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We analysed exposure to Pb and its relationship with lead-based ammunition in seven species of terrestrial game birds—common woodpigeon (Columba palumbus), rock dove (Columba livia), stock dove (Columba oenas), European turtle-dove (Streptopelia turtur), red-legged partridge (Alectoris rufa), Barbary partridge (Alectoris barbara) and common quail (Coturnix coturnix)—from rural and urban areas in different parts of Spain (Valencia, Castilla-La Mancha, Castilla y León, Madrid, Islas Canarias and Navarra). A total of 530 liver samples were analysed, and the presence of Pb pellets was studied in the crop, gizzard and intestine; the state and appearance of these organs were also analysed. The number of specimens suspected to have ingested Pb shot was 28 (5.6%), and the geometric mean concentration of hepatic Pb was 0.054 μg g−1 (wet weight, ww). A low percentage of samples (4.8%) were above the abnormal exposure threshold (0.65 μg g−1 ww), and, in these specimens, renal Pb concentrations were determined. Common woodpigeons and rock doves from Madrid were found to have high concentrations of Pb in their livers, and, so, both species can be considered to be good bioindicators of Pb contamination in rural (common woodpigeons) and urban (rock doves) environments. Partridges bred for hunting may be more prone to ingesting pellets from the environment, a fact that should be taken into account in management decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Long shelf-life tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) landraces, characterized by carrying the alc allele in the NOR.NAC locus, have been traditionally cultivated in the Mediterranean region. These materials are adapted to open field conditions under low input conditions. However, cultivation under greenhouse is expanding fueled by increasing demand of these traditional tomatoes. We hypothesize that the large diversity in the long shelf-life landraces and derived materials can be exploited for adaptation to these new cultivation conditions. We have evaluated 12 varieties (seven landraces, three selections and two hybrids) carrying the alc mutation under open field (OF) and greenhouse (GH) cultivation, and evaluated them for 52 morphological, agronomic, chemical properties, and chemical composition descriptors. All descriptors, except six morphological ones, were variable. The variety effect was the greatest contributor to variation for most morphological traits, as well as for fruit weight, fruit shape, dry matter, and soluble solids content. However, significant environmental and genotype × environment interaction were found for 36 and 42 descriptors, respectively. Fruits from GH plants had lower weight and firmness and were less red than those from OF. On average, in GH yield was 35% lower and daily fruit weight loss in post-harvest 41% higher than in OF. However, fruits from GH had on average higher dry matter and soluble solids contents, antioxidant activity, glucose, fructose, and ascorbic acid concentrations, but lower contents in lycopene and β-carotene than those from OF. A principal components analysis clearly separated varieties according to the cultivation environment. However, the distribution pattern of varieties within each of the two clusters (GH and OF) was similar, despite the strong G × E interaction for many descriptors. Landraces from the same origin plotted in the same area of each cluster, and selections and hybrids plotted together with the landraces. The results reveal a high impact of the cultivation environment on morphological, agronomic, chemical properties, and chemical composition of Mediterranean long shelf-life traditional tomato varieties. This suggests that breeding programs specifically focused to adaptation to greenhouse conditions should be developed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peppers (Capsicum spp.) are one of the most important vegetables and their double use (vegetable or spice) and two commercial stages (unripe and fully ripe) contributed to their use in many recipes and fast diffusion from America. Nowadays, Spain is a center of diversity for C. annuum, with many landraces, offering a great opportunity for adaptation to organic cultivation. Furthermore, Capsicum peppers contain many bioactive compounds, essential to provide high added-value to these cultivars, especially for organic markets, although knowledge about the effect of organic cultivation on Capsicum fruit quality is still scarce. Here, 37 accessions of Spanish landraces and foreign materials from C. annuum and other species were grown under organic and conventional conditions and evaluated for ascorbic acid (AAC), total phenolics (TP) and total red and yellow/orange carotenoids, considering both ripening stages. A large genotypic variation was found within each ripening stage and growing condition for the studied traits. Also, both stages showed high levels, although fully ripe fruits were the richest. Organic conditions enabled higher levels in fully ripe fruits of AAC and TP on average (135 vs 117 mg·100 g-1 and 232 vs 206 mg·100 g-1) and in most accessions, although the genotype×growing conditions interaction also contributed, but at lower extent, to the observed variation. Significant genotype×ripening stage and growing conditions×ripening stage interactions were also found, suggesting that the magnitude of the increase with ripening depends on the accession and growing conditions. By contrast, there were no differences between growing conditions for carotenoids and differences were mainly due to the genotype factor. Finally, the large genotypic variation and favourable organic conditions allowed identifying several materials from different types and uses with very high levels of bioactive compounds for organic cultivation, in both ripening stages but particularly at fully ripe stage (>500 mg·100 g-1). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Traditional varieties of tomato, usually associated with excellent organoleptic quality, are increasingly appreciated in European qualitymarkets. A collection of 126 populations of 16 traditional varieties from the east of Spain (a secondary diversity center for tomato) have been evaluated over 2 years in order to determine their potential value as sources of functional compounds, including ascorbic acid, lycopene, β-carotene and total phenolic content. RESULTS: Population and population × year interaction significantly affected lycopene and ascorbic acid contents, while year effect was also significant for β-carotene. Despite finding some global trends in certain varieties concerning their functional value, high levels of variationhavebeenfoundat the intra-varietal level. Populations with high levels of the compoundsanalysed have been found, aswell as different levels of intra-population and inter-year variation. Maximum mean contents for both years have reached 308 mg kg-1 ascorbic acid, 130 mg kg-1 lycopene, 30 mg kg-1 β-carotene and 89 mg caffeic acid 100 g-1 total phenolic contents, though it is difficult to identify accessions with joint high values of the three compounds. CONCLUSION: These results open the possibility to promote traditional materials as sources of functional compounds, thus strengthening their quality niches and consolidating their price premium. Additionally, these materials could also be used in breeding programs for quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]