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Understanding the responses of olive trees to drought stress is crucial for improving cultivation and developing drought-tolerant varieties. Water transport and storage within the plant is a key factor in drought-tolerance strategies. Water management can be based on a variety of factors such as stomatal control, osmoprotectant molecules, proteins and wood properties. The aim of the study was to evaluate the water management strategy under drought stress from an anatomical and biochemical point of view in three young Italian olive cultivars (Giarraffa, Leccino and Maurino) previously distinguished for their physiological and metabolomic responses. For each cultivar, 15 individuals in pots were exposed or not to 28 days of water withholding. Every 7 days, the content of sugars (including mannitol), proline, aquaporins, osmotins, and dehydrins, in leaves and stems, as well as the chemical and anatomical characteristics of the wood of the three cultivars, were analyzed. 'Giarraffa' reduced glucose levels and increased mannitol production, while 'Leccino' accumulated more proline. Both 'Leccino' and 'Maurino' increased sucrose and aquaporin levels, possibly due to their ability to remove embolisms. 'Maurino' and 'Leccino' accumulated more dehydrins and osmotins. While neither genotype nor stress affected wood chemistry, 'Maurino' had a higher vessel-to-xylem area ratio and a larger hydraulic diameter, which allows it to maintain a high transpiration rate but may make it more susceptible to cavitation. The results emphasized the need for an integrated approach, highlighting the importance of the relative timing and sequence of each parameter analyzed, allowing, overall, to define a "strategy" rather than a "response" to drought of each cultivar.

The Mediterranean will be one of the focal points of climate change. The predicted dry and hot summers will lead to water scarcity in agriculture, which may limit crop production and growth. The olive tree serves as a model woody plant for studying drought stress and improving water resource management; thus, it is critical to identify genotypes that are more drought tolerant and perform better under low irrigation or even rainfed conditions. In this study, the metabolomic approach was used to highlight variations in metabolites in stems and leaves of three Italian olive cultivars (previously characterized physiologically) under two and four weeks of drought stress. Phenolic and lipophilic profiles were obtained by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, respectively. The findings identified the leaf as the primary organ in which phenolic variations occurred. The Maurino cultivar exhibited a strong stress response in the form of phenolic compound accumulation, most likely to counteract oxidative stress. The phenolic compound content of 'Giarraffa' and 'Leccino' plants remained relatively stable whether they were exposed to drought or not. Variations in the lipid profile occurred in leaves and stems of all the cultivars. A high accumulation of compounds related to epicuticular wax components was observed in the leaf of 'Giarraffa', while a strong reduction of lipids and long-chain alkanes occurred in 'Maurino' when exposed to drought stress conditions., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest. The author(s) declared that they were an editorial board member of Frontiers, at the time of submission. This had no impact on the peer review process and the final decision., (Copyright © 2024 Parri, Cai, Romi, Cantini, Pinto, Silva and Dias.)

Agrochemicals play a vital role in protecting crops and enhancing agricultural production by reducing threats from pests, pathogens and weeds. The toxicological status of honey bees can be influenced by a number of factors, including pesticides. While extensive research has focused on the lethal and sublethal effects of insecticides on individual bees and colonies, it is important to recognise that fungicides and herbicides can also affect bees' health. Unfortunately, in the field, honey bees are exposed to mixtures of compounds rather than single substances. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of a commercial fungicide and a commercial herbicide, both individually and in combination, on honey bees. Mortality assays, biomarkers and learning and memory tests were performed, and the results were integrated to assess the toxicological status of honey bees. Neurotoxicity (acetylcholinesterase and carboxylesterase activities), detoxification and metabolic processes (glutathione S-transferase and alkaline phosphatase activities), immune system function (lysozyme activity and haemocytes count) and genotoxicity biomarkers (Nuclear Abnormalities assay) were assessed. The fungicide Sakura® was found to activate detoxification enzymes and affect alkaline phosphatase activity. The herbicide Elegant 2FD and the combination of both pesticides showed neurotoxic effects and induced detoxification processes. Exposure to the herbicide/fungicide mixture impaired learning and memory in honey bees. This study represents a significant advance in understanding the toxicological effects of commonly used commercial pesticides in agriculture and contributes to the development of effective strategies to mitigate their adverse effects on non-target insects., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Olive leaves are an abundant by-product of olive oil production. Olive leaf extracts (OLEs) are rich in polyphenols, which can be used for health benefits. As polyphenols are the main antioxidant molecules in plants, plants typically increase their polyphenol content when exposed to drought stress. However, the phenolic profile of OLEs can vary in relation to the origin and variety of the plant material. In this work, olive leaf extracts from three different Italian olive cultivars (Giarraffa, Leccino, and Maurino) both exposed and not exposed to drought stress were studied in terms of antioxidant properties and profile, intestinal permeation, and protection against oxidative stress of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs), since HUVECs are considered a model to study a wide range of diseases. OLEs from stressed Maurino and Giarraffa plants showed the highest increase in antioxidant capacity compared to controls. The phenolic profile of Maurino' was mainly increased by water deficit, with a large increase in the compounds oleuropein and luteolin-7- O -rutinoside. All tested extracts exposed to a water deficit protected HUVECs against oxidative stress by reducing ROS production, and this effect was more pronounced in OLEs from Giarraffa and Maurino exposed to drought stress compared to all other extracts. Finally, OLE from the stressed Giarraffa group showed a higher apparent permeability of antioxidant molecules than that of Maurino.

