Morphophysiological Characterisation of Guayule ( A. Gray) in Response to Increasing NaCl Concentrations: Phytomanagement and Phytodesalinisation in Arid and Semiarid Areas.

Water and soil salinity continuously rises due to climate change and irrigation with reused waters. Guayule ( A. Gray) is a desert perennial shrub native to northern Mexico and the southwestern United States; it is known worldwide for rubber production and is suitable for cultivation in arid and semiarid regions, such as the Mediterranean.

Iodine biofortification of Swiss chard (Beta vulgaris ssp. vulgaris var. cicla) and its wild ancestor sea beet (Beta vulgaris ssp. maritima) grown hydroponically as baby leaves: effects on leaf production and quality.

Background: About 35-45% of the global population is affected by iodine deficiency. Iodine intake can be increased through the consumption of biofortified vegetables. Given the increasing interest in wild edible species of new leafy vegetables due to their high nutritional content, this study aimed to evaluate the suitability of Swiss chard (Beta vulgaris ssp.

Response to Hypersalinity of Four Halophytes Growing in Hydroponic Floating Systems: Prospects in the Phytomanagement of High Saline Wastewaters and Extreme Environments.

Hypersaline environments occur naturally worldwide in arid and semiarid regions or in artificial areas where the discharge of highly saline wastewaters, such as produced water (PW) from oil and gas industrial setups, has concentrated salt (NaCl). Halophytes can tolerate high NaCl concentrations by adopting ion extrusion and inclusion mechanisms at cell, tissue, and organ levels; however, there is still much that is not clear in the response of these plants to salinity and completely unknown issues in hypersaline conditions. Mechanisms of tolerance to saline and hypersaline conditions of four different halophytes ( (L.

Patient satisfaction with televisit in chronic neurologic disorders during Covid-19 pandemic.

Background: Covid-19 pandemic has boosted telemedicine in medical clinical practice. Experience in the management of chronic neurological disorders is limited as well as patient opinion. During Covid-19 pandemic, we evaluated patients' satisfaction and opinion about televisits in a large group of patients with chronic neurological disorders.

Cannabis sativa L. and Brassica juncea L. grown on arsenic-contaminated industrial soil: potentiality and limitation for phytoremediation.

Phytoremediation represents a natural method to remove contaminants from soil. The goal of this study was to investigate the potential of phosphate-assisted phytoremediation by two energy crops, Cannabis sativa L. and Brassica juncea L.

A Preliminary Study on Lupinus albus and Raphanus sativus Grown in Soil Affected by Oil Spillage.

Oil spills from pipelines are a hazardous contamination source for agricultural soils. We investigated the effects of petroleum hydrocarbon (PHC) soil contamination, resulting from a real diesel oil pipeline spill, on the growth of Lupinus albus and Raphanus sativus plants. These species are widely cultivated for food purposes and have not been previously tested in soils affected by oil spills.

Se-Enrichment Pattern, Composition, and Aroma Profile of Ripe Tomatoes after Sodium Selenate Foliar Spraying Performed at Different Plant Developmental Stages.

Foliar spray with selenium salts can be used to fortify tomatoes, but the results vary in relation to the Se concentration and the plant developmental stage. The effects of foliar spraying with sodium selenate at concentrations of 0, 1, and 1.5 mg Se L at flowering and fruit immature green stage on Se accumulation and quality traits of tomatoes at ripening were investigated.

Application of sulphate and cytokinin in assisted arsenic phytoextraction by industrial Cannabis sativa L.

Phytoextraction is currently investigated to effectively remediate soil contaminated by metals and provide highly competitive biomass for energy production. This research aimed to increase arsenic (As) removal from contaminated soil using industrial Cannabis sativa L., a suitable energy crop for biofuel production.

Virtual visits for chronic neurologic disorders during COVID-19 pandemic.

Background: COVID-19 pandemic has boosted telemedicine in medical clinical practice. Experiences in the management of chronic neurological disorders are limited and scattered. The aim of the study was to evaluate feasibility and efficacy of virtual visit for chronic neurological disorders during COVID-19 pandemic.

Selenium Enrichment Enhances the Quality and Shelf Life of Basil Leaves.

The biofortification of leafy vegetables with selenium (Se) is a good way to increase human dietary Se intake. In addition, selenium delays plant senescence by enhancing the antioxidant capacity of plant tissues, decreasing postharvest losses. We investigated the effects of selenium addition on the production and quality of sweet basil () leaves of two harvesting phases, hereafter referred to as cuts, during the crop cycle.

Production of selenium-biofortified microgreens from selenium-enriched seeds of basil.

Background: Microgreens (i.e. tender immature greens) are a popular alternative to sprouts (i.

Improved arsenic phytoextraction by combined use of mobilizing chemicals and autochthonous soil bacteria.

Proper plant selection and application of suitable strategies are key factors to ensure the effectiveness of a reclamation via phytoremediation approach. In this study, micro- and meso-cosm scale experimentation has been realized to address a persistent contamination by arsenic on a disused industrial site through an assisted phytoremediation intervention. Three crop species, namely Brassica juncea, Helianthus annuus and Zea mays, have been considered and the addition of KHPO, a common mobilizing agent for As, or (NH)SO, a promising additive for As mobilization in case of mercury co-presence, evaluated.

Effect of selenium enrichment on metabolism of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) fruit during postharvest ripening.

Background: Selenium (Se) enrichment of plants seems effective in enhancing the health-related properties of produce and in delaying plant senescence and fruit ripening. The current study investigated the effects of Se on tomato fruit ripening. Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.

Culture and horticulture: Protecting soil quality in urban gardening.

Urban cultivation for food production is of growing importance. The quality of urban soil can be improved by tillage and the incorporation of organic matter, or can be degraded by chemical treatments. Urban gardeners have a role in this process, through the selection of various cultivation techniques.

Assisted phytoremediation of a multi-contaminated soil: Investigation on arsenic and lead combined mobilization and removal.

The removal of contaminants from an earthy matrix by phytoremediation requires the selection of appropriate plant species and a suitable strategy to be effective. In order to set up an assisted phytoremediation intervention related to a disused industrial site affected by an arsenic and lead complex contamination, an extensive experimental investigation on micro and mesocosm scale has been conducted. Particular attention was given to the choice of plant species: using crop plants (Lupinus albus, Helianthus annuus and Brassica juncea) a series of parallel test campaigns have been realized to investigate different scenarios for the reclamation.

Response of spontaneous plants from an ex-mining site of Elba island (Tuscany, Italy) to metal(loid) contamination.

The release of large amounts of toxic metals in the neighboring sites of abandoned mine areas represents an important environmental risk for the ecosystem, because it adversely affects soil, water, and plant growth. The aim of the present study was to investigate the metal(loid) (As, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn) contents of native Mediterranean plants grown on the ex-mining area of Elba island (Italy), with the prospective of its recovery by further phytoremediation technology. Soil samples were collected and characterized for metal(loid) content in total and potentially available (EDTA-extractable) fractions.