Pathogens are shared between wild bees and wasps but little is known about how urbanization affects their occurrence.Here,the role of temperature and fragmentation of green areas,both associated with urbanization,in m...Pathogens are shared between wild bees and wasps but little is known about how urbanization affects their occurrence.Here,the role of temperature and fragmentation of green areas,both associated with urbanization,in modulating pathogen loads was investigated.Twelve pathogens were investigated in the bees Anthophora plumipes Pallas,1772,Halictus scabiosae(Rossi,1790),Osmia cornuta(Latreille,1805),and the wasp Polistes dominula(Christ,1791)sampled across an urbanization gradient in a metropolitan area of northern Italy.Overall,the relative presence/abundance of the pathogens were found to be species specific,as were the responses to urbanization.Anthophora plumipes and O.cornuta had a higher occurrence probability of the neogregarine protozoan Apicystis bombi in more fragmented urban areas.In the same bee species,both temperature and the fragmentation of green areas reduced the number of copies of the deformed wing virus(DWV).In H.scabiosae and P.dominula,higher temperature increased respectively the likelihood of occurrence of DWV and chronic bee paralysis virus(CBPV).In addition,the viruses were found to be replicative in all samples tested.The results show a consistent presence of pathogens in the four target species,and that urbanization plays a role in modulating the pathogen load.Although transmission pathways could not be considered here,it may be suggested that appropriate management of urban areas may buffer wild insects from potentially harmful pathogens.Whether the presence of such pathogens also results in symptomatic phenotypes remains to be determined in laboratory experiments.展开更多
Peri-urban plantations in the Mediterranean are often degraded due to human inactivity and climate change,leading to a loss of ecosystem services and biodiversity.This study investigates the impact of different thinni...Peri-urban plantations in the Mediterranean are often degraded due to human inactivity and climate change,leading to a loss of ecosystem services and biodiversity.This study investigates the impact of different thinning practices on carbon sequestration and tree stability in a degraded periurban plantation in the Italian Apennines,six years after thinning.Three treatments were compared:(a)moderate thinning from below(-25%biomass),representing the typical practice;(b)intense selective thinning(-35%biomass),representing an innovative approach;and(c)no management as the control.Growth projections were used to estimate carbon recovery for these treatments,based on site-specific models calibrated with real data.The results show that both thinning approaches increased carbon sequestration over time,with the innovative thinning achieving a 7%higher annual carbon sequestration rate than traditional thinning and 8%more than the control.Estimated payback times were9 years for recovering the harvested volume in both thinning approaches,10 years for innovative thinning to surpass traditional thinning,17 years for innovative thinning to surpass the control,and 24 years for traditional thinning to surpass the control.Additionally,tree mechanical stability improved significantly in both thinning treatments after two years,with further increases observed in the innovative thinning group after six years.These results suggest that selective thinning can accelerate forest recovery and carbon sequestration,especially in areas with high stem density,where it can reduce the negative impacts of tree mortality and deadwood accumulation.However,careful planning is required to mitigate potential short-term stability is sues,particularly in challenging environments(e.g.,windy conditions,steep slopes).Forest management strategies should therefore aim to balance growth,carbon storage,and tree stability,considering both long-term sustainability and local environmental conditions.The findings are particularly relevant for current climate change mitigation strategies,emphasizing that thinning should be carefully tailored to forest type and conditions to maximize benefits in carbon credit generation and sustainable forest management practices.展开更多
In self-pollinating cereals such as rice,wheat,and barley,growing undefined mixtures of genotypes in genetic equilibrium was once standard practice when local populations(landraces)were used.The shift from landraces t...In self-pollinating cereals such as rice,wheat,and barley,growing undefined mixtures of genotypes in genetic equilibrium was once standard practice when local populations(landraces)were used.The shift from landraces to single-genotype varieties led to immediate gains in yield and quality,and over the past century,single-genotype crops have been highly successful.Nonetheless,several studies suggest that variety mixtures(i.e.,two or more consciously selected genotypes of the same crop grown together)may offer advantages over single-genotype varieties(Borg et al.,2018;Kopp et al.,2023).展开更多
The increasing conversion of agricultural land to organic farming requires the development of specifically adapted cultivars.So far,in tomato there is lack of research for selection of germplasm suitable for sustainab...The increasing conversion of agricultural land to organic farming requires the development of specifically adapted cultivars.So far,in tomato there is lack of research for selection of germplasm suitable for sustainable agroecosystems.In this study,we investigated the genotypic and environmental factors affecting the variation of plant,fruits,and root traits in 39 tomato genotypes grown under organic farming conditions.Four independent experiments were conducted in Italy and Spain across two consecutive seasons in 2019 and 2020.For all traits,the factorial linear regression model to estimate the main effects of genotype(G),location(L),year of cultivation(Y)and their interactions,revealed highly significant(P<0.001)variations,with the G factor being largely predominant for most traits.The implementation of the“which-won-where”,“mean performance versus stability”and“discriminative vs representativeness”patterns in the GGE(Genotype plus Genotype by Environment interaction)analysis,allowed the identification of superior cultivars with high stability across the testing environments.Genomic characterization with 30890 high quality SNPs from dd RADseq genotyping analysis,revealed that a specific cluster of cherry tomato accessions were low performing in terms of yield and fruit weight,on the contrary,showed a high content of soluble solids,which in agreement with GGE analysis.Results of this study provide a framework for the potential use of this locally adapted tomato germplasm to address the needs of more sustainable agriculture.展开更多
