Marika Bocchini

Dr. Marika Bocchini


Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

3Years (2024-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

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27 December 2024 in Plants
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
AMAlessandro Mariani
Alessandro Mariani
GMGianpiero Marconi
Gianpiero Marconi
NFNicoletta Ferradini
Nicoletta Ferradini
MBMarika Bocchini
Marika Bocchini
SLSilvia Lorenzetti
Silvia Lorenzetti
Emidio AlbertiniEmidio Albertini
Emidio Albertini
Saffron (Crocus sativus L.) is one of the most expensive spices in the world due to its strong market demand combined with its labor-intensive production process, which needs a lot of labor and has significant costs. New cultivation methods and traceability systems are required to improve and valorize local Italian saffron production. In this study, we conducted a three-year trial in Umbria (Central Italy), looking for a soilless cultivation method based on wooden bins posted at a suitable height from the ground to ease the sowing of corms and harvesting of flowers. Moreover, the spice traceability could be based on investigating the genetic variability of Italian saffron populations using SNP markers. The proposed novel cultivation method showed significantly higher stigma and corm production than the traditional one. At the same time, the genetic analysis revealed a total of 55 thousand SNPs, 53 of which were specific to the Italian saffron populations suitable to start a food traceability and spice certification.