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Mushrooms contain many bioactive compounds, mainly poly- and oligosaccharides, known to have benefits for human health. Polysaccharides from mushrooms exhibited immunomodulatory, antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal properties, as well as antitumor activity. Furthermore, some mushrooms showed to have potent antioxidant properties due to the presence of phenolic acids, flavonoids, polysaccharides, carotenoids, ascorbic acid, and tocopherols. These beneficial properties of mushrooms bioactive compounds indicate their potential use as performance-enhancing natural feed additives for livestock animals. In this regard, the use of mushrooms and mushroom-derived products has largely been investigated in the feeding of poultry species, showing positive effects on immune system, microbial and parasite control in the intestines, antioxidant protection, and overall animal health and production. Until now, however, few studies have reported the effects of mushroom-based diets on the health status and productive responses of ruminant livestock animals. Accordingly, a study was undertaken to evaluate the effects of diets supplemented with fungus myceliated grains (FMG) fed to dairy ewes on intestinal parasite control, milk production and fatty acid (FA) profile, and cheese oxidative stability. During an 8-week period, 21 Valle del Belice ewes were divided into 3 homogeneous groups which were fed with hay ad libitum and 1.3 kg/day per ewe of one of 3 isoproteic and isofibrous concentrates containing faba bean (50%), barley (30%) and sorghum grains (20%), these latter included as FMG or non-myceliated grains; accordingly, the FMG were supplied at levels of 20% (FMG20), 10% (FMG10) or 0% (FMG0). FMG were prepared by incubating sterile sorghum grains with mycelia of selected mushrooms at 25°C for 8 weeks, then they were dried at 60°C for 24 h and stored at 4°C until used. The ewes fed FMG20 diet showed comparable dry matter (DM) and nutrients intake, a reduction in intestinal parasite infection, a tendency towards increased milk yield, and a higher milk casein content (4.8% vs 4.3% and 4.3% in FMG20, FMG10 and FMG0; P

Risultati molto diversificati con forti variazioni tra le località della Rete. Sono stati realizzati 4 campi sperimentali al Nord, 4 al Centro e 5 al Sud e Isole, con una produttività media per ciascun areale rispettivamente di: 5,9; 4 e 4,7 t/ha. Produttività eccellenti in provincia di Sassari dove si è ottenuta la punta maggiore di 10,3 t/ha per la varietà Ramdam.

Wheat bran (WB), an inexpensive by-product widely available in southern Italy, is largely used as component of feed for ruminants, contributing to decrease the use of food suitable for human consumption, thus to improve the sustainability of livestock production. However, the potential benefits of WB, due to its content in polyphenolic compounds, mainly consisted of ferulic acid, in improving rumen conditions and the antioxidant balance of animals, and also providing animal products with functional properties, are not yet well known. Accordingly, this experiment was carried out for 100 days with 36 lactating Italian Simmental cows divided into 3 groups receiving one of 3 concentrates including WB at 0% (WB0), 10% (WB10) or 20% (WB20), formulated to be isoenergetic and isoproteic. During the trial, the group feed intake and the individual milk production were monitored, and cheesemaking of bulk milk were carried out. The diet did not affect milk yield, which was similar among groups throughout the trial. Milk from WB20 group resulted slightly higher in protein and casein, probably promoted by a greater microbial protein synthesis in the rumen, and consequently showed higher clotting time and curd firmness (a2r). In WB20 cows, the higher intake of WB polyphenols, especially ferulic acid, was responsible of a higher blood content of polyphenols, which has had an impact on reactive oxygen metabolites (ROMs), resulted significantly lower in WB20 group than WB0 cows. WB20 cheeses showed, compared to WB0 cheeses, a tendency to have greater total polyphenol content, lower number of peroxides and higher antioxidant capacity, measured as FRAP. The WB20 diet, due to the low cost of WB, reduced the feeding cost for each cow and for kg of milk yield, in comparison with the WB0 diet. In addition, the WB20 group showed the best indexes heFCE (human edible feed conversion efficiency = milk/human edible feed) and NFP (net food production = human edible food - milk), expressed in terms of crude protein or gross energy. In conclusion, the WB ingested by dairy cows at a level of about 12% of total DM intake, as occurred in this experiment with WB20 diet, seems lead to several benefits, such as the improvement of oxidative status of cows, milk quality, shelf-life characteristics and nutraceutical properties of cheese, as well as it can contribute to reduce the feeding cost per unit of product, and limit the human-animal competition for feeding sources.

Scorpiurus muricatus L. (prickly scorpion’s tail) is a legume species widely distributed as a spontaneous plant in Mediterranean pastures. In Sicily, farmers ascribe to this species a very high palatability and galactogogue effect, so that its abundance increases the value of the pasture. However, despite its worthy traits, the use of S. muricatus as a forage within cropping systems has not been well investigated. A field experiment was performed during two growing seasons in a semiarid Mediterranean environment to acquire information on the productivity of S. muricatus in comparison with other forage species grown in Mediterranean areas (e.g. berseem clover, burr medic, subterranean clover) and on its response to different cutting managements (cuts made in different phenological stages). Results showed that S. muricatus can provide biomass yield similar to, and in some cases higher than, that of the other forage legumes evaluated, differing from these species in its temporal distribution of the biomass accumulation. The findings contribute to define the role that S. muricatus could play in improving the productivity sustainability of the Mediterranean forage systems.

The beneficial properties of mushrooms bioactive compounds indicate their potential use as performance enhancing natural additive for livestock animals. This paper reports the preliminary results of a research on the effects of diets supplemented with fungus myceliated grains (FMG) to lactating ewes in terms of intestinal parasites control, milk production and cheese oxidative stability. During 8 weeks, 21 ewes were divided into 3 groups fed with hay ad libitum and 1.3 kg/day per head of one of 3 concentrates with 0, 10 or 20% of FMG. In front of analogous DM and nutrients intake, the ewes fed FMG at higher levels showed a reduction of intestinal parasite infection, a tendency to improve milk yield and a higher milk casein content. The increase of FMG in the diet was responsible of production of cheeses with a lower secondary lipid oxidation and a higher antioxidant capacity, suggesting a major oxidative stability of cheese fat and an enrichment of cheese in antioxidant compounds induced by the FMG. These preliminary results appear to be promising, and further investigations are recommended.

