Roberta Paradiso

According to the list of Traditional Agri-food Products (TAPs) of the Italian Ministry of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Forestry, 1636 plant-based TAPs are currently registered in Italy. This study aimed at identifying strengths and constraints associated with the production, commercialization, and conservation status of plant-based TAPs selected in Campania. Data on all 246 TAPs recorded in the region were collected and analysed to assess their distribution in the 5 provinces. The conservation status was assessed by cross-referencing the TAPs list with the Regional Register of Plant Genetic Resources at Risk of Extinction and the National Register of Conservation Varieties. The study was conducted on a sample of 13 products, selected by edible organ (leaf, fruit, inflorescence, seed, and tuber/rhizome). Questionnaires concerning production and commercialization were distributed to two farmers per product. Most farms showed limited surfaces (<1 ha in 69.2%), with low yearly production levels (<10 q in 27% and 10–50 q in 38%). Cultivation mainly consists of organic farming (58%), reflecting the widespread adoption of low-input and environmentally sustainable practices, but entails higher production costs and operational constraints, affecting farm economic sustainability and competitiveness in broader markets. All farms distribute products at the local level, while 15% and 23% also reach national and European markets, respectively. Our results highlight the potential role of TAPs in supporting the sustainable utilisation of local plant genetic resources, territorial identity and rural food tourism. Strengthening the economic viability of plant-based TAPs may contribute to reducing the risk of genetic erosion and preserving Campania’s plant biodiversity and cultural heritage.

According to the list of Traditional agri-food products (TAPs) of the Italian Minis-try of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Forestry, 1636 plant-based TAPs are currently registered in Italy. This study aimed at identifying strengths and constraints associated with the production, commercialization, and conservation status of plant-based TAPs selected in Campania. Data on all 246 TAPs recorded in the region were collected and analysed to assess their distribution in the 5 provinces. The conservation status was assessed by cross-referencing the TAPs list with the Regional Register of Plant Genetic Resources at Risk of Extinction and the National Register of Conservation Varieties. The study was conducted on a sample of 13 products, selected by edible organ (leaf, fruit, inflorescence, seed, and tuber/rhizome). Questionnaires concerning production and commercialization were distributed to two farmers per product. Most farms showed limited surfaces (< 1 ha in 69.2%), with low yearly production levels (< 10 q in 27% and 10–50 q in 38%). Cultivation mainly consists in organic farming (58%), reflecting the widespread adoption of low-input and environmentally sustainable practices, but entailing higher production costs and operational constraints, affecting farm economic sustainability and competitiveness in broader markets. All farms distribute products at the local level, while only a minority reaches the national (15%) and Euro-pean (23%) markets. Our results highlight the potential role of TAPs in supporting the sustainable utilisation of local plant genetic resources, the territorial identity and the rural food tourism. Strengthening the economic viability of plant-based TAPs may contribute to reducing the risk of genetic erosion and preserving Campania's plant biodiversity and cultural heritage.

Integrating a vertical layout into greenhouse allows space-efficient cultivation and energy saving; however, shading of the lower canopy makes supplemental artificial lighting necessary. Here, we investigated the effect of red–blue LED supplementation in a vertical greenhouse system for potato cultivation on plant growth, tuber yield, and mineral and metabolite composition, compared to full natural sunlight as a control. Cultivation units were designed to simulate a multiple-layer growing system, in which the uppermost level received only natural light, while LEDs integrated reduced light intensity in the shaded lower level up to 300 µmol m ^-2 s ^-1 . Despite the lower daily light integral, LED-supplemented plants showed higher photosynthetic activity and slower decline in leaf chlorophyll content over time, which contributed to higher tuber yield compared to the control. Multi-omics analyses on tuber tissues revealed coordinated metabolic reprogramming. Transcriptomic data showed up-regulation of genes involved in photosynthesis, sugar metabolism, and polyamine biosynthesis in LED-treated plants, together with down-regulation of stress-related genes. Proteomic and metabolomic profiling partially confirmed such trends, highlighting a down-representation of stress-responsive proteins as well as reduced levels of polyphenols, glycoalkaloids and enzymes related to their biosynthesis, highlighting an overall metabolic shift toward an attenuated stress response. In parallel, plants grown under LED lighting showed augmented content of nitrogen, polyamines and some precursor amino acids in the corresponding tubers, qualifying their nutritional characteristics. These results provide mechanistic insights into the relationship between potato plants artificial lighting and molecular reprogramming with the aim of improving crop production and food quality.

