Elena Maestri

Università di Parma | UNIPR · Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability

Global agricultural production must double by 2050 to meet the demands of an increasing world human population but this challenge is further exacerbated by climate change. Environmental stress, heat, and drought are key drivers in food security and strongly impacts on crop productivity. Moreover, global warming is threatening the survival of many s...

Sustainable agriculture aims at achieving a healthy food production while reducing the use of fertilizers and greenhouse gas emissions using biostimulants and soil amendments. Untargeted metabolomics by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography–ion mobility–high-resolution mass spectrometry, operating in a high-definition MSE mode, was applied t...

The addition of biochars and nanoparticles with adsorbed Azotobacter vinelandii and Bacillus megaterium alleviated damage from Fusarium infection in both tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) and watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) plants. Tomato and watermelon plants were grown in greenhouse for 28 and 30 days (respectively) and were treated with either nanopa...

Herramienta interactiva que repasa de forma exhaustiva los conceptos agroecológicos más relevantes, incluyendo su aplicación/translación al sector del olivar.

Strumento interattivo prodotto dal progetto europeo SUSTAINOLIVE che contiene 36 schede informative sui concetti agroecologici applicati all'oliveto, con particolare attenzione ai benefici ottenuti dall'applicazione di pratiche di gestione sostenibile.

The potential of biochar and nanoparticles to serve as effective delivery agents for beneficial bacteria to crops was investigated. Application of nanoparticles and biochar as carriers for beneficial bacteria improved not only the amount of nitrogen-fixing and phosphorus-solubilizing bacteria in soil, but also improved chlorophyll content (1.2-1.3...

Commodity crops, such as wheat and maize, are extremely dependent on chemical fertilizers, a practice contributing greatly to the increase in the contaminants in soil and water. Promising solutions are biofertilizers, i.e., microbial biostimulants that when supplemented with soil stimulate plant growth and production. Moreover, the biofertilizers c...

Reducing children’s exposure to air pollutants should be considered a primary goal, especially for the most vulnerable subjects. The goal of this study was to test the effectiveness of applying a protocol in the event of alert days, i.e., days with forecasted PM10 levels above the EU limit value (50 µg/m3). The test was conducted, before the onset...

Biochar is recognized as an efficient amendment and soil improver. However, environmental and quality assessments are needed to ensure the sustainability of its use in agriculture. This work considers the biochar's chemical-physical characterization and its potential phyto- and geno-toxicity, assessed with germination and Ames tests, obtaining valu...

Immunomodulatory peptides are a complex class of bioactive peptides that encompasses substances with different mechanisms of action. Immunomodulatory peptides could also be used in vaccines as adjuvants which would be extremely desirable, especially in response to pandemics. Thus, immunomodulatory peptides in food of plant origin could be regarded...

Pulse proteins are a source of a range of biologically active substances which are inactive within the sequence of native protein but can be released by enzymatic hydrolysis, fermentation, or germination. Pulse-borne bioactive peptides have been found to exhibit various in vitro activities, such as antihypertensive, antioxidant, anticholesterolemic...

Graphical abstract_manuscript: Identification of Beneficial Microbial Consortia and Bioactive Compounds with Potential as Plant Biostimulants for a Sustainable Agriculture

A growing body of evidence demonstrates the potential of various microbes to enhance plant productivity in cropping systems although their successful field application may be impaired by several biotic and abiotic constraints. In the present work, we aimed at developing multifunctional synthetic microbial consortia to be used in combination with su...

Even though the problem of resource depletion of our planet is getting increasingly worse, most of the input of agro-food industry is discarded, causing expensive management and disposal issues. According to the Circular Economy principles, these problems can be faced by giving more value to wastage, turning it into inputs to innovative supply chai...

The biggest obstacles in the application of marine peptides are twofold , as in the case of non-marine plant and animal-derived bioactive peptides: elucidating correlation between the peptide structure and its effect and demonstrating its stability in vivo. The structures of marine bioactive peptides are highly variable and complex and dependent on...

To ensure the food security of future generations and to address the challenge of the "no hunger zone" proposed by the FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization) crop production must be doubled by 2050, but environmental stresses are counteracting this goal. Heat stress in particular is affecting agricultural crops more frequently and more severely. S...

Agro-industrial activities produce energy-rich biomass, containing potentially useful chemicals. Incineration or landfilling contributes to emissions of greenhouse gases, whereas utilization for energy purposes combined with a bio refinery concept could exploit phytotechnologies to obtain services with high added value. In the framework of projects...

