Morpho-biometrical, nutritional and phytochemical characterization of carrot landraces from Puglia region (southern Italy)

The explorations as a part of the regional BiodiverSO Programme of vegetable genetic resource rescue revealed that in the arenili (sandy shores) of “Salterns of Margherita di Savoia” (SMS), a coastal landscape area of Puglia region (southern Italy), along the commercial genotypes of small rooting species, landraces are still cultivated. The morpho-biometrical, nutritional and phytochemical properties of two carrot landraces (“Carota a punta lunga” and “Carota a punta tonda”) and a commercial carrot hybrid (“Presto”) collected from the SMS area are examined. The study highlighted that the pedological conditions of the arenili of the SMS area are the main driving force in controlling the nutritional and nutraceutical characteristics of carrot, conferring to genotypes grown in this area a high profile in comparison with literature data. In the site of cultivation of arenili, a large variability in the morpho-qualitative traits emerged among carrot genotypes. “Carota a punta tonda” stands for a promising genotype being very rich in phenols (209.8 mg kg-1 fw) (mainly di-caffeic acid derivative and chlorogenic acid), Β-carotene (21,512 µg 100 g-1 fw), and high antioxidative proprieties. “Carota a punta tonda” could be considered as a healthy product for consumers and also amenable to selection for breeding purpose. Increasing the knowledge about nutritional and nutraceutical properties of local landraces may push the preference of consumers beyond the local community and, at the same time, farmers can be stimulated to continue their cultivation. Thus, the promotion of their on-farm/in situ conservation (cultivation) could represent an efficient strategy for agro-biodiversity preservation

Nutritional characterization of two rare landraces of Turnip (Brassica rapa. var. rapa) tops and their on-farm conservation in Foggia Province

The study of nutritional properties in landrace products and the general context of its cultivation site are crucial to designing a sustainable on-farm strategy for landrace conservation. The present study describes the main nutritional aspects of two Brassica rapa subspecies rapa landraces collected in Puglia, Italy along with agroecological and socioeconomical traits where they are cultivated. The two B. rapa landraces ('Cima di rapa dalla testa' and 'Cima di rapa antica') are only found in sites at 700-800 m asl and in two landscape units (the Southern Daunian Mountains (SDM) and the Umbra Forest (UF), respectively) of the Foggia province. These rare landraces were selected by farmers to produce turnip greens/tops from ancient root turnip crops. They are named and consumed by local people in the same way as turnip tops of Brassica rapa subspecies sylvestris ('Cima di rapa'), which are widely cultivated in Puglia. Compared to the most common 'Cima di rapa', the two highlighted landraces have a better nutritional profile linked to an improved content in antioxidant compounds-i.e., vitamin C (458 mg kg-1 FW), total phenols (347 mg ac. gallic equivalent kg-1 FW)-in glucosinolate (741 μmol kg FW-1, in 'Cima di rapa antica') and in minerals, such as K. Both landraces are deemed as having a high risk of erosion. Few exemplars are cultivated in marginal lands and urban/peri-urban areas (SDM), or in isolated sites within the UF, which is a special protection zone within Gargano National Park. However, natural, cultural, and recreational tourism are the main economic activities in both landscape units

Evaluation of Garlic Landraces from Foggia Province (Puglia Region; Italy)

Interest in local landraces has unfortunately decreased over, the last decades, in which they have been continuously subjected to a high genetic erosion in favour of new modern varieties. Within the Puglia region (S-E Italy), Foggia province was found to be the richest in vegetable landraces. In the present study, six garlic landraces collected from this area have been assessed for their chemical composition (minerals, organic acids, free sugars, volatile, and phenolic compounds) along with their main morpho-biometrical traits. A commercial genotype was also considered as a reference standard. The landraces show a large variability, but in general high morphological standards, high levels of cations and phenols, and low levels of volatile-(S)-compounds in comparison with the commercial genotype and the literature values. 'Aglio di Peschici' and 'Aglio Rosso di Monteleone di Puglia' are very rich in minerals and phenols (mainly ferulic acid and iso-rhamnetin). This increase in knowledge on the chemical properties of these garlic landraces could represent a tool for encouraging the consumption of a food product. At the same time, the consumption of these landraces would stimulate their cultivation and could highly contribute to protection against the risk of erosion of agro-biodiversity by their in situ/on-farm conservation

