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The replacement of synthetic chemical herbicides and traditional plastic sheets is a major challenge of modern horticulture in view of a sustainable weed management. In the first step of this research, we tested the weed control efficacy of two biodegradable polymers, chitosan and galactomannan, applied to the soil surface as spray mulching, with or without the addition of charcoal as a light masking agent, and five essential oils with recognized herbicide properties. The results showed the ability of chitosan in reducing the number and the biomass of annual plants, regardless of the addition of charcoal and essential oils. In the second step, we tested the efficacy of one or three days of false seeding to increase the effectiveness of chitosan against seed germination. The results showed, on average, a reduction of 79% of annual weed presence after three days of false seeding. In both steps, the microbial biomass and three indicators of microbial activity (i.e., basal respiration, FDA hydrolysis activity, and D-glucosamine-induced respiration) were measured in the soil under the experiments in order to investigate possible alterations of soil biological activity induced by the treatments. The results provided no evidence of negative impact of the treatments on soil microbial biomass and activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) is one of the most important vegetable crops highly appreciated for the nutritional properties and content of beneficial compounds for human health. After its domestication, this crop has been spread throughout the world and found its secondary centre of diversification in the Mediterranean basin, where numerous landraces have been developed. Among these, 'San Marzano' is a famous and remunerative PDO variety for processing and fresh market consumption. 'Re Fiascone' is an ancient cultivar for which ongoing efforts aim to promote its diffusion and commercialisation. Both find their origin in the Campania region in Southern Italy where in the past decades, several accessions have been selected and handed down by farmers. This study reports a comprehensive assessment for morphological and biochemical traits of twenty-one accessions of the two landraces. Fruit morphology and content of sugars and flavonoids were the most discriminating parameters among cultivars. Among sugars and organic acids, fructose and citric acid were the most represented compounds, respectively. We found level of trans-lycopene and β-carotene up to 112.82 and 16.29 µg g−1 of fresh product, respectively, while ascorbic acid levels reached values up to 22.48 mg 100 g−1 of fresh weight. Molecular analysis has been performed using a double approach for microsatellite genotyping based on capillary electrophoresis and high-resolution melting. Results highlighted a separation of the accessions according to 'Re Fiascone' and 'San Marzano' identifying both unique and admixed accessions between the two groups. The study approach aims at the recovery and valorisation of local genetic resources, but also at the identification of traits of interest to transfer in breeding programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]