Amino acid sequences of 807 bioactive peptides from food of animal origin were examined in order to correlate peptide structure with activity (antihypertensive, antioxidative,immunomodulatory, antimicrobial, hypolipidemic, antithrombotic and opioid) and stability in vivo. Food sources such as milk, meat, eggs and marine products show different freq...

Objectives: •Correlate sequence and structure of bioactive peptides from crops and animals with their activity •Examine main factors (both chemical and technological) that affect peptide's activity and stability Results: •Different food sources of plant and animal origin show different frequencies of bioactive peptides exhibiting specific effects (...

Amino acid (AA) sequences of 807 bioactive peptides from foods of animal origin were examined in order to correlate peptide structure with activity (antihypertensive, antioxidative, immunomodulatory, antimicrobial, hypolipidemic, antithrombotic, and opioid) and stability in vivo. Food sources, such as milk, meat, eggs, and marine products, show dif...

Biochar has a potential for soil quality improvement in agro-forestry, due to increased micro-porosity, carbon sequestration, water retention, and active capacity for adsorption of contaminants from soil and irrigation water. Furthermore, biochar nutrients and elemental content can modify soil fertility. Biochars can result from the pyrolysis of bi...

The European INTENSE project is responding to three “Great Challenges”: global food security, use of renewable raw materials and production of energy from biomass. Its contributes to reconvert poor, abandoned and polluted lands, e.g. grassland, set aside land, brownfields, and other marginal lands, into high, sustainable crop production. INTENSE si...

Quantum dots (QDs) are being widely used for a range of new applications in chemistry, biology, medicine and agrifood. The rapid increase in annual usage-rate of QDs has raised concerns over their environmental dispersal, as well as for impacts on human and environmental health and safety. Consequently, a full understanding of the molecular pathway...

One of the challenges potentially limiting the continued widespread commercial development and application of engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) is the still perceived lack of knowledge on their potential toxic effects. Although evidence has been accumulating on the biological effects of ENMs at the level of cells, tissues, and organisms, wide differe...

Biochars result from the pyrolysis of biomass waste of plant and animal origin. The interest in these materials stems from their potential for improving soil quality due to increased microporosity, carbon pool, water retention, and their active capacity for metal adsorption from soil and irrigation water. Applications in agriculture have been studi...

Welcome to the fifth newsletter of the EU INTENSE project. This newsletter series provides you with updated information on our project progress, achievements and important forthcoming activities related to the reconversion of poor, degraded, abandoned and polluted sites including grassland, set aside land, brownfields, and otherwise marginal lands...

This course aims to give an overview of applied research for a sustainable and ecologically compatible land use and approaches needed to restore degraded or marginal land. Registration (Maximum 25 students): To: Ana García Triviño (Course Secretary) Formación en Energía y Medio Ambiente – CIEMAT Avenida Complutense 40 – MADRID 28040 (Spain) Phone:...

The increasing use of engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) raises questions over their environmental impact. Improving the level of understanding of the genetic and molecular basis of the response to ENM exposure in biota is necessary to accurately assess true risk to sensitive receptors. The aim of this review is to compare the plant response to severa...

It is reported that over 171 million tonnes of fish (seafood) are harvested in one year [1], corresponding to the highest ever consumption of 20.3 kg per capita in 2016: production in aquaculture is steadily increasing, but traditional fishery remains the major part of the production process with about 91 million tonnes. Seafood is currently in a c...

Nuts and nut products are a highly heterogeneous category of food, with several applications, consumed roasted, dried, in preparations as ingredients in confectionery, sweets, baking. For the purposes of this handbook, the focus will be on the fruits of plants which are commonly defined as "nuts", which can be sold with or without a hard shell. The...

The rapid increase of the world population constantly demands more food production from agricultural soils. This causes conflicts, since at the same time strong interest arises on novel bio-based products from agriculture, and new perspectives for rural landscapes with their valuable ecosystem services. Agriculture is in transition to fulfill these...

Biochar results from the pyrolysis of biomass waste from plant and animal origin (http://www.biochar-international.org). The interest with this material is due to the potential positive effects it exerts on soil quality, carbon availability, and the fact that it can adsorb metals from soil and irrigation water. Its application in agriculture has be...

Although engineered nanomaterial (ENM) uptake, transport and response mechanisms in plants have received increased attention in the recent years, many questions regarding ENM risks to the environment and to food safety remain unanswered. The impact of ENM interactions with co-existing organic/inorganic contaminants, including secondary ENMs, remain...

During fermentation and/or processing of food, peptides showing beneficial medicinal effect could be released from “parent” protein(s). Such bioactive peptides (usually 2-20 amino acids in length) can exert different activity on organism (antioxidative, immunomodulatory, antihypertensive, antimicrobial, hypolipidemic, opioid, osteoprotective and an...