The aim of this research was to evaluate the levels of antioxidants and polyphenols in pasta enriched with either carrot or olive leaf flours after simulating gastrointestinal digestion. Pasta samples were prepared with fixed amounts of carrot and olive leaf flours (15% and 6% of the total mixture, respectively). We measured the antioxidant capacity and polyphenol content at different stages of the pasta production process, starting from the initial flour to the cooked pasta, and tested samples of the liquid component and solid waste resulting from the digestion process. The antioxidant activity was measured by the FRAP method, while the polyphenol content was measured by the Folin-Ciocalteu method. Vitamin E contents were measured by HPLC. The pasta enriched with carrot (1.26 ± 0.05 mmol/100 g) and olive leaf (2.9 ± 0.07 mmol/100 g) exhibited higher antioxidant power compared to the unenriched pasta (0.8 ± 0.1 mmol/100 g). The polyphenol content followed a similar trend, with values of 131.23 ± 3.08 for olive flour-enriched pasta, 79.15 ± 1.11 for carrot flour-enriched pasta, and 67.5 ± 1.39 for the wheat-only pasta. The pasta samples maintained their antioxidant and polyphenol levels even after undergoing the simulated digestion process. Significantly, the liquid component of the pasta with olive leaf flours had the highest levels of antioxidants and polyphenols during all stages of the digestion process. According to the results of this study, pasta enriched with carrot and olive leaf flours shows promising potential for improving nutritional and functional properties by increasing antioxidant and polyphenol content. The samples were also evaluated by a sensory panel, which showed that fortification modified the perception of some organoleptic attributes without affecting the overall taste of the pasta.

Ongoing global climate change suggests that crops will be exposed to environmental stresses that may affect their productivity, leading to possible global food shortages. Among these stresses, drought is the most important contributor to yield loss in global agriculture. Drought stress negatively affects various physiological, genetic, biochemical, and morphological characteristics of plants. Drought also causes pollen sterility and affects flower development, resulting in reduced seed production and fruit quality. Tomato ( Solanum lycopersicum L.) is one of the most economically important crops in different parts of the world, including the Mediterranean region, and it is known that drought limits crop productivity, with economic consequences. Many different tomato cultivars are currently cultivated, and they differ in terms of genetic, biochemical, and physiological traits; as such, they represent a reservoir of potential candidates for coping with drought stress. This review aims to summarize the contribution of specific physio-molecular traits to drought tolerance and how they vary among tomato cultivars. At the genetic and proteomic level, genes encoding osmotins, dehydrins, aquaporins, and MAP kinases seem to improve the drought tolerance of tomato varieties. Genes encoding ROS-scavenging enzymes and chaperone proteins are also critical. In addition, proteins involved in sucrose and CO 2 metabolism may increase tolerance. At the physiological level, plants improve drought tolerance by adjusting photosynthesis, modulating ABA, and pigment levels, and altering sugar metabolism. As a result, we underline that drought tolerance depends on the interaction of several mechanisms operating at different levels. Therefore, the selection of drought-tolerant cultivars must consider all these characteristics. In addition, we underline that cultivars may exhibit distinct, albeit overlapping, multilevel responses that allow differentiation of individual cultivars. Consequently, this review highlights the importance of tomato biodiversity for an efficient response to drought and for preserving fruit quality levels.

