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Physio-morphological traits and drought stress responses in three wild Mediterranean taxa of Brassicaceae

100%

Geraci A. , Inzerillo S. , Oddo E.

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2019

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tom 41

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nr 06

EN

Crop wild relatives (CWRs) have extremely relevant roles in biodiversity conservation, in investigating phylogeny and improving abiotic stress tolerance of crop plants. We screened the variability in leaf functional traits of three CWRs of kale crops (Brassica oleracea) from Sicily, Italy, grown in pots under well-watered and drought conditions. Our aim was to highlight traits in the different genotypes of endemic Sicilian threatened taxa. We measured several structural/anatomical traits (stomatal size, density and stomatal pore index—SPI, leaf mass per area—LMA) and leaf functional traits (stomatal conductance—gs, leaf water potential—ΨL, leaf temperature (TL), leaf relative water content—RWC) at pre-dawn and midday of leaves of three wild taxa: B. macrocarpa, B. rupestris subsp. rupestris and B. villosa subsp. bivoniana. Pressure–volume curves were constructed to obtain leaf water potential at turgor loss point (Ψtlp), osmotic potential at full rehydration (Ψπ100), relative water content at turgor loss point (RWCtlp), elastic bulk modulus (εmax) and leaf area specific capacitance at full turgor (Cft*). Several significant differences were found among the taxa: under water deficit, B. macrocarpa had the less negative Ψtlp and showed the smallest ΔΨL between pre-dawn and midday. B. villosa subsp. bivoniana showed the highest SPI and had significantly higher gs under water availability, while under drought it had the most negative ΨL. Each of the taxa investigated possessed traits that confer particular stress tolerance, offer competitive advantage in their natural environment and may be exploited for crop improvement.

2

Investigation on the pollen morphology of traditional cultivars of Prunus species in Sicily

100%

Geraci A. , Polizzano V. , Marino P. , Schicchi R.

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nr 3

EN

In this study pollen grains of 13 cultivars and 3 rootstocks belonging to 5 species (P. armeniaca, P. domestica, P. dulcis, P. persica, P. avium) of the genus Prunus collected from North-East Sicily were examined for the micromorphological characterization through the scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The length of polar axis (P) and the equatorial diameter (E) of grain, P/E ratio, the length of colpi (C), diameter of perforations (DP) and the number of perforations in 25 μm2 (PN), the width of muri (WM), the distance between muri (DM) and their number in 25 μm2 (MN), the width of grooves (WG) were measured and their variation was compared among studied taxa. Moreover multivariate statistical analysis was carried out to distinguish morphometric information from measured parameters. All pollen grains are trizonocolpate, isopolar, medium-large sized and their shape varies from prolate to perprolate. Regarding outline pollen grains are subtriangular in polar view and elliptic in equatorial view. Exine sculpturing is striate with perforations on grain surface. The arrangement of ridges appears roughly parallel but too sloped (sometimes curved) compared to polar axis, or branched and oriented in different directions, or perfectly parallel or more irregular with bifurcated ridges often sinuous. The analyses showed a great variability (particularly in P. domestica cultivars) related in some cases to the diversity in the morphological features of the leaves and the fruits of the investigated entities.

3

Ethnobotanical uses of wild taxa as galactagogues in Sicily (Italy)

100%

Geraci A. , Polizzano V. , Schicchi R.

Acta Societatis Botanicorum Poloniae

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2018

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tom 87

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nr 2

EN

Breastfeeding furnishes optimal nutrition, immune support, and a multitude of health benefits to mothers and newborns. Since ancient times plants have been employed as galactagogues in the folk medicine of many human cultures. In Sicily, a region with great floristic diversity in the Mediterranean area, where a conspicuous pool of species is traditionally used for food and aromatic, cosmetic, handicraft, agricultural, forestry, and medicinal purposes, some people recognize the galactagogue properties of some spontaneous plants. The goal of this study was to identify wild plants with galactagogue properties and vegetable-food remedies traditionally used by women during breastfeeding to increase milk production. It was conducted in the Madonie territory (province of Palermo) by interviewing a sample of 105 people that was divided into three age groups. Ethnobotanical investigations revealed a total of 34 species, belonging to 11 families and 25 genera, used as galactagogues. For each taxon, the parts used, the methods of preparation, and the phytochemical profiles according to the literature were reported. The most represented family was Asteraceae, with 12 genera and 17 species, the majority of which contained latex. The most frequently used parts of the galactagogue plants were leaves (69%) that were mainly eaten as cooked vegetables, raw in salads, or utilized as an infusion tea. The species cited in this study are mainly wild traditional vegetables with high nutritional profiles that could improve the quality and the quantity of the milk produced. The study found that older people represent a precious source of information to help younger people preserve the cultural identity of the territory.