Francesco Saccardo

Rootstock resistance to fusarium wilt and effect on fruit yield and quality of two muskmelon cultivars

Pending the release of new genetic material with satisfactory resistance, grafting techniques may represent a quick, though expensive method for controlling race 1,2 of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. melonis in Italian growing regions of melon (Cucumis melo L.). We evaluated the potential of grafting for resistance to this pathogen in 13 commercial melon rootstocks and various Cucurbitaceae spp. and determined productivity and fruit quality characteristics of grafting on resistant rootstocks. Following inoculation, P360 and PGM 96-05 commercial rootstocks, as well as Benincasa hispida, Cucumis metuliferus, Cucumis ficifolius, Cucurbita maxima, Cucurbita moschata, and Lagenaria siceraria were resistant to the race 1,2 of Fusarium. Yield and quality attributes of scion cultivars (Supermarket and Proteo) grafted on P360 and PGM 96-05 rootstocks were not improved relative to ungrafted controls. Grafts onto B. hispida negatively influenced both yield and fruit quality, while C. metuliferus, and C. zeyheri had negative impacts on productivity and fruit quality, respectively. These results indicate that rootstock influences on disease resistance as well as productivity and quality of scion fruit are important in determining the potential utility of grafting applications.

Antioxidant Properties of Seeds from Lines of Artichoke, Cultivated Cardoon and Wild Cardoon

The artichoke (Cynara cardunculus L. subsp. scolymus L.), the cultivated cardoon (Cynara cardunculus var. altilis DC.) and the wild cardoon (Cynara cardunculus var. sylvestris L.) are species widely distributed in the Mediterranean area. The aim of this research was to evaluate the antioxidant properties of seeds from lines of artichoke and cultivated and wild cardoon in both aqueous-organic extracts and their residues by FRAP (Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power) and TEAC (Trolox Equivalent Antioxidant Capacity) evaluations. Both artichoke and cardoon seeds are a good source of antioxidants. Among artichoke seeds, hydrolysable polyphenols contribution to antioxidant properties ranged from 41% to 78% for FRAP values and from 17% to 37% for TEAC values. No difference between cultivated and wild cardoon in antioxidant properties are reported. Our results could provide information about the potential industrial use and application of artichoke and/or cardoon seeds.

First detailed karyo-morphological analysis and molecular cytological study of leafy cardoon and globe artichoke, two multi-use Asteraceae crops

Abstract Traditionally globe artichoke and leafy cardoon have been cultivated for use as vegetables but these crops are now finding multiple new roles in applications ranging from paper production to cheese preparation and biofuel use, with interest in their functional food potential. So far, their chromosome complements have been poorly investigated and a well-defined karyotype was not available. In this paper, a detailed karyo-morphological analysis and molecular cytogenetic studies were conducted on globe artichoke (Cynara cardunculus Linnaeus, 1753 var. scolymus Fiori, 1904) and leafy cardoon (Cynara cardunculus Linneaus, 1753 var. altilis De Candolle, 1838). Fluorescent In Situ Hybridization In Suspension (FISHIS) was applied to nuclei suspensions as a fast method for screening of labelling probes, before metaphase spread hybridization. Classic Fluorescent In Situ Hybridization (FISH) on slide, using repetitive telomeric and ribosomal sequences and Simple Sequence Repeats (SSRs) oligonucleotide as probes, identified homologous chromosome relationships and allowed development of molecular karyotypes for both varieties. The close phylogenetic relationship between globe artichoke and cardoon was supported by the very similar karyotypes but clear chromosomal structural variation was detected. In the light of the recent release of the globe artichoke genome sequencing, these results are relevant for future anchoring of the pseudomolecule sequence assemblies to specific chromosomes. In addition, the DNA content of the two crops has been determined by flow cytometry and a fast method for standard FISH on slide and methodological improvements for nuclei isolation are described.