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Numerous studies support the protective role of bioactive peptides against cardiovascular diseases. Cereals represent the primary source of carbohydrates, but they also contain substantial amounts of proteins, therefore representing a potential dietary source of bioactive peptides with nutraceutical activities. The analysis of wheat extracts purified by chromatographic techniques by means of HPLC-UV/nanoLC-nanoESI-QTOF allowed the identification of a signal of about 7 kDa which, following data base searches, was ascribed to a nonspecific lipid-transfer protein (nsLTP) type 2 from Triticum aestivum (sequence coverage of 92%). For the first time nsLTP2 biological activities have been investigated. In particular, in experiments with human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC), nsLTP2 displayed antioxidant and cytoprotective activities, being able to significantly decrease reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels and to reduce lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release, generated following oxidative (hydrogen peroxide) and inflammatory (tumor necrosis factor α, interleukin-1β, and lipopolysaccharide) stimulation. The obtained promising results suggest potential protective role of nsLTP2 in vascular diseases prevention. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: nsLTP 2 peptide is resistant to proteases throughout the gastrointestinal tract and exerts antioxidant and cytoprotective activities. These characteristics could be exploited in vascular diseases prevention.

The recent development of the nutraceutical market is bringing up an increased demand of crops rich in compounds with beneficial effects on human health. Among these flavonoids, and more generally polyphenols, are an important class of plant secondary metabolites with proven bioactivity. The most appreciable sources of flavonoids in crops are grain legumes (particularly beans, chickpeas, peas), forage legumes (clover and alfalfa) and soybean. Numerous studies about flavonoid content have been performed on different genotypes of soybean, whereas available information about other legume species are quite scarce. In this context a scientific effort aimed at finding a “Mediterranean” alternative to soybean as source of functional compounds is of particular interest. The objective of the present research was to screen a wide germplasm collection, composed of several accessions of grain legumes, for their phytochemical profiles in seeds and seedlings. Results highlighted a broad range of variability in bioactive compounds under both qualitative and quantitative composition. In particular, most of the seeds of investigated accessions contained conjugated forms of the flavonoid kaempferol in the outer layer of the seed. Other bioactive compounds, such as vitexin, were also detected in seeds of adzuki bean accession (Vigna angularis). Beside one common bean accession (Zolfino del Perù) with a flavonoid content (171.3 g/g fresh weight) comparable with that detected in soybean seeds, the total flavonoid content of all other investigated accessions varied from 1.5 to 57.0 g/g fresh weight. As follow-up action, all accessions were analyzed to identify and quantify flavonoids in sprouts. Daidzein, glycitein and genistein, along with kaempferol and quercetin were detected in most of analyzed accessions with amounts ranging from 2.8 to 86.7 g/g fresh weight (approximately 3-10 times lower than isoflavones in soybean sprouts). Results highlighted the possibility of considering some of the investigated legume accessions as a valuable and “Mediterranean” alternative to soybean to obtain plant-derived products with health benefits.

Several categories of physiologically active components from plant and animal sources are described. These include phytochemicals such as terpenes, carotenoids, limonoids, saponins, chromanols, polyphenols, phenolic acids, flavonoids, lignans, phytosterols, stilbenes and organsulfur compounds. Among zoochemicals the importance of omega-3-fatty acids, conjugated linoleic acid, probiotics and prebiotics in human diet is also highlighted. The chapter also decribes several dietary supplement categories (vitamins, minerals, hormones, cartilage) and provides a list of most used herbal supplements with health implications.

Dark leaf spot caused by Alternaria brassicicola (Schw.) Wilts. is a very common disease of Brassica crops world-wide. It often results in yield losses and reduced seed quality. This disease appears as small dark spots at all growth stages of the plant. In organic agriculture the control of dark leaf spot, as well as of most fungal diseases, is based on the use of mineral products such copper, that has a high efficacy and a long-lasting action. Unfortunately, copper use presents some disadvantages: it can be phytotoxic and it can accumulate in the ground with negative consequences on microflora and microfauna. For these reasons, European Union delivered a directive (Commission Regulation EC no. 473/2002) that imposes the reduction of copper use in organic agriculture. In this context, highly diluted preparations could represent suitable treatments, complementary or alternative to copper, in organic agricultural protocols. The literature on the effects of highly diluted treatments on plants provides a limited number of papers: besides germination and growth tests on different plant species, some experiments have been performed on phytopathological models, whereas very few and outdated descriptions are available as far as field trials are concerned . The aim of this work is to give a contribution on the effects of highly diluted treatments on dark leaf spot caused by A. brassicicola on cauliflower.

Aim this study was to evaluate the influence of short-term dietary intake of pasta obtained by an old Italian durum wheat variety on parameters related to the atherosclerotic process. Twenty subjects were followed for 10 weeks a diet containing 70 g/die of test pasta (Test period) and for the same period a control pasta (Placebo period). The test period determined a significant improvement of total cholesterol (-10.3%; p=0.04), whereas no significant changes during the placebo period have been observed. With regard to haemorheological parameters, the test period significantly ameliorated whole blood viscosity at high shear rate (pre: 4.5 vs. post: 4.3 mPA*s; p=0.04) as well as erythrocytes’ deformability (pre: 9.8 vs. post: 10.3; p=0.03). In conclusions, dietary intake of pasta obtained by an old variety of wheat seems to impose favourable biochemical changes, with regard to lower circulating levels of markers of atherosclerosis, such as lipid parameters, and haemorheological variables.