La scarsità di precipitazioni ha determinato una maggiore sanità della granella dalla ruggine gialla e bruna in generale in tutta Italia. Le produzioni sono risultate di 7,4 t/ha al Nord, 5,2 al Centro (entrambe maggiori del 2016, dove risultavano, rispettivamente, di 6,5 e 4,6 t/ha) e di 4,4 t/ha al Sud e Isole, leggermente inferiore al 2016 (4,6 t/ha)

La crescente attenzione dei consumatori per gli alimenti funzionali ha stimolato le ricerche su nuovi tipi di pasta ottenuti con ingredienti in grado di migliorarne l’attività antiossidante, il profilo amminoacidico o il contenuto di acidi grassi polinsaturi e fibre, con risultati, però, non sempre soddisfacenti a causa di alterazioni delle proprietà tecnologiche e sensoriali della pasta (consistenza, tenuta alla cottura, odori e sapori inusuali). La crusca di grano duro contiene numerosi composti bioattivi, tra cui fenoli, carotenoidi e tococromanoli, che possono essere estratti con tecnologie green e reintegrati nell’impasto per ottenere prodotti con caratteristiche simili alla pasta tradizionale ma con elevata attività antiossidante. Questa strategia, definibile “da grano a grano”, è stata utilizzata con successo impiegando estratti idrofili o lipofili di crusca. In questo lavoro i risultati conseguiti sino ad ora sono riassunti e criticamente revisionati. The increasing interest of consumers towards functional foods has induced researches aimed to obtain new pasta types by using ingredients able to improve antioxidant activity, amino acid or fatty acid profile, and soluble fiber content. However, the results have not been satisfactory in all cases, due to frequently observed anomalous odor and taste or decreased consistency. Durum wheat bran contains several bioactive compounds, such as phenolics, carotenoids, and tocochromanols, which can be extracted by means of green technologies. To preserve as much as possible the sensory features of pasta, an interesting strategy, that can be referred to as “from wheat to wheat”, is to enrich and functionalize pasta with durum wheat bran extracts. The aim of this work has been to resume and review the results obtained by the studies aimed to obtain functional pasta, focusing in particular on those based on this strategy.

Background Chylothorax is a life-threatening pathological condition associated with significant morbidity and mortality. If chyle leakage does not close spontaneously with medical therapy, surgical treatment is inevitable. Herein, we reported a case of spontaneous persistent chylothorax from mediastinal seminoma that was successfully closed between the descending thoracic aorta, and the vertebral column through a left mini-thoracotomy. Case presentation A 24-year old man with mediastinal seminoma was referred to our attention for management of high output persistent chylothorax (> 800 ml/24 h for 30 days) that did not close with conservative treatment. As the leak was isolated within left upper chest cavity, we planned to close the thoracic duct via Poirier’s triangle by uniportal thoracoscopy. However, the long conservative treatment favoured the formation of multiple, tenacious, and bleeding adhesions that made unfeasible thoracoscopy. A conversion to mini-thoracotomy was performed; by the incision of the posterior parietal pleura, the thoracic duct was isolated and ligated behind the thoracic aorta, in an anatomical space delimited by the 4th and the 5th posterior intercostal arteries and the vertebral column. Conclusions Complete resolution of chylothorax was obtained the day after. Patient was discharged on post-operative day 5, and no recurrence was observed during the follow-up. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s13019-019-0917-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

International audience; This work was performed to investigate on the yeast ecology of durum wheat to evaluate the interaction between kernel yeasts and the commercial baker's yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae during dough leavening. Yeast populations were studied in 39 genotypes of durum wheat cultivated in Sicily. The highest level of kernel yeasts was 2.9 Log CFU/g. A total of 413 isolates was collected and subjected to phenotypic and genotypic characterization. Twenty-three yeast species belonging to 11 genera have been identified. Filobasidium oeirense, Sporobolomyces roseus and Aureobasidium pullulans were the species most commonly found in durum wheat kernels. Doughs were co-inoculated with yeasts isolated from wheat kernels and commercial Saccharomyces cerevisiae, in order to evaluate the interactions between yeasts and the leavening performance. Yeast populations of all doughs have been monitored as well as dough volume increase and weight loss (as CO2) measured after 2 h of fermentation. The doughs whose final volume was higher than control dough (inoculated exclusively with S. cerevisiae) were those inoculated with Naganishia albida, Vishniacozyma dimennae (118 mL each), and Candida parapsilosis (102 mL). The weight losses were variable, depending on the co-culture used with S. cerevisiae and the values were in the range of 0.08-1.00 g CO2/100 g. The kernel yeasts species C. parapsilosis, N. albida, P. terrestris, R. mucilaginosa and V. dimennae deserves future attention to be co-inoculated with the commercial starter S. cerevisiae in order to improve the sensory characteristics of bread.

