Cultivated cardoon (Cynara cardunculus L. var altilis) is a Mediterranean traditional food crop. It is adapted to xerothermic conditions and also grows in marginal lands, producing a large biomass rich in phenolic bioactive metabolites and has therefore received attention for pharmaceutical, cosmetic and innovative materials applications. Cardoon cell cultures can be used for the biotechnological production of valuable molecules in accordance with the principles of cellular agriculture. In the current study, we developed an elicitation strategy on leaf-derived cardoon calli for boosting the production of bioactive extracts for cosmetics. We tested elicitation conditions that trigger hyper-accumulation of bioactive phenolic metabolites without compromising calli growth through the application of chilling and salt stresses. We monitored changes in growth, polyphenol accumulation, and antioxidant capability, along with transcriptional variations of key chlorogenic acid and flavonoids biosynthetic genes. At moderate stress intensity and duration (14 days at 50–100 mM NaCl) salt exerted the best eliciting effect by stimulating total phenols and antioxidant power without impairing growth. Hydroalcoholic extracts from elicited cardoon calli with optimal growth and bioactive metabolite accumulation were demonstrated to lack cytotoxicity by MTT assay and were able to stimulate pro-collagen and aquaporin production in dermal cells. In conclusion, we propose a “natural” elicitation system that can be easily and safely employed to boost bioactive metabolite accumulation in cardoon cell cultures and also in pilot-scale cell culture production.

The sweet pepper (Capsicum annuum) ‘Peperone Cornetto di Pontecorvo’ is a prominent local variety at risk of genetic erosion cultivated in the Latium region (Italy). This horn-shaped landrace is recognized for its high digestibility due to the thinness of the skin and has been granted the Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) mark since 2010. Nowadays, different accessions are claimed as ‘Peperone Cornetto di Pontecorvo’ and no assay has been conducted to determine authenticity. In this study, 14 ‘Peperone Cornetto di Pontecorvo’ accessions and 7 similar horn-type peppers were investigated for their morpho-agronomic performance and chemical composition. Digital fruit imaging was implemented as a tool to pinpoint with high accuracy the morphometric parameters of berries. In total, 52 traits were scored. The multivariate analysis revealed different clusters that separated ‘Peperone Cornetto di Pontecorvo’ from similar types. The weight and size of fruits, as well as the content of soluble solids, were the most discriminating factors among the cultivars studied. Genomic fingerprinting was performed using ddRAD sequencing, yielding a total of a total of 120 million raw sequences and 2196 high-quality SNPs. Both Bayesian and hierarchical clustering analyses confirmed the existence of two different (K = 2) sub-populations separating ‘Peperone Cornetto di Pontecorvo’ accessions from similar types, thus highlighting a high membership (qi > 0.97) coefficient for accessions cultivated in the Pontecorvo area (Frosinone district). In addition, a direct relationship was found between the genetic diversity of cultivars and their geographical provenance, providing hints on the breeding history of local varieties in diverse rural areas. Genomic markers are revealed as a valuable tool to establish the uniqueness and distinctness of this local variety. This information will be very helpful for recovery, enhancement, and protection from possible imitations.