Brodifacoum is the most common rodenticide used for the eradication of invasive rodents from islands. It blocks the vitamin K cycle, resulting in hemorrhages in target mammals. Non-target species may be incidentally exposed to brodifacoum, including marine species. A case study conducted on the Italian Marine Protected Area of Tavolara Island was reported after a rodent eradication using the aerial broadcast of a brodifacoum pellet. Brodifacoum presence and effects on non-target marine organisms were investigated. Different fish species were sampled, and a set of analyses was conducted to determine vitamin K and vitamin K epoxide reductase concentrations, prothrombin time, and erythrocytic nuclear abnormalities (ENA) assay. In all the examined organisms, brodifacoum was not detected. The results obtained showed differences in vitamin K and vitamin K epoxide concentrations among the samples studied, with a positive correlation for three species between vitamin K, vitamin K epoxide, and fish weight. The prothrombin time assay showed a good blood clotting capacity in the fish. Higher abnormality values were recorded for four species. The results of this study suggest that it is possible to hypothesize that the sampled fish were not likely to have been exposed to brodifacoum and that consequently there are no negative issues concerning human consumption.

Future climate scenarios suggest that crop plants will experience environmental changes capable of affecting their productivity. Among the most harmful environmental stresses is drought, defined as a total or partial lack of water availability. It is essential to study and understand both the damage caused by drought on crop plants and the mechanisms implemented to tolerate the stress. In this study, we focused on four cultivars of tomato, an economically important crop in the Mediterranean basin. We investigated the biochemical mechanisms of plant defense against drought by focusing on proteins specifically involved in this stress, such as osmotin, dehydrin, and aquaporin, and on proteins involved in the general stress response, such as HSP70 and cyclophilins. Since sugars are also known to act as osmoprotectants in plant cells, proteins involved in sugar metabolism (such as RuBisCO and sucrose synthase) were also analyzed. The results show crucial differences in biochemical behavior among the selected cultivars and highlight that the most tolerant tomato cultivars adopt quite specific biochemical strategies such as different accumulations of aquaporins and osmotins. The data set also suggests that RuBisCO isoforms and aquaporins can be used as markers of tolerance/susceptibility to drought stress and be used to select tomato cultivars within breeding programs.

The demand for chestnut flour is growing because of its use in gluten-free products. Previous studies have correlated the quality of chestnut flours to the drying temperature and technology applied. This work is a novel study on the role of the traditional drying method with a wood fire in a "metato" building for flour compared with a food dryer at 40 °C or 70 °C. The contents of antioxidants, total polyphenols and sugars were determined as well as the presence of toxic volatiles or aflatoxins. The flour, resulting from the traditional method, presented lower polyphenol content and antioxidant power compared to the others. The content of the sugars was similar to the flours obtained after drying with hot air, both at 40 °C and 70 °C. The toxic volatile molecules, furfural, guaiacol, and o-cresol, were found. There was no correlation between the aflatoxin content and the presence of damage in chestnut fruits. The traditional method should not be abandoned since it confers a pleasant smoky taste to the product, but it is necessary to regulate the level and steadiness of temperature. Future research needs to be directed to the quantification of harmful volatile compounds and their correlation with the quantity of smoke emitted by the wood fire.

The impact of dried apples ( Malus × domestica Borkh.) addition on improving the antioxidant characteristics of dark chocolate was evaluated. The antioxidant activity was measured through DPPH scavenging activity and showed an increase in the cocoa bar with 'Nesta' dry apple (17.3% vs. 46.8%) in comparison to cocoa mass. The 15 polyphenols analyzed by UHPLC-ESI-MS/MS indicated great variability among the apple varieties. Quercetin was detected in the highest concentrations (ranged from 753.3 to 1915.5 µg g -1 ), while the lowest were for kaempferol 7- O -glucoside, measured only in 'Mora' and 'Nesta' cocoa bars (from 0.034 to 0.069 µg g -1 , respectively). P -coumaric acid, trans -ferulic acid, and chlorogenic acid contribute largely to the antioxidant activity in cocoa bars. Principal component analysis shows that a cocoa bar with the addition of 'Nesta' dry apple differ from others due to its higher content of polyphenols (1614 ± 61.8 mg gallic acid equivalents per 100 g). In conclusion, data confirm that cocoa bars with dry apples might be considered as a polyphenol-enriched food.