Forest planning involves estimating the biomass of species present in the area.Two fundamental parameters are diameter and height through which it is possible to indirectly estimate of biomass present.Digitalisation o...Forest planning involves estimating the biomass of species present in the area.Two fundamental parameters are diameter and height through which it is possible to indirectly estimate of biomass present.Digitalisation of forestry operations,such as forest planning,is crucial and should be affordable and easy-to-use digital applications and open-source devices.A digital progressive web application(PWA)was designed to record measurements.The app was connected via bluetoot to an open-source IoT digital forestry caliper prototyped by modifying a commercial tree caliper.An economic analysis was carried out considering all costs necessary for the development and operation of the app on smartphones and the preparation of electronic means for creation of the digital caliper.A comparison was made between costs of detecting tree diameters through application of the technology developed compared to costs calculated by applying the use of a dendrometric caliper(three technological levels were considered:L1,L2 and L3).The PWA allowed for easy data entry and viewing,maps and tree densities.The open-source digital caliper showed accuracy and precision comparable with similar commercial devices(1.5%±0.9%and 0.0%±0.9%,respectively).Total time per operator was lower using the digital caliper.From an economic perspective,application of the digital technology was more sustainable than the traditional system.Use of the digital caliper in combination with the web application optimizes detection time of a single tree,and therefore decreases overall cost.展开更多
Saponins can be potential candidates for the development of safe biopesticides,due to their widely acknowledged insecticidal,fungicidal and nematicidal activity,but information on their effects on soil biological prop...Saponins can be potential candidates for the development of safe biopesticides,due to their widely acknowledged insecticidal,fungicidal and nematicidal activity,but information on their effects on soil biological properties is still limited.This study aimed to investigate the short-term fate of saponins from Medicago sativa in soil and their dose-effect relationship with microbial biomass and selected enzyme activities in soils with different origin,physical and chemical properties.Microbial degradation of total saponins ranged from 46%to 91%,according to soil characteristics,within 28 days from their incorporation into the soil.Both saponin glycosidic chains and triterpenic aglycones were also microbially degraded,though by dynamics changing among the different soils.In all soils,M.sativa saponins significantly reduced microbial biomass at rates of 10 and 20 mg saponin mixture per g of soil.Microbial enzymatic activities were less affected as indicating an adaptive response of soil microbial communities to the presence of saponins.展开更多
Almond is widely cultivated in the world thanks to the quality and healthy features of the kernel.Almond kernel is consumed fresh or employed in the food industry.Hundreds of almond cultivars were selected throughout ...Almond is widely cultivated in the world thanks to the quality and healthy features of the kernel.Almond kernel is consumed fresh or employed in the food industry.Hundreds of almond cultivars were selected throughout the long history of cultivation;in this context,an efficient method for varietal identification is essential to ensure cultivar traceability along the chain.This study surveyed the widely employed commercial kits and protocols for DNA extraction from several almond matrices including leaves,kernels(fresh and roasted)and several processed products.Commercial kits(though with minor modification)outperformed the other extraction methods for the isolation of DNA suitable for molecular analysis from all the tested matrices.In parallel,a germplasm collection composed of 140 accessions(123 Sicilian genotypes complemented with widely known national and international cultivars)was genotyped with the Axiom^(TM)60K almond SNP Array enabling the detection of 6374 unique SNPs that can be readily used for varietal traceability.A subset of unique SNPs was further validated employing a high-resolution melting(HRM)assay on a discovery panel encompassing ten of the most widely cultivated accessions.The DNA extracted from leaves and kernels of five cultivars was genotyped with eight SSRs allowing the identification of the maternal origin of each kernel.The paper integrates the survey of the widely employed protocols for DNA extraction with the high-throughput genotyping of 140 almond accessions.In this context,unique SNPs validated and optimized for an HRM assay and the availability of SSR markers demonstrated their efficacy in traceability analysis along the chain.展开更多
The Eurasian beaver(Castor fiber Linnaeus,1758)can be considered a hydrological ecosystem engineer as it shapes environmental characteristics through its building activities and feeding behaviour.Even if several studi...The Eurasian beaver(Castor fiber Linnaeus,1758)can be considered a hydrological ecosystem engineer as it shapes environmental characteristics through its building activities and feeding behaviour.Even if several studies have so far reported beaver impact on multi-taxon biodiversity and forest regeneration,there is a lack of research on forest stand structure evolution following beaver direct activity on trees.This represents a pivotal topic for predicting restoration outcomes and reccommending sound silvicultural and management practices to maintain specific forest conditions.Specifically,the study aims at investigating forest stand structure and tree species diversity changes considering river variability,distance from the riverbank and beaver's gnawing activity intensity.The Eurasian beaver is only recently recolonising the three analysed Mediterranean rivers,but stand structure seems to be already significantly impacted by the species.The number of trees was reduced,increasing mean diameter at breast height at stand level,as most of the youngest and/or smaller trees are entirely cut down.Strongest structural variations can be detected in intensively impacted stands and in the forest portions closer to the riverbank.The absence of a significant effect on most of the diversity indices is likely due to the initially homogeneous composition of the tree layer in each stand and to the limited variety of beaver's diet within the sites.Future resprouting of secondary tree shoots,as well as beaver gnawing activity changes in intensity over time and space,can further produce variations in structural parameters and woody species diversity in the medium-and long-term period.Therefore,it will be crucial to further monitor the long-term effects,as structural shifts can produce significant effects on riparian ecosystem functions.展开更多