The onion is one of the most widespread bulb vegetables worldwide. Onion cultivation is common in Sicily, as is the use of local genotypes. Cultivation practices are of particular interest in optimizing yield, quality, and profits. The aim of this study was to assess the agronomic response of a Sicilian landrace (Bianca Calda di Comiso, coded L1) and a commercial variety (Bianca di Maggio, coded V1) to different planting dates and N fertilization rates. An economic appraisal was also performed. The two genotypes were assessed using an experimental split-split-plot design with four levels of nitrogen rates (0, 80, 160, and 220 kg N ha−1) and two different planting dates (8 October 2005 to 9 October 2006 for the early planting date, and 27 December 2005 to 30 December 2006 for the traditional planting date). The marketable yield and production parameters were significantly influenced by the nitrogen dose: higher doses led to a higher total yield, with yield peaks above 60 t ha−1 and the marketable yield ranging from 23% to 54%. Simultaneously, decreases in the firmness (from 7% to 19%) and scale content (from 1% to 3%) were also reported. The L1 landrace showed a higher production than the V1 variety. The crop year did not significantly affect the results, and the traditional planting date appeared to be the most suitable choice in obtaining the best agronomic response. Economic analysis showed that the L1 landrace, with high-N application treatments, produced greater net benefits and marginal rates of return. Thus, the L1 landrace exposed to the highest dosages of nitrogen (160 or 220 kg ha−1) and transplanted during the traditional planting period is the best choice from agronomic and economic points of view.

Milk thistle (Silybum marianum (L.) Gaertn.) is a versatile crop that has adapted to the broadly different soil and environmental conditions throughout all continents. To date, the fruits (“seeds”) of the plant are the only reliable source of silymarin, which, given its recognized therapeutic effects and its many present and potential uses, has led to a significant re-discovery and enhancement of the crop in recent years. Overall, although many studies have been carried out globally on the bioactivity, phytochemistry, and genetics of milk thistle, few and discontinuous research activity has been conducted on its basic agronomy as well as on the farm opportunities offered by the cultivation of this species. However, the multiple potential uses of the plant and its reduced need for external inputs suggest that milk thistle can perfectly fit among the most interesting alternative crops, even for marginal environments. The growing interest in natural medicine, the increasing popularity of herbal dietary supplements, and the multiple possibilities for livestock feeding are all arguments supporting the idea that in many rural areas, this crop could represent a significant tool for enhancing and stabilizing farm income. However, several issues still have to be addressed. The species retains some morphological and physiological traits belonging to non-domesticated plants, which make the application of some common agronomic practices challenging. Furthermore, the lack of reliable field data devoted to the definition of suitable cropping protocols represents a major constraint on the spread of this crop among farmers. This review has therefore focused on updating information on the main morphological and phytochemical traits of the crop and its agronomic characteristics and novel uses. Several gaps in technical knowledge have been addressed, and further goals for experimental activity have been outlined in order to guide farmers eager to cope with the cultivation of such a challenging and resource-rich crop.

In the present work the microbial dynamics in wheat kernels were evaluated over time. The main aim of this research was to study the resistance of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and yeasts associated to unprocessed cereals used for bread making during long term conservation. To this purpose four Triticum durum Desf. genotypes including two modern varieties (Claudio and Simeto) and two Sicilian wheat landraces (Russello and Timilia) were analysed by a combined culture-independent and -dependent microbiological approach after one, two or three years from cultivation and threshing. DNA based MiSeq Illumina technology was applied to reveal the entire bacterial composition of all semolina samples. The samples showed a different distribution of bacterial taxa per variety and time of storage. The groups mostly represented were Stenotrophomonas, Pseudomonas, Erwinia, Delftia and Sphingomonas genera, Enterobacteriaceae and Oxalobacteriaceae families, and Actinobacteria phylum. Among LAB, only Enterococcus genus was detected barely in a single sample (Simeto stored for one year) by the next generation sequencing, indicating that LAB remained unassigned or their abundances were below 0.1% or their DNAs were rendered inaccessible. Plate counts showed consistent differences in relation to genotypes and duration of storage, with the highest levels found for total mesophilic microorganisms detected up 6.8 Log CFU/g. Colonies of presumptive sourdough LAB were detected only in a few samples. Cocci constituted the major group of LAB in almost all samples. Following the enrichment procedure, almost all samples were characterised by the presence of acidifying microorganisms. All isolates collected before and after enrichment represented 28 different strains belonging to 10 species of Enterococcus, Lactobacillus and Pediococcus genera. The most resistant species during aging were Enterococcus faecium, Enterococcus durans, Lactobacillus brevis, Lactobacillus pentosus and Lactobacillus paracasei demonstrating that lactobacilli and enterococci are able to overcome the stressing conditions represented by cereal storage better than other LAB genera commonly found associated to cereals after harvest. Yeast community included mostly species with no interest in bread making.

Durum wheat bran (DWB) is a by-product mostly used in feeding ruminants, contributing to decrease in the utilization of feeds suitable as foods for human consumption, thus improving the sustainability of livestock production. However, the potential benefits of DWB, due to its content in phenolic acids, mainly consisting of ferulic acid with antioxidant properties, have not been well clarified yet. Accordingly, in this experiment, 36 lactating cows divided into three groups received, over a period of 100 days, one of three concentrates including DWB at 0% (DWB0), 10% (DWB10), or 20% (DWB20). The concentrates were formulated to be isoproteic and isoenergetic and, to balance the higher fiber content of the concentrates with DWB, the hay in the diets was slightly reduced. During the trial, the group feed intake and the individual milk production were monitored, and cheese was made with bulk milk from each group. Milk yield and microbiological characteristics of milk and cheese were similar among groups, indicating no DWB effect on cows performance and fermentation process. Milk from DWB20 group resulted slightly higher in casein and curd firmness (a2r). In cows fed DWB, the higher polyphenol intake was responsible for higher blood contents of these bioactive compounds, that seemed to have contributed in reducing the level of reactive oxygen metabolites (ROMs), which were higher in DWB0 cows. DWB20 cheeses showed a higher polyphenol content, lower number of peroxides, and higher antioxidant capacity than DWB0 cheeses. DWB20 and DWB10 diets resulted less expensive. In addition, the DWB20 group showed the best indexes heFCE (human edible feed conversion efficiency = milk/human edible feed) and NFP (net food production = milk &minus, human edible food), expressed as crude protein or gross energy. In conclusion, the DWB fed to dairy cows at 12% of diet dry matter (DM) can lead to benefits, such as the improvement of oxidative status of cows, milk quality, shelf-life, and functional properties of cheese, and might contribute to reduce the feeding cost and limit the human-animal competition for feeding sources.