The depletion of the stratospheric ozone layer due to natural and/or anthropogenic causes decreases the amount of UV-B radiation filtered, and consequently increases the risk of potential damage to organisms. In the Mediterranean region, high UV-B indices are frequent. Even for species typical of this region, such as the olive tree, the progressive increase in UV-B radiation represents a threat. This work aimed to understand how high UV-B radiation modulates the phenolic and lipophilic profile of olive varieties, and identify metabolites that enhance olive stress tolerance. Two Italian olive varieties were subjected to chronic UV-B stress, and leaves were analyzed by gas and liquid chromatography. The results indicated that the most representative phenolic and lipophilic compounds of Giarraffa and Olivastra Seggianese were readjusted in response to UV-B stress. The Giarraffa variety seemed better suited to prolonged UV-B stress, possibly due to the higher availability of flavonoids that could help control oxidative damage, and the accumulation of hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives that could provide strong UV-B shield protection. In addition, this variety contained higher levels of fatty acids (e.g., palmitic, α-linolenic, and stearic acids), which can help to maintain membrane integrity and accumulate more sorbitol (which may serve as an osmoprotectant or act a free-radical scavenger), terpenes, and long-chain alkanes, providing higher protection against UV-B stress.

Background: This study aims to evaluate the performance, in terms of accumulation of antioxidant compounds in fruits, of nine local and three commercial Italian tomato cultivars subjected to drought stress. The same local cultivars had been previously studied at morpho-physiological level., Methods: The present manuscript analyzes drought stress as a tool to increase the amount of secondary metabolites that can enhance fruit quality. Nutraceutical characterization of the fruits was performed by analyzing the content of antioxidants, phenols, flavonoids, lycopene, ascorbic acid (vitamin C), rutin, caffeic acid, and naringenin. At the same time, plant sensitivity to stress during the reproductive phase was monitored in terms of flower abscission, fruit drop, and seed germination., Results: Perina turns out to be the tomato cultivar with the best nutraceutical properties in the absence of stress while the Quarantino cultivar is so for flavonoid content (control plants) and lycopene and vitamin C content (stressed plants). Perina and Quarantino are the cultivars with the best response to drought and Perina has the highest concentrations of bioactives. Quarantino responds most effectively to stress in the reproductive phase., Conclusions: data confirm that drought stress increases bioactive production in some local cultivars of tomato, which produce higher quality fruits.

In recent decades, atmospheric pollution led to a progressive reduction of the ozone layer with a consequent increase in UV-B radiation. Despite the high adaptation of olive trees to the Mediterranean environment, the progressive increase of UV-B radiation is a risk factor for olive tree cultivation. It is therefore necessary to understand how high levels of UV-B radiation affect olive plants and to identify olive varieties which are better adapted. In this study we analyzed two Italian olive varieties subjected to chronic UV-B stress. We focused on the effects of UV-B radiation on RubisCO, in terms of quantity, enzymatic activity and isoform composition. In addition, we also analyzed changes in the activity of antioxidant enzymes (SOD, CAT, GPox) to get a comprehensive picture of the antioxidant system. We also evaluated the effects of UV-B on the enzyme sucrose synthase. The overall damage at biochemical level was also assessed by analyzing changes in Hsp70, a protein triggered under stress conditions. The results of this work indicate that the varieties (Giarraffa and Olivastra Seggianese) differ significantly in the use of specific antioxidant defense systems, as well as in the activity and isoform composition of RubisCO. Combined with a different use of sucrose synthase, the overall picture shows that Giarraffa optimized the use of GPox and opted for a targeted choice of RubisCO isoforms, in addition to managing the content of sucrose synthase, thereby saving energy during critical stress points.