Biochar application to soil is commonly recognized to improve soil fertility and consequently biomass and food production sustainably.We re-examined the robustness of the underlying data and found that,of the 12000+ p...Biochar application to soil is commonly recognized to improve soil fertility and consequently biomass and food production sustainably.We re-examined the robustness of the underlying data and found that,of the 12000+ publications on“biochar and agriculture”used in meta-studies,only 109 Institute for Scientific Information(ISI)papers(or 0.9%)provide experimental data on the impacts on crop yield and/or biomass production.展开更多
In tomatoes,grafting onto resistant rootstocks represents an effective strategy to control several soil-borne diseases that reduce crop profitability,especially for landraceswith little or no resistance tomultiple pat...In tomatoes,grafting onto resistant rootstocks represents an effective strategy to control several soil-borne diseases that reduce crop profitability,especially for landraceswith little or no resistance tomultiple pathogens/pests.In this study,the high-value‘Corbarino’tomato landrace was grafted onto seven commercial Solanum interspecific rootstocks to evaluate graft compatibility,yield performance,and qualitative characteristics under greenhouse healthy conditions.Three rootstocks were themost effective in improving fruit yield without negatively affecting the carpometric,technological,and health-related traits of the traditional tomato.‘Dinafort’rootstock increased fresh and dry yield,harvest index,and fruit/clusters,while mean fruit weight,shape index,total and soluble solid content,simple sugars,organic acids,flavonoids,ascorbic acid,and trans-lycopene content did not differ with respect to the ungrafted‘Corbarino’.‘Interpro’rootstock also showed promising results for the overall yield and quality traits,although it reduced the trans-lycopene content in the fruit.‘Silex’rootstock showed the highest harvest index as result of decreased vigour.The fruit quality induced by‘Silex’was satisfactory and high levels of simple sugars,flavonoids,ascorbic acid,and trans-lycopene were also observed.However,graft success,especially for‘Dinafort’and‘Silex’,needs to be improved by investigating more suitable methods for seedling production,grafting,acclimatization,etc.展开更多
Double digest restriction-site associated sequencing(ddRAD-seq)is a flexible and cost-effective strategy for providing in-depth insights into the genetic architecture of germplasm collections.Using this methodology,we...Double digest restriction-site associated sequencing(ddRAD-seq)is a flexible and cost-effective strategy for providing in-depth insights into the genetic architecture of germplasm collections.Using this methodology,we investigated the genomic diversity of a panel of 288 diverse tomato(Solanum lycopersicum L.)accessions enriched in‘da serbo’(called‘de penjar’in Spain)long shelf life(LSL)materials(152 accessions)mostly originating from Italy and Spain.The rest of the materials originate from different countries and include landraces for fresh consumption,elite cultivars,heirlooms,and breeding lines.Apart from their LSL trait,‘da serbo’landraces are of remarkable interest for their resilience.We identified 32,799 high-quality SNPs,which were used for model ancestry population structure and non-parametric hierarchical clustering.Six genetic subgroups were revealed,clearly separating most‘da serbo’landraces,but also the Spanish germplasm,suggesting a subdivision of the population based on type and geographical provenance.Linkage disequilibrium(LD)in the collection decayed very rapidly within<5 kb.We then investigated SNPs showing contrasted minor frequency allele(MAF)in‘da serbo’materials,resulting in the identification of high frequencies in this germplasm of several mutations in genes related to stress tolerance and fruit maturation such as CTR1 and JAR1.Finally,a mini-core collection of 58 accessions encompassing most of the diversity was selected for further exploitation of key traits.Our findings suggest the presence of a genetic footprint of the‘da serbo’germplasm selected in the Mediterranean basin.Moreover,we provide novel insights on LSL‘da serbo’germplasm as a promising source of alleles for tolerance to stresses.展开更多
Erysiphe necator is the causal agent of powdery mildew(PM),one of the most destructive diseases of grapevine.PM is controlled by sulfur-based and synthetic fungicides,which every year are dispersed into the environmen...Erysiphe necator is the causal agent of powdery mildew(PM),one of the most destructive diseases of grapevine.PM is controlled by sulfur-based and synthetic fungicides,which every year are dispersed into the environment.This is why PM-resistant varieties should become a priority for sustainable grapevine and wine production.PM resistance can be achieved in other crops by knocking out susceptibility S-genes,such as those residing at genetic loci known as MLO(Mildew Locus O).All MLO S-genes of dicots belong to the phylogenetic clade V,including grapevine genes VvMLO7,11 and 13,which are upregulated during PM infection,and VvMLO6,which is not upregulated.Before adopting a gene-editing approach to knockout candidate S-genes,the evidence that loss of function of MLO genes can reduce PM susceptibility is necessary.This paper reports the knockdown through RNA interference of VvMLO6,7,11 and 13.The knockdown of VvMLO6,11 and 13 did not decrease PM severity,whereas the knockdown of VvMLO7 in combination with VvMLO6 and VvMLO11 reduced PM severity up to 77%.The knockdown of VvMLO7 and VvMLO6 seemed to be important for PM resistance,whereas a role for VvMLO11 does not seem likely.Cell wall appositions(papillae)were present in both resistant and susceptible lines in response to PM attack.Thirteen genes involved in defense were less upregulated in infected mlo plants,highlighting the early mlo-dependent disruption of PM invasion.展开更多
