has all the basic, motor, niche, and emerging or declining themes. Forest management, drought, Gnomoniopsis smithogilvyi, C. sativa shells, amino acids, honey, phenolic compounds, hydrolyzable tannins, antioxidant capacity, antioxidants, and extractives are trending topics. Conclusions: This bibliometric analysis highlights the importance of C. sativa research, revealing its ecological contributions, cultural significance, and diverse applications. Future studies should focus on forest management, drought resistance, and bioactive properties to ensure sustainable utilization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Castanea sativa Mill. (C. sativa) processing and pruning generate several by-products, including leaves, burs, and shells (inner and outer teguments), which are considered an important source of high-value phytochemicals. Ellagitannins from C. sativa leaf extracts have been described to impair H. pylori viability and inflammation in gastric cells. Furthermore, chestnut shells showed an important anti-inflammatory effect in gastric epithelial cells. Dietary polyphenols, including tannins, have been reported to interfere with targets of inflammation, including the nuclear factor κB (NF-κB). A promising role as a further therapeutical target for gut disorders has been recently proposed for the regulatory subunit of hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF-1α), as a potential stabilizer of intestinal barrier integrity. Therefore, the main objective of this work is the chemical characterization of several chestnut by-products (bud, spiny bur, wood, pericarp and episperm), together with the exploitation of their anti-inflammatory properties in intestinal cells, scavenging capacity, and stability following gastrointestinal digestion. The chemical characterization confirmed the presence of bioactive polyphenols in the extracts, including ellagitannins. In CaCo-2 cells stimulated by an IL-1β-IFN-γ cocktail, nearly all chestnut by-products (50 µg/mL) inhibited the release of proinflammatory mediators (CXCL-10, IL-8, MCP-1, ICAM), along with the NF-κB-driven transcription, and induced the HRE-driven transcription. The stability of the most promising extracts, identified through PCA and cluster analysis, was addressed by in vitro gastrointestinal digestion. Despite the significant reduction in total polyphenol index of chestnut bud and wood after gastric and intestinal digestion, the activity of these extracts on both scavenging and anti-inflammatory parameters remained promising. These data contribute to exploit the potential of chestnut by-products as sources of dietary polyphenols with anti-inflammatory properties at the intestinal level. Moreover, this study could represent an important step to encourage the recycling and valorization of chestnut by-products, promoting the circular economy and reducing the environmental impact related to the management of agriculture waste. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, antagonistic endophytic fungi were isolated from postharvest chestnut fruits; endophytic antagonistic fungi and their combination of inhibitory effects on the fungal pathogen Neofusicoccum parvum were evaluated. A total of 612 endophytic fungi were isolated from 300 healthy chestnut kernels, and 6 strains out of them including NS-3, NS-11, NS-38, NS-43, NS-56, and NS-58 were confirmed as antagonistic endophytic fungi against Neofusicoccum parvum; these were separately identified as Penicillium chermesinum, Penicillium italicum, Penicillium decaturense, Penicillium oxalicum, Talarmyces siamensis, and Penicillium guanacastense. Some mixed antagonistic endophytic fungi, such as NS-3-38, NS-11-38, NS-43-56, and NS-56-58-38, exhibited a much stronger antifungal activity against N. parvum than that applied individually. Among them, the mixture of NS-3-38 showed the highest antifungal activity, and the inhibition rate was up to 86.67%. The fermentation broth of NS-3, NS-38, and their combinations exhibited an obvious antifungal activity against N. parvum, and the ethyl acetate phase extract of NS-3-38 had the strongest antifungal activity, for which the inhibitory rate was up to 90.19%. The NS-3-38 fermentation broth combined with a chitosan coating significantly reduced N. parvum incidence in chestnuts from 100% to 19%. Furthermore, the fruit decay and weight loss of chestnuts during storage were significantly decreased by the NS-3-38 fermentation broth mixture along with a chitosan coating. Therefore, a mixture of P. chermesinum and P. decaturense could be used as a potential complex biocontrol agent to control postharvest fruit decay in chestnuts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was designed to investigate some physicochemical properties (color, electrical conductivity, ash, water-insoluble and mineral matter contents) of chestnut honey produced in the Ayancık, Türkeli and Erfelek regions of Sinop province, where chestnut forests are dense. The experimental data showed that most of the honey samples had different amber color tones. The electrical conductivity values and the amounts of water-insoluble matter for all chestnut honeys were determined above 0.8 mS/cm and below 0.1 g per 100 g, respectively. In