Irrigation is fundamental for agriculture but, as climate change becomes more persistent, there is a need to conserve water and use it more efficiently. It is therefore crucial to identify cultivars that can tolerate drought. For economically relevant crops, such as tomatoes, this purpose takes on an even more incisive role and local agrobiodiversity is a large genetic reservoir of promising cultivars. In this study, nine local Italian cultivars of tomatoes plus four widely used commercial cultivars were considered. These experienced about 20 d of drought, either at vegetative or reproductive phase. Various physio-morphological parameters were monitored, such as stomatal conductance (g s ), photosynthesis (A), water use efficiency (WUE), growth (GI) and soil water content (SWC). The different responses and behaviors allowed to divide the cultivars into three groups: tolerant, susceptible, and intermediate. The classification was also confirmed by a principal component analysis (PCA). The study, in addition to deepening the knowledge of local Italian tomato cultivars, reveals how some cultivars perform better under stress condition than commercial ones. Moreover, the different behavior depends on the genotype and on the growth phase of plants. In fact, the Perina cultivar is the most tolerant during vegetative growth while the Quarantino cultivar is mostly tolerant at reproductive stage. The results suggest that selection of cultivars could lead to a more sustainable agriculture and less wasteful irrigation plans.

Background: Tomato by-products contain a great variety of biologically active substances and represent a significant source of natural antioxidant supplements of the human diet. The aim of the work was to compare the antioxidant properties of a by-product from an ancient Tuscan tomato variety, Rosso di Pitigliano (RED), obtained by growing plants in normal conditions (-Ctr) or in drought stress conditions (-Ds) for their beneficial effects on vascular related dysfunction., Methods: The antioxidant activity and total polyphenol content (TPC) were measured. The identification of bioactive compounds of tomato peel was performed by HPLC. HUVEC were pre-treated with different TPC of RED-Ctr or RED-Ds, then stressed with H 2 O 2 . Cell viability, ROS production and CAT, SOD and GPx activities were evaluated. Permeation of antioxidant molecules contained in RED across excised rat intestine was also studied., Results: RED-Ds tomato peel extract possessed higher TPC than compared to RED-Ctr (361.32 ± 7.204 mg vs. 152.46 ± 1.568 mg GAE/100 g fresh weight). All extracts were non-cytotoxic. Two hour pre-treatment with 5 µg GAE/mL from RED-Ctr or RED-Ds showed protection from H 2 O 2 -induced oxidative stress and significantly reduced ROS production raising SOD and CAT activity (* p < 0.05 and ** p < 0.005 vs. H 2 O 2 , respectively). The permeation of antioxidant molecules contained in RED-Ctr or RED-Ds across excised rat intestine was high with non-significant difference between the two RED types (41.9 ± 9.6% vs. 26.6 ± 7.8%)., Conclusions: RED-Ds tomato peel extract represents a good source of bioactive molecules, which protects HUVECs from oxidative stress at low concentration.

Introduction: Obesity, the main risk factor for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), affects the secretion of various hormones that lead to change in metabolism. Visceral adipose tissue accumulation may contribute to Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) and induce liver injury. This study was aimed to investigate the association between adipose tissue inflammation and liver fibrosis., Materials and Methods: Wistar male rats (3 months old, 160- 230 grams) were divided into 4 groups that consisted of six rats in each group. The obesity model was induced through the administration of high-fat diet for a month (OB1), two months (OB2), and four months (OB4). Standard chow was provided for the control group for four months. After the specified date the rats were euthanized and the liver and retroperitoneal white adipose tissue (RWAT) were harvested. We performed RT-PCR to assess the mRNA expressions involved in proinflammatory mediators, fibrosis and antifibrosis signaling. Sirius red staining was performed to assess liver fibrosis. Data were analyzed with SPSS 23 for Windows with significance set as p<0.05., Results: Obesity-induced high-fat diet stimulated an increase of body mass index (BMI) in the OB groups (p<0.05) compared to the control group. Increased BMI was followed by upregulation of proinflammatory mediators (MCP-1, CD68, TLR4, and NFκB) of the RWAT and liver in the obese groups (p<0.05), which promoted hepatic fibrosis in triad portal areas and upregulation of TGFβ (p<0.05) mRNA expression as well as downregulation of HGF and c-Met (p<0.05). In addition, hepatic ppET1 and EDNRB mRNA level expressions (p<0.05) were obviously upregulated in the obese groups followed by downregulation of eNOS (p<0.05) mRNA expressions., Conclusion: Obesity enhanced inflammation in RWAT and was associated with inflammation and fibrosis of liver.

