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ΔΕΝ ΥΠΑΡΧΕΙ ΠΕΡΙΛΗΨΗ, Animals can experience pain or distress as a result of widely accepted management practices. In dairy cattle, housing system can affect animal welfare. The assessment of animal welfare requires the use of multiple indicators in order to analyse the heterogeneity of the aspects involved. The aim of this study was to compare the welfare of dairy cows reared in a tie-stall (TS) and open-stall (OS) system by metabolic, immunological and stress related parameters. The study involved 80 pluriparous lactating cows belonging to eight dairy farms located in the area of Mugello (Florence, Italy) reared in TS and OS systems. Ten blood samples were collected at morning time to measure alanine-aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate-aminotransferase (AST), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), β-hydroxybutyrate (BHBA), creatinine (Creat), non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA), total proteins (TP), calcium (Ca), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K), serum lisozyme (SL), bactericidal activity (SBA), haptoglobin (Hp), oxygen free radicals (OFR), and hair cortisol levels. At the same time a body condition score (BCS) was recorded. Statistical analysis was performed by ANOVA. The experiment was carried out in accordance with European Commission regulations (Directive 2010/63/EC and Directive 98/58/EC). The results showed that the housing system affected various parameters such as ALT, BHBA, OFR, cortisol (P≤0.01) and AST, BUN (P≤0.05). Most of these parameters showed mean values within the range of reference without revealing any signs of suffering. An interesting outcome regarded the OFR levels, which was higher in the OS system (68.2±34.51 U.Carr. vs 36.1±21.39 U.Carr.), probably as a consequence of the high productive effort. In conclusion, it is possible to state that TS did not show a comparable overall situation with serious signs of welfare impairment.

Nell'ambito dei Programmi di Sviluppo Rurale, P.S.R. Puglia 2007/2013, destinati al miglioramento del Sistema Regionale della biodiversità (Reg. CE n. 1698/2005, PSR Puglia 2007/2013, Misura 214 - Azione 4 Sub-azione a; e successivo P.S.R. Puglia 2014-2020, Misura 10 pagamenti-agro-climatico- ambientali, Art. 28 Reg. UE n. 1305/2013 Sottomisura 10.2) è stato finanziato il progetto: "Recupero, caratterizzazione, salvaguardia e valorizzazione di leguminose e cereali da granella e foraggio in Puglia" (SaVeGraINPuglia). Questo volume include schede descrittive delle leguminose, cereali e foraggere reperite in Puglia acquisite in regione e caratterizzate con approccio multidisciplinare nell'ambito del proggetto SaVeGraINPuglia.

Cortisol is frequently used to detect changes in the activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA), which in turn regulates many biological processes such as energy balance, reproduction or immune responses, but it is also activated by stress conditions. For many years, cortisol was measured primarily in blood, saliva or urine, whereas later approaches added other matrices as hair and faeces for non-invasive monitoring of HPA functioning. The aim of this study was to investigate the cortisol concentration of dairy cows reared in organic farming system obtained from two different matrices: hair and faeces. The study involved 20 cows from two organic farms located near Florence (Mugello area). Samples of hair were taken from the tail switch and faeces were directly picked up from the rectum ampule. Hair cortisol extraction and determination were performed according to validated methods. ANOVA test was applied to check differences between hair ad fecal cortisol. Significant differences were observed between the two biological matrices (1.6 vs 1.0 pg/mg respectively for hair and fecal cortisol), nevertheless the scored levels did not indicate a state of animal suffering.

The accurate description of plant biodiversity is of utmost importance to efficiently address efforts in conservation genetics and breeding. Herein, we report the successful application of a genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS) approach in chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.), resulting in the characterization of a cultivated germplasm collection with 3,187 high-quality single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers. Genetic structure inference, principal component analysis and hierarchical clustering all together indicated the identification of a genetic cluster corresponding to black-seeded genotypes traditionally cultivated in Southern Italy. Remarkably, this cluster was clearly distinct at both genetic and phenotypic levels from germplasm groups reflecting the commercial chickpea classification in desi and kabuli seed types. Fixation index estimates for individual polymorphisms pointed out loci and genomic regions that might be of significance for the diversification of agronomic and commercial traits. Overall, our findings provide information on genetic relationships within cultivated chickpea and highlight a gene pool of great interest for the scientific community and chickpea breeding, which is limited by the low genetic diversity available in the primary gene pool

Fruit quality is an important criterion for marketing of tomatoes and of paramount importance to guarantee consumer satisfaction. It involves a combination of many traits mostly expressing a quantitative variation and controlled by complex gene networks. In addition, fruit quality can be dramatically reduced by environmental constraints such as drought. Thus identifying genetic reservoirs of drought tolerance and elucidating genetic mechanisms controlling the interaction between drought stress and fruit quality traits may be beneficial for breeders to develop new tomato genotypes combining increased drought tolerance to high fruit quality. The aim of this research was to identify major genes and molecular networks controlling fruit quality under drought conditions in tomato. Introgression lines (ILs), in which individual homozygous segments of wild chromosome are carried in the genomic context of the cultivated species, are useful for resolving complex traits in QTLs and identifying candidate genes. Screening ILs from S. pennellii allowed to identify IL 9-2-5 as a more drought tolerant genotype than the control M82. When grown at a lower water regime, IL9-2-5 also revealed to perform higher concentration of fruit reduced ascorbate (AsA). A comparative transcriptomic analysis allowed to select 62 transcripts differentially expressed in red ripe fruit of IL9-2-5 with respect to M82. Candidate genes for controlling fruit quality in tomato were identified among antioxidant pathways, signal transduction pathway, hormonal metabolism, transcription regulation process. In particular, the concentration of fruit AsA well correlated with the transcript abundance of cell wall-associated genes such as a polygalacturonase and a polygalacturanate-4-alpha-galacturonosyltransferase and with three monodehydroascorbate reductase genes. Functional characterization of candidate genes will prove their involvement in fruit quality control and provide additional genetic means to breeders for tomato quality enhancement in sustainable cropping systems.