This study was undertaken to evaluate the influence of growing systems (conventional, organic and biodynamic performed with two types of manuring) on some nutritional traits of the tomato breeding line CXD271BIO (Sola...This study was undertaken to evaluate the influence of growing systems (conventional, organic and biodynamic performed with two types of manuring) on some nutritional traits of the tomato breeding line CXD271BIO (Solanum lycopersicum L.). Experimental fields were in the same geographical area and the cultivations were performed over five years. The content of macronutrients, minerals (Ca, K, Mg, P, Na), trace elements (Fe, Zn, Cu, Mn) and phenolic acids (chlorogenic, caffeic, p-coumaric and ferulic acids) was determined. The biodynamic A growing system showed the highest protein and carbohydrates content compared to the other growing systems. Data on minerals and trace elements content showed significant differences (mainly in Ca, Na, Fe and Zn content) between conventional and biodynamic tomatoes, whereas no major impact of the fertilization among organic and the two biodynamic growing systems was observed. Appreciable differences in phenolic acids biosynthesis were observed, with the year of harvest showing a marked effect especially on chlorogenic, p-cumaric and ferulic acids content. Conversely, the cultivation system did not show major influence. Principal Components Analysis (PCA), performed on mineral and phenolic acids content, substantiated the large effect of the year of harvest, also suggesting an effect of the conventional cultivation system.展开更多
Biowaste compost can influence soil organic matter accumulation directly or indirectly. A 5-year experiment was conducted to assess the influence of biowaste compost on the process of soil aggregation and soil organic...Biowaste compost can influence soil organic matter accumulation directly or indirectly. A 5-year experiment was conducted to assess the influence of biowaste compost on the process of soil aggregation and soil organic carbon （SOC） accumulation in a Mediterranean vegetable cropping system. The study involved four treatments： biowaste compost （COM）, mineral NPK fertilizers （MIN）, biowaste compost with half-dose N fertilizer （COMN）, and unfertilized control （CK）. The SOC stocks were increased in COM, COMN, and MIN by 20.2, 14.9, and 2.4 Mg ha-1 over CK, respectively. The SOC concentration was significantly related to mean weight diameter of aggregates （MWD） （P 〈 0.05, R^2 = 0.798 4） when CK was excluded from regression analysis. Compared to CK, COM and COMN increased the SOC amount in macroaggregates （〉 250 μm） by 2.7 and 0.6 g kg-1 soil, respectively, while MIN showed a loss of 0.4 g kg-1 soil. The SOC amount in free microaggregates （53-250 ttm） increased by 0.9, 1.6, and 1.0 g kg-1 soil for COM, COMN, and MIN, respectively, while those in the free silt plus clay aggregates （~ 53 ~m） did not vary significantly. However, when separating SOC in particle-size fractions, we found that more stable organic carbon associated with mineral fraction 〈 53 μm （MOM-C） increased significantly by 3.4, 2.2, and 0.7 g kg-1 soil for COM, COMN, and MIN, respectively, over CK, while SOC amount in fine particulate organic matter （POM） fraction （53-250 μm） increased only by 0.3 g kg-1 soil for both COM and COMN, with no difference in coarse POM 〉 250 μm. Therefore, we consider that biowaste compost could be effective in improving soil structure and long-term C sequestration as more stable MOM-C.展开更多
Salix L.(willow)is the largest genus of the family Salicaceae and plays an important role in riparian habitats,wetlands and in shrub tundra.Due to the diff erent implications for the species belonging to this family,i...Salix L.(willow)is the largest genus of the family Salicaceae and plays an important role in riparian habitats,wetlands and in shrub tundra.Due to the diff erent implications for the species belonging to this family,it is fundamental to identify molecular tools characterizing relevant clones.A set of six multilocus and multiallelic simple sequence repeat(SSRs)markers are presented,leading to 390 polymorphic fragments considered as single dominant markers and able to discriminate successfully 92 S.alba L.from 24 Salix spp.The polymorphic fragments have been used to perform genetic diversity studies,and to investigate population structures and cluster analysis in a germplasm collection.The results highlight the capability of the six SSRs to be powerful genetic resources in applied forestry research,both to distinguish S.alba clones from Salix spp.and to perform genetic population studies for breeding programs.展开更多
Beneficial interactions of rhizosphere microorganisms are widely exploited for plant biofertilization and mitigation of biotic and abiotic constraints.To provide new insights into the onset of the roots–beneficial mi...Beneficial interactions of rhizosphere microorganisms are widely exploited for plant biofertilization and mitigation of biotic and abiotic constraints.To provide new insights into the onset of the roots–beneficial microorganisms interplay,we characterised the transcriptomes expressed in tomato roots at 24,48 and 72 h post inoculation with the beneficial fungus Trichoderma harzianum T22 and analysed the epigenetic and post-trascriptional regulation mechanisms.We detected 1243 tomato transcripts that were differentially expressed between Trichoderma-interacting and control roots and 83 T.harzianum transcripts that were differentially expressed between the three experimental time points.Interaction with Trichoderma triggered a transcriptional response mainly ascribable to signal recognition and transduction,stress response,transcriptional regulation and transport.In tomato roots,salicylic acid,and not jasmonate,appears to have a prominent role in orchestrating the interplay with this beneficial strain.Differential regulation of many nutrient transporter genes indicated a strong effect on plant nutrition processes,which,together with the possible modifications in root architecture triggered by ethylene/indole-3-acetic acid signalling at 72 h post inoculation may concur to the well-described growth-promotion ability of this strain.Alongside,T.harzianum-induced defence priming and stress tolerance may be mediated by the induction of reactive oxygen species,detoxification and defence genes.A deeper insight into gene expression and regulation control provided first evidences for the involvement of cytosine methylation and alternative splicing mechanisms in the plant–Trichoderma interaction.A model is proposed that integrates the plant transcriptomic responses in the roots,where interaction between the plant and beneficial rhizosphere microorganisms occurs.展开更多
基金Project funded under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan(NRRP),Mission 4 Component 2 Investment 1.4-Call for tender No.3138 of December 16,2021,rectified by Decree n.3175 of December 18,2021 of Italian Ministry of University and Research funded by the European Union-NextGenerationEU,Project code CN_00000033,Concession Decree No.1034 of June 17,2022 adopted by the Italian Ministry of University and Research,CUP,H43C22000530001 Project title"National Biodiversity Future Center-NBFC."。
