Milk thistle (Silybum marianum (L.) Gaertn.) is a versatile crop that has adapted to the broadly different soil and environmental conditions throughout all continents. To date, the fruits (“seeds”) of the plant are the only reliable source of silymarin, which, given its recognized therapeutic effects and its many present and potential uses, has led to a significant re-discovery and enhancement of the crop in recent years. Overall, although many studies have been carried out globally on the bioactivity, phytochemistry, and genetics of milk thistle, few and discontinuous research activity has been conducted on its basic agronomy as well as on the farm opportunities offered by the cultivation of this species. However, the multiple potential uses of the plant and its reduced need for external inputs suggest that milk thistle can perfectly fit among the most interesting alternative crops, even for marginal environments. The growing interest in natural medicine, the increasing popularity of herbal dietary supplements, and the multiple possibilities for livestock feeding are all arguments supporting the idea that in many rural areas, this crop could represent a significant tool for enhancing and stabilizing farm income. However, several issues still have to be addressed. The species retains some morphological and physiological traits belonging to non-domesticated plants, which make the application of some common agronomic practices challenging. Furthermore, the lack of reliable field data devoted to the definition of suitable cropping protocols represents a major constraint on the spread of this crop among farmers. This review has therefore focused on updating information on the main morphological and phytochemical traits of the crop and its agronomic characteristics and novel uses. Several gaps in technical knowledge have been addressed, and further goals for experimental activity have been outlined in order to guide farmers eager to cope with the cultivation of such a challenging and resource-rich crop.

Distillation is the most widely used method to obtain an essential oil from plant material. The biomass used in the process is returned as a solid residue together with variable amounts of water rich in water-soluble compounds, which currently are not addressed to any further application. The scope of this work was to evaluate the phytochemical composition of wastewaters coming from hydrodistillation (DWWs) of five aromatic plants belonging to the Lamiaceae family, and to assess their in vitro antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. The phenolic profiles of the DWWs were determined by HPLC-DAD and HPLC-ESI/MS. Free radical scavenging ability, oxygen radical antioxidant capacity and superoxide dismutase mimetic activity of the samples under study were measured. Moreover, to investigate the anti-inflammatory activity of the DWWs, an in vitro experimental model of intestinal inflammation was used. The DWW samples’ phytochemical analysis allowed the identification of 37 phenolic compounds, all exhibiting good antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity. Our study contributes to the knowledge on the polyphenolic composition of the DWWs of five aromatic plants of the Lamiaceae family. The results highlight the presence of compounds with proven biological activity, and therefore of great interest in the pharmaceutical and nutraceutical fields.

In recent years, Italy’s craft beer industry has seen remarkable growth, fostering the local production of key ingredients, notably hops. However, a research gap exists in exploring open-field hop productivity in typical Mediterranean climates using low-trellis systems. This study addressed this gap by evaluating the productive performances of “Cascade” and “Chinook” hop varieties on “V” trellis systems at different heights (2.60, 3.60, and 4.60 m above ground) in inner Sicily’s Mediterranean climate and soil conditions. The results highlighted the significant impact of trellis height on various parameters, with Cascade displaying exceptional adaptability to low-trellis farming. Key factors like stem and leaf weight emerged as crucial drivers of cone yield, emphasizing their significance in hop cultivation. The distinct responses of Cascade and Chinook varieties to varying trellis heights underscored the need for tailored approaches, offering valuable insights for optimizing hop cultivation practices in semi-arid climates.

Although usually studied as separate processes, plant growth and plant development are strictly interrelated. The BBCH scale (“Biologische Bundesanstalt, Bundessortenamt, and CHemical industry”) has become one of the primary classification systems for documenting the growth and developmental stages of many plant species. Specifically, the BBCH scale for hops (Humulus lupulus L.) separately describes growth and development during the vegetative stage. This study aims to develop an integrated approach to better understand the interaction between vertical growth rates and vegetative development in hops. Growth rates and development patterns of the Cascade hop cultivar were assessed in semi-arid (Sicily, Italy) and subtropical (Florida, USA) climates. The Gompertz model accurately described vertical growth, while a modified Gaussian model effectively captured hop growth rates (HGRs). A strong correlation between growth and developmental stages was identified, allowing for the inference of growth dynamics from developmental observations during the vegetative phase. Growth and developmental stages showed a 71% match across both environments, with minor phase shifts influenced by growing conditions. From an applied perspective, understanding the growth characteristics associated with developmental stages is crucial for addressing challenges posed by pests and diseases in emerging hop-growing regions. This integrated approach offers valuable insights into optimizing cultivation practices for diverse environmental conditions.

The determination of the actual crop water requirement (CWR) today represents an important prerogative for combating climate change. A three-year trial was conducted to ad-dress the need to provide adequate support to processing tomato growers in defining the correct amounts of water to be supplied. In fact, the objective of this work was to calculate the water requirement of processing tomatoes, specifically analyzing their irrigation needs using the CROPWAT 8.0 software and through capacitive and tensiometric probes. Furthermore, for both methods, the tomato yield was evaluated both by supplying 100% of its water requirement and by supplying, through regulated deficit irrigation (RDI), 70% of its water requirement. Subsequently, for each irrigation strategy employed and for each CWR calculation method, the water footprint was calculated by analyzing the blue, green, and grey components. In the years 2022 and 2023, there was an overestimation of CWR of 13.5% for IR100 and 13.94% for IR70, and 14.53% for IR100 and 11.65% for IR70, respectively, while in 2024 there was an underestimation, with values of 9.17% and 5.22% for the IR100 and IR70 treatments compared to the values obtained with the probes. The total WF of tomatoes varied between 33.42 and 51.91 m³ t⁻¹ with the CROPWAT model and between 35.82 and 47.19 m³ t⁻¹ with the probes for IR100, while for RDI70, the values ranged between 38.72 and 59.44 m³ t⁻¹ with the CROPWAT method and between 35.81 and 53.95 m³ t⁻¹ with the probe method. In water-scarce regions, integrating the CROPWAT 8.0 model (enhanced with real-world data) and implementing smart systems can significantly improve water management, refine decision-making processes, and mitigate environmental impacts. This approach directly addresses the urgent need for water security within sustainable agriculture.