addition, honey samples contained mainly potassium and calcium and other minerals such as magnesium, sodium, aluminum and iron. It has been demonstrated that these chestnut honeys are registered with Geographical Indication and meet the criteria required in the Turkish Food Codex Honey Communiqué of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. These honeys have not been exposed to any external processing (heat treatment, etc.), have not been adulterated, do not contain impurities, and are pure and high quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Objectives] This study was conducted to further improve the utilization value of local chestnut leaves, improve the palatability of chestnut leaves and reduce tannin content in chestnut leaves. [Methods] Chestnut leaves and bran were evenly mixed according to different mass ratios, and the mixtures were sprayed and inoculated with a certain amount of prepared EM microbial liquid, and then compressed into 70 cm x40 cm x30 cm blocks by a fully automatic yellow-storage block compression and packaging machine. The obtained blocks were packaged and sealed with plastic film, and placed in a freely ventilated place for more than 15 d of anaerobic fermentation, so as to obtain compressed fermented chestnut leaf block feed. [Results] Through the detection and analysis of nutritional components in the compressed fermented chestnut leaf block feed in the laboratory, the protein content was equal to or greater than 10.2%, which was 44.68% higher than that of unfermented chestnut leaf feed; the tannin content was equal to or greater than 638 mg/kg, which was 18.41% lower than that of the original feed; and the crude fiber content was equal to or greater than 19.5%, which was 14. 09% lower than that of the original feed. [Conclusions] This study improves the palatability of chestnut leaf feed, increases the use efficiency of feed and reduces feeding cost. It is worth popularizing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we conducted a field survey in Aichi Prefecture, central Japan, to clarify whether rodent activity is affected by the presence or absence of dead culms of the dwarf bamboo Sasa borealis, a species characterized by a 120-year cycle of large-scale flowering, seeding, and dying. We found that a relatively larger number of wood mice, Apodemus speciosus and Apodemus argenteus, were caught using Sherman live traps in areas with dead S. borealis culms than in areas lacking the culms, thereby indicating that S. borealis culms, even if dead and leafless, can function as shelters in which the mice can evade predation. However, in the years when A. speciosus was abundant, A. argenteus avoided areas inhabited by A. speciosus and was restricted to areas lacking dead culms, which were devoid of shelter. A feeding experiment using Castanea crenata acorns clearly revealed that a larger number of acorns were foraged by mice in areas containing dead culms. Moreover, in the area with dead culms, the mice preferentially removed sound acorns prior to taking acorns that had been vacated by infesting moth larvae. These findings indicate that the shelter function of dead culms enables mice to carefully select sound acorns, which are nutritionally more beneficial than those that have been infested by moth larvae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chestnut production is considered one of the most important economic resources of rural mountainous areas in Greece. Lately, producers report a steep rise in the incidence of brown rot disease caused by the fungus Gnomoniopsis smithogilvyi (Gnomoniaceae, Diaporthales), which results in severe chestnut rot. The pathogen is considered an emerging pathogen in many countries worldwide (Italy, France, Switzerland, Australia, New Zealand). This study aimed at (a) exploring the incidence of the brown rot disease in Vria (Regional Unit of Pieria, Region of Central Makedonia, Greece), (b) isolating and identifying the causal agent of the disease, (c) exploring the fungus presence at different phenological stages of the chestnut trees, and (d) implementing species-specific Bar- High Resolution Melting Analysis (HRM) for the early detection of G. smithogilvyi in chestnuts. G. smithogilvyi occurrence in chestnut tissues was more severe in June (59 %), nearly disappeared in July (19 %) and August (7 %) and increased again during harvesting time in September (57 %). This result could be attributed to a sum of different factors, including climate conditions. Moreover, it was demonstrated that G. smithogilvyi can be identified using a Bar-HRM analysis of chestnut tissues (buds, flowers and nuts). Results of this study clearly demonstrate that Bar-HRM can be used for the accurate, rapid and reliable identification of G. smithogilvyi universally on infected samples from different localities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

