Claudio Cantini

Morphological evaluation of olive germplasm present in Tuscany region

This work was done to quantify, evaluate and preserve the genetic variation of the olive (Olea europaea L.) from Tuscany and to look for ready-to-use valuable characters. Principal component analysis (PCA) was used to compare fruit, pit, leaf and growth habit characteristics among 83 accessions. Clustering of cultivars would suggest the existence of a strictly related genetic base with little morphological differences. Numerical analysis of phenotypical characters enabled to discriminate among accessions and to reduce the number of cultivars for further studies. It can be used as a rapid method to classify and compare phenotypes within large olive collections. The collected germplasm can be a useful sources of variability for those attributes not traditionally accounted for in olive plant selection. Several late-ripening cultivars, interesting for oil-quality; two cultivars with suited for low-pruning cultivation growth habit as well as four accessions with peculiar leaves, employable as ornamental, were identified. Furthermore, some cultivar with different initial growth potential, susceptible to be used for wood production or high density plantation, were catalogued. Data and photographs of most of the accessions here described were transferred to Internet where are available for consultation at the address http: //www.area.fi.cnr.it/olivo/olivit.htm

Integration of Ground and Multi-Resolution Satellite Data for Predicting the Water Balance of a Mediterranean Two-Layer Agro-Ecosystem

The estimation of site water budget is important in Mediterranean areas, where it represents a crucial factor affecting the quantity and quality of traditional crop production. This is particularly the case for spatially fragmented, multi-layer agricultural ecosystems such as olive groves, which are traditional cultivations of the Mediterranean basin. The current paper aims at demonstrating the effectiveness of spatialized meteorological data and remote sensing techniques to estimate the actual evapotranspiration (ETA) and the soil water content (SWC) of an olive orchard in Central Italy. The relatively small size of this orchard (about 0.1 ha) and its two-layer structure (i.e., olive trees and grasses) require the integration of remotely sensed data with different spatial and temporal resolutions (Terra-MODIS, Landsat 8-OLI and Ikonos). These data are used to drive a recently proposed water balance method (NDVI-Cws) and predict ETA and then site SWC, which are assessed through comparison with sap flow and soil wetness measurements taken in 2013. The results obtained indicate the importance of integrating satellite imageries having different spatio-temporal properties in order to properly characterize the examined olive orchard. More generally, the experimental evidences support the possibility of using widely available remotely sensed and ancillary datasets for the operational estimation of ETA and SWC in olive tree cultivation systems.

Agrobiotechnology Goes Wild: Ancient Local Varieties as Sources of Bioactives

The identification and use of species that have best adapted to their growth territory is of paramount importance to preserve biodiversity while promoting sustainable agricultural practices. Parameters including resistance to natural conditions (biotic and abiotic risk factors), biomass and fruit productivity, and phytochemical content with nutraceutical potential, could be used as quantitative markers of the adaptability of plants to wild environments characterized by minimal human impact. Ancient varieties, which are plant varieties growing in regional territories and not destined for market distribution, are a source of unique genetic characters derived from many years of adaptation to the original territory. These plants are often more resistant to biotic and abiotic stresses. In addition, these varieties have a high phytochemical (also known as bioactives) content considered health-beneficial. Notably, the content of these compounds is often lower in commercial cultivars. The use of selected territorial varieties according to the cultivation area represents an opportunity in the agricultural sector in terms of biodiversity preservation, environmental sustainability, and valorization of the final products. Our survey highlights the nutraceutical potential of ancient local varieties and stresses the importance of holistic studies (-omics) to investigate their physiology and secondary metabolism.

Sensory profiling and consumer acceptability of new dark cocoa bars containing Tuscan autochthonous food products

Abstract A new set of cocoa bars named Toscolata® were developed containing top‐quality extra virgin olive oil, dried apples cultivars, and chestnut flour. The present work has been conducted to define the sensory profile of these products through tasting by trained experts and consumers to study the acceptability, preference, and quality perception. The four sensorial profiles of the bars differed in the level of persistence, bitterness, aromaticity, acidity, astringency, and tastiness. In particular, the sour attribute could be traced to the presence of dried apple. Bars containing apple and chestnut flour obtained higher acceptance ratings, compared to those with extra virgin olive oil. The bar with chestnut flour was preferred by consumers who considered it to be sweeter due to the presence of natural sugars, which lowered the bitter sensation of cocoa. These results showed that the selection of the preferred bar by consumers was mainly based on the level of bitterness and, in particular, elderly consumers expressed a strong preference for the sweetest product. As far as we know, this is the first study comparing the results of a panel of expert tasters with that of consumers in the tasting of dark chocolate.