文摘Pathogens are shared between wild bees and wasps but little is known about how urbanization affects their occurrence.Here,the role of temperature and fragmentation of green areas,both associated with urbanization,in modulating pathogen loads was investigated.Twelve pathogens were investigated in the bees Anthophora plumipes Pallas,1772,Halictus scabiosae(Rossi,1790),Osmia cornuta(Latreille,1805),and the wasp Polistes dominula(Christ,1791)sampled across an urbanization gradient in a metropolitan area of northern Italy.Overall,the relative presence/abundance of the pathogens were found to be species specific,as were the responses to urbanization.Anthophora plumipes and O.cornuta had a higher occurrence probability of the neogregarine protozoan Apicystis bombi in more fragmented urban areas.In the same bee species,both temperature and the fragmentation of green areas reduced the number of copies of the deformed wing virus(DWV).In H.scabiosae and P.dominula,higher temperature increased respectively the likelihood of occurrence of DWV and chronic bee paralysis virus(CBPV).In addition,the viruses were found to be replicative in all samples tested.The results show a consistent presence of pathogens in the four target species,and that urbanization plays a role in modulating the pathogen load.Although transmission pathways could not be considered here,it may be suggested that appropriate management of urban areas may buffer wild insects from potentially harmful pathogens.Whether the presence of such pathogens also results in symptomatic phenotypes remains to be determined in laboratory experiments.
基金supported initially by the LIFE FoResMit Project(LIFE14 CCM/IT/000905)。
文摘Peri-urban plantations in the Mediterranean are often degraded due to human inactivity and climate change,leading to a loss of ecosystem services and biodiversity.This study investigates the impact of different thinning practices on carbon sequestration and tree stability in a degraded periurban plantation in the Italian Apennines,six years after thinning.Three treatments were compared:(a)moderate thinning from below(-25%biomass),representing the typical practice;(b)intense selective thinning(-35%biomass),representing an innovative approach;and(c)no management as the control.Growth projections were used to estimate carbon recovery for these treatments,based on site-specific models calibrated with real data.The results show that both thinning approaches increased carbon sequestration over time,with the innovative thinning achieving a 7%higher annual carbon sequestration rate than traditional thinning and 8%more than the control.Estimated payback times were9 years for recovering the harvested volume in both thinning approaches,10 years for innovative thinning to surpass traditional thinning,17 years for innovative thinning to surpass the control,and 24 years for traditional thinning to surpass the control.Additionally,tree mechanical stability improved significantly in both thinning treatments after two years,with further increases observed in the innovative thinning group after six years.These results suggest that selective thinning can accelerate forest recovery and carbon sequestration,especially in areas with high stem density,where it can reduce the negative impacts of tree mortality and deadwood accumulation.However,careful planning is required to mitigate potential short-term stability is sues,particularly in challenging environments(e.g.,windy conditions,steep slopes).Forest management strategies should therefore aim to balance growth,carbon storage,and tree stability,considering both long-term sustainability and local environmental conditions.The findings are particularly relevant for current climate change mitigation strategies,emphasizing that thinning should be carefully tailored to forest type and conditions to maximize benefits in carbon credit generation and sustainable forest management practices.
基金supported by the FACCE-JPI SusCrop project RECOBAR,funded by MASAF(D.M.no.142548)the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft under the Emmy Noether Programme(project no.442020478).
文摘In self-pollinating cereals such as rice,wheat,and barley,growing undefined mixtures of genotypes in genetic equilibrium was once standard practice when local populations(landraces)were used.The shift from landraces to single-genotype varieties led to immediate gains in yield and quality,and over the past century,single-genotype crops have been highly successful.Nonetheless,several studies suggest that variety mixtures(i.e.,two or more consciously selected genotypes of the same crop grown together)may offer advantages over single-genotype varieties(Borg et al.,2018;Kopp et al.,2023).
基金supported by the European Union's Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme under Grant No.774244(Breeding for resilient,efficient and sustainable organic vegetable productionBRESOV)by‘RGV-FAO'project funded by the Italian Ministry of Agriculture,Food Sovereignty and Forests。
文摘The increasing conversion of agricultural land to organic farming requires the development of specifically adapted cultivars.So far,in tomato there is lack of research for selection of germplasm suitable for sustainable agroecosystems.In this study,we investigated the genotypic and environmental factors affecting the variation of plant,fruits,and root traits in 39 tomato genotypes grown under organic farming conditions.Four independent experiments were conducted in Italy and Spain across two consecutive seasons in 2019 and 2020.For all traits,the factorial linear regression model to estimate the main effects of genotype(G),location(L),year of cultivation(Y)and their interactions,revealed highly significant(P<0.001)variations,with the G factor being largely predominant for most traits.The implementation of the“which-won-where”,“mean performance versus stability”and“discriminative vs representativeness”patterns in the GGE(Genotype plus Genotype by Environment interaction)analysis,allowed the identification of superior cultivars with high stability across the testing environments.Genomic characterization with 30890 high quality SNPs from dd RADseq genotyping analysis,revealed that a specific cluster of cherry tomato accessions were low performing in terms of yield and fruit weight,on the contrary,showed a high content of soluble solids,which in agreement with GGE analysis.Results of this study provide a framework for the potential use of this locally adapted tomato germplasm to address the needs of more sustainable agriculture.