Understanding molecular mechanisms underlying tolerance to water deficit and cross-interaction between response to reduced water availability and fruit quality enhancement may help breeders to develop superior tomato genotypes for sustainable cropping systems. Water deficit tolerance is a quantitative trait and previously in our laboratories a QTL (Quantitative Trail Loci) for this trait was identified in the IL9-2-5, a Solanum pennellii introgression line. The aim of this research was to identify gene networks controlling fruit quality under water deficiency in a susceptible (M82) and a tolerant tomato genotype (IL 9-2-5). Plants were grown according to a split-plot design with three replicates in semi-controlled conditions. Three different levels of water restitution were applied. As water restitution decreased, IL9-2-5 showed a lower yield loss than M82. Also, IL9-2-5 performed higher ascorbate concentration in red-ripe fruit at lower water restitution volume. A comparative transcriptomic analysis of red-ripe fruit from IL9-2-5 and M82 at different water treatments was carried out on the Combimatrix TomatArray1.0. It allowed the identification of 160 differentially expressed transcripts between genotypes and 241 among treatments. A model network describing the interactions between the plant response to water deficit and the increased fruit quality was developed. It included genes involved in stress perception and transduction, ethylene biosynthesis and antioxidant metabolism. Currently, candidate transcripts are being validated by qPCR approach. Functional characterization of candidate genes will prove their involvement in fruit quality control and provide additional genetic means for tomato quality enhancement in high sustainable cropping systems.

Il Regolamento UE prevede che gli animali allevati secondo il sistema biologico debbano essere alimentati esclusivamente con alimenti biologici. Inoltre prevede che qualunque sia la provenienza (nazionale, comunitaria o da paesi terzi) e l’origine degli alimenti e dei mangimi (comprendendo materie prime, additivi ed ausiliari di fabbricazione) introdotti nella razione alimentare degli animali, essi non debbano mai essere ottenuti con l’impiego di organismi geneticamente modificati (OGM) o di prodotti da essi derivati. Purtroppo si sta dimostrando sempre più arduo il reperimento sul mercato di alcuni prodotti (essenzialmente soia, mais, colza e cotone) realmente esenti da OGM. Le soluzioni proposte per prevenire la presenza di OGM nei mangimi vanno dall’affrontare i punti critici del sistema di controllo, al miglioramento delle metodiche di analisi, all’articolazione delle competenze tra i vari soggetti istituzionali (MIPAF, altri Ministeri, Organismi di Controllo), compresa la definizione di strategie da condividere con gli altri operatori della filiera. Ciò che, più di ogni altra cosa, potrebbe essere decisivo per la risoluzione del problema, sarebbe l’eliminazione degli alimenti ad alto rischio OGM, e la loro sostituzione con altri non a rischio, con caratteristiche qualitative simili e di facile produzione aziendale. La nostra ricerca si è basata sulla sostituzione, nella razione delle lattifere (bovine e bufale), della soia con altre leguminose facilmente coltivabili in azienda o comunque facilmente acquistabili in loco. La scelta delle essenze è variata a seconda dell’ambito geografico. Sono stati utilizzati: favino, pisello proteico, e lupino come tali o integrati in mangimi appositamente preparati. La valutazione della qualità delle produzioni ha compreso sempre anche la raccolta dei dati di produzione e qualità antecedenti alla prova di alimentazione al fine di poter avere un confronto. Il progetto ha voluto rappresentare tutte le realtà delle produzioni biologiche bovine e bufaline da latte del nostro Paese. A tal fine sono state fatte cinque prove secondo il seguente schema: 1. In Lombardia (Nord Italia, pianura) l’Università degli Studi di Milano ha lavorato in bovine Pezzate Nere ad alta produzione; 2. In Trentino (Nord Italia, montagna) l’Università degli Studi di Padova ha lavorato su bovine Rendene; 3. In Toscana (Centro Italia, collina) l’Università degli Studi di Firenze ha lavorato su bovine Pezzate Nere ad alta produzione; 4. In Campania (Sud Italia, pianura) l’Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II ha lavorato su bufale; 5. In Sicilia (Sud Italia, isole) l’Università degli Studi di Palermo, ha lavorato su bovine Brune. In tutte le prove si è analizzato il latte per determinarne gli aspetti qualitativi.

Genetic diversity among 70 "scarlet eggplant" (Solanum aethiopicum L.) entries from different geographical origins was assessed. Entries were firstly evaluated for the main morphologic traits and chlorogenic acid content. Standard statistics and multivariate analyses were utilized to assess the phenotypic diversity and grouping the entries. In addition, amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) and simple sequence repeat (SSR) analyses were used to evaluate genetic relationships among entries. Differences between entries are highly significant for all descriptors. Principal component analysis (PCA) revealed that the first three components accounted for 74% of the total variance. Morphologic traits were associated with the first two components, while the third one was moderately correlated with the chlorogenic acid content. The observed similarity allowed identifying only three main groupings. The clusters obtained did not show any relationships with geographic origins and/or botanical groups. Matrices of genetic similarity from AFLP and SSR data were utilized in order to obtain a dendrogram. A large cluster included several entries from South America with limited rate of genetic variation was observed. On the contrary, higher amount of variation was observed in the cluster with entries from Africa, in which are also present in the accessions collected in Italy. These entries appeared always morphologically and genetically distinguishable from the others. These results provided additional information for the conservation, improvement and legal protection of the ecotype 'melanzana rossa di Rotonda', cultivated in Italy.