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BACKGROUND Wheat grain ( Triticum aestivum L.) possesses significant amounts of antioxidants that contribute to the dietary antiradical protection against a number of chronic diseases. Despite the increasing interest in organic food among both consumers and scientists, the availability of literature studies concerning the environment effect under organic management is still scarce. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antioxidant properties of wheat varieties by considering the genotype response to different environmental factors under biodynamic management. RESULTS The soluble fraction of phenolic compounds was mainly determined by the environment, whereas a major genotypic effect was observed for the bound forms, which were present at higher amounts in red grain varieties. Moreover, a predominant effect of genotype was observed for yellow pigment content and antioxidant activity determined by the FRAP method. Despite some changes induced by environment, most genotypes had stable antioxidant properties and different phenolic profiles as determined by high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, except for the old variety Inallettabile, which was the most sensitive to environmental fluctuations. CONCLUSION The red grain varieties Andriolo, Gentil rosso and Verna were identified as the most promising breeding material for the development of varieties with high nutraceutical value under low-input management. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Effective pathogen management, as an aspect of agroecological crop protection (ACP) necessitates the replacement of copper (Cu) fungicides, but there is little knowledge relating to the performance of potentially suitable alternatives in large-scale, open-field agricultural settings. The present study was aimed at investigating the potential of Equisetum arvense (horsetail macerate) compared to Cu-based treatments for the control of Solanum lycopersicum. and Triticum turgidum ssp. durum fungal pathogens in established organic commercial farms located in Emilia Romagna (Italy) over a three-year period (2017–2019). Both the Cu-based and horsetail foliar sprays were routinely applied as preventative treatments and in the event of pathogen establishment as curative treatments. The Cu-based and horsetail macerate treatments were both equally effective at significantly reducing Phytophthora infestans (late blight) and increasing yield in tomato compared to the untreated control. For durum wheat, the horsetail macerate and Cu-based treatments were successful at significantly reducing Puccinia triticina (brown rust) infection and increasing yield under moderate infection, but unsuccessful under unfavorable meteorological conditions resulting in the combined and severe spread of Puccinia triticina, Fusarium graminearum, and Zymoseptoria tritici. From the present results, horsetail macerate is a promising and suitable Cu-free ACP alternative for late blight management of tomato. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of ultra-diluted preparations method in agriculture was introduced with agro-homeopathy, which allows to influence biological processes of plants by either accelerating or delaying growth. Moreover, it can contribute to the control of plagues and diseases, directly promoting an increase of the yield and an improvement of product qualitative traits. Since the pioneering works of Kolisko on wheat germination [1] and Junker on growth of microorganisms (paramecium, yeast, fungi) [2], in the last 30 years work has flourished from independent researchers from worldwide (Americas, Europe and Australasia). The international research works on agro-homeopathy can be conceptually divided in two main groups: effects of ultra-diluted preparations on crop growth and applicability for crop disease control. The first type of investigations usually are carried out on both healthy organisms for determining the growth stimulation of treatments and on abiotically stressed plants (i.e. heavy metal over-exposition, salt excess, water and nutrients deficiency) for determining the re-growth stimulation of ultra-dilutions [3,4]. The second type of investigations are usually performed on artificially diseased organisms (i.e. fungal and viral pathogens or nematode infection), which may react more markedly to homeopathic treatments than healthy ones [5]. Unfortunately, on the basis of the extensive critical review of published papers, there is little firm evidence to support the reliability of the reported results. Except for a limited number of publications, the most common drawbacks of agro-homeopathy researches are the poor experimental methodology and the inadequate statistical analysis. Moreover, since there is no agricultural homeopathic pharmacopoeia, much work is required to find suitable remedies, potencies and dose levels. Considering the criticism on the practical applicability of ultra-diluted preparations, in order to be accepted as a valid part of agricultural practices a well-structured research strategy for agro-homeopathy is needed. This is often hampered by methodological problems as well as by the general underinvestment on the academic and nonacademic research structures. Fundamental researches based on collaborative approaches (i.e. ring tests on selected crop models) and on common experimental protocols (i.e. statistical robustness) are the keys for determining the worldwide acceptability of agro-homeopathy as a sustainable agro-technique. