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This study addresses significant concerns highlighted by the European Parliament regarding the decline of the Italian tomato processing industry, which possess a threat to Italy's culinary heritage and global market position. This research offers a solution that leverages blockchain technology to enhance transparency, traceability and operational efficiency within the tomato supply chain. By integrating Solidity, Remix IDE, MetaMask wallet and Sepolia Testnet, our proposed model establishes a robust blockchain-based smart-contract system. This system actively engages cultivators, wholesalers, retailers and end-users facilitating seamless real-time updates across the entire supply chain. Implementing this model in key tomato-producing regions such as Apulia, utilizing platforms like Mainnet or Hyperledger Fabric, aims to stabilize the industry. Furthermore, this study promotes automating smart contracts, integrating IoT devices and developing decentralized applications (DApps). This strategy ensures transparency for end-users, enhances organic food availability and mitigates contamination risks. This study also recommends government involvement to upgrade transportation and storage facilities, aiming to reduce post-harvest losses. This research establishes the groundwork for the sustainable management of the Italian tomato processing industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cannabis sativa L., subsp. ruderalis Janish., 'Finola' is a dioecious cultivar of Finnish origin. This cultivar is very interesting because its cultivation cycle lasts less than 3 months. The aim of this study was to define an efficient micropropagation protocol to ensure in vitro multiplication and rooting and in vivo acclimatization. Two different explant sources were tested: seed-derived in vitro explants and nodal segments containing axillary buds from selected mother plants. Shoot proliferation was tested on different growth media enriched with cytokinin alone or cytokinin in combination with auxins. Among all combinations, the best results were obtained by combining the Basal Medium (BM—a Murashige and Skoog modified medium) with sucrose (20 g L−1), thidiazuron (TDZ 0.4 mg L−1), and 1-naphthalenacetic acid (NAA 0.2 mg L−1). Regarding rooting induction, the plants developed an extensive root system under red/blue lights on BM enriched with sucrose (30 g L−1) and indol-3 butyric acid (0.1 mg L−1), which allowed the survival of more than 90 percent of the plantlets once transplanted into the climate-controlled greenhouse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND Grass pea (Laithyrus sativus L.) is a rustic plant whose seeds are rich in polyphenols and antioxidants, and it has been consumed as food by human beings since ancient times. This study was conducted in Italy between 2017and 2019 to evaluate, under field conditions, the stability of seed yield, biomass and 1000‐seed weight (THS) and to assess the antioxidant composition and activity of 11 grass pea accessions. RESULTS: Analysis of variance revealed significant effects of the environment, accession and accession × environment (A × E) on the yield, above‐ground biomass and THS. We found that the environment (year) and A × E explained 52.61% and 23.76% of the total seed yield variation, respectively. No relationship was observed between the yield and the total protein of seeds. Most grass pea accessions showed sensitivity to frost conditions that occurred in the third growing season. The total phenolic content ranged from 50.51 to 112.78 mg 100 g−1 seeds and antioxidant activity ranged from 0.576 to 0.898 mmol Trolox equivalents 100 g−1 seeds and from 0.91 to 1.6 mmol Fe2+ 100 g−1 seeds in 2,20‐azinobis‐3‐ethylbenzothiazoline‐6‐sulfonic acid and ferric‐reducing antioxidant power, respectively. Among the accessions, the 'Campi Flegrei' and 'di Castelcività' showed the best performance with the highest yield and stability, phenolic content and superior antioxidant activity. CONCLUSION: The results showed that the yield of grass pea was mainly influenced by different climate conditions. This variability in yield, phenolic content and antioxidant activity among different accessions could help breeders and farmers select high‐performance accessions for cultivation. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND Several studies have shown that grain amaranth (Amaranthus spp.) is tolerant to abiotic stresses such as drought and salinity. Irrigation applied only during sensitive growth stages can stabilize yield and improve water use efficiency. Given the increasing frequency of salinity and drought stress in European countries and the scarcity of information on grain amaranth responses to combined salt and drought stress, an open field trial was carried out in Italy in order to evaluate the response of one accession of Amaranthus hypochondriacus to various irrigation strategies. RESULTS: Grain amaranth yield components were not negatively affected either by different irrigation volumes or by irrigation time. Some differences in seed yield were caused by water quality; salinity significantly reduced seed yield. The combined effect of irrigation time and irrigation volume significantly influenced seed yield. The quality of amaranth seeds was preserved; no significant differences due to simple or combined stresses were found during the three‐year field experiment. CONCLUSIONS: The overall results from this study suggest that A. hypochondriacus can be cultivated in a more sustainable way compared to other protein crops, thus reducing water use and using saline water. It could be introduced to marginal European environments where traditional crops cannot be cultivated. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) is receiving increasing attention globally due to the high nutritional value of its seeds, and the ability of this crop to cope with stress. In the current climate change scenario, valorization of crop byproducts is required to support a climate-smart agriculture. Furthermore, research works characterizing and evaluating quinoa stems and their putative uses are scarce. In this work, straw yield and composition, and the relative feed value of five quinoa varieties, were analyzed in two consecutive years (2017–2018) under field conditions in Southwestern Europe. High temperatures were recorded during the 2017 growing season resulting in significantly decreased straw yield and improved feed value, associated with compositional changes under elevated temperatures. Crude protein, ash, phosphorus, and calcium contents were higher under high temperatures, whereas fiber contents decreased. The relative feed value was also higher in 2017 and differed among varieties. Differences among varieties were also found in straw yield, and contents of phosphorus, potassium, and calcium. Overall, the results presented here support a sustainable quinoa productive system by encouraging straw valorization and shedding light on the mechanisms underlying heat-stress responses in this crop. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The broad distribution of quinoa in saline and non-saline environments is reflected in variations in the photosynthesis-associated mechanisms of different ecotypes. The aim of this study was to characterize the photosynthetic response to high salinity (0.4 M NaCl) of two contrasting Chilean genotypes, Amarilla (salt-tolerant, salares ecotype) and Hueque (salt-sensitive, coastal ecotype). Our results show that saline stress induced a significant decrease in the K+/Na+ ratio in roots and an increase in glycine betaine in leaves, particularly in the sensitive genotype (Hueque). Measurement of the photosynthesis-related parameters showed that maximum CO2 assimilation (Amax) in control plants was comparable between genotypes (ca. 9–10 μmol CO2 m−2 s−1). However, salt treatment produced different responses, with Amax values decreasing by 65.1% in the sensitive ecotype and 37.7% in the tolerant one. Although both genotypes maintained mesophyll conductance when stomatal restrictions were removed, the biochemical components of Amarilla were impaired to a lesser extent under salt stress conditions: for example, the maximum rate of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (RubisCO; Vcmax) was not as affected in Amarilla, revealing that this enzyme has a higher affinity for its substrate in this genotype and, thus, a better carboxylation efficiency. The present results show that the higher salinity tolerance of Amarilla was also due to its ability to control non-diffusional components, indicating its superior photosynthetic capacity compared to Hueque, particularly under salt stress conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) is a culturally significant staple food source that has been grown for thousands of years in South America. Due to its natural drought and salinity tolerance, quinoa has emerged as an agronomically important crop for production in marginal soils, in highly variable climates, and as part of diverse crop rotations. Primary areas of quinoa research have focused on improving resistance to abiotic stresses and disease, improving yields, and increasing nutrition. However, an evolving issue impacting quinoa seed end-use quality is preharvest sprouting (PHS), which is when seeds with little to no dormancy experience a rain event prior to harvest and sprout on the panicle. Far less is understood about the mechanisms that regulate quinoa seed dormancy and seed viability. This review will cover topics including seed dormancy, orthodox and unorthodox dormancy programs, desiccation sensitivity, environmental and hormonal mechanisms that regulate seed dormancy, and breeding and non-breeding strategies for enhancing resistance to PHS in quinoa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agricultural production in the Rehamna region, Morocco is limited with various challenges including drought and salinity. Introduction of climate resilient and rustic crops such as quinoa was an optimal solution to increase farmer's income and improve food security. This study summarizes results obtained from a research project aiming to develop quinoa value chain in Morocco. The study tackled several aspects including agronomic traits (yield and growth), transformation, quality (nutritional and antinutritional traits) and economic analysis and, finally, a strength–weaknesses–opportunities–threats analysis, lessons learned and development perspectives were presented. From an agronomic point of view, introduced new quinoa cultivars showed higher performance than locally cultivated seeds and, furthermore, the use of irrigation and organic amendment has tremendously improved seed yield by double and three times, respectively, compared to rainfed conditions. Nutritional analysis revealed that protein and phosphorus content remained stable after seed pearling while most of the micronutrients content decreased after seed pearling. However, saponins content was reduced by 68% using mechanical pearling compared to 57% using both traditional abrasion and washing. The economic analysis showed that production cost of quinoa seeds could be further decreased using mechanized intensive tools along with irrigation and organic amendment supply. This study revealed several lessons learned from the field experience and proposed several development actions for each value chain component that can be implemented within a national quinoa program. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quinoa is a highly diverse crop domesticated in the Andean region of South America with broad adaptation to a wide range of marginal environments. Quinoa has garnered interest worldwide due to its nutritional and health benefits. Over the last decade, quinoa production has expanded outside of the Andean region, prompting multiple studies investigating the potential for quinoa cultivation in novel environments. Currently, quinoa is grown in countries spanning five continents, including North America, Europe, Asia, Africa, and Oceania. Here, we update the advances of quinoa research in Ecuador across different topics, including (a) current quinoa production situation with a focus on breeding progress, (b) traditional seed production, and (c) the impact of the work of the nongovernment organization "European Committee for Training and Agriculture" with quinoa farmers in Chimborazo province. Additionally, we discuss genetic diversity, primary pests and diseases, actions for adapting quinoa to tropical areas, and recent innovations in quinoa processing in Ecuador. Finally, we report a case study describing a participatory breeding project between Washington State University and the Association of Andean Seed and Nutritional Food Producers Mushuk Yuyay in the province of Cañar. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) is one of the most popular emerging food crops in the Andean region. It is tolerant to environmental stresses and characterized by interesting nutritional traits. Thus, it has the potential to contribute to food and nutrition security in marginal environments. In this study, we conducted a systematic review integrated with a bibliometric analysis of cropping practices of quinoa under field conditions. The analysis is based on published data from the literature relating to the period 2000–2020. A total of 33 publications were identified, revealing that scientific research on the agronomic practices and performances of quinoa under field conditions is still limited. Africa, Asia, and Europe were the leading research production sites in this field and together provided over 81% of the total scientific production. There were no papers from the Australian continent. The number of papers screened dealing with tillage and weed control management was very limited. The keyword co-occurrence network analyses revealed that the main topics addressed in the scientific literature related to the effect of "variety" and "deficit irrigation", followed by "water quality", "fertilization", and "sowing date" on seed yield. Results from this study will permit us to identify knowledge gaps and limited collaboration among authors and institutions from different countries. Salinity, sowing density, and sowing date were the agronomic interventions affecting productive response the most. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]