Agronomic and physiological responses of a tomato crop to nitrogen input

Two field experiments were carried out during 2005 and 2006 to study the effect of four N-fertilization rates (0 (N0), 100 (N100), 200 (N200), and 300 (N300) kg ha-1) on yield, growth, N uptake, and N use efficiency of processing tomato in a silty-clay soil under Mediterranean conditions. N supply positively affected LAI (leaf area index), radiation use efficiency (RUE), above-ground dry weight (DW) and N accumulation. The respective maximum values 4.6, 1.16 g MJ-1, 13.4 Mg ha-1, and 383 kg ha-1 were detected with N300. However, passing from the N200 to the N300 rate, the DW and the N tissue content mostly increased in the vegetative organs resulting in lower total and marketable yield, attributable mainly to the lower number of fruit in N300 plants. N excess exacerbates the unbalanced vegetative/reproductive plant growth which occurred when seasonal temperatures negatively affected crop productivity by reducing fruit load. Maximum total and marketable yield were obtained with the N200 rate and were respectively 155 and 119 Mg ha-1 in 2005 and 135 and 104 Mg ha-1 in 2006 season. N supply quadratically decreased the agronomical (NUEa) and physiological (NUEp) N use efficiency, these indices reaching a maximum with the N200 rate (NUEa = 11.8 kg kg-1, NUEp = 15.1 kg kg-1). However, increasing N supply decreased partial factor productivity and the efficiency in N fertilizer recovery linearly to 24 and 0.55 kg kg-1. Nitrogen nutrition index (NNI) was 0.8 in N0 plants and increased up to 1.3–1.4 with N300. Under Mediterranean conditions and with the specific tomato cultivar, the N200 rate can be considered the most efficient both in terms of yield and NUE, and the respective NNI values of 1.15–1.23 (in the period from maximum LAI to harvest) could be associated with the optimal N nutritional status of the crop indicating that the minimal N concentration to obtain the maximum above-ground DW is higher than that proposed as critical for this crop. From an environmental standpoint, a 200 kg ha-1 of nitrogen fertilizer dose would put this production system in N balance, with N removal from the field being close to 200 kg ha-1 with a yield goal of 100–120 kg ha-1 of marketable fruits containing 1.97 kg Mg-1 of N

Effect of seed age, stratification, and soaking on germination of wild asparagus (Asparagus acutifolius L.)

Wild asparagus (Asparagus acutifolius L.) is a widespread species found in all the Mediterranean areas. The spears are highly valued by consumers and owing to its frugality, this species is a feasible new crop with high income potential, especially for Mediterranean marginal areas. Currently, the cultivation of this species is limited because of its low and erratic seed germination that makes difficult the production of seedlings for plant propagation. In this research, non-after-ripened (1 month-old) and after-ripened seeds (dry stored at room temperature for 13 months) were exposed for 30 days in the dark to three moist stratification treatments: cold (5 8C), warm (23 8C) or no stratification; subsequently they were soaked for 12 h in warm water (35 8C) or not soaked. The effect of these pre-germination treatments on three germination parameters (germination percentage, time to 50% of final germination – T50 – and germination pattern) was studied, as well as some possible seed dormancy forms involved therein. The 1- year dry storage period proved to be effective in after-ripened seeds by enhancing seed sensitivity to the subsequent pre-germination treatments. After-ripened seeds exhibited higher and more rapid germination compared to non-after-ripened seeds. Soaking, cold or warm moist stratification had similar single effect on non-after-ripened seeds (27% germination). With after-ripened seeds, only soaking or warm stratification were effective (47% germination) when singularly applied, while cold stratification did not improve germination. By combining stratification and soaking treatments, a higher germination for both non-after-ripened and after-ripened seed-lots was achieved. The highest germination was obtained when after-ripened seeds were stratified and soaked (76%), without any significant difference between cold or warm stratification. Single or combined application of moist stratification (regardless of the temperature used) and soaking resulted always in a faster germination compared to that of no-treated seeds and especially with after-ripened seeds (T50 = 6 days). A non-deep type 1 physiological dormancy can be hypothesized for the seeds of this species. Low stratification temperature induce secondary dormancy in after-ripened seeds that can be removed by soaking them at 35 8C for 12 h