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this work is to confirm the theoretical possibility of an epigenetic mechanism shared between EMIT and UHD. The presentation will be divided in three sections: 1. Water aggregates with an electric dipole moment (UHD succussed solutions) as mediators of weak specific bioelectromagnetic signals on target stem cells. Recent experimental works confirm the developing concept of water mediated Electromagnetic Information Transfer (EMIT) of specific molecular signals, picked up from the source biological effector, on target stem cells with evident effect on their proliferation [1]. Similar Electromagnetic (EM) emission and consequences are also reported by the scientific literature on rotational excited aggregates with an electric dipole moment, created in polar liquids by Ultra High Diluted (UHD) or High Diluted (HD) succussed solutions. These aggregates are composed of solvent molecules only or a combination of these and solute particles [2]. 2. DNA mediated physiopathological effects of ELF EMFs In detail, according to the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), the extremely low-frequency (ELF) electromagnetic fields (EMFs) are classified as "possible carcinogenic" based on their effects [3-5], although most scientists agree that they are too weak to kill cells or to cause mutations and thus initiate cancer. Besides the prevailing paradigm of the environmentally-induced acute and chronic diseases involving either cell killing (cytotoxicity) or gene/chromosome mutations (genotoxicity), many studies concerning the biological and health consequences of ELF-EM exposure report that alteration of the expression of genetic information at the transcriptional, translational, or posttranslational levels has the potential to contribute to various diseases. 3. Epigenetic mechanism shared between EMIT and UHDs The latter referred mechanism, denoted as "epigenetic" (that affects gene expression rather than gene structure), is characterized by threshold-like action, multiple biochemical pathways and it needs chronic regular exposures to be effective [6]. Epigenetic factors affect one of four potential cell states, namely alteration of cell proliferation, cell differentiation, programmed cell death (apoptosis) or adaptive responses of differentiated cells, and probably they act as co-inductors of DNA damage rather than as a genotoxic agents per se. At the present time, studies on genomic and functional genetic are identifying many genes and gene variants that potentially modulate the fundamental molecular mechanisms underpinning both physiological and pathological processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: This research aimed at verifying the effects of highly diluted (HD) treatments on cauliflower (Brassica oleracea L.) plants both healthy and inoculated by the fungus Alternaria brassicicola, causing the dark leaf spot disease. In vitro spore germination assays (A), growth chamber experiments (B) and field trials (C) were performed. Material and Methods: (A): spore suspensions were prepared in HD treatments and their inhibiting effect on germination was recorded microscopically after incubation at 25°C for 5 h. (B): the same treatments were tested in plants artificially inoculated with the fungus. The infection level on leaves was blindly evaluated by a previously defined infection scale. (C): the field was divided into plots according to a complete randomized block design. In the first trial (i), plants were artificially inoculated and weekly treated; the infection level was evaluated on cauliflower heads. The second trial (ii) was performed on the same field with the aim to induce a natural infection, mediated by infected crop residues. Measurement endpoints concerned the evaluation of some physiological parameters along with the glucosinolate content on cauliflower heads. Results: (A): arsenic trioxide (As 35x and 35x diluted 1:5000) and Cuprum 5x induced highly significant inhibition of germination rate (-60%) vs. control. (B): As 35x and Cu 3 g/l induced a significant decrease of mean infection level (-50%). (C): in (i), a significant reduction of disease symptoms on heads was recorded for As 35x and Cu 3 g/l (-45%). In (ii) natural fungal infection did not occur due to dry weather conditions; physiological and nutraceutical analyses of healthy heads demonstrated that As 35x induced a significant increase of both head size and glucosinolate content. Discussion: Some evidences on the efficacy of arsenic, at different decimal and centesimal HD, in fungal and viral disease control were previously reported [1]. In the present study the efficacy of HD arsenic in dark leaf spot control in field has been shown for the first time: since fungal inoculation was performed on the leaves before flowering, we can hypothesize that this treatment induced an increase of plant resistance to fungal infection. Conclusions: This research showed the possibility of using HD arsenic in agriculture ("agrohomeopathy"), as it increased both plant resistance to fungal infection and the content of glucosinolates, ie secondary metabolites involved in plant resistance mechanisms [2] and considered as "plant food protection agents" [3]. Acknowledgments: Authors declare there is no conflict of interest. This research has been supported by Marche Region. A grateful acknowledgement to Dr. Leonardo Valenti for his support to this research. The authors thank Laboratoires Boiron srl for the grant awarded to one of the author Dr. Grazia Trebbi. Finally, authors are grateful to Cemon srl for financial support of glucosinolate analyses. We had full access to all the data in this study and we take responsibility for the integrity of the data and the accuracy of the data analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: "Agro-homeopathy" plays an important role in sustainable agriculture providing cost-saving