基金supported by the Italian Ministry of Agriculture,Ministry of Agriculture,Food Sovereignty and Forestry(MASAF),National program sub project Precision Forestry(AgriDigit program)(DM 36509.7305.2018 of 20/12/2018).
文摘Forest planning involves estimating the biomass of species present in the area.Two fundamental parameters are diameter and height through which it is possible to indirectly estimate of biomass present.Digitalisation of forestry operations,such as forest planning,is crucial and should be affordable and easy-to-use digital applications and open-source devices.A digital progressive web application(PWA)was designed to record measurements.The app was connected via bluetoot to an open-source IoT digital forestry caliper prototyped by modifying a commercial tree caliper.An economic analysis was carried out considering all costs necessary for the development and operation of the app on smartphones and the preparation of electronic means for creation of the digital caliper.A comparison was made between costs of detecting tree diameters through application of the technology developed compared to costs calculated by applying the use of a dendrometric caliper(three technological levels were considered:L1,L2 and L3).The PWA allowed for easy data entry and viewing,maps and tree densities.The open-source digital caliper showed accuracy and precision comparable with similar commercial devices(1.5%±0.9%and 0.0%±0.9%,respectively).Total time per operator was lower using the digital caliper.From an economic perspective,application of the digital technology was more sustainable than the traditional system.Use of the digital caliper in combination with the web application optimizes detection time of a single tree,and therefore decreases overall cost.
基金supported by the ROP ERDF 2014-2020 Lombardy-Innovation and Competitiveness.
文摘Saponins can be potential candidates for the development of safe biopesticides,due to their widely acknowledged insecticidal,fungicidal and nematicidal activity,but information on their effects on soil biological properties is still limited.This study aimed to investigate the short-term fate of saponins from Medicago sativa in soil and their dose-effect relationship with microbial biomass and selected enzyme activities in soils with different origin,physical and chemical properties.Microbial degradation of total saponins ranged from 46%to 91%,according to soil characteristics,within 28 days from their incorporation into the soil.Both saponin glycosidic chains and triterpenic aglycones were also microbially degraded,though by dynamics changing among the different soils.In all soils,M.sativa saponins significantly reduced microbial biomass at rates of 10 and 20 mg saponin mixture per g of soil.Microbial enzymatic activities were less affected as indicating an adaptive response of soil microbial communities to the presence of saponins.
基金the PRIMA project:MEDPOMESTONE(Grant No.23A01284).
文摘Almond is widely cultivated in the world thanks to the quality and healthy features of the kernel.Almond kernel is consumed fresh or employed in the food industry.Hundreds of almond cultivars were selected throughout the long history of cultivation;in this context,an efficient method for varietal identification is essential to ensure cultivar traceability along the chain.This study surveyed the widely employed commercial kits and protocols for DNA extraction from several almond matrices including leaves,kernels(fresh and roasted)and several processed products.Commercial kits(though with minor modification)outperformed the other extraction methods for the isolation of DNA suitable for molecular analysis from all the tested matrices.In parallel,a germplasm collection composed of 140 accessions(123 Sicilian genotypes complemented with widely known national and international cultivars)was genotyped with the Axiom^(TM)60K almond SNP Array enabling the detection of 6374 unique SNPs that can be readily used for varietal traceability.A subset of unique SNPs was further validated employing a high-resolution melting(HRM)assay on a discovery panel encompassing ten of the most widely cultivated accessions.The DNA extracted from leaves and kernels of five cultivars was genotyped with eight SSRs allowing the identification of the maternal origin of each kernel.The paper integrates the survey of the widely employed protocols for DNA extraction with the high-throughput genotyping of 140 almond accessions.In this context,unique SNPs validated and optimized for an HRM assay and the availability of SSR markers demonstrated their efficacy in traceability analysis along the chain.
基金support of the National Biodiversity Future Center (NBFC) to the University of Padova,the Research Centre for Plant ProtectionCertification (CREA),and the National Research Council (CNR),funded under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP)+2 种基金Mission 4 Component 2 Investment 1.4-Call for tender No.3138 of 16 December 2021,rectified by Decree n.3175 of 18 December 2021 of Italian Ministry of University and Research funded by the European Union–NextGenerationEUProject code CN_00000033,Concession Decree No.1034 of 17 June 2022adopted by the Italian Ministry of University and Research,CUP:C93C22002810006,CUP:B83D21014060006,CUP:B83C22002930006,Project title“National Biodiversity Future CenterNBFC”support by Beaver Trust,grant number:1185451
文摘The Eurasian beaver(Castor fiber Linnaeus,1758)can be considered a hydrological ecosystem engineer as it shapes environmental characteristics through its building activities and feeding behaviour.Even if several studies have so far reported beaver impact on multi-taxon biodiversity and forest regeneration,there is a lack of research on forest stand structure evolution following beaver direct activity on trees.This represents a pivotal topic for predicting restoration outcomes and reccommending sound silvicultural and management practices to maintain specific forest conditions.Specifically,the study aims at investigating forest stand structure and tree species diversity changes considering river variability,distance from the riverbank and beaver's gnawing activity intensity.The Eurasian beaver is only recently recolonising the three analysed Mediterranean rivers,but stand structure seems to be already significantly impacted by the species.The number of trees was reduced,increasing mean diameter at breast height at stand level,as most of the youngest and/or smaller trees are entirely cut down.Strongest structural variations can be detected in intensively impacted stands and in the forest portions closer to the riverbank.The absence of a significant effect on most of the diversity indices is likely due to the initially homogeneous composition of the tree layer in each stand and to the limited variety of beaver's diet within the sites.Future resprouting of secondary tree shoots,as well as beaver gnawing activity changes in intensity over time and space,can further produce variations in structural parameters and woody species diversity in the medium-and long-term period.Therefore,it will be crucial to further monitor the long-term effects,as structural shifts can produce significant effects on riparian ecosystem functions.
