Innovative Tools for the Nitrogen Fertilization Traceability of Organic Farming Products

Abstract

In the last decades, consumers have become increasingly interested in organic products, and they strongly demand reliability in the traceability of the organic products they buy and eat. Several research methods have been developed in the last decades to study inexperienced and reliable systems and to assess the authenticity of products obtained using organic cultivation practices. The monitoring of some chemical compounds, originating from primary and/or secondary metabolism, in horticultural organic and conventional products has shown the diversity generated using the two production approaches. The difference in fertilization practices has been also shown to have an effect on the isotopic distribution of some elements, with particular reference to nitrogen. An integrated system is proposed to evaluate the validity of organic goods using collected isotopic data and other chemical and biological parameters. This approach is intended to be coupled to the application of chemometric multivariate analysis on quality and nutraceutical parameters combined with isotopic data. Indeed, this will give the opportunity to discriminate organic from conventional products based on different isotopic signatures, due to the different nitrogenous sources, combined with the qualitative profile of the crops, which are significantly affected by the different agronomic treatments. The main perspectives of the presented integrated approach, based on the combined use of chemometric and analytical tools, are linked to the feasibility of applying a reliable system for traceability. This will authenticate productions obtained using organic fertilizers (organic agriculture) with respect to those obtained with the use of synthetic fertilizers (conventional agriculture), protect and valorize virtuous farmers and support political stakeholders and decision-makers to counteract food fraud.

Effects of Conventional and Organic Fertilization on the Chemical Profile of Sorghum bicolor and the Olfactory Preference of Sugarcane Aphid (Melanaphis sacchari)

“…In addition, there is evidence that insects have a lower preference for organically fertilized (OF) plants. Organic fertilization has recently gained importance because it shows less nutrient loss and is more environmentally friendly than conventional fertilization (CF) [10]. In line with the above, it has been reported that the type of fertilization used affects plant chemical compounds [11,12].…”

Innovative Tools for Nitrogen Fertilization Traceability in Organic Farming Products: A Cauliflower Case Study

“…The nitrogen fertilization traceability in organic products still remains a matter of great relevance and interest, since synthetic mineral fertilizers are not allowed in organic cultivation, and the need to identify their fraudulent use is pressing. Very recently, an integrated approach has been proposed to evaluate the authenticity of organic produces using isotopic data and other chemical and biological parameters alongside the use of chemometrics [29]. However, at the moment, there is still a lack of knowledge regarding how these new methodologies can be applied in specific and different productive and environmental conditions.…”

Fertilizer Effects on the Nitrogen Isotope Composition of Soil and Different Leaf Locations of Potted Camellia sinensis over a Growing Season

“…A key difference between organic and conventional crop cultivation is whether the applied nutrients are derived from organic or chemical fertilizers [17,18]. Studies have shown that the δ 15 N values of chemical fertilizers are close to air (~0‰), while the δ 15 N values of organic fertilizers from different sources are between +0.6‰ and 16.2‰ [19][20][21]. The fertilizers commonly applied in China during organic tea cultivation include organic plant fertilizers such as rapeseed cake, and animal wastes such as chicken, pig, or cow manure.…”