Three obligately heterofermentative lactic acid bacteria (LAB) strains (Lactobacillus sanfranciscensis PON100336, Leuconostoc citreum PON10079 and Weissella cibaria PON10030) were used in this study as a multi-species starter culture for sourdough production. The starter inoculum was prepared and propagated in sterile semolina extract (SSE) broth. Acidification kinetics, microbiological counts detected on specific media for sourdough LAB, polymorphic profile comparison and species-specific PCRs evidenced a stability of the liquid inoculum over time determining its suitability for direct addition to semolina. In order to validate this innovative method for the production of durum wheat (Triticum durum Desf) sourdoughs, 15 semolinas (from ten old and five modern genotypes cultivated in Sicily, southern Italy) were used to prepare the SSEs and to produce sourdoughs and finally breads. Chemical and microbiological analyses of the sourdoughs and the evaluation of the quality parameters (weight loss, height, crumb and crust colour, image analysis and volatile organic compound generation) of the resulting breads indicated that the direct addition of the liquid inocula propagated in SSE is a valuable method to stabilise the production of sourdoughs. The differences registered during the technological characterisation of the breads were underlined by the sensory tests and the multivariate analysis and are mainly imputable to the type of semolina.

This article reports experimental data related to the research article entitled “Different effectiveness of two pastas supplemented with either lipophilic or hydrophilic/phenolic antioxidants in affecting serum as evaluated by the novel Antioxidant/Oxidant Balance approach” (M.N. Laus, M. Soccio, M. Alfarano, A. Pasqualone, M.S. Lenucci, G. Di Miceli, D. Pastore, 2016) [1]. Antioxidant status of blood serum of seven healthy subjects was evaluated during four hours after consumption of two functional pastas, supplemented with either bran oleoresin or bran water extract obtained from durum wheat. For comparison, the effect of a non-supplemented reference pasta was also evaluated, as well as the effects of glucose, of the wheat grain dietary supplement Lisosan G, and of the reference pasta consumed together with Lisosan G. Serum antioxidant status was evaluated by measuring both the serum antioxidant capacity, using LOX-FL, ORAC and TEAC methods, and the serum oxidant status, assessed as peroxide level.

This experiment aimed to investigate the possibility to increase the carcass weight of dairy breed lambs and produce moderate-fat meat by applying inexpensive feeding strategies based on restriction and through the use of a fibrous byproduct such as the durum wheat bran (DWB). Sixty-five 45-day-old lambs of the Valle del Belice breed, divided into 6 groups, were fed alfalfa hay supplemented with concentrate feeds including DWB at 0% or 20% (DWB0, DWB20), supplied ad libitum (L) or restricted at 75% (R), and slaughtered at 90 or 120 days of age. The groups were as follows: DWB0-90L (n = 14), DWB20-90L (n = 14), DWB0-120R (n = 10), DWB20-120R (n = 9), DWB0-120L (n = 9), DWB20-120L (n = 9). The diet did not affect feed intake, growth or carcass weight of lambs fed ad libitum, whereas 120-day-old lambs fed DWB associated to restriction showed the lowest weight gain (105 vs. 170, 185 and 190 g/day in DWD20-120R, DWB0-120R, DWB0-120L and DWB20-120L, p = 0.04). The incidence of fat tissue in the hind leg increased (p &lt, 0.0001) from 90L (5.82 and 5.45% with DWB0 and DWB20) to 120R (8.80 and 8.43% with DWB0 and DWB20) and 120L lambs (10.7 and 11.8% with DWB0 and DWB20). Older lambs&rsquo, meat, compared to that of 90L lambs, showed analogous levels of intramuscular fat, higher water retention, tenderness and lightness, and a more intense red colour. In meat from 120-day-old lambs, DWB intake tended to reduce the fat level (p = 0.009) and increased polyphenol content (1.10 vs. 1.62, and 1.02 vs. 1.65 g GAE/kg dry matter (DM) in 120R and 120L lambs, p = 0.02), antioxidant capacity (12.8 vs. 14.9, and 12.8 vs. 15.7 mmol trolox eq/kg DM in 120R and 120L lambs, p = 0.02), and the presence of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (FA) (1.61 vs. 2.81, and 1.43 vs. 2.61 g/100 g FA in 120R and 120L lambs, p = 0.007), thereby improving the meat&rsquo, s health properties. The panelists perceived the effects of DWB inclusion as well as the feeding level with triangle tests.

This paper reviews the main results from a set of experiments carried out in a semiarid Mediterranean environment during the past 25 years on faba bean (Vicia faba L.), a crop traditionally grown in southern Italy and Sicily under rainfed conditions. These experiments focused on the residual effects of faba bean on subsequent crop(s) and assessment of the nitrogen (N) balance during the crop cycle, paying attention to both the environmental release of N (losses via volatilisation and denitrification) and estimates of N2 fixation as influenced by tillage system, intercropping, and presence/absence of mycorrhizal inoculum. Faba bean relied on N2 fixation more than other grain legumes typically grown in the Mediterranean region (e.g., chickpea). Contributing reasons were the higher plant N demand of faba bean and its lower capacity to use soil mineral N. This implies higher N benefits for subsequent crop(s) as well as higher risk of N losses from the plant–soil– atmosphere system via leaching, denitrification, and volatilisation. Results from these experiments contribute to better defining the role of faba bean in Mediterranean agro-ecosystems and to identifying technical solutions that maximise the potential benefits of faba bean as a fertility-building crop.