【Objective】The study aimed to identify three NAC gene families of Castanea plants while analyzing of codon usage bias. It provided an important theoretical basis for further exploring the function of NAC gene family in chestnut plants.【Method】Using bioinformatics methods, the chromosome position, phyloevolutionary relationships, protein motif, selective pressure, codon usage bias were analyzed in the three Castanea plants.【Result】In the study, 333 Castanea NAC gene family members were identified with unequal distribution across different chromosomes. The evolutionary tree analysis revealed that it can be divided into five groups. Protein motif analysis revealed that the five groups all contained the conserved Motif 1- Motif 7. Collinearity analysis showed that it contained strong collinearity within and between the genome, and most of the collinear gene pairs were undergoing purifying selection pressure. The codon usage bias analysis showed a weak codon usage bias. Neutral mapping analysis and ENC-plot mapping analysis showed that their codon usage bias was more under natural selective pressure. The optimal codon analysis revealed that the NAC gene families of three Castanea plants together contained 11 optimal codons. For example, CAU, UAA, GUU, etc. Comparing the codon usage frequency with the comparative model plants, Arabidopsis thaliana, Nicotiana tabacum and Solanum lycopersicum were all suitable exogenous receptors for the three Castanea plants.【Conclusion】The study provides a comprehensive understanding of the evolutionary relationships, selection pressures, codon preference of NAC gene family members of Castanea plants. And the study lay a theoretical foundation for the later use of molecular biological means to improve the efficiency of NAC gene expression in Castanea plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of the 20th-century functional extinction of the American Chestnut (Fagaceae: Castanea dentata (Marshall) Borkh) on associated herbivorous insects is unknown. These insects include leafminers that spend at least part of their larval phase feeding between the epidermises of leaves. We surveyed leafminers on C. dentata , nonnative Castanea spp. and hybrids on Long Island, NY. We found 10 leafminer species feeding on Castanea spp. A first New York State record was documented for Stigmella castaneaefoliella (Chambers) (Lepidoptera: Nepticulidae). New host records are established for 6 lepidopterans, including a new host genus for Phyllonorycter basistrigella (Clemens) (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae). We found no significant differences in the mean intensity of S. castaneaefoliella leaf mines on native and nonnative Castanea spp.; however, our sample size was small. Thus, we guardedly conclude that nonnative Castanea spp. can serve as refugia for C. dentata leafminers native to North America while acknowledging that the extent to which nonnative species are utilized requires further investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Northwest A & F University - Natural Science Edition is the property of Editorial Department of Journal of Northwest A&F University (Natural Science Edition) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The aim of this study was to investigate the differences between Castanea sativa Mill. and Castanea crenata Siebold & Zucc. × Castanea sativa Mill. in rooting ability in relation to endogenous levels of auxin, auxin cofactors and inhibitors that influence rooting success. Leafy cuttings of the two commercial cultivars 'Marsol' and 'Maraval' (Castanea crenata × Castanea sativa) and the native accession 'Kozjak' (Castanea sativa) were analyzed. Endogenous indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) concentration was assessed at the beginning of propagation (day 0); in addition, strigolactones, flavonoids, rooting ability and quality were assessed 120 days after. The concentration of endogenous IAA in 'Maraval' (324.34 ± 28.66 ng g−1) and 'Marsol' (251.60 ± 35.44 ng g−1) was significantly higher than in 'Kozjak' (112.87 ± 35.44 ng g−1). The best rooting result was observed with the genotypes 'Maraval' (100.00 ± 0.00%) and 'Marsol' (90.48 ± 6.15%). A significantly lower strigol concentration was observed in the roots of 'Maraval' (75.54 ± 17.93 ng g−1) compared with other genotypes. The total flavonoid concentration in 'Maraval' was significantly higher (2794.99 ± 187.13 μg g−1) than in 'Kozjak' (1057.38 ± 61.05 μg g−1). Our results indicate that the concentration of endogenous IAA has a significant influence on rooting success. The results further indicate that in the case of flavonoids and strigolactones, not only the individual compounds but also their ratio is important for rooting success. Correlation coefficients calculated between analyzed compounds and rooting success point toward specific functions of flavonoids and strigolactones in the rooting of Castanea that need to be functionally analyzed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chestnut tannin, extracted from the bark or wood of chestnut trees, possesses unique properties that make it valuable in various industries. It serves as a natural source of tannins, which are widely used in the production of leather, textiles, and wood preservation. As research continues to explore its potential applications, chestnut tannin remains a promising resource with diverse industrial uses. Highlighting new use, research and bioeconomy aspects, this study provides a unified perspective on chestnut tannin. New advanced applications will likely emerge