Plants respond to salinity by producing antioxidants and osmolytes; some of these are nutritionally useful to humans (e.g. phenolics), or may improve the sensory quality of produce (e.g. sugars). For the current study, strawberries were irrigated with 0, 10, 20 or 40 mM NaCl, and the responses in antioxidants, phenolics, and flavour attributes were measured. A linear positive relationship was observed between salt stress and antioxidant concentrations, and the DPPH antioxidant assay responded more clearly than the FRAP assay. Phenolics were increased with statistical significance by salinity at all treatment levels, although trends differed between total phenolics and the subclasses anthocyanins and total flavonoids. It was seen that mild salinity (10 mM) with a low impact on yield could be used to increase antioxidants (6-10% above control) and total phenolics (11-16% above control). However differences between cultivars outweighed differences due to salinity in treatments below 20 mM NaCl. We found that sugars in strawberries (unlike other fruits) weren’t increased by salinity treatment. The lack of sugar increase can be explained by suggesting that organic acids are more important osmolytes than sugars for strawberries under salinity. However it was also determined that the failure of strawberries to increase their soluble sugars during salt stress can be explained by the lean nutrient regimes used by researchers, which don’t represent commercial production practices. Practically, mild salinity (≤20 mM) can be used to increase strawberry fruit value, but should be combined with an appropriate nutrient regime to avoid harm to flavour quality. The varieties Elsanta and Elsinore are both suitable for salt treatment, but Elsanta is better for antioxidant and phenolic production, as well as being more salt tolerant

Background The gastrointestinal tract establishes a barrier between the external and internal compartments. When this barrier is disrupted, an inflammatory cascade promotes intestinal inflammation and the development of several intestinal diseases. Plant-derived polyphenols are health-promoting phytochemicals with a role in the regulation of the intestinal barrier and in the prevention of intestinal inflammatory diseases. Modern wheat-breeding programs have been focused primarily on yield improvement rather than nutritional and functional proprieties. Research that aims to characterize the phytochemical profile of wheat varieties and their healthy proprieties could therefore provide new prospects for the genetic improvement of the genus Triticum. In the present work, the effects of phenolic compounds extracted from nine soft and seven durum wheat varieties were studied for their polyphenol content and antioxidant activity. Experiments were conducted to study their effects on cell proliferation and wound healing in three different cell lines: mouse fibroblasts (L929), intestinal human cells (Caco2), and human monocytes (U937). Results Discriminant analysis evidenced differences between soft and durum wheat phenolic compounds. Among the soft varieties, it was possible to identify clusters in which ancient wheat varieties showed different properties from modern ones, whereas no evident clusters were detected among durum varieties. Conclusion Taken together, these results suggest that the selection of specific wheat grains based on their nutritional parameters will help in the design of diets with protective effects against chronic and inflammatory diseases. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry.

Effective pathogen management, as an aspect of agroecological crop protection (ACP) necessitates the replacement of copper (Cu) fungicides, but there is little knowledge relating to the performance of potentially suitable alternatives in large-scale, open-field agricultural settings. The present study was aimed at investigating the potential of Equisetum arvense (horsetail macerate) compared to Cu-based treatments for the control of Solanum lycopersicum. and Triticum turgidum ssp. durum fungal pathogens in established organic commercial farms located in Emilia Romagna (Italy) over a three-year period (2017&ndash, 2019). Both the Cu-based and horsetail foliar sprays were routinely applied as preventative treatments and in the event of pathogen establishment as curative treatments. The Cu-based and horsetail macerate treatments were both equally effective at significantly reducing Phytophthora infestans (late blight) and increasing yield in tomato compared to the untreated control. For durum wheat, the horsetail macerate and Cu-based treatments were successful at significantly reducing Puccinia triticina (brown rust) infection and increasing yield under moderate infection, but unsuccessful under unfavorable meteorological conditions resulting in the combined and severe spread of Puccinia triticina, Fusarium graminearum, and Zymoseptoria tritici. From the present results, horsetail macerate is a promising and suitable Cu-free ACP alternative for late blight management of tomato.

Major problems facing common bean production in the European Union include the significant and consistent decrease in legume consumption and the potential risk to local landraces by commercial cultivars. With the need to both increase local Phaseolus vulgaris L. ecotype production and to expand studies on potential genetic diversity impacts on nutritional components, the aim was to investigate a range of nutritional constituents in the Italian landraces, “Zolfino del Pratomagno” (Tuscany), “Fagiolo di Sarconi” (Basilicata) and “Fagiolo di Lamon (Veneto). Zolfino landraces were distinctive for significantly higher levels of amino acids, G2 protein fraction (lectin), ash, as well as total lipid and Monounsaturated Fatty Acid (MUFA) content, with Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA) depicting a divergence of Zolfino from the Sarconi and Lamon landraces, respectively. Fatty acid profiles were distinctive for landrace. An equivalent ratio of Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids (PUFA) to MUFA was evident for Zolfino. LDA showed distinctive, separate cluster groupings for the landraces, with Zolfino differentiated by the combined increased levels of oleic and palmitoleic acids, and the presence of heptadecanoic acid. The Sarconi landraces were characterized by the combined higher palmitic and linolenic acids and the absence of both myristic and tridecanoic acids, whereas the Lamon landraces were characterized by combination of higher linolenic acid, lower palmitic acid and the presence of both myristic and tridecanoic acids. The potential of expanding studies to include fatty acid profiles as possible sources of “genotype-niche diversity” fingerprints for common bean is shown to be feasible.