文摘Biochar application to soil is commonly recognized to improve soil fertility and consequently biomass and food production sustainably.We re-examined the robustness of the underlying data and found that,of the 12000+ publications on“biochar and agriculture”used in meta-studies,only 109 Institute for Scientific Information(ISI)papers(or 0.9%)provide experimental data on the impacts on crop yield and/or biomass production.
文摘In tomatoes,grafting onto resistant rootstocks represents an effective strategy to control several soil-borne diseases that reduce crop profitability,especially for landraceswith little or no resistance tomultiple pathogens/pests.In this study,the high-value‘Corbarino’tomato landrace was grafted onto seven commercial Solanum interspecific rootstocks to evaluate graft compatibility,yield performance,and qualitative characteristics under greenhouse healthy conditions.Three rootstocks were themost effective in improving fruit yield without negatively affecting the carpometric,technological,and health-related traits of the traditional tomato.‘Dinafort’rootstock increased fresh and dry yield,harvest index,and fruit/clusters,while mean fruit weight,shape index,total and soluble solid content,simple sugars,organic acids,flavonoids,ascorbic acid,and trans-lycopene content did not differ with respect to the ungrafted‘Corbarino’.‘Interpro’rootstock also showed promising results for the overall yield and quality traits,although it reduced the trans-lycopene content in the fruit.‘Silex’rootstock showed the highest harvest index as result of decreased vigour.The fruit quality induced by‘Silex’was satisfactory and high levels of simple sugars,flavonoids,ascorbic acid,and trans-lycopene were also observed.However,graft success,especially for‘Dinafort’and‘Silex’,needs to be improved by investigating more suitable methods for seedling production,grafting,acclimatization,etc.
文摘Double digest restriction-site associated sequencing(ddRAD-seq)is a flexible and cost-effective strategy for providing in-depth insights into the genetic architecture of germplasm collections.Using this methodology,we investigated the genomic diversity of a panel of 288 diverse tomato(Solanum lycopersicum L.)accessions enriched in‘da serbo’(called‘de penjar’in Spain)long shelf life(LSL)materials(152 accessions)mostly originating from Italy and Spain.The rest of the materials originate from different countries and include landraces for fresh consumption,elite cultivars,heirlooms,and breeding lines.Apart from their LSL trait,‘da serbo’landraces are of remarkable interest for their resilience.We identified 32,799 high-quality SNPs,which were used for model ancestry population structure and non-parametric hierarchical clustering.Six genetic subgroups were revealed,clearly separating most‘da serbo’landraces,but also the Spanish germplasm,suggesting a subdivision of the population based on type and geographical provenance.Linkage disequilibrium(LD)in the collection decayed very rapidly within<5 kb.We then investigated SNPs showing contrasted minor frequency allele(MAF)in‘da serbo’materials,resulting in the identification of high frequencies in this germplasm of several mutations in genes related to stress tolerance and fruit maturation such as CTR1 and JAR1.Finally,a mini-core collection of 58 accessions encompassing most of the diversity was selected for further exploitation of key traits.Our findings suggest the presence of a genetic footprint of the‘da serbo’germplasm selected in the Mediterranean basin.Moreover,we provide novel insights on LSL‘da serbo’germplasm as a promising source of alleles for tolerance to stresses.
基金This work was funded by the autonomous province of Trento(Italy)and the GMPF PhD program.
文摘Erysiphe necator is the causal agent of powdery mildew(PM),one of the most destructive diseases of grapevine.PM is controlled by sulfur-based and synthetic fungicides,which every year are dispersed into the environment.This is why PM-resistant varieties should become a priority for sustainable grapevine and wine production.PM resistance can be achieved in other crops by knocking out susceptibility S-genes,such as those residing at genetic loci known as MLO(Mildew Locus O).All MLO S-genes of dicots belong to the phylogenetic clade V,including grapevine genes VvMLO7,11 and 13,which are upregulated during PM infection,and VvMLO6,which is not upregulated.Before adopting a gene-editing approach to knockout candidate S-genes,the evidence that loss of function of MLO genes can reduce PM susceptibility is necessary.This paper reports the knockdown through RNA interference of VvMLO6,7,11 and 13.The knockdown of VvMLO6,11 and 13 did not decrease PM severity,whereas the knockdown of VvMLO7 in combination with VvMLO6 and VvMLO11 reduced PM severity up to 77%.The knockdown of VvMLO7 and VvMLO6 seemed to be important for PM resistance,whereas a role for VvMLO11 does not seem likely.Cell wall appositions(papillae)were present in both resistant and susceptible lines in response to PM attack.Thirteen genes involved in defense were less upregulated in infected mlo plants,highlighting the early mlo-dependent disruption of PM invasion.