INTRODUCTION Counterfeiting of food products has a major detrimental effect on the EU food industry as consumers start to doubt the authenticity of European brands. Whereas food safety within Europe is well coordinated and has a high profile, this is not the case for detection of food frauds or the enforcement of associated legislations. In recent...

The data included in this article are associated with the research article entitled "Markers for toxicity to HepG2 exposed to cadmium sulphide quantum dots; damage to mitochondria" (L. Paesano, A. Perotti, A. Buschini, C. Carubbi, M. Marmiroli, E. Maestri, S. Iannotta, N. Marmiroli, Toxicology, in press) [1]. The article concerns the cytotoxic and...

Interaction of living organisms with quantum dots (QDs) is certainly more focused on environment and occupational exposure associated with production and release or disposal. Here, the transcription of genes involved in mitochondrial organization and function in HepG2 cells exposed to cadmium sulphide (CdS) QDs has been profiled to highlight biomar...

Il digestato, sottoprodotto della digestione anaerobica di deiezioni suine, dalla quale si produce biogas, può essere applicato in sostituzione dei fertilizzanti minerali. Come molti concimi anche il digestato può avere sia un effetto fitostimolante sia un effetto fitotossico sugli organismi vegetali. Perché venga utilizzato opportunamente nelle pr...

The Province of Mantova, in Northern Italy, has a contaminated site of National relevance, from a former chemical plant and refinery. The conversion of the refinery to a biorefinery has been proposed in the framework of a project financed by CARIPLO for research in industrial biotechnologies: “Bio-Revaluation of the Chemical District of Mantova by...

One of the main challenges raised by the widespread application of engineered nanomaterials, with the possibility of interfering with their commercial development, is the still perceived lack of knowledge on their potential toxic effects. Even though evidence is accumulating on the biological effects of nanomaterials, at the level of cells, tissues...

Functional toxicology has enabled the identification of genes involved in conferring tolerance and sensitivity to Engineered Nanomaterial (ENM) exposure in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh. Several genes were found to be involved in metabolic functions, stress response, transport, protein synthesis and DNA repair. Consequently, analy...

Unlabelled: A literature survey covering the presence of bioactive peptides in plant-derived foodstuffs is presented. Examples are given of plant peptides associated with a beneficial effect on human health. The main bioactive effects of these peptides are defined and their mechanism of action described, when known. Current understanding of the wa...

A genome-wide screen of a haploid deletion library of bakers' yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) was conducted to document the phenotypic and transcriptional impact of exposure to each of the two pharmaceutical products 5-fluorouracil (an anti-tumor agent) and nystatin (an anti-fungal agent). The combined data set was handled by applying a systems bi...

The occurrence of food frauds and crimes has brought forth requirements for testing of food authenticity, including determination of ingredients and verification of compliance with the label. This chapter will describe the main applications of polymerase chain reaction to analysis of DNA in food products, highlighting recent advances and innovative...

Dehydrins (DHNs) are a sub-family of the late embryogenesis abundant proteins generally induced during development of desiccation tolerance in seeds and water deficit or salinity stress in plants. Nevertheless, a detailed understanding of the DHNs function is still lacking. In this work we investigated the possible protective role during salt stres...

This review focuses on plant peptides involved in defense against pathogen infection and those involved in the regulation of growth and development. Defense peptides, defensins, cyclotides and anti-microbial peptides are compared and contrasted. Signaling peptides are classified according to their major sites of activity. Finally, a network approac...

Forty-seven accessions of Noccaea and Thlaspi grown in the presence of Ni were phenotyped for leaf mineral concentrations and morphology. Sequences of 9 target genes involved in metal homeostasis were compared in a Ni-adapted population of Noccaea caerulescens grown on the serpentine Monte Prinzera (MP), and in accessions from metalliferous and non...

Poplar (Populus) species are seen as candidates for removing heavy metal contamination from polluted soil. A bottom-up multidisciplinary approach was utilized to compare the performances of clones 58-861 and Poli (Populus nigra) and A4A, a Populus nigra×Populus deltoides hybrid to Cd toxicity. Qualitative and quantitative differences in their toler...

It has been developed a method for quantitative detection of Salmonella enterica in poultry meat based on real-time PCR (qtPCR) with species-specific primers and SYBR® GreenER™ chemistry. Two methods for bacterial DNA extraction were compared: one based on a commercial kit (AccuPrep®) and the other on silica–magnetite nanoparticles. Primers were de...

