Statistical Approaches to Analyse Gene Bank Data Using a Lentil Germplasm Collection as a Case Study

Normally in a plant gene bank a large number of accessions per each crop and/ or taxon is stored. During their characterization and preliminary evaluation, several quantitative and qualitative data are recorded and, usually, a wide intra accession variation is observed. Th e management of all this information becomes very difficult without effective statistical methods combining these different types of data. At the Institute of Plant Genetics, CNR, in Bari (Italy) this problem has been tackled by testing many statistical approaches. The present contribution describes one of these approaches, which to date has proven to be highly adequate; a case study describing a lentil germplasm collection has been used for demonstration. A valuable application of this method is the determination of core subsets important to increase the utilization and accessibility of plant genetic resources. In the presented case study a subset of the lentil germplasm collection was chosen to perform molecular analysis based on ISSR markers. The samples were selected on the basis of both morpho-agronomic evaluation and geographical origin. These markers proved to be useful for distinguishing among closely related genotypes and for possibly substantiating the genetic peculiarity of some interesting material

Statistical Approaches to Analyse Gene Bank Data Using a Lentil Germplasm Collection as a Case Study

Normally in a plant gene bank a large number of accessions per each crop and/ or taxon is stored. During their characterization and preliminary evaluation, several quantitative and qualitative data are recorded and, usually, a wide intra accession variation is observed. Th e management of all this information becomes very difficult without effective statistical methods combining these different types of data. At the Institute of Plant Genetics, CNR, in Bari (Italy) this problem has been tackled by testing many statistical approaches. The present contribution describes one of these approaches, which to date has proven to be highly adequate; a case study describing a lentil germplasm collection has been used for demonstration. A valuable application of this method is the determination of core subsets important to increase the utilization and accessibility of plant genetic resources. In the presented case study a subset of the lentil germplasm collection was chosen to perform molecular analysis based on ISSR markers. The samples were selected on the basis of both morpho-agronomic evaluation and geographical origin. These markers proved to be useful for distinguishing among closely related genotypes and for possibly substantiating the genetic peculiarity of some interesting material

The Fascinating History of Bergamot (Citrus Bergamia Risso & Poiteau), the Exclusive Essence of Calabria: A Review

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Back to the Roots : Revisiting the Use of the Fiber-Rich Cichorium intybus L. Taproots

Fibers are increasingly recognized as an indispensable part of our diet and vital for maintaining health. Notably, complex mixtures of fibers have been found to improve metabolic health. Following an analysis of the fiber content of plant-based products, we found the taproot of the chicory plant (Cichorium intybus L) to be 1 of the vegetables with the highest fiber content, comprising nearly 90% of its dry weight. Chicory roots consist of a mixture of inulin, pectin, and (hemi-)cellulose and also contain complex phytochemicals, such as sesquiterpene lactones that have been characterized in detail. Nowaday, chicory roots are mainly applied as a source for the extraction of inulin, which is used as prebiotic fiber and food ingredient. Chicory roots, however, have long been consumed as a vegetable by humans. The whole root has been used for thousands of years for nutritional, medicinal, and other purposes, and it is still used in traditional dishes in various parts of the world. Here, we summarize the composition of chicory roots to explain their historic success in the human diet. We revisit the intake of chicory roots by humans and describe the different types of use along with their various methods of preparation. Hereby, we focus on the whole root in its complex, natural form, as well as in relation to its constituents, and discuss aspects regarding legal regulation and the safety of chicory root extracts for human consumption. Finally, we provide an overview of the current and future applications of chicory roots and their contribution to a fiber-rich diet.Peer reviewe

Conservation of Crop Genetic Resources in Italy with a Focus on Vegetables and a Case Study of a Neglected Race of Brassica Oleracea

This study attempts, above all, to provide a summary, on a strictly scientific basis, about the strategies of conservation of autochthonous agrobiodiversity followed in Italy. A special focus is dedicated to vegetables and, therefore, could represent a contribution to improve the national strategy for the safeguarding of its agrobiodiversity in general. The paper offers also an outlook on the most critical factors of ex situ conservation and actions which need to be taken. Some examples of ‘novel’ recovered neglected crops are also given. Finally a case study is proposed on ‘Mugnolicchio’, a neglected race of Brassica oleracea L., cultivated in Altamura (Ba) in southern Italy, that might be considered as an early step in the evolution of broccoli (B. oleracea L. var. italica Plenck) like ‘Mugnoli’ another neglected race described from Salento (Apulia)

Polyphenolic Compound Variation in Globe Artichoke Cultivars as Affected by Fertilization and Biostimulants Application