Beyond the nutritional value, legumes and particularly common beans are found in several dietary supplements used to treat diabesity (diabetes and obesity). These products contain not only inhibitors of carbohydrate-hydrolising enzymes (α-amylase, α-glucosidase), but also antinutritional factors that can cause adverse effects on human health. In the present research, twenty-two accessions of grain legumes were screened for bioactive (α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibitors) and antinutritional (lectins, flatulence-producing sugars, trypsin inhibitors) phytochemicals. Results showed that four accessions had high α-amylase inhibiting activities (AI>30%), and particularly the common bean ‘Great Northern’ resulted of interest for its high carbo-blocker activity (AI=42.6±0.5%), absence of lectins, low amounts of flatulence-producing oligosaccharides (2.5±0.2g/100g DW) and low anti-trypsin activity (22.5±4.3 trypsin inhibiting unit/mg DW). The knowledge offered from this work provides leads to the ultimate goal of developing new, more effective and safer dietary supplements for diabesity management.

Due to its significant amount of antioxidants, durum wheat (Triticum turgidum ssp. durum) could potentially contribute to the protection against a number of chronic diseases, such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer. The increasing interest toward healthy food among both consumers and scientists has moved the focus toward the phytochemical content of whole wheat grains. The aim of this study was to identify the phytochemical composition of 22 cultivars belonging to old and modern durum wheat genotypes, including antioxidant capacity (DPPH and FRAP tests). In addition, five phenolic acids involved in the vanillin biosynthesis pathway and in the defence mechanism of plants were screened using UHPLC‐MS/MS. Remarkable quantitative differences in the amount of the five phenolic acids analysed (p < 0.05) were detected among the wheat genotypes investigated. Results showed that among the investigated phenolic compounds, trans‐ferulic acid was the most abundant, ranging from 13.28 to 324.69 μg/g; all the other identified compounds were present at lower concentrations. Moreover, significant differences on the antioxidant activity were observed. Collected data suggested possible differences between biosynthetic pathway of secondary metabolites among durum wheat genotypes.

The germination ecology of Ambrosia artemisiifolia and A. trifida glyphosate susceptible biotypes sampled in marginal areas, was compared with that of the same species but different biotypes suspected of glyphosate resistance, common and giant ragweed, respectively. The suspected resistant biotypes were sampled in Roundup Ready® soybean fields. Within each weed species, the seeds of the biotype sampled in marginal area were significantly bigger and heavier than those of the biotype sampled in the soybean fields. A. artemisiifolia biotypes exhibited a similar dormancy and germination, while differences between A. trifida biotypes were observed. A. artemisiifolia biotypes showed similar threshold temperature for germination, whereas, the threshold temperature of the susceptible A. trifida biotype was half as compared to that of the resistant A. trifida biotype. No significant differences in emergence as a function of sowing depth were observed between susceptible A. artemisiifolia and suspected resistant A. trifida biotype, while at a six-cm seedling depth the emergence of the A. artemisiifolia susceptible biotype was 2.5 times higher than that of the A. trifida suspected resistant biotype. This study identified important differences in seed germination between herbicide resistant and susceptible biotypes and relates this information to the ecology of species adapted to Roundup Ready® fields. Information obtained in this study supports sustainable management strategies, with continued use of glyphosate as a possibility.

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.

A simple and fast method has been developed and validated to measure glyphosate (GLYP) and aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA), which were previously derivatized with 9-fluorenylmethylchloroformate (FMOC-Cl), in maize plants using liquid chromatography (LC) coupled to fluorescence (FLD) and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) detection. The method has shown to be consistent, reliable, precise, and efficient. Moreover, the limits of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ) reached with the proposed method for GLYP and AMPA are lower than the established maximum residue levels (MRLs). The validated method was applied to quantify GLYP and AMPA in genetically modified (GM) maize foliar treated with the herbicide. It has been found that the GLYP dissipation was mainly due to the progressive dilution effect after herbicide treatment. Finally, it was also observed that the GLYP residue dissipation trend in maize shoot (leaves and stem) tissue determined by LC-ESI-MS matched that determined by liquid scintillation.

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: Tagetes species produce thiophenes, polyacetylenic compounds that possess strong biocidal activity, thus makingTagetesplants very useful for suppressing nematode populations in the soil and as sources of natural pesticides. In the present study, Tagetes species ( T.e recta, T.fi lifolia,T.lucida ,T.m inuta, T.p atulaand T. tenuifolia) grown in northern Italy were evaluated for theirmorphophenological parameters andthiophene patternin different plant parts (roots, shoots andflowers). RESULTS: Roots had the highest diversity and contents of thiophenes (from 64 to 100% of the total thiophene amount), with 5-(3-buten-1-ynyl)-2,2 � -bithienyl (BBT) as the main component followed by 5-(4-acetoxy-1-butynyl)-2,2 � -bithienyl (BBTOAc), 2,2 � :5 � ,2 �� -terthienyl (α-T) and 5-(4-hydroxy-1-butynyl)-2,2 � -bithienyl (BBTOH). Tagetes lucida and T. tenuifolia possessed the highestamountsoftotalthiophenes(6717.3and6452.5 mg kg −1 dryweightrespectively),whileT.minutahadthehighesttotal thiophene yield (518.8 mg m −2 ), with BBT accounting for 98% of the total. CONCLUSION: Considering both thiophene concentrations and biomass yields, T.minuta andT.lucidaappeared to be the most promising Tagetes species, with high potential for use as biocidal crops for the implementation of pest control practices that are less harmful to human health and natural resources. c � 2010 Society of Chemical Industry

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.

