Search Results (75)

FLOWERING LOCUS T (FT) is a key integrator of flowering pathways. White lupin, a grain legume, encodes four FT homologs: LalbFTa1, LalbFTa2, LalbFTc1, and LalbFTc2. Widespread distribution of white lupin implies diverse phenological adaptations to contrasting ecosystems. Recent studies highlighted associations between FT indels and flowering regulation. Therefore, we surveyed the global white lupin collection for the presence of such indels and potential links to phenology. A panel of 626 white lupin genotypes, representing several European and African agro-climates, was phenotyped under a long-day photoperiod in a two-year study, showing up to 80 days of flowering time difference between early landraces from Eastern Mediterranean and late accessions from France, Madeira, the Canaries, Greece, Italy, and the Azores. As many as seventeen indel variants were identified for LalbFTc1, twelve for LalbFTa2, nine for LalbFTa1, and four for LalbFTc2, yielding roughly three hundred allelic combinations. Significant correlations with phenology were confirmed for one LalbFTa1 indel and twelve LalbFTc1 indels. A large, highly correlated LalbFTc1 indel was revealed to be conserved among all domesticated Old World lupins, carrying all FTc1-promoter candidate binding sites of the same major floral repressor, AGAMOUS-LIKE 15. A small LalbFTa1 indel, providing additional contribution to earliness, showed homology between white and yellow lupins. LalbFTc1 indel-based PCR markers revealed high discriminatory power towards early (PR_42a and PR_71b) or late (PR_58c, PR_36b, PR_80, and PR_60b) flowering. Full article

The globe artichoke (Cynara cardunculus L. var. scolymus) is a Mediterranean crop valued for its edible capitula and bioactive compounds. Post-harvest residual leaves are among the main by-products of artichoke cultivation and remain largely underutilized. This study reports a comprehensive characterization of the residual leaves of Carciofo di Malegno, an Alpine artichoke landrace. Comparative analysis was conducted against leaves from two commercial cultivars and a commercial herbal tea product. HPLC analysis revealed that Carciofo di Malegno exhibited the lowest levels of secondary metabolites. Cynaropicrin content was 0.52 ± 0.03 mg/g, lower than in the commercial samples, while the phenolic compounds were below the quantification limit. Proximate analysis indicated a distinctive nutritional profile, with significantly higher ash (8.01 ± 0.04%) and crude fiber (35.75 ± 0.29%) contents compared to all reference samples. These findings highlight the potential of Carciofo di Malegno residual leaves as a sustainable source of nutrients for functional food and nutraceutical applications. Their low content of bitter sesquiterpene lactones may enhance palatability, supporting their valorisation within circular economy frameworks. Moreover, their use may contribute to the in situ conservation of this landrace, reinforcing the link between agrobiodiversity preservation and the sustainable exploitation of agricultural by-products. Full article

The fig (Ficus carica L.) is one of the oldest fruit crops cultivated in arid and semi-arid regions, valued for both its nutritional and economic importance; thus, ensuring sustainable fig production under climate change conditions is very important, as water scarcity increasingly affects fruit quality and production. Selecting and preserving resilient varieties among traditional varieties, representing centuries of local adaptation, is a vital strategy for addressing the challenges driven by climate change. In this context, this study assessed the physiological and biochemical parameters of the leaves of four fig landrace varieties (Fassi, Ghouddane, Nabout, and Ounq Hmam) grown in three different Mediterranean transitional zones of northern Morocco (Chefchaouen, Taounate, and Taza), during a single timepoint assessment conducted in late August 2023. The combined effects of location, variety, and their interactions on chlorophyll fluorescence (F_v/F_m), Soil Plant Analysis Development (SPAD) index, total chlorophyll content (ChlT), canopy temperature depression (CTD), proline content, protein content, total soluble sugar (TSS), hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), and malondialdehyde (MDA) were determined. Significant variation was observed among varieties and locations, with the location effect being observed for proline content, protein content, TSS, CTD, and ChlT, while variety had a stronger influence on SPAD, F_v/F_m, H₂O₂, and MDA. The results showed that Nabout and Ounq Hmam varieties had the greatest photosynthetic efficiency, as indicated by their elevated SPAD index, ChlT, and F_v/F_m values, and showed lower sensitivity to oxidative stress (low proline content, H₂O₂, and MDA levels). In contrast, Ghouddane and Fassi displayed better stress tolerance, presenting higher levels of oxidative stress markers. Among locations, Chefchaouen showed the highest protein, TSS, H₂O₂, and MDA levels, reflecting active stress tolerance mechanisms. These variations were confirmed by principal component analysis, which revealed a clear separation between photosynthetically efficient varieties (Nabout and Ounq Hmam) and stress-tolerant varieties (Ghouddane and Fassi). More than a conventional crop physiology study, this work highlights the adaptive strategies in traditional Mediterranean fig germplasm that could be crucial for climate change adaptation. While our findings are limited to a single season, they offer valuable, practical insights that can inform grower decision-making in the near term, especially when considered alongside local knowledge and additional research. Full article

