Root Morphology, Allometric Relations and Rhizosheath of Ancient and Modern Tetraploid Wheats (Triticum durum Desf.) in Response to Inoculation with Trichoderma harzianum T-22

Early root traits and allometrics of wheat are important for competition and use of resources. They are under-utilized in research and un-explored in many ancient wheats. This is especially true for the rhizosheath emerging from root-soil interactions. We investigated root morphology, root/shoot relations and the amount of rhizosheath of four tetrapoid wheat seedlings (30 days after emergence): the italian landrace Saragolle Lucana and modern varieties Creso, Simeto and Ciclope, and tested the hypothesis that inoculation with Trichoderma harzianum T-22 (T-22) enhances rhizosheath formation and affects wheat varieties differently. Overall growth of non-inoculated plants showed different patterns in wheat varieties, with Saragolle and Ciclope at the two extremes: Saragolle invests in shoot rather than root mass, and in the occupation of space with highest (p < 0.05) shoot height to the uppermost internode (5.02 cm) and length-to-mass shoot (97.8 cm g−1) and root (more than 140 m g−1) ratios. This may be interpreted as maximizing competition for light but also as a compensation for low shoot efficiency due to the lowest (p < 0.05) recorded values of optically-measured chlorophyll content index (22.8). Ciclope invests in biomass with highest shoot (0.06 g) and root (0.04 g) mass and a thicker root system (average diameter 0.34 mm vs. 0.29 in Saragolle) as well as a highest root/shoot ratio (0.95 g g−1 vs. 0.54 in Saragolle). Rhizosheath mass ranged between 22.14 times that of shoot mass in Ciclope and 43.40 in Saragolle (different for p < 0.05). Inoculation with Trichoderma increased the amount of rhizosheath from 9.4% in Ciclope to 36.1% in Simeto and modified root architecture in this variety more than in others. Ours are the first data on roots and seedling shoot traits of Saragolle Lucana and of Trichoderma inoculation effects on rhizosheath. This opens to new unreported interpretations of effects of Trichoderma inoculation on improving plant growth

Trichoderma-Induced Resistance to Botrytis cinerea in Solanum Species: A Meta-Analysis

With the idea of summarizing the outcomes of studies focusing on the resistance induced by Trichoderma spp. against Botrytis cinerea in tomato, the present paper shows, for the first time, results of a meta-analysis performed on studies published from 2010 to 2021 concerning the cross-talk occurring in the tomato–Trichoderma-B. cinerea system. Starting from an initial set of 40 papers, the analysis was performed on 15 works and included nine parameters, as a result of a stringent selection mainly based on the availability of more than one article including the same indicator. The resulting work not only emphasizes the beneficial effects of Trichoderma in the control of grey mold in tomato leaves (reduction in disease intensity, severity and incidence and modulation of resistance genes in the host), but carefully drives the readers to reply to two questions: (i) What are the overall effects of Trichoderma on B. cinerea infection in tomato? (ii) Do the main effects of Trichoderma differ based on the tomato species, Trichoderma species, amount, type and duration of treatment? At the same time, this meta-analysis highlights some weak points of the available literature and should be seen as an invitation to improve future works to better the conceptualization and measure

In vitro antifungal activity and in vivo edible coating efficacy of insect-derived chitosan against Botrytis cinerea in strawberry

Strawberry is a perishable fruit, susceptible to development of rot by a range of fungi, in particular Botrytis cinerea. Chitosan represents an alternative to agrochemicals for improving shelf-life and fighting fungal pathogens. A chitosan-based coating derived from pupal exuviae of Hermetia illucens has been recently formulated for improving shelf-life of strawberry stored at 4 °C and mixed condition (4 °C and room temperature). The effects of a decolored (PEDEC) and not decolored (PEND) chitosan from the black soldier fly were evaluated and compared with commercial chitosans from crustaceans (CCs), in vitro and in vivo. An inhibition/reduction of fungal growth and a disturbance of normal fungal morphology were observed, being MIC of 0.5 mg mL−1 and 1 mg mL−1 and growth inhibition of 70 % and 4% for PEND and PEDEC, respectively. Both edible coatings distributed via aerograph showed equal or better potential application than CCs in controlling B. cinerea in strawberry post-harvest treated. Different effects for chitosans depended on their different molecular weight and deacetylation degree distributions, and the presence or absence of melanin pigments in their structure. PEND could act directly against the fungus, with effects predominantly associated with fungitoxic properties; PEDEC might principally provide viable alternatives, such as the elicitation of biochemical defense responses in fruits, for example through total phenols, in particular the flavonoids

Effects of Trichoderma harzianum Strain T22 on the Arthropod Community Associated with Tomato Plants and on the Crop Performance in an Experimental Field