Summary The physiological and molecular bases of glyphosate resistance in one susceptible (S) and four resistant (R) Conyza bonariensis biotypes (sampled in orchards from Andalusia, Spain) were investigated. Resistance index (RI) values of the four R biotypes ranged between 2.9 and 5.6. The main physiological difference between S and R biotypes was the dissimilar mobility of glyphosate in the whole plant. In R biotypes, the herbicide was translocated less from leaves to culm and root, and more from culm to leaves compared with the S biotype. The upward mobility of glyphosate via xylem suggests that the herbicide may be sequestered to the apoplast or the vacuole. The hypothesis of an insensitive 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase (EPSPS) was provisionally discarded on the basis of shikimate accumulation in R plant tissues after glyphosate treatment. At the molecular level, the relative abundance of EPSPS mRNA prior to glyphosate treatment was approximately double in two R biotypes compared with the S standard and the other R biotypes. Moreover, the two R biotypes having both no translocation and doubled EPSPS mRNA levels had also the highest RI. These results suggest that two factors may be related to glyphosate resistance in the R biotypes: (i) impaired translocation and (ii) high basal EPSPS transcript levels. The comparison between these findings and earlier results on glyphosate resistance mechanism in Conyza canadensis biotypes from the USA, suggests that similar agronomic factors (repeated application of glyphosate, no crop and herbicide rotation, no tillage) have selected similar traits on different genetic pools of the resistance-prone Conyza genus.

In this work, a new CE method with diode array detection (DAD) was developed for the monitoring and quantitation of flavonoids in different beans treated and untreated with UV-B radiation. Flavonoid concentration was monitored in UV-B-treated and untreated sprouts of three common beans (Zolfino ecotype, cv. Verdone, cv. Lingua di Fuoco) and one soybean (cv. Pacific). After acid hydrolysis of extracts, the CE-DAD method provides reproducible quantitative determinations of daidzein, glycitein, genistein, and kaempferol at ppm level in these natural matrices within a relatively short time (less than 16 min). Total flavonoid content determined by CE-DAD was 159 +/- 8, 26 +/- 2, 13 +/- 1, and 1.3 +/- 0.3 microg/g fresh weight for untreated sprouts of Pacific soybean, Verdone bean, Zolfino bean, and Lingua di Fuoco bean, respectively. UV-B treatment caused no significant quantitative effect on Pacific soybean sprouts, whereas it enhanced the total isoflavone content by 1.5, 1.8, and 3.2-fold in Verdone, Zolfino, and Lingua di Fuoco beans, respectively. The proposed method shows (i) the potentialities of bean sprouts as a natural source of bioactive compounds (antioxidants); (ii) the technological role of UV-B treatment for sprout isoflavone enrichment; and (iii) the good capabilities of CE-DAD to monitor this process.

Flavonoid content and composition in 124 accessions of forage and grain legumes was assessed by means of HPLC-DAD and HPLC-ESI-MS analyses of seed extracts. Excluding soybean, only 7 out of 77 grain legume accessions exhibited a total flavonoid content higher than 0.1 mg/g fresh seed weight (mean content 0.33 +/- 0.31 mg/ g fresh seed weight); while in 38 out of 47 forage legume, the mean flavonoid content was 1.49 +/- 0.89 mg/g fresh seed weight. On the basis of their higher seed flavonoid content and agronomic relevance, two grain and five forage legume accessions were selected for further HPLC-ESI-MS analyses aimed to identify bioactive compounds. Chemical analysis of the selected accessions permitted the identification of several flavonoids with pharmaceutical properties such as vitexin in Vigna angularis and Trigonella foenum-graecum, quercetin in all Trifolium spp and Medicago sativa, taxifolin in Trifolium pratense and Trifolium alexandrinum, myricetin in Trifolium repens, kaempferol in Phaseolus vulgaris and T. repens and luteolin in M. sativa and T. alexandrinum. Since much of literature information is regarding flavonoid content and composition of the green part of legume species, the obtained results contributed to fill the gap in knowledge about flavonoid content at the seed level.