Brassica rapa L. subsp. sylvestris L. Janch. var. esculenta Hort., commonly known as Friariello Napoletano, is a traditional Italian landrace valued for its distinctive flavor, nutritional richness, and cultural relevance in Mediterranean cuisine. The present study investigates the biochemical changes during postharvest storage at two temperatures (4 °C and 10 °C) for 2 and 20 days in its inflorescences and leaves. The experiment aimed to evaluate the evolution of primary and secondary metabolites, with a focus on pigments, amino acids, antioxidants, and glucosinolates. Significant degradation of chlorophylls was observed, particularly in leaves, with reductions of over 90% after 20 days at both temperatures. Conversely, α-tocopherol content increased significantly, especially in inflorescences, indicating an antioxidant response to storage stress. Amino acid analysis revealed a sharp decline in glutamate (up to 79%) and glutamine (up to 83%) in leaves, while proline levels increased across both tissues, reflecting an osmoprotective response. Essential amino acids (EAAs) showed variable responses, with certain EAAs, such as histidine and phenylalanine, accumulating under specific storage conditions. Soluble sugars, starch, and glucosinolates also decreased significantly, with soluble sugars dropping by 87% in inflorescences and 90% in leaves after 20 days at 10 °C. Pathway analysis revealed distinct tissue-specific metabolic responses, with inflorescences exhibiting more stable antioxidant levels and greater resilience to oxidative stress compared to leaves. These findings provide insights into the metabolic adjustments during postharvest senescence and may support future strategies aimed at preserving shelf life and nutritional quality of this traditional Mediterranean vegetable. Full article

Lycium barbarum L. is a shrub native to China. It produces berries that are high in nutraceutical value. Its commercial appeal has led to the development of new plantations in Italy over recent decades. The majority of cultivated goji plants are derived from local nursery seedlings without the selection of varieties or clones. This study used nine simple sequence repeats (SSRs) from Lycium chinense L. to analyze the genetic structure and variability of heterogeneous, seed-derived accessions cultivated in an orchard located in central Italy (from here on referred to as field). The results were compared to accessions of known origin (LB, Lycium barbarum; LC, Lycium chinense). The study aimed to determine the genetic origin of seedlings and assess the feasibility of using microsatellite markers for individual fingerprinting. It also aimed to propagate the most adapted, productive plants while ensuring traceability and protection of potential clones throughout the production chain. The SSR markers used revealed that the field accessions were genetically distinct from both the L. barbarum and L. chinense accessions, whose seeds came from different European Botanical Gardens. The mean observed heterozygosity (H_o) across the three groups was 0.356, higher than the mean expected heterozygosity (H_e) of 0.314. The values of the inbreeding coefficient (F_IS) ranged from −0.25 (field) to 0.05 (LC), confirming the high genetic variability in our dataset. The fixation index (F_ST) was 0.234, indicating medium to high genetic differentiation. The Bayesian analysis revealed three distinct clusters, indicating that three gene pools influenced the genetic structure of the studied populations. The orchard accessions form a distinct population, most likely a L. barbarum landrace, descended from two distinct ancestral populations that differ from the two known species. Our findings preliminarily lay the groundwork for the protection of some clonal lines of goji accessions for use in future planting more suited to the Mediterranean climate. This study also serves as a foundation for a more thorough characterization of cultivated L. barbarum, allowing for traceability and sustainable management of the genetic resource. Full article