and residue-free plant treatments for the improvement of yield and the management of diseases and pests [1]. However, one of the main difficulties in "agro-homeopathy" is the exact choice of the right remedy and dilution, which requires the performance of many time-consuming trials. The droplet evaporation method could constitute a screening method for evaluating the efficacy of extremely low doses and high dilutions on plants. Droplet patterns prepared out of wheat seed leakages show differences in their complexity in relation to the seed vigour [2]. Here we show that this structure-forming capacity of seed leakages prepared in water or in ultra-high diluted (UHD) solutions may give a reliable picture of the treatment's stimulating or inhibiting influence on plant vitality. Materials and Methods: Part of the seeds was stressed with 0.1% As2O3 (As) aqueous solution [3]. The droplet patterns were prepared out of four samples: non-stressed (ns) seeds in water, ns-seeds in As 45x, stressed (s) seeds in water, s-seeds in As 45x. The experiment was performed in a 3 day repetition, 3 replicates per day, and 5 droplets per each replicate. The resulting patterns were evaluated by means of the ImageJ software [4] for their local connected fractal dimension (LCFD) values. The plant vigour of the four samples was evaluated by means of in vitro wheat growth [5, 6]. Results: The mean LCFD of patterns deriving from s-seeds was significantly lower (1.4, standard error (SE) 0.04) vs. ns-seeds (1.7, SE 0.02). Moreover, for both ns- and s-seeds, the LCFD was significantly higher with treatment As 45x vs. water (1.8, SE 0.05 vs. 1.7, SE 0.03 for ns-seeds, and 1.5, SE 0.04 vs. 1.2, SE 0.05 for s-seeds). The results of the growth test showed a significant vigour decrease caused by As stress (shoot length 19.7mm, SE 1.2) vs. ns-seeds (22.4mm, SE 1.5); a significant stimulating effect following As 45x treatment was observed for both s-seeds (25.1mm, SE 1.1) and ns-seeds (31.4 mm, SE 1.3). Significant differences are at P<0.05. Discussion: The droplet patterns seem to be a sensitive tool for visualizing the effectiveness of UHD on seeds. The experiment showed that the pattern complexity increased with the application of the treatment for both ns- and s-seeds. The growth test provided a further verification of these results Conclusions: Further confirmations are required, but even as it is now the droplet evaporation method may be considered a promising tool for "agro-homeopathic" screening tests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Legumes are a key component of the human diet and a primary source of plant-based protein. They have attracted global attention as potential plant-based meat alternatives due to their numerous health benefits, and they contribute to a more sustainable and healthy food system. Among pulses, peas (Pisum sativum L.) are considered a good source of proteins, fibers, starch, minerals, and vitamins. This study evaluated the effect of environmental conditions on nutritional profile of peas cultivated in an organic farming system, in different Italian environments (mountainous and hilly), during different cultivation years (2021 and 2022). Pea grain from peas cultivated under the various conditions was used to prepare pea-based crackers containing 6% pea flour. The appearance, physical properties (rheology and texture), and nutritional profile of the snacks were evaluated, and sensory analysis was conducted., Results: The nutritional and bioactive compounds were strongly related and the environment exerted a substantial impact on most of the nutritional components (proteins and carbohydrates), due to climatic conditions during the vegetative and reproductive stage of the crop. The incorporation of cultivated peas into wheat-based crackers improved their functional and nutritional quality while maintaining consumer acceptability, as demonstrated by sensory analysis., Conclusions: The results confirmed that growing conditions significantly influence the nutritional composition of peas, enhancing their quality and that of the resulting crackers. This aligns with the increasing global demand for high-quality, sustainable food products. © 2025 The Author(s). Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry., (© 2025 The Author(s). Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.)

Botanical insecticides and soaps are frequently proposed as environmentally safer alternatives to synthetic insecticides. However, the efficacy and selectivity of these products are often only partially supported by empirical evidence. Here, we tested the effectiveness of five botanical insecticides, belonging to different categories, on the green peach aphid Myzus persicae (Sulzer) and their selectivity towards two natural enemies, the ladybird beetle Propylea quatuordecimpunctata (L.) and the parasitoid Aphidius colemani (Dalman). White thyme essential oil (EO), sweet orange EO, crude garlic extract and Marseille soap were tested and compared with a pyrethrin-based commercial product. Both direct spray assays and residual contact assays on treated cabbage leaf disks were carried out. The tested products had low efficacy against aphids when compared to pyrethrins but were in general less detrimental to ladybird beetle larvae, meaning that if applied against other pests, they have a lower chance of harming this agent of aphid biocontrol. Some of the products (soap, orange EO) did, however, show direct exposure toxicity toward ladybird larvae, and thyme EO had extensive phytotoxic effects on cabbage leaves, possibly indirectly leading to higher mortality in ladybird adults. These results underline the necessity for case-by-case evaluations of botanical insecticides.

