Silvia Grandi

Lutein and lutein ester content in different types of Tagetes patula and T. erecta

Abstract Lutein and lutein fatty acid ester content in two different parts (petals and calyces) of flower-heads from different types of marigold belonging to the species Tagetes patula and T. erecta were evaluated by HPLC combined with a diode array detector (DAD). A typical chromatographic profile of pigments was characterized by the simultaneous presence of lutein and eight lutein esters. Relevant quantitative differences were found among the marigold types which had a total content of pigments ranging from 17 to 570 mg/100 g in the petals and from 0.4 to 18.6 mg/100 g in the calyces. The petal colours were also defined by the L *, a * and b * values determined by a chroma meter. Differences in petal colour were well related to the pigment content and good correlations between pigment concentration and L * and a * values were found.

Yield and quality of kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus L.) stem as affected by harvest date and irrigation

In view of the potential for kenaf as a viable paper-pulp crop for Italian areas, a field trial was conducted in 1992 in Cadriano (latitude 44 °3′N, longitude 11 °2′E) to estimate quantitative and qualitative crop performance as influenced by harvest date (114, 129 and 152 days after emergence, DAE) and irrigation. The productivity of two mid-late cultivars (BG 52-38-2 and Everglade 41) was positively affected by the length of the growing season and by the restoration of 100% of the crop evapotranspiration (ETc). Total dry yield of the rainfed crop was 10 t ha−1 at early harvest (mid-September) and reached a 13 t ha−1 plateau at late harvest (late October). Under well watered conditions crop biomass was 50% higher and it increased linearly with time, reaching a value of 20 t ha−1 The stem yield accounted for from 74 to 89% of the total biomass, and mean stem growth rates of 18 and 11 g m−2 d−1 were recorded for irrigated and non-irrigated crops, respectively. The bark content of the stem varied in relation to crop age and genotype and increased with time only in Everglade 41. Cellulose content in the bark was affected by harvest date, ranging from 54 to 56% at early and mid harvest to 61.6% at the latest harvest, and by irrigation, which favoured a similar increase. Positive relationships (r between 0.64 and 0.74) were found between growth traits (total and stem dry yield, stem height and basal stem diameter) and cellulose accumulated in the bark.

Assessing Essential Oil Composition of Various Lamiaceae Accessions in View of Most Suitable Uses

Abstract Assessing the intra-specific variation in essential oil (EO) composition is the best premise for most suitable uses. In this frame, eight varieties of lavender (Lavandula officinalis), six genotypes of rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis), and three genotypes of thyme (Thymus capitatus and T. cedrinus), grown at the same station in Northern Italy, were subjected to EO extraction (distillation) and analysis (gas chromatography/mass spectrometry). A wide range of EO yield was observed in lavender (from 0.42 to 1.07%), rosemary (from 0.10 to 0.89%), and thyme (from 0.03 to 0.11%). In lavender, several of the tested cultivars passed the AFNOR thresholds for either limonene, 1,8-cineole, camphor, linalool and linalyl acetate. However, this variation may be considered a resource more than a limitation, as a wider spectrum of potential uses can be addressed. In rosemary, main components also showing a relevant variation were α-pinene, 1,8- cineole and camphor, resulting in EO’s with different potential uses (from anti-bacterial to human health). Lastly, differences in thymol vs. geraniol and geranyl acetate among thyme genotypes were remarkable, once more indicating potentially different uses. In the three herbs, EO constituents were also grouped in compound classes and expressed in terms of yields (i.e., EO yield × compound class content). This quantitative assessment of EO characteristics allows producers to choose the most suitable accession to grow, in order to enhance the amount of recoverable compounds. Lastly, a principal component analysis of EO constituents was proved able to reduce EO complexity, while retaining the fundamental information concerning genotype similarity/divergence.

La cooperazione interistituzionale per lo sviluppo territoriale in Emilia-Romagna. Appunti di viaggio in una geografia che cambia

Il presente lavoro ripercorre le stagioni della programmazione negoziata che hanno interessato l’Emilia-Romagna dagli Novanta ad oggi, analizzando alcuni strumenti ed esperienze particolarmente rappresentative dell’approccio regionale alla cooperazione interistituzionale per lo sviluppo territoriale. Dopo una sintetica introduzione sull’evoluzione della programmazione negoziata nelle politiche per lo sviluppo, che in Italia ha caratterizzato una parte consistente della “nuova politica regionale”, vengono introdotti alcuni strumenti originali della Regione Emilia-Romagna che sono stati adottati nel corso degli ultimi vent’anni: Programmi speciali d’area (PdA), Programmi di riqualificazione urbana (PRU), AccordiQuadro per la montagna, Intese per l’integrazione delle politiche territoriali. I quattro strumenti selezionati vengono riletti alla luce del piu recente dibattito sulle politiche pubbliche di investimento in contesti di governance multilivello, portato avanti dall’OCSE. Dall’analisi preliminare e dalla prima sistematizzazione, emergono gli elementi innovativi e di qualita delle esperienze regionali, ma anche debolezze e divergenze dal modello dominante che si va affermando. Ne risulta un quadro composito, in generale positivo e concreto. Tuttavia, la programmazione negoziata sembra vivere una fase di declino applicativo a causa di fattori concorrenti che dipendono, tra gli altri, dagli effetti operativi della riforma istituzionale degli enti territoriali, dalla disponibilita di risorse e dal trend di finanziarizzazione delle politiche di sviluppo economico.

Multi-level policies: a geographical approach to the analysis of innovation systems /Politiche multi-livello:un approccio geografico all’analisi dei sistemi di innovazione

This paper extensively examine the relationship between territory, innovation and policies. While, reviewing the theoretical contribution of economic geographers and economists, the research identifies seven territorial models of innovation. Further, the focus on the analysis of the territorial factors affecting innovation dynamics provides a geographical methodological approach useful for the analysis of innovation system at the various scales. Finally, the theoretical and analytical methodologies set the basis to discuss innovation policies against territorial level (local, regional, national and international) and the relationship among them. Based also some practical case studies in three peculiar regions (Tunisia, Oresund, Emilia-Romagna), outcomes of the study shows how innovation policy tend to be multi-level, both with bottom-up and top-down approaches.