In this paper volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from durum wheat cultivars and landraces were analyzed using PTR-TOF-MS. The aim was to characterize the VOC’s profile of the wholemeal flour and of the kernel to find out if any VOCs were specific to varieties and sample matrices. The VOC data is accompanied by SDS-PAGE analyses of the storage proteins (gliadins and glutenins). Statistical analyses was carried out both on the signals obtained by MS and on the protein profiles. The difference between the VOC profile of two cultivars or two preparations of the same sample - matrices, in this case kernel vs wholemeal flour - can be very subtle; the high resolution of PTR-TOF-MS - down to levels as low as pptv - made it possible to recognize these differences. The effects of grinding on the VOC profiles were analyzed using SIMPER and Tanglegram statistical methods. Our results show that it is possible describe samples using VOC profiles and protein data.

Effectiveness in improving serum antioxidant status of two functional pastas was evaluated by the novel Antioxidant/ Oxidant Balance (AOB) parameter, calculated as Antioxidant Capacity (AC)/Peroxide Level ratio, assessed here for the first time. In particular, Bran Oleoresin (BO) and Bran Water (BW) pastas, enriched respectively with either lipophilic (tocochromanols, carotenoids) or hydrophilic/phenolic antioxidants extracted from durum wheat bran, were studied. Notably, BO pasta was able to improve significantly (+65%) serum AOB during four hours after intake similarly to Lisosan G, a wheat antioxidant-rich dietary supplement. Contrarily, BW pasta had oxidative effect on serum so as conventional pasta and glucose, thus suggesting greater effectiveness of lipophilic than hydrophilic/phenolic antioxidants under our experimental conditions. Interestingly, no clear differences between the two pastas were observed, when AC measurements of either serum after pasta intake or pasta extracts by in vitro assays were considered, thus strengthening effectiveness and reliability of AOB approach.

A better understanding of the genotype response to N fertilization under weed competition is necessary to identify varieties that exhibit high N use effi ciency even when weeds compete for available N. Such varieties may be more suitable for low input or organic systems. Th is study assessed the variations in nitrogen use effi ciency (NUE) (and its components) and the recovery of 15 N-labeled fertilizer in three durum wheat (Triticum durum Desf.) genotypes (one landrace and two varieties that diff er in terms of plant growth, grain yield potential, and adaptability to stressful environments) grown in the presence or absence of interspecifi c competition and varying soil N availability (0 or 80 kg N ha –1 fertilization). Th e results showed that wheat genotypes had diff erent grain yield potentials and the yields were similar when plants were grown in conditions of low N availability and in presence of interspecifi c competition. Diff erences among genotypes in N uptake effi ciency were very small, and the low NUE value observed for the landrace seemed to be due to its reduced ability to use absorbed N for increasing grain yield compared with the two varieties. Furthermore, the genotypes showed diff erent competitive abilities against competitor, and seemed to depend on the genotypes’ ability to reduce resource availability (N) for their competitors rather than on their ability to tolerate a reduction in contested resources due to competitors.

Il saggio descrive e raccoglie le varianti testuali scritte, edite e inedite, a stampa e manoscritte, che documentano la tradizione della Kalimera del Lazzaro e introduce alcuni aspetti della tradizione paraliturgica e antropologica italo-albanese

Nell’ambito della tradizione musicale degli Albanesi di Sicilia, oltre ai canti liturgici bizantini (settore di studi su cui l’autore ha dedicato negli ultimi decenni numerose ricerche e numerose pubblicazioni), anche i repertori musicali devozionali e paraliturgici costituiscono un patrimonio ampio e di rilevante interesse. Nei paesi dell’Eparchia di Piana degli Albanesi, in corrispondenza delle varie ricorrenze dell’anno, si svolgono infatti innumerevoli celebrazioni devozionali e paraliturgiche (novene, rosari, tridui, “mesi”), in cui segni della tradizione orientale si intrecciano a pratiche di origine occidentale, testi in arbëresh o in dialetto siciliano si avvicendano a componimenti in greco o in latino, melodie di antiche ascendenze si alternano a canti di più recente origine. Queste forme celebrative, sebbene estranee alla ritualità di impianto greco-bizantino, si sono progressivamente introdotte già nei secoli passati per influsso dell’adstrato culturale popolare siciliano. In molti casi i testi dei canti risultano essere traduzioni in albanese di preesistenti canti tradizionali in dialetto provenienti dai paesi “latini” adiacenti. Complessivamente, questo repertorio evidenzia il carattere conservativo della cultura della minoranza arbëreshe, poiché se molto spesso pressoché in tutta la Sicilia questi canti risultano ormai caduti nell’oblio, nei paesi siculo-albanesi essi continuano invece a essere tramandati nella versione arbëreshe. In tale vasto e multiforme panorama, meritano una particolare attenzione specialmente i repertori musicali connessi alle novene e ai rosari. Nel ricco e variegato quadro dei repertori musicali paraliturgici degli Arbëreshë di Sicilia, il “Canto della Resurrezione di Lazzaro” (che costituisce l’argomento centrale del volume di cui questo saggio costituisce l’introduzione) occupa un posto a se stante e di assoluto rilievo per diverse ragioni. Fra queste ragioni ne vanno soprattutto evidenziate almeno due. La prima ragione è che si tratta della tradizione musicale popolare devozionale che più di tutte le altre conserva i tratti di un’origine orientale, particolarmente in connessione con il mondo bizantino-ortodosso, soprattutto in riferimento al contesto celebrativo – sia liturgico sia folklorico – in cui il canto viene eseguito (una questua rituale cantata che si svolge la sera e la notte del cosiddetto “Venerdì di Lazzaro”, cioè il venerdì che precede la Domenica delle Palme). La seconda ragione è che si tratta di una tradizione praticata in tutti e cinque i paesi dell’Eparchia (ogni paese, però, possiede una propria variante testuale-musicale), peraltro vissuta ancora oggi in maniera straordinariamente vitale e partecipata. As part of the musical tradition of the Albanians of Sicily, in addition to the Byzantine liturgical chants (a field of studies on which the author has produced numerous researches and numerous publications in recent decades), also the devotional and paraliturgical musical repertoires represent an heritage and of significant interest. In the villages of the Eparchy of Piana degli Albanesi, in fact, in correspondence with the various festive dates of the year, innumerable devotional and paraliturgical celebrations (novenas, rosaries, triduums, “months”) are held, in which signs of the oriental tradition are mixed with practices of western provenance, texts in Arbëresh or Sicilian dialect alternate with compositions in Greek or in Latin, melodies of ancient origin are interwoved with songs of more recent origin. These celebration’s forms, although extraneous to the Greek-Byzantine rituality, have progressively been introduced in past centuries due to the influence of the folk Sicilian cultural adstrate. In many cases the lyrics of many paraliturgical chants are certainly translations into Albanian of pre-existing traditional songs in Sicilian dialect, “imported” from the adjacent “Latin” villages. Overall, this repertoire highlights the conservative character of the culture of the Arbëreshe minority, since if very often in almost all other areas of Sicily these songs have now fallen into oblivion, in the Sicilian-Albanian villages, on the contrary, they continue to be handed down in the Arbëreshe version. In this broad and multifaceted framework, the musical repertoires connected with Novenas and Rosaries deserve particular attention. In the rich and varied context of the paraliturgical musical repertoires of the Arbëreshë of Sicily, the “Song of the Resurrection” of Lazarus occupies a place in itself and of absolute importance for various reasons. Among these reasons, at least two should be highlighted above all. The first reason is that it is the devotional musical folk tradition that more than all the others preserves the traits of an oriental origin, particularly in connection with the Byzantine-Orthodox world, especially in reference to the celebratory context - both liturgical and folkloric - in which the chant is performed (a sung ritual begging that takes place in the evening and the night of the so-called “Friday of Lazarus”, i.e. the Friday preceding Palm Sunday). The second reason is that it is a tradition practiced in all five villages of the Eparchy (each village, however, has its own textual-musical variant), moreover preserved today still in an extraordinarily vital and participatory way.

