On sweet acorn (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Quercus</Emphasis> spp.) cake tradition in Italian cultural and ethnic islands

The CNR-IGV, over the last 15 years, has organized and performed expeditions aimed at collecting germplasm and local knowledge on plants used by local populations in isolated areas, such as geographical islands, or local communities that for ethnic or cultural reasons have maintained to a certain degree their isolation from surrounding populations (cultural islands). In two such cultural islands (Bovesia, Calabria region, south-west mainland Italy, and Ogliastra, Sardinia island, Italy) a tradition regarding the use of acorns for preparing a cake was recorded. In Ogliastra, an elder lady still retains the knowledge regarding the collections, maintenance and utilization of acorns for preparing a cake, a knowledge once common and now quite completely disappeared. The present paper reports on the culture associated to acorn used as a food for humans.     

Enlightened Mannhemia haemolytica lung inflammation in bovinized mice

Polymorphonuclear cells diapedesis has an important contribution to the induced Mannhemia haemolytica (M. haemolytica) infection lung inflammation and IL-8 is the primary polymorphonuclear chemoattractant. Using a bovine IL-8/luciferase transiently transgenized mouse model, the orchestration among M. haemolytica, IL-8 promoter activation and neutrophilia was followed in real time by in vivo image analysis.     

Effects of induced endometritis on uterine blood flow in cows as evaluated by transrectal Doppler sonography

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of induced endometritis on uterine blood flow in cows. Transrectal Doppler sonography was performed on uterine arteries of six cyclic cows before and for 4 days after inducing acute endometritis by intrauterine infusion of 720 mg of policresulen, and for 4 days of the following estrous cycle. Time-averaged maximum velocity (TAMV) increased (p < 0.001) and pulsatility index (PI) decreased (p < 0.0001) within 1 h of policresulen administration, and did not change (p > 0.05) in the next 4 days of the same cycle. TAMV and PI values in the subsequent cycle did not differ (p > 0.05) from the values measured before infusion and showed no changes (p > 0.05) within the cycle. Blood flow parameters were not related (p > 0.05) to plasma concentrations of progesterone and estrogen. All cows showed an acute endometritis determined by histopathological findings of biopsy samples taken 1 day after infusion and fibrotic endometrial alterations detected in the subsequent cycle. No relationships were observed between fibrotic changes of the endometrium and uterine blood flow during either cycle. In conclusion, acute inflammation is accompanied by a rise in uterine blood flow, but fibrotic alterations do not seem to be related to Doppler sonographic findings.     

Analysis of S‐allele genetic diversity in Sicilian almond germplasm comparing different molecular methods

Italian almond germplasm is characterized by a wide diversity in several growing areas among which Sicily is one of the most important. Analysis with consensus and specific primers and DNA sequencing was performed to investigate S‐RNase genetic diversity and to elucidate the homology rate within a genetic pool of 27 Italian accessions. Interestingly, some of the self‐compatible cultivars did not show the presence of S_f allele. Amplicons from consensus and allele‐specific PCR primers revealed a high level of variability. Sequencing of all the S‐RNase amplicons derived from consensus primers allowed the identification of two new S‐RNase alleles (S₅₁ and S₅₂). Surprisingly, despite the AA replacement mutation, S₅₁ did not exhibit any change of its S‐RNase function. Additionally, several mutations, with no effect on amino acid composition, were detected in the intron and/or in the ORF of four known alleles (S_g, S₁₀, S₃₁ and S₃₅). Genetic variation, regarding point mutations and only detected by sequencing, was revealed among 11 of 27 tested cultivars. The new sources of variability might have an interest for product traceability.     

Variation of seed storage proteins in landraces of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) from Basilicata,Southern Italy

Summary Twenty landraces of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) from Sarconi and Rotonda two locations of Basilicata, a Southern Italy region, were screened for variation in seed storage proteins (phaseolin and phytohemagglutinin) by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS/PAGE and IEF-SDS/PAGE). No variation of the main seed protein fractions was observed within each landrace. Phaseolin patterns type C and T were exhibited from the landraces; the type C resulted predominant with a frequency of 70%. Only the C type was observed for the landraces of Rotonda, T and C for those from Sarconi. Two variants were observed for the phytohemagglutinin by SDS-PAGE, one was common to eighteen landraces. However, these variants submitted to IEF-SDS/PAGE resulted similar to the type T_G2described by Brown. The importance to safeguard these landraces is stressed by the observation that the more spread commercial cultivars of common bean growing in Southern-Italy had a T phaseolin pattern. A reduction of C type diffusion could produce the loss a typical trait of common bean in Mediterranean regions.     

Characterization of Italian lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.) germplasm by agronomic traits, biochemical and molecular markers

Genetic relationships, agronomic, nutritional and technological traits of ten Italian landraces, two improved lines and two cultivars of lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.) were investigated using a multi-disciplinary approach. Seed storage proteins, used as biochemical markers, were able to detect polymorphisms with variability mainly related to the polypeptide abundance. Microsatellite (SSR) molecular markers provided very useful information on genetic variation and relationships among landraces, with polymorphic fragments able to discriminate all the accessions. Lentil landraces were grouped in different clusters and sub-clusters principally on the basis of their geographical origin. The highest levels of genetic diversity were observed for lentils from ‘Castelluccio di Norcia’, ‘Colliano’ and ‘Villalba’. Field trials, performed in two locations of Southern Italy, revealed a high influence of location on yield. Comparing performances at both tested locations, the best landraces were ‘Linosa’ and ‘Valle di Nevola’ suggesting that these have the highest adaptability. Technological and nutritional data together with the agronomic ones evidenced that ‘Linosa’ lentil is the best landrace, however also ‘San Gerardo’ deserves some attention.     

Characterization of Italian grasspea (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Lathyrus sativus</Emphasis> L.) germplasm using agronomic traits,biochemical and molecular markers

Genetic relationships among 13 grasspea (Lathyrus sativus L.) landraces mainly collected in Southern Italy were assessed using agronomic traits, biochemical and molecular markers. Field trials were carried out in two locations and revealed a high influence of field locations on yield, but a low genotype × environment interaction. Despite this, the agronomic data obtained provided useful information for the choice of the best grasspea landraces for southern Italian marginal areas. Seed storage proteins utilised as biochemical markers were not able to detect polymorphisms, on the contrary both classes of molecular markers used i.e. AFLP and SSR, provided useful information on genetic variation and relationships among landraces. Even though the number of polymorphic fragments detected by AFLP technique was low, it was sufficient to discriminate all the accessions. The use of SSR to detect polymorphic sites in grasspea showed that most landraces were clearly grouped in two sub-clusters. One comprised two landraces from most northern localities, while all the other landraces were clustered together at a very narrow genetic distance.