Coarse (C F ) and Fine (F F ) fractions were obtained by dry fractionation (air classification) of raw micronized flour (RM) of kabuli chickpea, green pea, yellow and red lentil. Pea showed the highest phytate content in RM and C F . Stachyose was the main oligosaccharide in lentils, exceeding 50 mg g À1 , whereas raffinose (39.9 mg g À1 ) was abundant in chickpea. Antinutritional factors were significantly enriched in F F , whereas decreased in C F . Totalreflection X-ray fluorescence identified potassium as the main macronutrient in pulses. Ca was highly variable, ranging from 0.92 to 0.28 g kg À1 in pea and yellow lentil, respectively. A significant shift of minerals was observed in F F , but despite the highest phytate content, phytate:Zn ratio of lentils was lower than RM, indicating that Zn was enriched more than phytates. Yellow lentil and pea F F showed a protein content higher than 55 g 100g À1 . Dry fractionation significantly affected the physicochemical properties, indicating different potential use of fractions.

Basil (Ocimum basilicum) seeds were treated for different exposure times with a non-equilibrium plasma produced by a volume dielectric barrier discharge in humid air at atmospheric pressure. Plasma treatment did not change the seed structure and morphology, as visualized by high-resolution computed x-ray microtomography. A faster and higher germination rate was observed with plasma treatment of 1 and 3 min. Plantlets grown in sand, after both 2 and 3 weeks, showed a more developed root apparatus and better biometric parameters, compared to plants developing from non-treated seeds. After the plasma treatment, internal redistribution of macro and micronutrients was observed by using micro x-ray fluorescence spectroscopy. In particular P, K and Mg concentrated in the radicle, moving from the endosperm and cotyledons, while Zn, initially concentrated in specific tissues of the cotyledon, appeared more homogeneously distributed inside the whole seed after the plasma treatment. Significant variations in electrical impedance spectra were also observed after plasma treatment. This element redistribution in the seed was caused by the intense electrical field generated by the volume dielectric barrier discharge plasma, causing a movement of important micro and macronutrients from the storage regions of the seed towards the radicle tissues. This ion movement could explain the observed faster germination of the plasma-treated seeds. Indeed, such movement of ions is similar to what is generally observed in seed tissues during germination. The plasma treatment therefore somehow anticipates and implements the mobilization of key nutrients towards the radicle, resulting in faster and higher germination of the seeds as well as improved characteristics of the basil plantlet, especially at the root level.

Spreading of manure on agricultural soils is a main source of ammonia emissions and/or nitrate leaching. It has been addressed by the European Union with the Directives 2001/81/EC and 91/676/EEC to protect the environment and the human health. The disposal of manure has therefore become an economic and environmental challenge for farmers. Thus, the conversion of manure via anaerobic digestion in a biogas plant could be a sustainable solution, having the byproducts (solid and liquid digestates) the potential to be used as fertilizers for crops.This work aimed at characterizing and assessing the effect of digestates obtained from a local biogas plant (Biogas Wipptal, Gmbh), either in the form of liquid fraction or as a solid pellet on: (i) the fertility of the soils during an incubation experiment; (ii) the plant growth and nutritional status of different species (maize and cucumber). Moreover, an extensive characterization of the pellet was performed via X-ray microanalytical techniques.The data obtained showed that both digestates exhibit a fertilizing potential for crops, depending on the plant species and the fertilizer dose: the liquid fraction increases the shoot fresh weight at low dose in cucumber, conversely, the solid pellet increases the shoot fresh weight at high dose in maize. The liquid digestate may have the advantage to release nutrients (i.e. nitrogen) more rapidly to plants, but its storage represents the main constraint (i.e. ammonia volatilization). Indeed, pelleting the digestates could improve the storability of the fertilizer besides enhancing plant nutrient availability (i.e. phosphate and potassium), plant biomass and soil biochemical quality (i.e. microbial biomass and activity). The physical structure and chemical composition of pellet digestates allow nutrients to be easily mobilized over time, representing a possible source of mineral nutrients also in long-term applications.