Summary In this study, we evaluated the release of diclofopmethyl and triasulfuron from the roots of foliar-treated ryegrass and wheat. The study with 14 C-diclofop-methyl indicated a basipetal translocation of foliar-applied herbicide in wheat and ryegrass. No root exudation from 14 C-diclofop-methyl-treated wheat plants was observed, while 20 days after treatment (DAT) 0.2– 0.9% of radioactivity absorbed by ryegrass was found exuded in the growing medium. Root exudation was stimulated three to six times by the presence of untreated wheat or ryegrass sharing the growing medium with diclofop-methyl-treated ryegrass. No subsequent uptake of exuded radiolabel by untreated plants (ryegrass or wheat) in the same pot with 14 C-diclofop-methyl-treated ryegrass was observed. The study with 14 C-triasulfuron indicated a basipetal translocation of foliar-applied herbicide in wheat and ryegrass and also into the growing medium. By 20 DAT, 0.5–4.2% of radioactivity absorbed by wheat or ryegrass was found exuded in the growing medium. The presence of untreated plants (wheat or ryegrass) in the same pot as triasulfurontreated ryegrass or wheat induced exudation seven to 32 times more. The study also revealed a subsequent uptake of exuded compounds by untreated wheat or ryegrass sharing the medium of 14 C-triasulfuron-treated plants. This study has demonstrated for the first time that the root exudation of exogenous compounds can be related to plant arrangement in pots. The implication is that herbicide root exudation and transfer, a form of allelopathy, could be significant in the field. A precise estimation of environmental fate, unexpected ecological side effects and residual activity of herbicides may require quantification of such exudation.

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.

The mechanism of resistance to diclofop-methyl in three Italian populations of Lolium spp. (two resistant and one susceptible) was investigated. The major proportion of R-1 (Tuscania 1997) and R-2 (Roma 1994) plants (approximately 80%) survived after herbicide treatment by emitting new tillers from the crown. Both resistant (R-1 and R-2) and susceptible (Vetralla 1994) Lolium spp. populations were target-site sensitive. No difference in diclofop-methyl absorption by shoots of resistant and susceptible biotypes was observed. At the dose corresponding to 1× the recommended field rate, a relatively higher metabolism was found in R-2 biotype. In contrast, at the doses 2× and 10× the field rate no difference in herbicide metabolism between susceptible and resistant biotypes was observed. At all the three herbicide doses (1×, 2×, and 10× the field rate) 48 h after the treatment (HAT), the total amount of metabolites produced by wheat was more than three times higher than that produced by resistant and susceptible ryegrass biotypes. At the doses 1× and 2× the field rate, the herbicide translocation was different in the susceptible biotypes compared to resistant biotypes. The total amount of the radiolabel found 48 HAT in culm and root was approximately twice in susceptible biotype than in resistant biotypes. Susceptible and resistant ryegrass biotypes differed in the capability of their roots to acidify the external medium. Susceptible biotype acidified the external solution at approximately 6 times the rates of the resistant biotypes. In the present study, the mechanism responsible for resistance in the investigated resistant biotypes was not univocally identified. Indirect evidence supports the possible involvement of herbicide sequestration or immobilization.

Wheat quality criteria continually evolve in response to market pressure and consumer preference. Characterization of cereal cultivars for quality and agronomic properties, have widely shown the importance of the protein content to ensure good quality products. The aim of this work is a comparison of reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) and free zone capillary electrophoresis (FZCE) in the identification of Italian wheat cultivars and detection of durum wheat flour adulteration. Mainly alcohol soluble (gliadins) and water soluble (albumins) proteins were extracted from 14 common wheat cultivars and from 9 durum wheat cultivars. In RP-HPLC chromatograms, wheat albumins and gliadins eluted between 3 and 9 min and between 10 and 42 min, respectively. Even if the chosen chromatographic conditions (reversed phase) did not permit a complete resolution of hydrophilic proteins such as albumins, a good reproducibility was observed for both albumins and gliadins. In FZCE electropherograms, wheat albumins and gliadins migrated between 8 and 14 min and 16-25 min, respectively. A good reproducibility was found for wheat albumins, while the relatively poor reproducibility of gliadin fractions was a consequence of the selected separation conditions aimed to separate in the same run either hydrophilic (albumins) and alcohol-soluble (gliadins) proteins. The principal component analysis (PCA) of HPLC and FZCE data evidenced that both techniques allowed the univocal identification of the great proportion of investigated wheat cultivars. Three peaks were exclusively detected in RP-HPLC chromatograms of common wheat cultivars, while three unique peaks were found in FZCE electropherograms of common wheat cultivars. These peaks were investigated as a basis for detecting and estimating the adulteration of durum wheat flour with flour from common wheat. The direct relationship between the area of the peaks and adulteration level enabled standard curves to be constructed. The standard curves showed that adulteration may be quantified by either RP-HPLC or FZCE.

La salinidad está hoy entre las restricciones más extendidas en la agricultura de regadío. Así, la tolerancia a la sal es un rasgo agronómicamente importante que está recibiendo cada vez más atención entre los científicos de todo el mundo. La quinua es tolerante a la salinidad del suelo y otros factores ambientales adversos, y por consiguiente atrae la atención de los investigadores como un cultivo posible en un escenario mundial cambiante en el que la escasez de los recursos hídricos y el aumento de la salinización del suelo y el agua son las principales causas de la pérdida de cultivos. La tolerancia excepcional de la quinua a la salinidad, heladas, sequías y otros tipos de estrés abiótico también hace que sea una especie modelo para la investigación de los mecanismos celulares, fisiológicos, biomoleculares y morfológicas en la base de la tolerancia al estrés en halófitas y en las plantas en su conjunto. Hay ecotipos de quinua adaptadas al valle, altiplano, salares, el nivel del mar y los trópicos, que muestran una amplia variabilidad genética de la tolerancia a la salinidad. Por esta razón, la quinua representa un recurso valioso para la selección del material más adecuado para la obtención de nuevas variedades adaptadas a diferentes condiciones ambientales y geográficas. En este capítulo, se describen los estudios científicos sobre la tolerancia a la salinidad en la quinua realizados en la última década por numerosos grupos de investigación que operan en al menos nueve países diferentes. Nos centramos en los estudios en los que se comparan diferentes genotipos de quinua por su respuesta a condiciones de salinidad, lo que demuestra que la tolerancia a la sal es un rasgo complejo y multigénico que implica una gran cantidad de adaptaciones fisiológicas y estructurales. Se reportan los resultados disponibles hasta ahora sobre el efecto de la salinidad sobre las propiedades nutricionales de la quinua.