No tillage (NT) soil management has largely been promoted because of its potential to generate both economic and environmental benefits. However, it often leads to reductions in crop yield and quality, which in many cases have been attributed to the effects this technique has on the nitrogen (N) dynamics in the soil–plant system. This 2-year study, performed within a long-term experiment in which NT was continuously applied for over 15 years, aimed to verify whether and to what extent the use of NT affects soil N availability, recovery of 15 N-labeled fertilizer, and N use efficiency (NUE) and its components (N uptake efficiency, NUpE; N utilization efficiency, NUtE). Durum wheat was the focal crop. NT was evaluated and compared with conventional tillage (CT) within three crop sequences: continuous wheat (WW), wheat–faba bean (WF), and wheat–berseem clover (WB). At the same time, the timing of N fertilization was varied (either distributing 100 kg N ha −1 all at once at crop emergence or applying 50% at crop emergence and 50% at the end of tillering; no N-fertilizer treatment was included as a control). The data indicated that, compared to CT, NT had a detrimental effect on wheat productivity in WW but improved yields in WF and WB. NT was associated with less N uptake by wheat, mainly attributable to a decrease in soil N availability, and to a lesser extent, to a decrease in the 15 N-fertilizer recovery. This reduction in uptake was markedly more evident in WW than in WF or WB, and when all of the 15 N-fertilizer was applied at crop emergence. The effects of tillage system on NUE varied by crop sequence: NT increased NUE (+18% on average compared to CT) in WF, but had the opposite effect in WW (−17% on average). These results suggest that the adoption of the NT technique by farmers must be accompanied by a reorganization of the components of crop management, such as crop rotation and the rate and timing of N fertilization.

Although sulla (Hedysarum coronarium L.) has many interesting features that could support the production of biofuels (e.g., a high yield and soluble sugar content, N-fixation capacity, low input requirements for its cultivation), no study has assessed the possibility of its use for that purpose. Our objective was to evaluate the potential value for energy production of sulla cut at various stages of growth. Furthermore, the potential of sulla as a dual purpose crop (energy and feed) was investigated. The crop was grown in rainfed conditions in a typical Mediterranean environment (over two complete 2-year crop cycles) and was cut at four different phenological stages. The biomass was divided into two fractions (stems and leaves), weighed, and analyzed to estimate the theoretical production of bioethanol and biomethane and the feed value of the whole biomass and of the two fractions. The total dry matter yield in the 2-year crop cycle was about 18 Mg ha−1; this level of production is similar to or higher than that of most other crops grown in the same environment in rainfed conditions. The stems had a high content of total soluble sugars (even higher than 200 g kg−1) and cell wall polysaccharides, markedly higher than the leaves. The leaves contained most of the protein of the plant, representing an actual protein concentrate. Thus, the crop seems particularly suitable for dual purpose use if stems are allocated to the production of biofuels and leaves to the production of livestock feed. Moreover, the results showed that the early seed set stage is the most appropriate cutting time for maximizing yield both for energy and for livestock use.

Significativi attacchi di ruggine gialla associati a scarse precipitazioni sulle Isole e a diffusi fenomeni di allettamento al Centro e al Nord hanno influito negativamente su tutte le medie produttive. Le rese sono pertanto state inferiori rispetto al 2015, con 6,5 t/ha al Nord, 4,6 al Centro e 3,5 al Sud e Isole

Aims: To evaluate the productivity and N2 fixation of a range of Mediterranean forage legume species as well as their ability to be grown in mixture with a forage grass, and to verify whether N transfer occurs from the legume to the non-legume component of the mixtures and, if so, to what extent this process is affected by legume species. Methods: Seven legume species (Hedysarum coronarium L., Medicago scutellata L., Trifolium resupinatum L., Trifolium squarrosum L., Trigonella foenum-graecum L., Vicia sativa L., Vicia villosa Roth) were grown alone or in mixture with annual ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum L.). Biomass and N yields and biological N2 fixation (15N dilution technique) were measured. N transfer from legume to the non-legume component was also assessed. The efficiency of the intercrops was evaluated using the land equivalent ratio (LER), aggressivity index, and competitive ratio. Results: Differences were observed among the monocropped legumes for biomass yield, N2 fixation, and ability to utilize inorganic soil N. Moreover, the proportion of legume species to the total biomass yield of the intercrop varied from 30 % (T. resupinatum) to 69 % (T. foenum-graecum). All intercrops showed an advantage over monocrops in terms of biomass and N yields (LER and NLER values always >1). No N transfer occurred from legume to ryegrass in any of the mixtures. Conclusions: The large differences observed among the studied legumes must be taken into account when trying to develop cropping systems with more efficient N use. Moreover, as all legume–ryegrass intercrops used natural resources more efficiently than pure crops, intercropping is a relevant cropping strategy for sustainable agricultural systems in Mediterranean environments.

