Morella spathulata (Myricaceae family) is a common plant from Madagascar and is present on the IUCN Red List of threatened species classified at the ’least concern’ level, used by the local population to treat numerous illnesses and pain. Despite its frequent use, comprehensive phytochemical and pharmacological research on the species is limited. This study evaluated the antioxidant, analgesic, and anti-inflammatory properties, as well as the toxicity of methanol extracts from the leaves (MS_L) and bark (MS_B) of M. spathulata. The research involved the analysis of nutritional traits such as sugars, organic acids, vitamin C, polyphenolic content (TPC) and the main phytochemicals by HPLC analysis. Antioxidant capacity was assessed through DPPH and FRAP assays. Analgesic and anti-inflammatory activities were evaluated using acetic acid-induced writhing and carrageenan-induced paw oedema tests in mice. The results showed a high content of phenolic and bioactive components in the leaf and bark extracts, associated with antioxidant, analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties. The interaction of key compounds such as ferulic acid and ellagic acid with proteins involved in pH regulation and immune modulation provides clues to the mechanisms underlying the therapeutic effects. However, conservation efforts are crucial due to habitat loss and illegal logging, and further studies are needed to fully explore the plant’s therapeutic potential.

Water stress is among the most important abiotic constraints affecting forest ecosystem functioning and regeneration, a phenomenon expected to intensify with climate change. It impacts photosynthesis, growth, and seedling survival, therefore threatening biodiversity and accelerating forest degradation. The use of silicon-based biostimulants has emerged as a way of mitigating the effects of water stress by improving water status and stimulating mechanical and biochemical defense. However, its effectiveness on forest tree species remains poorly explored. This study examines how potassium silicate (PS) alleviates the effects of drought on Canarium madagascariense, with the aim of improving our understanding of the resilience mechanisms of tropical forest species. To do this, an experiment with 135 two-year-old C. madagascariense saplings has been conducted, testing three irrigation levels in combination with the addition of potassium silicate (PS) at concentrations of 5 and 10 mM, via foliar spraying and soil application. Morphometric and physiological parameters were monitored, followed by the biochemical profiling of the induced responses. Linear mixed models were computed to assess the effects of the different factors on the different growth performance, physiological functioning parameters over time, and ANOVA was used for evaluating the punctual data on the biochemical compounds. Drought had a significant impact on the morphological and physiological behaviour of the seedlings. However, the application of PS modified the drought-induced changes, even at a low concentration of 5 mM. Biochemical defenses were also improved further with PS application. Hormone profiling revealed a predominance of auxins, while abscisic acid was lower in the water stress treatments under drought. Therefore, using PS could support the production of robust seedlings that are more tolerant of, and adaptive to, the challenges of climate change, making restoration more efficient.

Cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon Aiton), a traditional berry crop cultivated in North America, is appreciated for its high amounts of bioactive compounds and polyphenols. The exploration of its cultivation in different geographic areas may support crop diversification and sustainable production of fruits and derived products rich in health-promoting molecules. The present research evaluated the antioxidant capacity, phytochemical profile, and nutritive composition of the ‘Pilgrim’ cranberry cultivar grown in soilless conditions in Northwestern Italy (Bra, Piemonte Region), compared to a reference sample from North America (Canada). Physical–chemical parameters such as weight, fruit size, titratable acidity, and total soluble solids were considered. Additionally, anthocyanins, total phenolics, antioxidant capacity, and proanthocyanidins (PACs) were evaluated using spectrophotometric protocols. Chromatographic techniques (HPLC-MS/MS and HPLC-DAD) were used for detailed profiling of phenolic acids, flavonoids, vitamin C, sugars, organic acids, and PAC types (A- and B-type dimers and trimers). The results highlighted that Italian-grown cranberry fruits, although smaller, showed significantly higher levels of PACs (+61%), anthocyanins (+58%), total polyphenolic compounds (+48%), and antioxidant capacity than North American ones. This may be due to the inhibition of fruit growth by elevated temperatures, resulting in a better synthesis of antioxidants and bioactive compounds. This study may promote the cultivation of cranberries in different climatic regions, as a complementary strategy to international imports, and improve the production of new food applications with a high content of health-promoting molecules. Additionally, the production of antioxidants in plants under challenging conditions may potentially stimulate further studies to address climate change and investigate crop diversification.

The existing trade-off between agricultural production and ecosystem services is widening with the intensification of agricultural systems. In this context, diversification can play a crucial role in enhancing agroecosystem multifunctionality, and in orchard systems it can also be achieved through the management of inter-row spaces via the ecological functions provided by sown and resident vegetation. Nowadays its contribution is not recognised. The study aims to compare the temporal dynamics of four cover crop mixes present in the inter-row spaces and assess their ecological functions using the Vegetation-based Ecological Functions Sustainability Index, and evaluate the relative influence of management, season, and year on cover crop performance. Total and relative coverage and species number were collected from 2022 to 2024. Non-metric multidimensional scaling analysis showed that vegetation composition varied across treatments, and cover crop management shaped plant community structure. It highlighted that the strongest difference was the contrast between grass cover (r = −0.95) and bare soil (r = 0.91). Permutational Multivariate Analysis of Variance on ecological functions indicated that sampling year (R² = 0.1822, F = 8.4874, p < 0.001). and season (R² = 0.1280, F = 5.9659, p < 0.001) had a significant impact on vegetation cover. Moreover, biodiversity effects hinge primarily on the ecological functions performed by species, rather than on their number. Overall, these findings highlight that the ecological contribution of inter-row vegetation depends more on the functional traits expressed by plant communities than on species richness alone. Furthermore, year and season strongly influence the dynamics of cover crops and resident vegetation, making multi-year monitoring essential to determine their persistence and the ecological functions they perform.