文摘This study was undertaken to evaluate the influence of growing systems (conventional, organic and biodynamic performed with two types of manuring) on some nutritional traits of the tomato breeding line CXD271BIO (Solanum lycopersicum L.). Experimental fields were in the same geographical area and the cultivations were performed over five years. The content of macronutrients, minerals (Ca, K, Mg, P, Na), trace elements (Fe, Zn, Cu, Mn) and phenolic acids (chlorogenic, caffeic, p-coumaric and ferulic acids) was determined. The biodynamic A growing system showed the highest protein and carbohydrates content compared to the other growing systems. Data on minerals and trace elements content showed significant differences (mainly in Ca, Na, Fe and Zn content) between conventional and biodynamic tomatoes, whereas no major impact of the fertilization among organic and the two biodynamic growing systems was observed. Appreciable differences in phenolic acids biosynthesis were observed, with the year of harvest showing a marked effect especially on chlorogenic, p-cumaric and ferulic acids content. Conversely, the cultivation system did not show major influence. Principal Components Analysis (PCA), performed on mineral and phenolic acids content, substantiated the large effect of the year of harvest, also suggesting an effect of the conventional cultivation system.
文摘Biowaste compost can influence soil organic matter accumulation directly or indirectly. A 5-year experiment was conducted to assess the influence of biowaste compost on the process of soil aggregation and soil organic carbon （SOC） accumulation in a Mediterranean vegetable cropping system. The study involved four treatments： biowaste compost （COM）, mineral NPK fertilizers （MIN）, biowaste compost with half-dose N fertilizer （COMN）, and unfertilized control （CK）. The SOC stocks were increased in COM, COMN, and MIN by 20.2, 14.9, and 2.4 Mg ha-1 over CK, respectively. The SOC concentration was significantly related to mean weight diameter of aggregates （MWD） （P 〈 0.05, R^2 = 0.798 4） when CK was excluded from regression analysis. Compared to CK, COM and COMN increased the SOC amount in macroaggregates （〉 250 μm） by 2.7 and 0.6 g kg-1 soil, respectively, while MIN showed a loss of 0.4 g kg-1 soil. The SOC amount in free microaggregates （53-250 ttm） increased by 0.9, 1.6, and 1.0 g kg-1 soil for COM, COMN, and MIN, respectively, while those in the free silt plus clay aggregates （~ 53 ~m） did not vary significantly. However, when separating SOC in particle-size fractions, we found that more stable organic carbon associated with mineral fraction 〈 53 μm （MOM-C） increased significantly by 3.4, 2.2, and 0.7 g kg-1 soil for COM, COMN, and MIN, respectively, over CK, while SOC amount in fine particulate organic matter （POM） fraction （53-250 μm） increased only by 0.3 g kg-1 soil for both COM and COMN, with no difference in coarse POM 〉 250 μm. Therefore, we consider that biowaste compost could be effective in improving soil structure and long-term C sequestration as more stable MOM-C.
基金the Project“RGV-FAO”(The Italian Ministry of Agricultural,Food and Forestry Policies-MiPAAF D.M.18862/06).
文摘Salix L.(willow)is the largest genus of the family Salicaceae and plays an important role in riparian habitats,wetlands and in shrub tundra.Due to the diff erent implications for the species belonging to this family,it is fundamental to identify molecular tools characterizing relevant clones.A set of six multilocus and multiallelic simple sequence repeat(SSRs)markers are presented,leading to 390 polymorphic fragments considered as single dominant markers and able to discriminate successfully 92 S.alba L.from 24 Salix spp.The polymorphic fragments have been used to perform genetic diversity studies,and to investigate population structures and cluster analysis in a germplasm collection.The results highlight the capability of the six SSRs to be powerful genetic resources in applied forestry research,both to distinguish S.alba clones from Salix spp.and to perform genetic population studies for breeding programs.
基金supported by research grants from the Italian Ministry of Education,University and Research(projects GenoPOM PON02_00395_3082360 and CL.A.N.Agri-Food CTN01_00230_240864).
文摘Beneficial interactions of rhizosphere microorganisms are widely exploited for plant biofertilization and mitigation of biotic and abiotic constraints.To provide new insights into the onset of the roots–beneficial microorganisms interplay,we characterised the transcriptomes expressed in tomato roots at 24,48 and 72 h post inoculation with the beneficial fungus Trichoderma harzianum T22 and analysed the epigenetic and post-trascriptional regulation mechanisms.We detected 1243 tomato transcripts that were differentially expressed between Trichoderma-interacting and control roots and 83 T.harzianum transcripts that were differentially expressed between the three experimental time points.Interaction with Trichoderma triggered a transcriptional response mainly ascribable to signal recognition and transduction,stress response,transcriptional regulation and transport.In tomato roots,salicylic acid,and not jasmonate,appears to have a prominent role in orchestrating the interplay with this beneficial strain.Differential regulation of many nutrient transporter genes indicated a strong effect on plant nutrition processes,which,together with the possible modifications in root architecture triggered by ethylene/indole-3-acetic acid signalling at 72 h post inoculation may concur to the well-described growth-promotion ability of this strain.Alongside,T.harzianum-induced defence priming and stress tolerance may be mediated by the induction of reactive oxygen species,detoxification and defence genes.A deeper insight into gene expression and regulation control provided first evidences for the involvement of cytosine methylation and alternative splicing mechanisms in the plant–Trichoderma interaction.A model is proposed that integrates the plant transcriptomic responses in the roots,where interaction between the plant and beneficial rhizosphere microorganisms occurs.