shortly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Food & Fermentation Industries is the property of Food & Fermentation Industries and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In this paper, chestnut and tea polyphenols were used as the main raw materials to develop tea polyphenol chestnut juice, aiming to explore the stability of tea polyphenols on the stability of cloudy chestnut juice and the digestive characteristics of chestnut starch.By adding ethyl gallate (EG), epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), epicatechin gallate (ECG), epigallocatechin (EGC), epicatechin (EC), and mixed tea polyphenols to chestnut juice, it was found that the concentration of the five monomeric tea polyphenols with the least impact on the stability was 0.8 mg/mL.Tea polyphenols EC had the least impact on the stability of chestnut juice.Adding mixed tea polyphenols was most likely to cause instability in chestnut juice.The rheology analysis of chestnut juice showed that tea polyphenols could aggregate the starch particles in the juice through intermolecular force, leading to the reduction of the viscosity of chestnut juice and easy sedimentation.The addition of tea polyphenols would inhibit the digestion of chestnut juice, among which the addition of EG and EGCG chestnut juice had a better inhibition effect.According to the results of light transmittance, sedimentation accumulation, and in vitro digestion tests, it could be found that the addition of tea polyphenols would have an impact on the stability of chestnut juice and the digestive properties of chestnut starch.It provides a new research direction for the development of a tea polyphenol chestnut juice compound drink. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents the preliminary outcomes of a methodology for the physical and mechanical characterization of various chestnut elements in different states of preservation. Strategizing conservation and retrofit interventions for timber is necessary, and to do this, it is necessary to establish an estimation of physical (transmissivity, thermal conductivity, humidity level, etc.) and mechanical properties (density, compressive or bending strength, etc.). This essential information is typically associated with timber defects, but there are lack of correlations. The primary objective is to establish correlations between thermal and density properties with the aim of preserving original assets. The investigation delves into the relationship between timber density and thermal properties through experimental non-destructive testing (NDT). Two NDTs were employed with the aim of correlating: penetrometric testing and active thermography investigations. The parametric study on the excitation period yielded valuable insights into the temporal dynamics of heat transfer within the timber, underscoring the significance of selecting appropriate excitation periods to capture precise thermal properties. Tabular data on relative humidity for salified, dried, and new samples provided a quantitative backdrop to these observations, unveiling the nuanced effects of humidity on the timber's thermal response. The results of this study are positioned to inform future conservation efforts by laying the groundwork for a comprehensive understanding of timber's mechanical properties. Particularly, the challenge lies in accurately estimating density, where surface tests are often less reliable than in-depth ones. Therefore, it is crucial to seek validation through other NDT tests, such as thermographic analysis and visual inspection, and hygrometric tests recognizing their importance in enhancing the reliability of density assessments. This approach will contribute to the development of more discerning preservation strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sweet chestnut (Castanea sativa Mill.) is subject to the progressive disappearance of its traditional chestnut groves. In the northern part of Italy, where distribution of the sweet chestnut is fragmented, many local varieties continue to be identified mostly by oral tradition. We characterised by SSRs eleven historically recognised varieties of sweet chestnut in the area surrounding Lake Como, with the goal of giving a genetic basis to the traditional classification. We performed classical analysis about differentiation and used Bayesian approaches to detect population structure and to reconstruct demography. The results revealed that historical and genetic classifications are loosely linked when chestnut fruits are just "castagne", that is, normal fruits, but increasingly overlap where "marroni" (the most prized fruits) are concerned. Bayesian classification allowed us to identify a homogeneous gene cluster not recognised in the traditional assessment of the varieties and to reconstruct possible routes used for the propagation of sweet chestnut. We also reconstructed ancestral relationships between the different gene pools involved and dated ancestral lineages whose results fit with palynological data. We suggest that conservation strategies based on a genetic evaluation of the resource should also rely on traditional cultural heritage, which could reveal new sources of germplasm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]