Flavonoids are plant derived compounds mainly present as O-glycosides. They are hydrolyzed by gut microbial enzymes to their aglycons, which represent the bioavailable and bioactive form. In this work the capability of a Bifidobacterium strain ( Bifidobacterium pseudocatenulatum B7003) of being used as a probiotic starter culture to obtain fermented legume milks with an increased concentration of flavonoids in their aglycone form was studied. B7003 strain can effectively bioconvert glycosylated flavonoids while fermenting soybean or common bean derived milks. Conversely, a strain used as negative control ( Bifidobacterium longum B7254) could grow on the milks but had low activity in flavonoid bioconversion. B7003 strain possesses basic safety properties, the capability of adhering to gut epithelial cells and showed resistance to simulated food processing conditions. Thus, B. pseudocatenulatum B7003 complies well with a new vision of probiotics, which, beside benefits deriving from gut transit, have additional functional properties, such as the high bioavailability of flavonoids in their aglycone form. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd., The study was funded by the University of Bologna, RFO Program number J61J10000790001

Among cereals, durum wheat has a central role in the Italian diet and economy, where there is a historical tradition of pasta making. In the present study, we evaluated the nutrient and nutraceutical properties of 2 old and 6 modern durum wheat varieties grown under low input agricultural management. Considering the lack of available data on the adaptability of existing durum wheat varieties to the low inputa nd organic sectors, the research aimed at providing a complete description of the investigated genotypes, considering the agronomic performance as well as the nutrient and phytochemical composition. The experimental trials were carried out at the same location (Bologna, Northern Italy) for two consecutive growing seasons (2006/2007, 2007/2008). No clear distinction between old and modern varieties was observed in terms of grain yield (mean values ranging from 2.5 to 4.0 t/ha), highlighting that the divergence in productivity, normally found between dwarf and non-dwarf genotypes, is strongly reduced when they are cropped under low input management. All durum wheat varieties presented high protein levels and, in addition, provided remarkable amounts of phytochemicals such as dietary fibre, polyphenols, flavonoids and carotenoids. Some of the investigated genotypes, such as Senatore Cappelli, Solex, Svevo and Orobel, emerged with intriguing nutritional and phytochemical profiles, with the highest levels of dietary fibre and antioxidant compounds. The study provided the basis for further investigations into the adaptability of the durum wheat genotypes to low input management, for the selection of genotypes characterised by higher yield and valuable nutrient and nutraceutical quality.

Background/Objectives: Khorasan wheat (Kamut) is an ancient grain with widely acclaimed beneficial effects on human health. The objective was to characterise Kamut and to examine the effect of a replacement diet with their products on cardiovascular risk parameters. Subjects/Methods: We conducted a randomized, single-blinded cross-over trial with two intervention phases on 22 healthy subjects (14 females; 8 males). The participants were assigned to consume products (bread, pasta and crackers) made either from Kamut or control semi-whole-grain 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: At a general linear model for repeated measurements adjusted for several confounders, consumption of Kamut products showed a significant reduction of metabolic risk factors such as total cholesterol (mean reduction: −8.46 mg/dl; −4%), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (−9.82 mg/dl; −7.8%) and blood glucose. Similarly, redox status was significantly improved only after the Kamut intervention phase, as measured by a reduction in both thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (−0.17 nmol/ml; −21.5%) and carbonyl levels (−0.16 nmol/ml; −17.6%). The replacement diet with Kamut products also resulted in a significant increase of serum potassium and magnesium. Circulating levels of key pro-inflammatory cytokines (interleukin (IL)-6, IL-12, tumour necrosis factor-α and vascular endothelial growth factor) were significantly reduced after the consumption of Kamut products. Conclusions: The present results suggest that a replacement diet with Kamut products could be effective in reducing metabolic risk factors, markers of both oxidative stress and inflammatory status.