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) have a major impact on plant nutrition, defence against pathogens, a plant's reaction to stressful environments, soil fertility, and a plant's relationship with other microorganisms. Such effects imply a broad reprogramming of the plant's metabolic activity. However, little information is available regarding the role of AMF and their relation to other soil plant growth-promoting microorganisms in the plant metabolome, especially under realistic field conditions. In the present experiment, we evaluated the effects of inoculation with AMF, either alone or in combination with plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR), on the metabolome and changes in metabolic pathways in the roots of durum wheat (Triticum durum Desf.) grown under N-limited agronomic conditions in a P-rich environment. These two treatments were compared to infection by the natural AMF population (NAT). Soil inoculation with AMF almost doubled wheat root colonization by AMF and decreased the root concentrations of most compounds in all metabolic pathways, especially amino acids (AA) and saturated fatty acids, whereas inoculation with AMF+PGPR increased the concentrations of such compounds compared to inoculation with AMF alone. Enrichment metabolomics analyses showed that AA metabolic pathways were mostly changed by the treatments, with reduced amination activity in roots most likely due to a shift from the biosynthesis of common AA to γ-amino butyric acid. The root metabolome differed between AMF and NAT but not AMF+PGPR and AMF or NAT. Because the PGPR used were potent mineralisers, and AMF can retain most nitrogen (N) taken as organic compounds for their own growth, it is likely that this result was due to an increased concentration of mineral N in soil inoculated with AMF+PGPR compared to AMF alone.

This experiment aimed to investigate the possibility to raise the carcass weight of lambs of dairy breed and produce low-fat meat by increasing the slaughter age and applying strategies to reduce feeding level. At 35d of age, 70 weaned lambs of Valle del Belice breed were divided into 2 groups and adapted to housing in multiple boxes and experimental diets over a 10-d period. The groups received ad libitum pelleted alfalfa hay and concentrates differing in the 20% inclusion of durum wheat bran (0WB, 20WB) used to reduce cost and energy level. After 45d of experiment, both groups were divided into 3 subgroups; 2 of them with 15 lambs were slaughtered at 90d of age (90L), whereas the other 4 subgroups received the same concentrates ad libitum (120L) or restricted at 75% of ad libitum intake (120R) for 30d until slaughter at 120d of age. Feed intake and live weight of lambs were regularly measured. At slaughter, carcass traits and tissue components of hind leg were recorded. Longissimus dorsi (LD) meat was evaluated for pH, colour, thawing and cooking losses, WB shear force and sensory properties in triangle tests. In both phases, 45-90d and 90-120d of age, the diet did not influence feed intake and growth of lambs fed ad libitum (90L and 120L), whereas under feed restriction the lambs fed 20WB showed a reduction in weight gain than 20R lambs fed 0WB (105 vs. 170 g/d, P≤0.05). In all production systems, the diet did not affect the carcass weight (12.6 vs. 12.4; 14.7 vs. 13.7; 15.6 vs. 14.9 kg for 0WB vs. 20WB in 90L, 120R and 120L), whereas the 20WB diet reduced carcass yield of 120R lambs (52 vs. 56 %, P≤0.01). The simultaneous feed and energy restriction for 120R lambs fed 20WB diet resulted in the lowest performance. The fat deposition, as perirenal and pelvic fat and adipose tissue of hing leg, increased from 90L to 120R, and to 120L lambs, regardless of diet. The LD traits were affected by the production system, since 90L lambs showed higher water losses, and lower tenderness and red colour than older lambs. At triangle tests, the panellists perceived significantly the differences due to diet for 90L and 120R meat, and the effect of feeding level. Thus, increasing the slaughter age of dairy breed lambs from 90 to 120 d of age lead to the production of heavier carcasses with improvements in meat quality in terms of tenderness and reduced water losses, especially due to a higher but moderate fat content, also when lambs were exposed to a 75% restricted feeding.

La variabilità dei risultati è dovuta principalmente ad alcune avversità, tra le quali ruggine gialla e bruna. Le varietà consigliate sono 12 per l’areale Nord, 15 per il Centro e 12 per il Sud e le Isole. Il potenziale produttivo di questi gruppi varietali risulta rispettivamente di 7,1 t/ha al Nord, 5,8 t/ha al Centro e 4,9 t/ha nel Sud e Isole.

During a 6 week trial in summer, 3 homogeneous groups, each consisting of 5 Comisana ewes and 5 Rossa Mediterranea goats, grazed watered forage resources during day (D) or night (N), or were housed indoor and supplied with mowed herbage (H). Maximum THI peaked at 94 at the end of July, and was almost constantly higher of 80. Milk yield was higher in N than in D and H goats, whereas N ewes produced more milk than H group, but their milk yield was higher than D ewes only in the period with the highest THI values. The lower urea in N goat milk, and the higher casein in N ewe milk, seem to indicate a better efficiency in dietary nitrogen utilization of night grazing animals. N ewes showed lower SCC in milk, and higher incidence of clotting milk samples, in comparison to other ewes. N goats and ewes showed lower rectal temperature and pulse rate in the afternoon and, among metabolic parameters, higher hematic level of sodium. Night grazing was confirmed to be a management practice for increasing heat tolerance, to which goats appeared to be more sensitive in terms of milk yield.

