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Iron deficiency is a major nutritional disorder in crops. Inorganic Fe-compounds and synthetic Fe-chelates are commonly used to control chlorosis but their use arise environmental concerns. We recently developed a new iron fertilizer... more
Iron deficiency is a major nutritional disorder in crops. Inorganic Fe-compounds and synthetic Fe-chelates are commonly used to control chlorosis but their use arise environmental concerns. We recently developed a new iron fertilizer using a β-cyclodextrin-based nanosponge complex (Fe-NS). In this study, a pilot trial was per- formed on hydroponically cultivated horticultural plants in order to evaluate the effect of Fe-NS. Sweet corn and tomato were used as model plants analyzing chlorophyll, dry mat- ter and Fe content. Fe-NS effect was compared to FeSO4 and Fe-DTPA. Fe-NS had a positive effect on re-greening and growth in sweet corn and tomato plants.
Wild food gathering activities (i.e., foraging practices) played an important role in securing food in the past. Nowadays, these resources and the knowledge around their use are experiencing a process of erosion. This article aims to... more
Wild food gathering activities (i.e., foraging practices) played an important role in securing food in the past. Nowadays, these resources and the knowledge around their use are experiencing a process of erosion. This article aims to identify the factors explaining the abandonment or, on the other hand, the preservation of foraging practices in Europe. The second aim is to analyze how these practices contribute to the economic and social development of local communities and to the sustainability of land management. A systematic review of the literature on European foraging practices was performed to answer these research questions. Following this approach, 111 publications were selected and analyzed. The results highlight that the reasons for the abandonment of foraging practices are related to socio-economic changes as well as changes in the environment such as reduced availability and land-use change. On the other hand, heritagization processes of these resources, such as wild pla...
Lavandula angustifolia Mill. is a part of the Lamiaceae family, which includes aromatic plants used in perfumery, manufactory, food, ornamental, and medicinal sectors. Both fresh and dried lavender flowers can be exploited in different... more
Lavandula angustifolia Mill. is a part of the Lamiaceae family, which includes aromatic plants used in perfumery, manufactory, food, ornamental, and medicinal sectors. Both fresh and dried lavender flowers can be exploited in different ways; however, post-harvest treatments such as drying processes can help maintain the flowers’ properties for a longer period. This study analyzed fresh (F) and dried lavender flower ultrasound-assisted extracts, comparing two different drying methods, i.e., heat-pump drying (HP) and hot-air drying (HA), to assess potential differences in their effect on the phytochemical composition (total phenolic content, total anthocyanin content, and phenolic profile) and antioxidant activity (FRAP, DPPH, and ABTS assays) of flowers, focusing on three lavender selections from north-western Alps (i.e., Susa, Stura, and Tanaro). Results showed that HP-dried flowers are to be preferred over HA-dried flowers, as they contain +66.73% of phenolics and +62.2% of anthocy...
Edible flowers are rich in bioactive compounds and pigments that are on increasing demand in nutraceutical, medicinal, food, cosmetic and dyeing industries. This study evaluated the anthocyanins, phenolics and antioxidant activity of... more
Edible flowers are rich in bioactive compounds and pigments that are on increasing demand in nutraceutical, medicinal, food, cosmetic and dyeing industries. This study evaluated the anthocyanins, phenolics and antioxidant activity of eight edible flowers (Bellis perennis L., Centaurea cyanus L., Dianthus carthusianorum L., Lavandula angustifolia Mill., Primula vulgaris Huds., Rosa canina L., Rosa pendulina L. and Viola odorata L.) after 24 h of hot drying (50 °C; natural convection stove) or cold drying (CD) (22 °C; heat-pump drying system). The hot-dried and cold-dried materials were then used to prepare ultrasound-assisted extracts, which are used as food additives or as a source of natural colourants, or decoctions (DECs), which are used for herbal teas. The edible flower UAEs and DECs had high amounts of anthocyanins (up to 3,284.6 mg C3G · 100 g-1), phenolics (up to 9,034 mg · 100 g-1) and antioxidant activity (866 μmol TE · g-1, 4,901 mmol Fe2+ · kg-1), with roses having the h...

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