Globe artichoke is an ancient herbaceous plant native to the Mediterranean Basin. The edible part of the plant is limited to the fleshy leaves (bracts) and receptacle of a large immature inflorescence (head) that has been shown to be a rich source of bioactive compounds. Nutritional and pharmacological properties of artichoke heads and leaves are attributed mainly to polyphenolic compounds and inulin present at high concentration. In this study, polyphenols were investigated in two artichoke cultivars (Opal and Madrigal) in response to four nitrogen rates and foliar applications of biostimulating products under drip irrigation. Field experiments were carried out over two growing seasons (2015–2016, 2016–2017) in Policoro (MT), Southern Italy, on a deep clay soil in sub-humid climate conditions. Phenolic compounds were isolated and characterized by means of high-performance liquid chromatography with photodiode array detection and electrospray ionization/mass spectrometry (HPLC-DAD-MS/MS) analysis. In both cultivars, caffeoylquinic acids were more abundant when a dose of 100 kg ha−1 of ammonium nitrate was provided, whereas apigenins were not affected by nitrogen fertilization. Luteolins increased in cv Opal and decreased in cv Madrigal following N fertilization. The application of biostimulants (3 L ha−1) favored the accumulation of polyphenols, in particular of caffeoylquinic acids and apigenin, in artichoke heads in both cultivars. The results obtained highlight some positive aspects related to the synergistic effect of nitrogen fertilization and biostimulant foliar application

The rise and fall of Vicia calcarata Desf.

The chief subject of this brief overview is a vetch species, once distinguished asVicia calcarataDesf. and currently regarded asV. monanthaRetz. subsp.triflora(Ten.) B. L. Burtt & P. Lewis, but we prefer to distinguish this taxon at species level asVicia calcarata.It is a volunteer plant occurring regularly on ruderal sites in the local floras of the coastal and maritime areas of the Mediterranean Basin, and sporadically happens to be cultivated in fields. It has a more robust growth habit thanV. monanthasubsp.monantha, with usually three flowers per peduncle and larger seeds, rather constant morphological traits. In situ and on-farm observations onV. calcarataare scarce, relating mostly to the southern mainland of Italy and its islands, Spain, North Africa and Syria, where it is found in forests, grasslands, wheat fields, ruderal soils and along roadsides. On a global scale, there are 91 accessions ofV. calcaratain six ex situ genebank collections in Alcala de Henares, Bari, Beirut, Gatersleben, Sadovo and St. Petersburg. In a series of ex situ field trials in Novi Sad, twelve accessions ofV. calcarataproduced average yields of 6.3 t ha(-1)of forage dry matter and 1100 kg ha(-1)of seed. There are promising perspectives for developing cultivars ofV. calcarata, since the available divergence offers a solid basis for crop improvement. After a long fall, a novel rise ofV. calcaratais yet to come

Genome-wide association mapping reveals a rich genetic architecture of stripe rust resistance loci in emmer wheat (Triticum turgidum ssp. dicoccum)

Key message: SNP-based genome scanning in worldwide domesticated emmer germplasm showed high genetic diversity, rapid linkage disequilibrium decay and 51 loci for stripe rust resistance, a large proportion of which were novel. Abstract: Cultivated emmer wheat (Triticum turgidum ssp. dicoccum), one of the oldest domesticated crops in the world, is a potentially rich reservoir of variation for improvement of resistance/tolerance to biotic and abiotic stresses in wheat. Resistance to stripe rust (Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici) in emmer wheat has been under-investigated. Here, we employed genome-wide association (GWAS) mapping with a mixed linear model to dissect effective stripe rust resistance loci in a worldwide collection of 176 cultivated emmer wheat accessions. Adult plants were tested in six environments and seedlings were evaluated with five races from the United States and one from Italy under greenhouse conditions. Five accessions were resistant across all experiments. The panel was genotyped with the wheat 90,000 Illumina iSelect single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) array and 5106 polymorphic SNP markers with mapped positions were obtained. A high level of genetic diversity and fast linkage disequilibrium decay were observed. In total, we identified 14 loci associated with field resistance in multiple environments. Thirty-seven loci were significantly associated with all-stage (seedling) resistance and six of them were effective against multiple races. Of the 51 total loci, 29 were mapped distantly from previously reported stripe rust resistance genes or quantitative trait loci and represent newly discovered resistance loci. Our results suggest that GWAS is an effective method for characterizing genes in cultivated emmer wheat and confirm that emmer wheat is a rich source of stripe rust resistance loci that can be used for wheat improvement

Notes about the uses of plants by one of the last healers in the Basilicata Region (South Italy)

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The paper refers to the knowledge and uses of plants and to the linked ritual practices as referred by Matteo (It.<it>‘Zì Matteo’,</it> En. <it>‘Uncle Matthew’</it>), one of the last elder healers in the Basilicata Region (South Italy). Particular attention is also paid to the uses of <it>‘Vruca’</it> (<it>Tamarix gallica</it> L.) as a medicinal and magical plant used to heal common warts on various parts of the body.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>After obtaining prior informed consent, we collected data through an open interview about the uses of the plants and on the associated ritual practices. For each species, data were collected that included the vernacular names, preparation, plant parts utilized and their method of use.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The uses of 52 taxa are described. Among these, 43 are or were employed medicinally, eight as culinary foodstuffs, and 4 for domestic, handicraft or ethnoveterinary uses.</p> <p>Among the major findings: the ritual and magical use of <it>Tamarix gallica</it> L. to heal warts is described in detail; so far, no records of similar use were found in any Italian ethnobotanical studies conducted in southern Italy.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Phytotherapy in the Basilicata region is practiced by elderly people who resort to medicinal plants for mild illnesses; we interviewed one of those traditional healers who is very experienced in the field, and possesses rich ethno-pharmacological knowledge.</p