Genetic diversity underlies the improvement of crops by plant breeding. Landraces of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) can contain valuable alleles not common in modern germplasms. The aim was to measure genetic diversity present in 47 most common tomato varieties grown in Italy, 35 were varieties used for processing and 12 were landraces considered...

Objectives Durum wheat and rice are important cereal crops in Italy, with different cultivars showing significant differences in adaptation to environmental and agronomical conditions. We have developed methods for characterising the main storage proteins in the seeds and the accumulation of metals and trace elements, in order to identify diagnosti...

Populus and Salix spp., two genera belonging to the Salicaceae family, have been largely considered some of the best candidates for the phytoremediation approach towards decontamination of large areas moderately contaminated with heavy metals and/or organics. Main applications of Salicaceae are performed with vegetative covers, tree stands, riparia...

The dispersal of heavy metals is a relevant factor in environmental contamination capable of compromising soil and water utilisation. In phytoremediation methodologies, specific plant species have been used to decrease or remove the contaminants in polluted sites. Metal uptake capacity of plants with higher biomass such as poplars and willows are i...

Worldwide, there are many large areas moderately contaminated with heavy metals and/or organics that have not been remediated due to the high cost and technical drawbacks of currently available technologies. Methods with a good potential for coping with these limitations are emerging from phytoremediation techniques, using, for example, specific am...

Metals in the environment constitute a stress and a selective factor for plants, since they are genotoxic and toxic at high concentration. Plant responses to metals demonstrate the existence of different mechanisms for resistance, tolerance, accumulation and hyperaccumulation. This chapter analyses the most recent literature on the subject to highl...

Species within the genus Populus include potential phytoextractors of heavy metal ions from contaminated soils, and genetic markers predictive of performance would be a useful tool for selection and breeding. Here, we have identified sequence variation within seven target and three nontarget genes among a set of 11 Populus spp. clones. Sequence var...

Preservation of food integrity in the face of intentional and accidental threats is a major issue in modern society and an essential aspect of international trade. Food production chains are vulnerable to intentional acts aimed at undermining consumer confidence and causing health problems. Terrorists may interfere with food production and distribu...

Phytoremediation is a green, sustainable and promising solution to problems of environmental contamination. It entails the use of plants for uptake, sequestration, detoxification or volatilization of inorganic and organic pollutants from soils, water, sediments and possibly air. Phytoremediation was born from the observation that plants possessed p...

Dispersal of trace elements, metals and organics is relevant for environmental contamination and for fresh water utilization. Plant species have been used to decrease or remove the contaminants in polluted sites and in particular, tolerant and hyperaccumulator species seem promising for removal of metals in contaminated soils. The practical applica...

Seven DNA extraction procedures were compared for their ability to produce good quality DNA if applied to outputs of the dairy food chain. The efficacy and the efficiency of the protocols were tested. PCR and Real-time PCR specific amplification with appropriate bovine primers were used to assess the quality of the genomic DNA extracted with the co...

Metal hyperaccumulation is a trait present in over 450 higher plant species. Hyperaccumulators are also tolerant to metals, but hyperaccumulation and tolerance are genetically independent traits. The ecological and biological significance of hyperaccumulation is not clear yet. To provide new insights, this review examines recent literature, in part...

Globalization of food trade requires the development of integrated approaches, such as traceability of origin, quality and authenticity, to ensure food safety and consumers satisfaction. In this study, different genomic DNA extraction procedures were evaluated for their applicability to internal traceability of different products in the tomato food...

Terrorism aims to attack resources which are critical and vulnerable, but it often aims also at jeopardising aspects of human life which have the highest emotional impact. One of these aspects can surely be the environmental resources, since everything dealing with safety and salubrity of the environment affects all strata of the population. In par...

Phytoremediation and phytotechnologies exploit plants for decontamination of polluted environments. European scientists are engaged in innovative research on basic biological mechanisms and possible applications. Networking activity and education are very important for the progress of phytotechnologies. The paper illustrates some European initiativ...

In questo studio si sono analizzati 11 cloni di pioppo per determinare le variazioni di singolo nucleotide (SNPs) indotte a seguito di trattamento con Cd solfato, in condizioni idroponiche. Sette geni coinvolti nell’omeostasi del Cd (“geni candidati”) e altri due fino ad ora ritenuti non rilevanti per tale processo (geni “non‐candidati”) sono stati...

This paper reviews aspects relevant to detection and quantification of genetically modified (GM) material within the feed/food chain. The GM crop regulatory framework at the international level is evaluated with reference to traceability and labelling. Current analytical methods for the detection, identification, and quantification of transgenic DN...