Introduction: Diabetes mellitus (DM) leads to microvascular injury development and produces diabetes nephropathy (DN) with proteinuria, tubular injury, apoptosis and autophagy with upregulation of Bax, BASP and mTORC-1. Megalin, Cubilin and Neutrophil Gelatinase Associated Lipocalin (NGAL) play role in acute pathological condition of kidney injury, however its expression in chronic and slowly progressive kidney injury such as DN has not been elucidated yet. This study focuses upregulation of Megalin, Cubilin and NGAL in association with tubular injury and apoptosis in DN condition., Materials and Methods: Diabetic condition was performed with intraperitoneal injection of Streptozotocin 60 mg/kg body weight (BW) in Sprague Dawley rats (2 months old, n=24), and were kept for 1, 2, and 4 months (DM1, DM2, and DM4, respectively). Control group was injected with NaCl 0.9%. Serum glucose level and proteinuria score were assessed, furthermore tubular injury score was quantified based on Periodic-Acid Schiff (PAS) staining. Reverse Transcriptase-PCR (RT-PCR) was carried out for NGAL, Megalin, Cubilin, m-TOR, Bax, and BASP-1 mRNA expression. Data were analyzed using SPSS 22 software., Results: DM led to kidney injury in this model with significant higher glucose level, proteinuria and tubular injury, especially in DM4 group which represented chronic phase of DN and CKD. These findings associated with upregulation of Megalin,Cubilin and NGAL mRNA expression in DM groups, especially in DM4 group. DM4 group also revealed higher expression of Bax, BASP and mTOR mRNA expression which demonstrated apoptosis., Conclusion: Megalin, Cubilin and NGAL upregulation may represent tubular injury and apoptosis as progression of DN.

Sweet cherry (Prunus avium L.) is a stone fruit widely consumed and appreciated for its organoleptic properties, as well as its nutraceutical potential. We here investigated the characteristics of six non-commercial Tuscan varieties of sweet cherry maintained at the Regional Germplasm Bank of the CNR-IBE in Follonica (Italy) and sampled ca. 60 days post-anthesis over three consecutive years (2016-2017-2018). We adopted an approach merging genotyping and targeted gene expression profiling with metabolomics. To complement the data, a study of the soluble proteomes was also performed on two varieties showing the highest content of flavonoids. Metabolomics identified the presence of flavanols and proanthocyanidins in highest abundance in the varieties Morellona and Crognola, while gene expression revealed that some differences were present in genes involved in the phenylpropanoid pathway during the 3 years and among the varieties. Finally, proteomics on Morellona and Crognola showed variations in proteins involved in stress response, primary metabolism and cell wall expansion. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first multi-pronged study focused on Tuscan sweet cherry varieties providing insights into the differential abundance of genes, proteins and metabolites.

Given the economical importance of the olive tree it is essential to study its responses to stress agents such as excessive UV-B radiation, to understand the defense mechanisms and to identify the varieties that are able to cope with it. In the light of the analysis carried out in this study, we argue that UV-B radiation represents a dangerous source of stress for the olive tree, especially in the current increasingly changing environmental conditions. Both the varieties considered (Giarraffa and Olivastra Seggianese), although resistant to the strong treatment to which they were exposed, showed, albeit in different ways and at different times, evident effects. The two varieties have different response times and the Giarraffa variety seems better suited to prolonged UV-B stress, possible due to a more efficient and quick activation of the antioxidant response (e.g., flavonoids use to counteract reactive oxygen species) and because of its capacity to maintain the photosynthetic efficiency as well as a relatively higher content of mannitol. Moreover, pigments reduction after a long period of UV-B exposure can also be an adaptation mechanism triggered by Giarraffa to reduce energy absorption under UV-B stress. Olivastra Seggianese seems less suited to overcome UV-B stress for a long period (e.g., higher reduction of F v / F m ) and has a higher requirement for sugars (e.g., glucose) possible to counteract stress and to restore energy.