The aim of this study was to produce a fresh ovine pressed cheese within Pecorino “Primosale” typology with the addition of citrus essential oils (EOs). For this purpose, ewe’s pasteurized milk was added with EOs from the peel of lemons, oranges and tangerines. Seven cheese productions were performed at the pilot plant scale level, including one control production (CP) without the addition of EOs and six experimental productions obtained by the addition of two EO concentrations (100 and 200 µL/L) to milk. The acidification process was obtained by means of the starter cultures Lactococcus lactis CAG4 and PON36. All cheeses showed levels of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) around 10⁹ CFU/g, indicating that citrus EOs did not negatively influence the starter evolution. The addition of citrus EOs did not determine significant variations for dry matter, fat and protein percentages but increased the antioxidant capacity of all the experimental cheeses of about 50% in comparison to the control trial. The citrus EOs impacted cheese VOCs, especially for terpene class (limonene, β-pinene, myrcene, carene, linalool and α-terpineol). The sensory evaluation showed that cheeses enriched with 100 µL/L of citrus EOs were mostly appreciated by the panelists.

Exploiting biodiversity must be considered today an effective strategy to improve the sustainability of olive production systems. The evaluation of local cultivars, based on their vegetative and fruiting traits, along with an analysis of product quality, may contribute significantly to the development and diffusion of new olive-growing systems. The aim of this study was to evaluate growth, productivity, and olive oil quality of three Sicilian cultivars with different vigor/growth habit grown in four different combinations of training form and planting density. ‘Abunara’, ‘Calatina’, and ‘Nocellara del Belice’ olive trees were planted in four different intensive planting systems: 2 × 5 m trained to central leader (CLx2), 3 × 5 m trained to free palmette (FPx3), 4 × 5 m trained to small globe vase (GVx4), and 5 × 5 m trained to poly-conic vase (PVx5) and evaluated for seven years. Planting systems with low-density showed faster growth (trunk cross section area and canopy volume) than high-density systems. High-density systems had higher yield per hectare but lower yield per tree than low-density systems. ‘Calatina’ was the least vigorous but most productive cultivar. ‘Abunara’ and ‘Nocellara’ were relatively vigorous and suffered the tight spacings of high-density systems. Yield efficiency was generally high in ‘Calatina’, and it showed an increase with time in ‘Abunara’ and ‘Nocellara’ grown under the GVx4 and PVx5 systems. Fruit yield per hectare was highest in ‘Calatina’ grown under high-density systems. Oil yield was lower in ‘Nocellara’ than in ‘Abunara’ and ‘Calatina’. In terms of oil quality, ‘Calatina’ and ‘Abunara’ produced oils with higher oleic acid content than ‘Nocellara’. Generally, ‘Calatina’ has production characteristics of considerable interest, which, combined with low canopy volume and vigor, make it suitable for intensive pedestrian olive orchards with high levels of harvest and pruning mechanization and using different strategies and machines. Overall, for their management flexibility, these planting systems can contribute to improve sustainability of the olive industry even in sloping, dry areas of the Mediterranean.

The demand for water for civil and industrial use is diminishing the availability of such a valuable environmental resource for agricultural purposes. Thus, for the next generation, it is imperative to find alternative water sources for crop irrigation. The citrus agroindustry utilizes a large amount of water for processing fruit (e.g., essential oil extraction, fruit washing). Wastewaters produced by citrus industry (CWWs) are rich in organic matter and mineral nutrients, thus making them potentially usable for crop irrigation. Conversely, due to their high content of organic acids and low pH, they may increase the availability of soluble metals, in the form of both plant nutrients and contaminants. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of CWWs on the dynamics of soil water-soluble metals and pH. To this end, CWWs from the processing of lemons, oranges, and tangerines at three different doses were used. CWWs were analyzed to investigate type and amount of organic acids. Soil water-soluble metals (Na, Mg, Al, K, Ca, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, and Cd) and pH were determined at days 1, 3, 7, 21, and 28 after the addition of CWWs. Citric, ascorbic, oxalic, tartaric, acetic, and malic acids were found in CWWs, with citric acid being two orders of magnitude more concentrated than the other acids. After the addition of CWWs, soil pH promptly decreased from 7.2 to at least 5.3 depending on the type and concentration of CWWs. Concurrently, the concentration of almost all investigated metals sharply increased within 7 days after the addition of CWWs. Then, it decreased, reaching values similar to that of the control. The increase in metals availability as a consequence of pH decrease was ascribed to different causes: the exchange reaction between H⁺ and cations adsorbed onto colloid surfaces, the addition of organic matter by CWWs that stimulated microbial activity, and the quantity and type of organic acids added via CWWs. In conclusion, the obtained results suggest that the use of citrus wastewater for irrigation purposes could be a valid solution, with them being rich in plant nutrients and easily mobilized elements such as Ca, Mg, K, and Na. Further research is needed to refine the understanding of the impact of CWWs in the long term and to develop targeted strategies for managing industrial wastewater in agriculture.