Microgreens, young edible seedlings of many plant species, harvested just a few weeks after germination, are increasingly valued for their high nutritional and nutraceutical properties. As interest in functional food and sustainable urban farming has been increased in the last years, optimizing microgreen production under controlled environment has become a key research topic. Light, as intensity, spectral composition and photoperiod, is one of the most influential factors in regulating plant growth and promoting bioactive compounds accumulation. Nowadays, light emitting diodes (LEDs) allows the precise control of these parameters of artificial light, making possible to steer plant metabolism and enhance the produce quality. This review explores how light intensity and spectrum influence growth, morphology, and secondary metabolism in microgreens, with special focus to the biosynthesis of healthy phytochemicals, including antioxidants like vitamins, phenolics, flavonoids, and glucosinolates. In general, among the reviewed studies, moderate intensities and balanced blue-red spectra or ratios with a higher proportion of blue (B) respect to red (R) resulted in the highest biomass accumulation making R50:B50 or B70:R30 the most efficient spectra for microgreens production. Selective enrichment of specific wavelengths enhances secondary metabolism, particularly functional compounds.

Melon (Cucumis melo L.) is a major horticultural crop cultivated in temperate and subtropical regions, with increasing importance due to its nutritional value and consumer demand. Currently, melon is grown both in the open field and greenhouse, which differ significantly in agronomic practices, production cost, environmental impact, and fruit yield. Recently, vertical cultivation in greenhouses has been tested as an alternative to traditional trailing systems. This study aimed to evaluate the performance of four melon hybrids, named 2001, 2003, 2005, and 2008, in two soil-based cultivation systems, the traditional trailing growth habit in the open field, and vertical cultivation in the greenhouse. Results revealed significant differences between cultivation systems in fruit yield and quality. Vertical cultivation resulted in a higher yield compared to the open field (7.8 vs. 6.6 kg m⁻²). Fruits harvested from vertically grown plants showed higher levels of total phenolic compounds, enhancing their nutraceutical value. Among the tested hybrids, 2008 reached the highest yield (8.7 kg m⁻²) along with notable nutritional and nutraceutical properties, while 2001 and 2003 showed a superior quality profile, with higher concentrations of K, P, and phenolic compounds. Overall, hybrid 2008 exhibited the best agronomic response across both cultivation systems, combining higher productivity and fruit quality, and can therefore be considered the most suitable genotype for both open-field and vertical farming conditions. The observed genetic variability among the hybrids underscores the importance of selecting the plant genotype best adapted to the chosen cultivation system.

Melon (Cucumis melo L.) is a major horticultural crop cultivated in temperate and subtropical regions, with increasing importance due to its nutritional value and consumer demand. Currently, melon is grown both in open field and greenhouse, which differ significantly in agronomic practices, production cost, environmental impact, and fruit yield. Recently, vertical cultivation in greenhouse has been tested as an alternative to traditional trailing systems. This study aimed at evaluating the performance of four melon hybrids, named 2001, 2003, 2005 and 2008, in two soil-based cultivation systems, the traditional trailing growth habit in open field and a vertical cultivation in greenhouse. Results revealed significant differences between cultivation systems in fruit yield and quality. Vertical cultivation resulted in higher yield compared to open field (7.8 vs. 6.6 kg m-²). Fruits harvested from vertically grown plants showed higher levels of total phenolic compounds, enhancing their nutraceutical value. Among the tested hybrids, 2008 reached the highest yield (8.7 kg m-²) along with notable nutritional and nutraceutical properties, while 2001 and 2003 showed a superior quality profile, with higher concentration of K, P, and phenolic compounds. Overall, hybrid 2008 exhibited the best agronomic response across both cultivation systems, combining higher productivity and fruit quality, and can therefore be considered the most suitable genotype for both open-field and vertical farming conditions. The observed genetic variability among the hybrids underscores the importance of selecting the plant genotype best adapted to the chosen cultivation system.