Il termine piante officinali definisce un ampio gruppo di specie vegetali utilizzate, in passato, nelle officine farmaceutiche ma, in una accezione più ampia, include anche le piante per uso aromatico, cosmetico, colorante, biocida ed agrofunzionale. Questa categoria di piante ha avuto un grande interesse economico che si è perso, nel tempo, con l’evoluzione della chimica in grado di produrre, per via sintetica, quasi tutti “i principi attivi officinali”. L’odierna crescente richiesta di prodotti naturali, in grado di fornire effetti complessi che le molecole di sintesi non sempre assicurano, ha riaperto l’interesse per le piante officinali motivando la preparazione di un nuovo libro: Produzione ed impiego delle piante officinali. Quest’opera, frutto della collaborazione di un gruppo di specialisti, di seguito elencati, tratta, oltre che gli aspetti agronomici di un buon numero di specie anche il metabolismo, l’utilizzo, l’espressione dei principi attivi, gli aspetti economici e legislativi ed i processi post-raccolta delle piante officinali. Questo volume sostituisce quello di Catizone, Marotti, Toderi, Tétény stampato da Patron nel 1986: Coltivazione delle piante medicinali e aromatiche che, per un quarto di secolo, è stato un punto di riferimento per studenti ed operatori del settore. L’opera vuole fornire la cornice generale ove inquadrare la conoscenza professionale atta al consiglio terapeutico e all’uso delle piante officinali. Le molecole indicate costituiscono la base di conoscenza scientifica per il loro inserimento terapeutico in alcune patologie conclamate e nella medicina preventiva. Le molecole vegetali inserite nei loro naturali fitocomplessi possono realizzare, con l’aiuto del medico, una primaria azione coadiuvante la terapia farmacologica. Le piante officinali, ma anche le piante con i loro frutti ad uso alimentare, danno un valore superiore alla singola molecola che viene attivata e potenziata, nei suoi effetti, da altre molecole in esse contenute. In un tempo, come il nostro, in cui domina la medicina sintomatologica, per ogni segno e sintomo clinico è disponibile uno specifico farmaco, la conoscenza della complessità e specificità delle molecole contenute nelle piante officinali, apre nuove strade per “curare” le cause delle patologie umane ed animali.

Il termine piante officinali definisce un ampio gruppo di specie vegetali utilizzate, in passato, nelle officine farmaceutiche ma, in una accezione più ampia, include anche le piante per uso aromatico, cosmetico, colorante, biocida ed agrofunzionale. Questa categoria di piante ha avuto un grande interesse economico che si è perso, nel tempo, con l’evoluzione della chimica in grado di produrre, per via sintetica, quasi tutti “i principi attivi officinali”. L’odierna crescente richiesta di prodotti naturali, in grado di fornire effetti complessi che le molecole di sintesi non sempre assicurano, ha riaperto l’interesse per le piante officinali motivando la preparazione di un nuovo libro: Produzione ed impiego delle piante officinali. Quest’opera, frutto della collaborazione di un gruppo di specialisti, di seguito elencati, tratta, oltre che gli aspetti agronomici di un buon numero di specie anche il metabolismo, l’utilizzo, l’espressione dei principi attivi, gli aspetti economici e legislativi ed i processi post-raccolta delle piante officinali. Questo volume sostituisce quello di Catizone, Marotti, Toderi, Tétény stampato da Patron nel 1986: Coltivazione delle piante medicinali e aromatiche che, per un quarto di secolo, è stato un punto di riferimento per studenti ed operatori del settore. L’opera vuole fornire la cornice generale ove inquadrare la conoscenza professionale atta al consiglio terapeutico e all’uso delle piante officinali. Le molecole indicate costituiscono la base di conoscenza scientifica per il loro inserimento terapeutico in alcune patologie conclamate e nella medicina preventiva. Le molecole vegetali inserite nei loro naturali fitocomplessi possono realizzare, con l’aiuto del medico, una primaria azione coadiuvante la terapia farmacologica. Le piante officinali, ma anche le piante con i loro frutti ad uso alimentare, danno un valore superiore alla singola molecola che viene attivata e potenziata, nei suoi effetti, da altre molecole in esse contenute. In un tempo, come il nostro, in cui domina la medicina sintomatologica, per ogni segno e sintomo clinico è disponibile uno specifico farmaco, la conoscenza della complessità e specificità delle molecole contenute nelle piante officinali, apre nuove strade per “curare” le cause delle patologie umane ed animali.

Turfgrasses are not only designed for recreation activities, but they also provide beneficial environmental effects and positively influence the human wellness. Their major problems are predisposition to tearing out and microbial diseases. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the inoculation of microorganisms can be effective to improve plant growth and root development of perennial ryegrass, to evaluate new sustainable practice for green preservation. A microorganism-based commercial product was used to amend hydroponically grown Lolium perenne L. and results compared with the use of the same filtered product, a phytohormone solution and an untreated control. Plants were grown for five weeks, shoots cut and measured at one-week interval and, at the end, roots were measured for length and weight. Shoot resistance to tearing out was also tested. Moreover, the main microbial groups present in the product were characterized and the microbial profile of sand and root samples was investigated by PCR-DGGE. The plants treated with the product showed an increased resistance to tearing out with respect to other treatments and roots were longer with respect to the control. Microbial analyses of the product evidenced bacterial and yeast species with plant growth promoting activity, such as Stenothrophomonas maltophilia, Candida utilis and several Lactobacillus species. Some Lactobacillus strains were also found to be able to colonize plant roots. In conclusion, the treatment with microorganisms has a great potential for the maintenance and increased performance of turfgrass surfaces.