Sulla is a biennial forage legume native to the central-western Mediterranean Basin and has increasing interest for regions with Mediterranean-climate. The Italian germplasm is a reservoir of variation for important agronomic traits. This study aimed to support breeding programs by investigating patterns of agronomic, adaptive and morpho-physiological variation among ecotypes collected from the three main Italian regions of species cultivation: central Italy, and the two islands of Sicily and Sardinia. Forage yield and morpho-physiological traits were evaluated at a site with Mediterranean climate in Sicily. Forage yield and cold tolerance in a cold-prone site of northern Italy were also assessed, to locate useful germplasm for widening crop resilience and climatic adaptability. Collection regions, and ecotypes within regions, differed for total forage yield and final plant survival, but their responses were subjected to interactions with test location. Specific adaptation dominated the adaptive responses of ecotypes and elite commercial varieties. Ecotype adaptation to cold winter was associated with latitude and, more specifically, the extent of cold stress in collecting sites. The ecotype collection region had a bearing also on morpho-physiological characteristics. A few ecotypes from central Italy performed outstandingly with respect to elite varieties, displaying wide adaptation across cold-prone and drought-prone environments.

Conservation tillage techniques are becoming increasingly popular worldwide as they have the potential to generate environmental, agronomic, and economic benefits. In Mediterranean areas, studies performed on the effects of conservation tillage [in comparison with the conventional tillage technique (CT)] on grain yield of cereal crops have reported contradictory results as well as considerable year-to-year variation, demonstrating how the impact of different soil tillage techniques on crop productivity is strongly site-specific. The present paper summarises the main results from a set of experiments carried out in Sicily during the last 20 years in which we compared no tillage (NT) to CT in terms of their respective effects on the productivity and quality of durum wheat, while at the same time varying some other crop management practices ( e.g. crop sequence, N fertilisation, wheat genotype, sowing time). On average, no differences were observed between the two tillage techniques; yields were 3.84 and 3.87 Mg ha –1 for CT and NT, respectively. However, NT guaranteed superior yield when water stress during the crop cycle was high, whereas CT led to higher yields when water availability was adequate. Moreover, the results suggest that the use of NT needs to be accompanied by a rational crop sequence. In fact, a cumulative detrimental effect of NT over time was found for continuous wheat. Finally, grain quality in terms of protein content was slightly higher for CT (15.1%) than NT (14.4%). Thus, when using NT, the rate of nitrogen fertiliser application should be increased to offset this difference.

Much research around the world has compared the performance of cereals grown under conventional and conservation tillage systems; however, relatively few long-term experiments have been conducted in Mediterranean areas, and little attention has been given to interactions among tillage techniques and other system components across space and time. In this study, we investigated the effects of the long-term (18-yr) use of three tillage techniques (conventional tillage, CT; reduced tillage, RT; and no-till, NT) on wheat (Triticum durum Desf.) grain yield and quality within three crop sequences: continuous wheat, faba bean (Vicia faba L.)–wheat, and berseem clover (Trifolium alexandrinum L.)–wheat. In addition, we investigated the effects of climatic variability on the treatments and evaluated whether cumulative effects occurred from continuous treatment. On average, NT resulted in a grain yield advantage over CT when water stress was high and, conversely, a disadvantage when water stress was low. The effect of the tillage system on grain yield varied by crop sequence. Grain yield differences between NT and CT when wheat was grown after faba bean or berseem clover were explained primarily by climatic variability without a cumulative effect over time. In contrast, in continuous wheat, NT resulted in a progressive decrease in grain yield compared with CT. On average, wheat grain protein content varied significantly by tillage system (CT > RT > NT). This suggests that fertilizer N requirements increase with NT compared with CT because of changes in N cycling that lead to a reduction in plant-available soil N.

Plant-growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) and arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi contribute to plant nutrient uptake by increasing the availability of nutrients and the root adsorbing surface (Garg et al., 2006; Asghar et al. 2002). The first objective of this study was to determine the effects of these associations on plant total biomass and grain yield in durum wheat (cv. Anco Marzio). Secondly, we aimed to analyze the root transcriptomic and metabolomic changes in response to mychorrizal infections and the expression pattern of key genes involved in nutrient uptake and stress responses. Field analysis were carried out in inner Sicily, a typical Mediterranean area. Four types of biotic association in presence/absence of easily mineralizable organic nitrogen were studied: 1) not inoculated soil (control); 2) inoculated with a commercial mix of 8 AM fungal species; 3) inoculated with a commercial mix of 13 PGPR (Bacillus spp.); 4) inoculated of both AMF and PGPR mixes. Nitrogen content in aboveground biomass was determined at stem elongation stage. Quantitative RT-PCR assays were designed for nitrogen and phosphate transporter genes basing on sequence homologies with Triticum aestivum. An increase of total biomass when both PGPR and AM fungi were inoculated. In addition, PGPR inoculum determined a biomass increase when the organic fertilizer was supplied. Data showed a general downregulation of the 13 analyzed genes when crop is fertilized. In absence of fertilization, the co-inoculation of PGPR and AM fungi upregulated phosphate transporter genes (PT1, PT2, PT2.1). Mycorrizal inoculation seemed to contribute a greater extent. When organic fertilizer was supplied, similar trend was obserbed only for PT2.1. Transcript abundance of ammonium transporters were higher when crop was co-inoculated with AM fungi and PGPR. In unfertilized conditions, the inoculation of AM fungi significantly induced the expression of the nitrate transporter genes (NRT1.1; NRT2 and NAR2.2) irrespective of the inoculation of PGPR. Mycorrhizal and PGPR inoculation seemed to be synergistically efficient to increase the total durum wheat biomass. Preliminary results of durum wheat transcriptome and metabolome in response to mycorrhizal infections will be additionally presented. Gene expression analysis could lead to the identification of biomarkers usable to early select genotypes for an increased nutrient uptake efficiency.