Aiming to shed light on the biology of wild ruminants, we investigated the gut microbiome seasonal dynamics of the Alpine ibex ( Capra ibex ) from the Central Italian Alps. Feces were collected in spring, summer, and autumn during non-invasive sampling campaigns. Samples were analyzed by 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing, shotgun metagenomics, as well as targeted and untargeted metabolomics. Our findings revealed season-specific compositional and functional profiles of the ibex gut microbiome that may allow the host to adapt to seasonal changes in available forage, by fine-tuning the holobiont catabolic layout to fully exploit the available food. Besides confirming the importance of the host-associated microbiome in providing the phenotypic plasticity needed to buffer dietary changes, we obtained species-level genome bins and identified minimal gut microbiome community modules of 11-14 interacting strains as a possible microbiome-based solution for the bioconversion of lignocellulose to high-value compounds, such as volatile fatty acids., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024 The Authors.)

Research on the efficacy of innovative, ecofriendly biostimulants in sport turf management is scarce, with less information available from open-field experiments, and even less pertaining to thatch control-related problems. The objective was to investigate the open-field effectiveness of a commercial product, EM-1, and two newly developed products, ExpA and ExpB, in improving both rhizosphere and turfgrass, Agrostis stoloniferous L., characteristics on a golf green. ExpA and ExpB, identical in microbial composition, were equally effective in significantly increasing chlorophyll synthesis and visual turf quality, as well as in resistance to tearing out, compared to the untreated control 56 days after treatment (DAT). EM-1 showed intermediate trends between the control and novel biostimulants. The inclusion of humic acids and mycorrhizal fungi to the microbial composition in ExpB significantly improved some rhizosphere properties 56 DAT relative to the control. Results on ExpB evidenced a significant decrease in the thatch layer thickness and fresh leaf weight, associated with a significant increase in the humus thickness, organic matter decomposition and evapotranspiration efficiency. An increased dry leaf biomass was also shown. ExpA and EM-1 showed either marginal or intermediate improvements relative to the control. ExpB represents a promising alternative to alleviate negative environmental impacts associated with turf maintenance-related activities.

Several Triticum species spread in cultivation in Sicily and neighboring regions over the centuries, which led to the establishment of a large genetic diversity. Many ancient varieties were widely cultivated until the beginning of the last century before being replaced by modern varieties. Recently, they have been reintroduced in cultivation in Sicily. Here, the genetic diversity of 115 and 11 accessions from Sicily and Calabria, respectively, belonging to Triticum species was evaluated using a high-density SNP array. Einkorn, emmer, and spelta wheat genotypes were used as outgroups for species and subspecies; five modern varieties of durum and bread wheat were used as references. A principal coordinates analysis (PCoA) and an unweighted pair group method with arithmetic mean (UPGMA) showed four distinct groups among Triticum species and T. turgidum subspecies. The population structure analysis distinguished five gene pools, among which three appeared private to the T. aestivum, T. turgidum subsp. Turgidum, and 'Timilia' group. The principal component analysis (PCA) displayed a bio-morphological trait relationship of a subset (110) of ancient wheat varieties and their wide variability within the T. turgidum subsp. durum subgroups. A discriminant analysis of principal components (DAPC) and phylogenetic analyses applied to the four durum wheat subgroups revealed that the improved varieties harbored a different gene pool compared to the most ancient varieties. The 'Russello' and 'Russello Ibleo' groups were distinguished; both displayed higher genetic variability compared to the 'Timilia' group accessions. This research represents a comprehensive approach to fingerprinting the old wheat Sicilian germplasm, which is useful in avoiding commercial fraud and sustaining the cultivation of landraces and ancient varieties.

Background: The gastrointestinal tract establishes a barrier between the external and internal compartments. When this barrier is disrupted, an inflammatory cascade promotes intestinal inflammation and the development of several intestinal diseases. Plant-derived polyphenols are health-promoting phytochemicals with a role in the regulation of the intestinal barrier and in the prevention of intestinal inflammatory diseases. Modern wheat-breeding programs have been focused primarily on yield improvement rather than nutritional and functional proprieties. Research that aims to characterize the phytochemical profile of wheat varieties and their healthy proprieties could therefore provide new prospects for the genetic improvement of the genus Triticum. In the present work, the effects of phenolic compounds extracted from nine soft and seven durum wheat varieties were studied for their polyphenol content and antioxidant activity. Experiments were conducted to study their effects on cell proliferation and wound healing in three different cell lines: mouse fibroblasts (L929), intestinal human cells (Caco2), and human monocytes (U937)., Results: Discriminant analysis evidenced differences between soft and durum wheat phenolic compounds. Among the soft varieties, it was possible to identify clusters in which ancient wheat varieties showed different properties from modern ones, whereas no evident clusters were detected among durum varieties., Conclusion: Taken together, these results suggest that the selection of specific wheat grains based on their nutritional parameters will help in the design of diets with protective effects against chronic and inflammatory diseases. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry., (© 2019 Society of Chemical Industry.)