The availability and quality of organic seeds are critical challenges for organic farming, with nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) being crucial for improving productivity. This study, part of the H2020 BRESOV project, assessed the effects of three nutritional protocols (NPs) on eight broccoli genotypes (GEs), comprising two commercial F1 hybrids and six Sicilian landraces. The tested NPs included formulations containing Trichoderma species, organic nitrogen, and essential micronutrients such as iron, zinc, carbon, boron, manganese, molybdenum, and zinc. This trial was conducted on an organic farm in Adrano (CT). Plants were evaluated for key traits related to growth, development, and seed production. NUE was analyzed to measure the efficiency of nitrogen conversion from soil into seed production. Significant interactions between NPs and GEs were observed for all seed yield components and most morphometric traits, except for secondary branches and root width, varying significantly only among the tested genotypes. The Sicilian landraces Broccolo nero and Sparaceddi showed the highest seed yield, overcoming the productive performances of the commercial hybrids F₁ Marathon and Gentleman. Broccolo nero, grown using amino acid microbial consortia applied solely via fertigation (NP1), exhibited the highest NUE, indicating a positive nitrogen balance relative to seed yield and soil nitrogen content. Principal component analysis (PCA) grouped the genotypes into five distinct clusters based on the analyzed bio-morphometric traits and on the effect of the treatment. The Broccolo nero and Sparaceddi genotypes formed two distinct groups, clearly differentiated by their unique morphological traits related to plant biomass and seed production. Additionally, both genotypes exhibited distinct responses to the applied nutrition protocols, with positive results compared to the control condition. These results underscore the potential of the broccoli landraces for organic farming and breeding due to their adaptability, resilience, and superior NUE. Full article

Vegetable production worldwide is heavily influenced by climate change. We aimed to determine the responses of some local tomato landraces from Mediterranean countries pre-selected as drought tolerant according to previous screening tests at an early stage. Three irrigation approaches were applied: Full irrigation (Ir-Full), Deficit 1 (Ir-Def1), and Deficit 2 (Ir-Def2) irrigation. Drought stress was simulated via controlled irrigation deficit, reducing the amount of water applied by 35% and 50% in Ir-Def1 and Ir-Def2, respectively. Plant growth, yield, some fruit physicochemical properties, water consumption, and water use efficiency were measured. The results revealed that water deficit adversely affected total and marketable yields, plant growth, and biomass while enhancing some specific quality parameters. Landrace responses varied across different levels of water deficit. Among the tested tomato landraces, ‘Valldemossa’, ‘Chondrokats’, and ‘TR62367’ exhibited strong yield performance, with up to 4 kg m⁻² under water-limited conditions, whereas ‘Cherry-INRAE 1’, ‘Cherry-INRAE 3’, and ‘Cherry-INRAE 4’ excelled in fruit quality attributes, reaching up to 9.3% Brix, 14.07 mg 100 g⁻¹ vitamin C, 7.77 mg GAE 100 g⁻¹ total phenols, and 75.74 µmol TE g⁻¹ antioxidant activity. The amount of water could be reduced by 35% without compromising yield or quality in the most drought-tolerant landraces. Full article

Wheat landraces are locally adapted populations that are suitable for low-input agronomic management and constraining pedo-climatic conditions. The productivity of landraces under high-input and optimal conditions is usually lower than modern wheat varieties. The present study compared the response of Sicilian wheat landraces and modern varieties to organic management, including organic fertilization, and conventional management, including mineral fertilization and chemical weed control, under rainfed condition and supplementary irrigation in a field trial conducted on a xerofluvent soil in a semiarid Mediterranean climate. Modern varieties were on average more productive than landraces, although certain landraces achieved comparable yields, in particular under organic management. The increase in grain yield under conventional management in comparison with the organic management was higher for modern varieties than landraces. The loss of productivity in rainfed conditions was lower for landraces compared to modern varieties. The grain quality traits were similar between landraces and modern varieties and in both cases the conventional management led to an improvement of the traits. These findings highlight the resilience and adaptability of traditional wheat landraces to low-input agricultural systems and offer valuable insights into improving the sustainability and productivity of wheat production in Mediterranean environments. Full article