Fungi belonging to the genus Trichoderma have received much attention in recent years due to their beneficial effects on crop health and their use as pest control agents. Trichoderma activates direct plant defenses against phytophagous arthropods and reinforces indirect plant defense through the attraction of predators. Although the plant defenses against insect herbivores were demonstrated in laboratory experiments, little attention has been paid to the use of Trichoderma spp. in open field conditions. In the present study, we investigated the effects of the inoculation of the commercial Trichoderma harzianum strain T22 on the arthropod community associated with tomato plants and on the crop performance in an experimental field located in South Italy. Our results showed that inoculation with T. harzianum could alter the arthropod community and reduce the abundance of specific pests under field conditions with respect to the sampling period. The present study also confirmed the beneficial effect of T. harzianum against plant pathogens and on tomato fruit. The complex tomato–arthropod–microorganism interactions that occurred in the field are discussed to enrich our current information on the possibilities of using Trichoderma as a green alternative agent in agricultur

Hermetia illucens, an innovative and sustainable source of chitosan-based coating for postharvest preservation of strawberries

The ability of chitosan produced from pupal exuviae of Hermetia illucens to retard the decay of the local strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa) cultivar Melissa was investigated for the first time in this paper. The results demonstrated the effectiveness of insect chitosan compared to the commercial polymer in preserving and enhancing, at the same time, some physicochemical parameters (weight loss, pH and soluble solids content) and nutraceutical properties (total polyphenol content, total flavonoid content and total antioxidant activity) of strawberries stored at RT, 4 C and at mixed storage conditions (4 C + RT). Moreover, chitosan from H. illucens was also effective in reducing fungal decay and improving fruit shelf life. The obtained results confirm that insect chitosan, particularly deriving from H. illucens pupal exuviae, can be a viable alternative to crustacean one in safeguarding postharvest fruits

Development and analytical performance of an automated screening method for cannabinoids on the Dimension clinical chemistry system

A fully automated, random access method for the determination of cannabinoids (UTHC) was developed for the Dimension AR and XL clinical chemistry systems. The method utilizes Abuscreen ONLINE reagents and a multianalyte liquid calibrator containing 11-nor-Δ9-THC-9-carboxylic acid. Within-run and total reproducibility, determined using NCCLS protocol EP5- T2, was less than 0.6% and 1.6% CV, respectively, at all concentrations. Calibration stability was retained for at least 30 days. An extensive evaluation of non-structurally related drugs and various physiological substances indicated lack of interference in the method. No sample carry-over was observed following a specimen containing 1886 ng/ml 11-nor-Δ9-THC-9-carboxylic acid. A 99.1% agreement (N = 445 samples) was found between an EMIT based method on the aca discrete clinical analyser and the Dimension UTHC method

Usare la valutazione per accrescere la qualità degli interventi didattici con allievi con bisogni speciali: competenze valutative auto-percepite e percezione della disabilità / Using assessment to increase the quality of educational interventions with pupils with special needs: self-perceived assessment skills and perception of disability

Meeting the needs of students with intellectual disabilities requires the use of evidence-based instructional practices, but also high547 |Ricerche Ricerche level evaluative skills. Assessment can be viewed as a powerful tool for improving classroom instruction and the achievement of students with special needs. However, its effectiveness depends on the beliefs and skills of those who apply it daily in classrooms. This research aimed to investigate whether there was a significant relationship between the sentiments, attitudes and concerns of teachers training on support for inclusive education and self-perceived assessment skills and whether there were differences between those who feel more competent and those who feel less competent in terms of evaluation and evaluation. Research shows how such a relationship is present and how supportive information teachers who feel most competent in assessment and assessment are also those who feel most concerned about how to meet the needs of students with special needs.Soddisfare i bisogni degli studenti con disabilità richiede l’uso di pratiche didattiche basate sull’evidenza, ma anche abilità valutative di elevato livello. La valutazione può essere vista come un potente strumento per migliorare l’istruzione in classe e il raggiungimento degli studenti con bisogni speciali. Tuttavia, la sua efficacia dipende dalle percezioni, atteggiamenti e convinzioni, oltre che dalle capacità di coloro che la applicano quotidianamente nelle classi. Questa ricerca mirava a indagare se esistesse una relazione significativa tra atteggiamenti, sentimenti e preoccupazioni degli insegnanti in formazione sul sostegno verso l’educazione inclusiva e competenze valutative autopercepite e se esistessero differenze tra chi si sente più competente e chi si sente meno competente in fatto di valutazione e di assessment. La ricerca mostra come tale relazione sia presente e come gli insegnanti informazione sul sostegno che si percepiscono maggiormente competenti nella valutazione e nell’assessment siano anche quelli che si sentano maggiormente preoccupati di come soddisfare le necessità di allievi con bisogni speciali