No abstract

No abstract

Arsenic concentration and distribution were studied by combining laboratory X-ray-based techniques (wavelength dispersive X-ray fluorescence (WDXRF), micro X-ray fluorescence (μXRF), and X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD)), field emission scanning electron microscopy equipped with microanalysis (FE-SEM-EDX), and sequential extraction procedure (SEP) coupled to total reflection X-ray fluorescence (TXRF) analysis. This approach was applied to three contaminated soils and one mine tailing collected near the gold extraction plant at the Crocette gold mine (Macugnaga, VB) in the Monte Rosa mining district (Piedmont, Italy). Arsenic (As) concentration, measured with WDXRF, ranged from 145 to 40,200 mg/kg. XRPD analysis evidenced the presence of jarosite and the absence of any As-bearing mineral, suggesting a high weathering grade and strong oxidative conditions. However, small domains of Fe arsenate were identified by combining μXRF with FE-SEM-EDX. SEP results revealed that As was mainly associated to amorphous Fe oxides/hydroxides or hydroxysulfates (50-80%) and the combination of XRPD and FE-SEM-EDX suggested that this phase could be attributed to schwertmannite. On the basis of the reported results, As is scarcely mobile, even if a consistent As fraction (1-3 g As/kg of soil) is still potentially mobilizable. In general, the proposed combination of laboratory X-ray techniques could be successfully employed to unravel environmental issues related to metal(loid) pollution in soil and sediments.

The mechanism behind the bud evolution towards breba or main crop in Ficus carica L. is uncertain. Anatomical and genetic studies may put a light on the possible similarities/ differences between the two types of fruits. For this reason, we collected complimentary data from anatomical, X-ray imaging, and genetic techniques. The RNA seq together with structural genome annotation allowed the prediction of 34,629 known genes and 938 novel protein-coding genes. Transcriptome analysis of genes during bud differentiation revealed differentially expressed genes in two fig varieties (Dottato and Petrelli) and in breba and main crop. We chose Dottato and Petrelli because the first variety does not require pollination to set main crop and the latter does; moreover, Petrelli yields many brebas whereas Dottato few. Of the 1,615 and 1,904 loci expressed in Dottato and Petrelli, specifically in breba or main crop, respectively, only 256 genes appeared to be transcripts in both varieties. The buds of the two fig varieties were observed under optical microscope and using 3D X-ray tomography, highlighting differences mainly related to the stage of development. The X-ray images of buds showed a great structural similarity between breba and main crop during the initial stages of development. Analysis at the microscope indicated that inflorescence differentiation of breba was split in two seasons whereas that of main crop started at the end of winter of season 2 and was completed within 2 to 3 months. The higher expression of floral homeotic protein AGAMOUS in breba with respect to main crop, since this protein is required for normal development of stamens and carpels in the flower, may indicate an original role of these fruits for staminate flowers production for pollination of the main crop, as profichi in the caprifig. Several genes related to auxin (auxin efflux carrier, auxin response factor, auxin binding protein, auxin responsive protein) and to GA synthesis (GA20ox) were highly expressed in brebas with respect to main crop for the development of this parthenocarpic fruit.

Plasmopara viticola is one of the most important pathogens infecting Vitis vinifera plants. The interactions among P. viticola and both susceptible and resistant grapevine plants have been extensively characterised, at transcriptomic, proteomic and metabolomic levels. However, the involvement of plants ionome in the response against the pathogen has been completely neglected so far. Therefore, this study was aimed at investigating the possible role of leaf ionomic modulation during compatible and incompatible interactions between P. viticola and grapevine plants. In susceptible cultivars, a dramatic redistribution of mineral elements has been observed, thus uncovering a possible role for mineral nutrients in the response against pathogens. On the contrary, the resistant cultivars did not present substantial rearrangement of mineral elements at leaf level, except for manganese (Mn) and iron (Fe). This might demonstrate that, resistant cultivars, albeit expressing the resistance gene, still exploit a pathogen response mechanism based on the local increase in the concentration of microelements, which are involved in the synthesis of secondary metabolites and reactive oxygen species. Moreover, these data also highlight the link between the mineral nutrition and plants’ response to pathogens, further stressing that appropriate fertilization strategies can be fundamental for the expression of response mechanisms against pathogens.