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) is a widely cultivated horticultural crop. It belongs to the Solanaceae family and is known for its high concentration of essential nutrients, including vitamins, minerals, and bioactive compounds with antioxidant properties. The Mediterranean countries, including Italy, Spain, and Greece, have a diverse range of tomato landraces. Assessing the nutritional and bioactive composition of different tomato varieties and their ripening stages is crucial to determine their suitability for the market. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of ripening on nutritional composition (including carotenoids and polyphenols content) and antioxidant activities of fruits of three specific tomato varieties grown in Spain: Josefina and Karelya, which are cherry-like tomatoes, and Muchamiel, a type of salad tomato. In addition to evaluating their characteristics and composition (including carotenoids and polyphenol content), the antioxidant activities of these varieties at three different ripening stages were quantified. As expected, the results reveal that, as the tomatoes matured, their antioxidant capacity increased along with higher levels of carotenoids and polyphenols. Interestingly, cherry-like tomatoes showed a higher antioxidant activity than the salad tomatoes. This investigation emphasizes the role of fruit ripening in increasing carotenoid levels, which contribute to the antioxidant activity of three tomato varieties. Full article

Wheat landraces are traditional varieties that have evolved over generations in response to local environments and farming practices and therefore exhibit remarkable adaptability to challenging climatic conditions and low-input farming systems. While the suitability of Mediterranean landraces to non-optimal climatic conditions during anthesis and grain ripening stage have been previously assessed, the role of photosynthesis efficiency and stomatal control on this resilience remains unexplored. This study aims to evaluate the relationship between grain yield and the post-anthesis flag leaf gas exchanges of Sicilian wheat landraces under irrigated and rainfed conditions and to compare these traits to modern durum (Triticum turgidum subsp. durum) and bread wheat (T. aestivum) varieties. Results indicate that wheat landraces respond to water availability similarly to modern varieties, reducing stomatal conductance by 26.8% and net photosynthesis by 18.1% under rainfed conditions, resulting in 10.6% lower grain yield compared to irrigated conditions. However, some landraces demonstrate comparable or even higher flag leaf net photosynthesis rates and lower transpiration levels, leading to higher yields in both rainfed and irrigated conditions, confirming their value as a source of gene pool for wheat breeding programs in drought-prone Mediterranean regions. Full article

Lupin species provide essential nutrients and bioactive compounds. Within pulses, they have one of the highest contents of proteins and fibers and are among the poorest in carbohydrates. The Mediterranean region is an important cradle area of the origin and domestication of cultivated white lupin (Lupinus albus L.). In this work, we present the characterization of 19 white lupin landraces collected from several sites in southern Italy, characterized by different pedoclimatic conditions. The protein contents and electrophoretic patterns, total polyphenols, phytic acid, lipids and phosphorous content, and reducing and anti-tryptic activities have been determined for each landrace. The relationships of the compositional characteristics, the area of origin of landraces and between compositional characteristics and thermo-pluviometric trends that occurred in the genotype comparison field during the two-year period between 2019 and 2020 are compared and discussed. From a nutritional point of view, some of the analyzed landraces differ from the commercial reference. The panel of molecular analyses performed can help in building an identity card for the grain to rapidly identify those varieties with the desired characteristics. Full article