Herbs and medicinal plants include a vast array of species grown for aromatic, medicinal, nutraceutical and cosmetic uses. Biocide, dye and textile plants also fit in this group, as they provide alternatives to artificial substances in fields of human utilization. The growing demand for natural products to replace synthetic molecules has prompted the layout of the present book, encompassing various, inherently-linked subjects: field cropping, plant metabolism, post-harvest processes, uses of plant-derived natural products, legislative and economic issues. In field cropping, the principles of agronomy are discussed, in order to get acquainted with the concepts ruling plant behaviour in a varying environment (soil, climate and crop technique); this in turn will enhance the efficiency of plant production in a frame of environmental sustainability. More to this, crop management protocols (conventional, integrated, organic and biodynamic cropping) are outlined, discussing each protocol’s prerogatives and rules in light of the current trends in agricultural productions. The economic aspects have become progressively more important in the latest decades. Crop areas, production, trade and market trends concerning herbs and medicinal plants are shown, worldwide and in Italy. With reference to the Italian situation, the structure of farms and downstream supply chain, the technology currently used and the future prospects are highlighted. As for legislation, the original Italian law ruling the sector (99/1931) is described, followed by a discussion on the regulations relating to specific areas: herbal, phytotherapic, food and phytocosmetic. Innovative topics are also addressed, such as advertising and health-claims. In plant metabolism, the difference between primary and secondary metabolism is remarked and the main classes of phytochemicals (alkaloids, terpenoids, phenolic compounds) are thoroughly described with emphasis on their chemical characteristics, occurrence in plant parts, health-promoting properties and other biological effects. The ecological role of plant secondary metabolites is also focused, taking into account the interactions among plants, with other living organisms and environmental factors. The main concepts of quality for medicinal and aromatic plant production are detailed in view of a quality control. Concerning post-harvest processes, the primary operations used to preserve plant materials from microbial attacks, such as drying, freeze-drying or freezing, are first addressed. The traditional and advanced techniques used to extract the active principles from plant material are then described, including both solvent and non-solvent based techniques (e.g., distillation, maceration, infusion, Soxhlet extraction, ultrasound aided solvent extraction, accelerated solvent extraction, supercritical fluid extraction). Finally, the most up-to-date analytical techniques for qualitative and quantitative analysis of plant extracts are discussed. The use pf plant-derived natural products, namely drugs (medicines), herbs and food supplements, and the benefits for human health are addressed at the end of the general part. Several active principles are introduced, either in association with the plants containing them or with the effects exerted on specific organs or functions of the human body. Despite simple explanations and useful information, phyto-therapy remains a strict medical competence, as several molecules may result toxic in case of inappropriate use. Beyond the health sector, information is given on the cosmetic use of plants and the associated peculiarities, as the cosmetic industry represents a significant share in the global market of herbs and medicinal plants. The general part is integrated by the detailed description of 73 species of wide interest in temperate areas. Each plant file covers: origin and distribution; botanical description; organs, active ingredients and uses; crop technique; harvest, yield and post-harvest operations. A special effort has been made to respect botanical characteristics while addressing each species as a crop plant, that is to say, a plant conveniently being grown in a field. To this aim, plant features and growth requirements are discussed in view of overcoming the constraints that commonly arise in crop fields. On concluding, “Herbs and medicinal plants: cropping, processing and use” is the fruit of a multi-disciplinary approach to the subject. Different specialists may find familiar with specific parts of the book, yet retrieve valuable suggestions from insights into unexplored branches.

I tappeti erbosi progettati per attività sportive e ricreative hanno anche benefici effetti ambientali, come la prevenzione dell’erosione del suolo. I principali problemi di queste superfici sono la predisposizione allo strappo e allo sviluppo di malattie fungine. In questo lavoro si è cercato di investigare se una tecnologia a basso impatto ambientale basata sull’impiego di microrganismi, alternativa ai trattamenti chimici, possa essere usata per migliorare la crescita delle piante e lo sviluppo radicale di Lolium perenne L. E’ stato quindi utilizzato un prodotto commerciale contenente microrganismi (EM•1®; Punto EM, Sanremo, Italy) per il trattamento di L. perenne L. cresciuto in coltura idroponica e i risultati ottenuti sono stati paragonati a quelli derivanti dalla somministrazione dello stesso prodotto sottoposto a filtrazione per eliminare i microrganismi, di una soluzione commerciale contenete fitormoni e di un controllo non trattato. Le piante sono state fatte crescere per 5 settimane, la parte fogliare è stata tagliata, misurata e pesata ad intervalli di una settimana. Alla fine della sperimentazione, sono stati prelevati campioni di radici. Dopo lavaggio, è stato valutato il peso e la lunghezza delle radici. E’ stata inoltre valutata la resistenza allo strappo. Sono stati anche caratterizzati i principali gruppi microbici presenti nel prodotto commerciale attraverso una combinazione di analisi microbiologiche e molecolari. Infine, è stata utilizzata l’analisi PCR-DGGE, accoppiata al sequenziamento delle principali bande, di campioni di suolo e radici per analizzare i profili microbici derivanti da tutti i trattamenti applicati. Le piante trattate col prodotto commerciale contenente microrganismi hanno evidenziato un’aumentata resistenza allo strappo rispetto a quelle sottoposte agli altri trattamento o al controllo e, inoltre, le radici risultano di lunghezza maggiore rispetto al controllo. Entrambe queste caratteristiche sono particolarmente favorevoli per tappeti erbosi progettati per attività sportive e ricreative. La caratterizzazione dei microrganismi presenti nel prodotto ha evidenziato la presenza di specie batteriche e di lieviti che, in letteratura, risultano essere in grado di promuovere la crescita delle piante, come ad esempio Stenothrophomanas maltophilia. Candida utilis e altre specie afferenti al genere Lactobacillus, isolate dal prodotto, si sono rilevate in grado di colonizzare le radici delle piante di L. perenne L. Si può quindi concludere che i trattamenti con microrganismi “efficaci” ha un grosso potenziale per il mantenimento e le performance dei tappeti erbosi.