We have characterised genetically and phenotypically a T-DNA insertion mutant line of A. thaliana (L.) Heynh. selected for Cs resistance when germinating and growing on Cs concentrations up to 600microM, lethal for the wild type. Measures of concentration and localisation of Cs, K, and Ca have been conducted on plants grown in vivo also utilising s...

Traceability of olive oils is relevant not only in assessing their origin, but also in protecting against frauds. Here, we present an improvement of the assay previously developed for the genotyping of forty-nine frequently grown Mediterranean olive cultivars by ligation detection reaction (LDR)/universal array (UA), refining the entire procedure i...

This chapter discusses some examples of the application of polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based approaches for the analysis of food toxicants. The use of PCR in assuring food traceability is an area of rapid expansion because the ability to monitor toxicants through the detection of trace amounts of DNA fragments overcomes many of the practicality...

One of the burning problems of our industrial society is the high consumption of water and the high demand for clean drinking water. Numerous approaches have been taken to reduce water consumption, but in the long run it seems only possible to recycle waste water into high quality water. It seems timely to discuss alternative water remediation tech...

DNA analysis with molecular markers has opened a shortcut toward a genomic comprehension of complex organisms. The availability of micro-DNA extraction methods, coupled with selective amplification of the smallest extracted fragments with molecular markers, could equally bring a breakthrough in food genomics: the identification of original componen...

Molecular methodologies are increasingly being developed to assess the origin and authenticity of raw organic materials and processed food products. Here we describe the application of a microarray-based assay for single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) identification in olive cultivars. The assay distinguishes alleles in a ligation detection reacti...

In callus cultures of Nicotiana plumbaginifolia, the activity of glutamate dehydrogenase was repressed by glucose, whereas, on the contrary, carbon and energy source deprivation induced a remarkable increase in specific activity. Definition of these two opposite types of response was made possible by the use of glycerol as a non-repressing carbon s...

Research on phytoremediation and phytotechnologies is proceeding at a different pace in the EU than in the USA. In fact although EU researchers have closed the gap on basics and fundamentals of phytoremediation with overseas researchers, a large gap of application exists in the extent of cases to which phytotechnologies are applied.

The main objectives of the NATO ASI "Advanced Science and Technology for Biological Decontamination of Sites Affected by Chemical and Radiological Nuclear Agents", Zhytomyr (Ukraine), August 2005 were training of participants in the science and technology of biological decontamination related to radionuclides and chemical substances, explosives, am...

European walnut (Juglans regia) plants were grown in pots, on peat soil contaminated with lead (Pb), for four years. European walnut was chosen because it grows in Mediterranean climates, it yields a high biomass, and a fine quality wood. In the above ground parts Pb concentration was 1000 times lower than in roots: in 50 g roots there was 450 mg o...

Plants of the nickel-hyperaccumulator Alyssum bertolonii Desv. and of the non-accumulator A. montanum L. growing on a serpentine site in Tuscany, Italy, and plants of A. montanum from a nearby non-serpentine site were analysed for metal concentration and localisation. The leaves of A. bertolonii contained 160 times more nickel than those of A. mont...

Current phytoremediation techniques require that plants live in the zone of contamination. Consequently, plant viability is a critical issue in the successful application of phytoremediation. Transformation is often essential to detoxification and phytoremediation of organic contaminants. For example, parrot feather (Myriophyllum aquaticum) is capa...

Localisation of mineral nutrients, K, Ca S and Fe, along with Ni was accomplished within organs and tissues of the Ni hyperaccumulator Alyssum bertolonii and a nonaccumulator congener species Alyssum montanum by means of two physics techniques based on X-ray stimulated emission: microanalysis (SEM/EDX) and microfluorescence (µ-SRXF). These techniqu...

Two horizontal subsurface flow reed beds of 75 m(2) each, treating dairy parlor effluent and domestic sewage (about 6.5 m(3)/day), were set-up to determine the efficiency of this system in reducing the polluting load in an isolated mountain rural settlement.A total suspended solids value of about 0.70 g/l and chemical oxygen demand (COD) and biolog...

A complete analysis was performed utilising scanning electron microanalysis to describe metals distribution in Zea mays, within the framework of the INCO-EU project “FERTILIA". Thin dried cross sections of roots and stems were analysed. A set of points for the different tissues were scanned and processed with the semi-quantitative analysis to check...

In Northern Italy it is a common practice to utilise slurries and other manure from intensive animal farming to fertilise agricultural soils. Due to the relatively high copper and zinc contents of these materials, this practice could lead to contamination of soils and the crops grown on them. In this study we have evaluated the extent of copper and...