Landraces and indigenous varieties comprise valuable sources of crop species diversity. Their utilization in plant breeding may lead to increased yield and enhanced quality traits, as well as resilience to various abiotic and biotic stresses. Recently, new approaches based on the rapid advancement of genomic technologies such as deciphering of pangenomes, multi-omics tools, marker-assisted selection (MAS), genome-wide association studies (GWAS), and CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing greatly facilitated the exploitation of landraces in modern plant breeding. In this paper, we present a comprehensive overview of the implementation of new genomic technologies and highlight their importance in pinpointing the genetic basis of desirable traits in landraces and indigenous varieties of annual, perennial herbaceous, and woody crop species cultivated in the Mediterranean region. The need for further employment of advanced -omic technologies to unravel the full potential of landraces and indigenous varieties underutilized genetic diversity is also indicated. Ultimately, the large amount of genomic data emerging from the investigation of landraces and indigenous varieties reveals their potential as a source of valuable genes and traits for breeding. The role of landraces and indigenous varieties in mitigating the ongoing risks posed by climate change in agriculture and food security is also highlighted. Full article

Soil salinity caused by climate change is a major global issue, especially in regions like the Mediterranean basin. Most commercially cultivated horticultural species, including pepper, are considered to be salt sensitive. However, some underutilized genotypes exhibit high adaptability to adverse environmental conditions, without compromising yield. This study aimed to investigate the effects of salinity stress on the yield, nutrition, and fruit quality of four pepper landraces: JO 109 (Capsicum annuum var. grossum), JO 204 (Capsicum annuum var. grossum), JO 207 (Capsicum annuum var. grossum), and ‘Florinis’. The California cultivar ‘Yolo Wonder’ and the commercial F₁ hybrid ‘Sammy RZ‘ were used as controls. The experiment was conducted in the greenhouse facilities of the Laboratory of Vegetable Production at the Agricultural University of Athens. Half of the plants were exposed to a nutrient solution containing NaCl at a concentration that could maintain the NaCl level in the rhizosphere at 30 mM (salt-treated plants), while the remaining plants were irrigated with a nutrient solution containing 0.5 mM NaCl (control plants). Yield and yield quality attributes, such as firmness, titratable acidity (TA), total soluble solids content (TSSC), fruit height, and diameter were recorded. The results revealed that the landraces were more tolerant to salinity than the commercial varieties ‘Yolo Wonder’ and ‘Sammy RZ’. Moreover, subjecting pepper plants to increased salinity resulted in increased fruit quality, manifested by an increase in TSSC and TA. Full article

The intensive agriculture that is used in many countries has led to a reduction in biodiversity and the deterioration of the environment. Therefore, it is important to increase the adoption of cropping systems with high biodiversity. The objectives of the present study were the following: 1. assess the performance and sustainability of novel highly diversified production systems compared to the current traditional system and 2. provide quantitative economic and ecosystem service information for farmers, extension workers, and policy makers in order to support the development of sustainable and resilient high species cultivar/landrace diversification (HSD) production systems. The rotation of wheat–pea–barley was a system with low energy inputs and high outputs, significantly increasing the energy efficiency. Also, the same system demonstrated better economic and environmental indices, making it a suitable cropping system for Mediterranean areas. Full article

Aside from plant breeding and agricultural inputs, understanding and interpreting the Genotype × Environment (G × E) interaction has contributed significantly to the increase in wheat yield. In Central Macedonia, Greece, fifteen commercially important durum wheat cultivars and one landrace were tested in six cultivation environments classified into high- and low- productivity environments. This study aimed to identify the most productive and stable durum wheat genotypes across Mediterranean farming systems through a comparative examination of genotype plus genotype by environment (GGE) biplot alongside fifteen parametric and non-parametric stability models. In the organic (low productivity) environment, cultivar Zoi and the landrace Lemnos showed remarkable results, indicating a potential solution for biological agriculture. For the late-sowing (low productivity) environment, some widespread varieties such as Mexicali-81, Meridiano, and Maestrale had excellent performance, showing potential to overcome more adverse conditions during critical grain filling periods such as higher air temperature and deficient soil moisture, i.e., conditions that correlate with climate change. Evaluation of genotypes in all environments for a combination of high yield and stable production, showed that the best genotypes were G8 (Simeto), G2 (Canavaro), and G12 (Elpida). In the subgroup with the three high-productivity environments, G12 (Elpida), G8 (Simeto), and G6 (Mexicali-81) were the best genotypes, followed by G2 (Canavaro), while in the low-productivity subgroup, the G2 (Canavaro), G13 (Zoi) and G8 (Simeto) genotypes were the best. Full article