Introduction: Plants are promising bioregenerators for long-term space missions. However, space cultivation will require fertile substrates based on in-situ available materials.Methods: We assessed the response of fava bean (Vicia faba L. cv. 'Sfardella') to glasshouse cultivation on six substrates: pure MMS-1 Mars regolith simulant (R100), MMS-1 amended with green compost 70:30 v:v (R70C30), pure fluvial sand (S100), sand mixed with compost 70:30 v:v (S70C30), sandy-loam volcanic soil (VS), and clay red soil (RS). Plant physiological and growth parameters, nutritional and nutraceutical profile of seeds, and nutrient bioavailability in the substrates, before and after cultivation, were determined.Results: Net photosynthesis was lower in plants in pure regolith, while the addition of compost restored assimilation at a similar rate to that of the other substrates. Both regolith-based substrates reduced the biomass accumulation, but seed production improved in R70C30 (+61.9% than R100), giving similar yield compared to VS and S70C30. The chemical fertility and nutrient bioavailability improved after cultivation of the fava bean Fabaceae crop in succession to potato (e.g., in R100, +52% organic C, +19% N, and +27% S). The easily bioavailable nutrients declined over time, while the potentially bioavailable fraction increased, indicating a strengthening interaction with the substrate adsorption surface.Discussion: The growth on pure regolith simulant MMS-1 reduced the plant growth and seed production; however, the amendment with green compost improved the nutrient bioavailability of MMS-1, with positive effects on the yield, harvest index, and nutritional quality of fava bean seeds, at similar level to volcanic soils.

Greenhouses play a key role in modern agriculture by creating controlled environments to fulfil specific plant climatic requirements, allowing the extension of the growing season and improving the crop productivity and product quality. Light, in terms of quantity (intensity), quality (spectral composition), and duration (photoperiod), is a crucial factor in driving plant performance in protected cultivation. Solar radiation is significantly affected by the greenhouse framework and cover material. The use of smart materials, including diffusive, photoselective, luminescent, and switchable covers, can positively modify the light intensity, spectrum, and distribution, improving the greenhouse light environment, hence the plant growth, morphology, and metabolism. This review summarizes the state of art of research on innovative covers suitable for modern greenhouse horticulture and their effects on plant performance in vegetable and ornamental crops.

Environmental sustainability is a crucial issue in modern agriculture and special attention needs to be paid to soil health preservation. Eggplant (Solanum melongena L.) cultivation implies the supply of relevant quantities of chemical fertilizers, since the crop has high nutrient requirements. This study investigated the combined effects of two common organic amendments—compost and digestate—and two types of biostimulant—a plant-based product and a microbe-based product—on fruit production and quality of eggplant, to highlight the potential synergistic effects of fertilization and biostimulation. The experiment was carried out in a Mediterranean greenhouse in the winter/spring period, assessing early and total marketable yield and fruit qualitative traits (firmness, color, nitrogen, ascorbic acid, carotenoid and phenol content, and antioxidant activity). Results showed that the fertilization strategy significantly influenced plant productivity, with digestate promoting the early fruitification and mineral fertilizers resulting in a higher total yield. Biostimulants, particularly the microbial type, improved the fruit quality in terms of carotenoid content and antioxidant activity. These findings highlight the potential benefits of combining organic amendments with biostimulants in eggplant cultivation, enhancing the economic value of the product through the increase in the early production and fruit nutraceutical value while realizing sustainable practices.

Introduction: We investigated the influence of genetic material and light spectrum on plant performance of two cultivars of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.), ‘Colomba’ and ‘Libra’, grown in greenhouse, in the view of future plant cultivation in Space and terrestrial vertical farming and controlled environment agriculture under limiting light conditions.Methods: The effects of 100% natural light (CNT) and two lighting treatments, in which 30% of solar radiation was replaced by red and blue LED light, RB 1:1 and RB 2:1, were evaluated on plant growth, gas exchange, and tuber yield and quality.Results: In CNT plants, net photosynthesis (NP) was similar in the cultivars, while the aerial biomass and tuber yield were greater in ‘Libra’. In ‘Colomba’, NP and plant leaf area were unaffected by lighting treatments, however tuber yield increased under RB 2:1. Conversely, in ‘Libra’ both the aerial biomass and tuber production decreased in RB 2:1. Tubers of ‘Colomba’ contained higher concentrations of most minerals than ‘Libra’, probably due to different genetic traits and the slightly lower biomass (concentration effect). Red-blue lighting did not alter the mineral content of tubers. ‘Colomba’ prioritized the accumulation of free amino acids, GABA, and polyphenols, enhancing the plant stress response and antioxidant capacity, and adapted well to variable light conditions, with significant increases in tuber yield under LED treatments. Differently, ‘Libra’ focused on synthesis of carbohydrates, and essential amino acid content was lower compared to ‘Colomba’.Discussion: Our findings underline the importance of genotype selection and highlights how light spectrum can improve the plant performance in potato. This knowledge could be useful in controlled environment agriculture and indoor cultivation (i.e., vertical farming) as well as in space research on potato, as this crop is a candidate for plant-based regenerative systems for long-term missions.