Functional Molecules in Locally-Adapted Crops: The Case Study of Tomatoes, Onions, and Sweet Cherry Fruits From Tuscany in Italy
The human diet is characterized by highly energetic molecules, but it also requires non-energetic compounds that are equally useful for cell functioning and for preserving the organism's health status. These “functional” molecules are represented by a wide variety of plant secondary metabolites...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2019-01-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Plant Science |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpls.2018.01983/full |
| _version_ | 1811323801299845120 |
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| author | Roberto Berni Roberto Berni Marco Romi Claudio Cantini Jean-Francois Hausman Gea Guerriero Giampiero Cai |
| author_facet | Roberto Berni Roberto Berni Marco Romi Claudio Cantini Jean-Francois Hausman Gea Guerriero Giampiero Cai |
| author_sort | Roberto Berni |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The human diet is characterized by highly energetic molecules, but it also requires non-energetic compounds that are equally useful for cell functioning and for preserving the organism's health status. These “functional” molecules are represented by a wide variety of plant secondary metabolites, such as terpenoids, vitamins and polyphenols with antioxidant power. Widespread commercial crop varieties often contain scarce levels of functional molecules, because they have been mostly selected for productivity, rather than for the content of secondary metabolites. Different scenarios (global economic situation, foreseeable environmental changes) are pushing farmers to review the use of high yield crops and to focus on the valorization of locally-adapted plants. This renewed interest is strengthened by the growing need of consumers for functional foods with beneficial effects on human health and by the willingness to promote sustainable low-input agricultural practices exploiting local climate, soil, water, and (micro)biota. Here, we want to discuss a specific case study concerning locally-adapted crops in Tuscany (Italy). Analyses of nutraceutical molecules in locally-grown crop varieties (namely tomatoes, sweet cherries and onions) have shown that they are characterized by substantially higher functional molecule contents than commercial varieties. Our goal is to promote the high-throughput study of locally-adapted varieties to understand, in a medium-term perspective, whether the cultivation of such plants is a valuable support for the diet and an adequate local economic resource. Such plants can provide a boost to the regional economy, by diversifying the local crop-market landscape. Moreover, the exploitation of locally-grown plants results in the manufacture of fully-traceable products (from the raw bioresource to the finished product) with a “0 km” concept that minimizes the C footprint. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T14:01:54Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-2a957c4c3ab34be699bc08fa989c7444 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-462X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T14:01:54Z |
| publishDate | 2019-01-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Plant Science |
| spelling | doaj.art-2a957c4c3ab34be699bc08fa989c74442022-12-22T02:44:01ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Plant Science1664-462X2019-01-01910.3389/fpls.2018.01983426625Functional Molecules in Locally-Adapted Crops: The Case Study of Tomatoes, Onions, and Sweet Cherry Fruits From Tuscany in ItalyRoberto Berni0Roberto Berni1Marco Romi2Claudio Cantini3Jean-Francois Hausman4Gea Guerriero5Giampiero Cai6Department of Life Sciences, University of Siena, Siena, ItalyTrees and Timber Institute-National Research Council of Italy (CNR-IVALSA), Follonica, ItalyDepartment of Life Sciences, University of Siena, Siena, ItalyTrees and Timber Institute-National Research Council of Italy (CNR-IVALSA), Follonica, ItalyEnvironmental Research and Innovation Department, Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology, Belvaux, LuxembourgEnvironmental Research and Innovation Department, Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology, Belvaux, LuxembourgDepartment of Life Sciences, University of Siena, Siena, ItalyThe human diet is characterized by highly energetic molecules, but it also requires non-energetic compounds that are equally useful for cell functioning and for preserving the organism's health status. These “functional” molecules are represented by a wide variety of plant secondary metabolites, such as terpenoids, vitamins and polyphenols with antioxidant power. Widespread commercial crop varieties often contain scarce levels of functional molecules, because they have been mostly selected for productivity, rather than for the content of secondary metabolites. Different scenarios (global economic situation, foreseeable environmental changes) are pushing farmers to review the use of high yield crops and to focus on the valorization of locally-adapted plants. This renewed interest is strengthened by the growing need of consumers for functional foods with beneficial effects on human health and by the willingness to promote sustainable low-input agricultural practices exploiting local climate, soil, water, and (micro)biota. Here, we want to discuss a specific case study concerning locally-adapted crops in Tuscany (Italy). Analyses of nutraceutical molecules in locally-grown crop varieties (namely tomatoes, sweet cherries and onions) have shown that they are characterized by substantially higher functional molecule contents than commercial varieties. Our goal is to promote the high-throughput study of locally-adapted varieties to understand, in a medium-term perspective, whether the cultivation of such plants is a valuable support for the diet and an adequate local economic resource. Such plants can provide a boost to the regional economy, by diversifying the local crop-market landscape. Moreover, the exploitation of locally-grown plants results in the manufacture of fully-traceable products (from the raw bioresource to the finished product) with a “0 km” concept that minimizes the C footprint.https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpls.2018.01983/fullbioactive moleculesTuscanyautochthonous ancient varietiesnutraceuticsfunctional food |
| spellingShingle | Roberto Berni Roberto Berni Marco Romi Claudio Cantini Jean-Francois Hausman Gea Guerriero Giampiero Cai Functional Molecules in Locally-Adapted Crops: The Case Study of Tomatoes, Onions, and Sweet Cherry Fruits From Tuscany in Italy Frontiers in Plant Science bioactive molecules Tuscany autochthonous ancient varieties nutraceutics functional food |
| title | Functional Molecules in Locally-Adapted Crops: The Case Study of Tomatoes, Onions, and Sweet Cherry Fruits From Tuscany in Italy |
| title_full | Functional Molecules in Locally-Adapted Crops: The Case Study of Tomatoes, Onions, and Sweet Cherry Fruits From Tuscany in Italy |
| title_fullStr | Functional Molecules in Locally-Adapted Crops: The Case Study of Tomatoes, Onions, and Sweet Cherry Fruits From Tuscany in Italy |
| title_full_unstemmed | Functional Molecules in Locally-Adapted Crops: The Case Study of Tomatoes, Onions, and Sweet Cherry Fruits From Tuscany in Italy |
| title_short | Functional Molecules in Locally-Adapted Crops: The Case Study of Tomatoes, Onions, and Sweet Cherry Fruits From Tuscany in Italy |
| title_sort | functional molecules in locally adapted crops the case study of tomatoes onions and sweet cherry fruits from tuscany in italy |
| topic | bioactive molecules Tuscany autochthonous ancient varieties nutraceutics functional food |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpls.2018.01983/full |
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