Defatted seed meals of oleaginous Brassicaceae, such as Eruca sativa, and potato peel are excellent plant matrices to recover potentially useful biomolecules from industrial processes in a circular strategy perspective aiming at crop protection. These biomolecules, mainly glycoalkaloids and phenols for potato and glucosinolates for Brassicaceae, have been proven to be effective against microbes, fungi, nematodes, insects, and even parasitic plants. Their role in plant protection is overviewed, together with the molecular basis of their synthesis in plant, and the description of their mechanisms of action. Possible genetic and biotechnological strategies are presented to increase their content in plants. Genetic mapping and identification of closely linked molecular markers are useful to identify the loci/genes responsible for their accumulation and transfer them to elite cultivars in breeding programs. Biotechnological approaches can be used to modify their allelic sequence and enhance the accumulation of the bioactive compounds. How the global challenges, such as reducing agri-food waste and increasing sustainability and food safety, could be addressed through bioprotector applications are discussed here.

Maize is considered one of the most susceptible crops to mycotoxin-producing fungi throughout the world, mainly belonging to the Fusarium spp. and Aspergillus spp. Maize is mainly used as animal feeds in Italy, as well as for human consumption, being essential for all the protected designation of origin (DOP) products. Our study investigated the occurrence of regulated mycotoxins in 3769 maize grain samples collected from 88 storage centers by the National Monitoring Network over an 11-year period (2011–2021). Moreover, an in-depth survey over a 4-year period, characterized by extremely different meteorological conditions, was conducted to investigate the co-occurrence of regulated, masked, and emerging mycotoxins. The survey confirmed that Fusarium spp. was the most frequent fungi and fumonisins were the main mycotoxins that were constantly detected in the different years and areas. Moreover, the areas characterized by high fumonisin levels were also the most prone to contamination by emerging mycotoxins produced by the same Fusarium species of the Liseola section. On the other hand, as a result of climatic changes, maize grains have also been affected by the increased frequency of aflatoxin accumulation. Deoxynivalenol, zearalenone, and other emerging mycotoxins produced by the same Fusarium species as the Discolor section occurred more abundantly in some areas in Northern Italy and in years characterized by predisposing meteorological conditions.

The co-occurrence of moniliformin (MON), fumonisins (FBs), and deoxynivalenol (DON) was evaluated in maize, durum, and common wheat grown in different experimental fields located in several Italian regions. MON was quantified using a LC-MS/MS method adding lanthanum ions in the mobile phase. In maize, MON contamination was widespread and considerable; the toxin was detected in almost all the samples (95.1%) and exceeded 500 and 1000 µg kg⁻¹ in 42.0% and in 18.5% of samples, respectively. Significant positive correlation was found between MON and FB contamination levels. When there were not droughty climate conditions, a positive significant correlation was found between growing degree days (GDD) and MON values. In wheat, MON contamination was not widespread like in maize and it was lower in common wheat than in durum wheat. In durum wheat, MON was detected in 45.0% of the samples with only 6 samples (7.5%) exceeding 500 µg kg⁻¹, while in common wheat the toxin was detected above the LOD in 18.7% of samples exceeding 100 µg kg⁻¹ in only two samples (2.5%). No correlation was found with DON contamination. Climate conditions influenced both MON and DON occurrence.

We analysed a total of 2258 grain samples over a 3-year period (2006–2008) from 93 storage centers in the principal maize cultivation area of Italy to establish the levels of fumonisin contamination. Fumonisin concentrations were measured using ELISA (RIDASCREEN) fumonisin test kits. Mean levels of contamination were remarkably high in each year, with the highest value in 2006 (10.9 mg/kg) and the lowest in 2008 (4.8 mg/kg). Similarly, for each year, variations were quite large: from <LOQ to 77.0 mg/kg, < LOQ to 26.3, and 0.1 to 19.0 mg/kg, respectively, in 2006, 2007 and 2008. The highest fumonisin concentration was found in samples harvested in Veneto (11.1 mg/kg) and Friuli Venezia Giulia (8.9 mg/kg), while the lowest were recorded in Emilia Romagna and Piemonte (4.6 mg/kg).

The agronomic management of symbiotic (S) inoculations, by means of bio-fertilizers (BF), is aimed at inducing modifications of the plant rhizosphere and thereafter of the phenotype and yield of the crop. It is here shown that the yield response of maize to a symbiotic treatment may be correlated to six easy-to-calculate indicator variables on the basis of the raw foliar pH, NIR-Spectroscopy of leaves, and the NIRS of hay litter-bags from soils. It has been confirmed, in a set of thirteen pairwise comparisons of Symbiotic (S) soil inoculated by BF vs. Control (non-inoculated soil; C), that the inoculation on average acidified the leaves by -3.7% pH units (P<0.0001). The responses in yield ranged from +25.2% to -9.2% (av.ge +3.5%; P = 0.03), but with average null responses in two centers and a significant response (+11%) in a third center. NIR-Tomoscopy scans (No. 574) were also performed on the leaves, and in addition, hay-litter-bags that had previously been buried in fields were dug up after two months, and 431 NIR- scans were acquired. The effect-size on the yield was expressed as the logarithm of the response ratio, i.e. the mean of the inoculated Symbiotic treatment divided by the mean of the non-inoculated Control for each pairwise comparison. A multiple regression model was developed to predict the symbiotic response to the treatment using six independent variables, including the squared litter-bag fingerprints, and an R2adj. level of 0.78 (P=0.01) was reached, with a standard error of ±4%. Validation in one external maize field, with a positive response to bio-fertilizers, demonstrates the juxtaposition of the estimated and accomplished yield. In a second experiment, with 40 pairwise comparisons, the two tested maize varieties did not respond to five types of bio-fertilizer, and the negative results were predicted at 84% (P 0.0012). The soil biota is a key factor for the application of appropriate microbial inoculants in the field, but the genotype/genotype interactions between the microbial strain (s) and the crop cultivar (s) require prior screening to obtain the desired results.

The technological and nutritional traits of food-grade sorghum hybrids, hulled/naked oat varieties and maize genotypes of different colors were studied for novel and healthier gluten-free foods. Oat genotypes showed the highest protein content, followed by maize and sorghum. The total starch and the total dietary fiber content were quite similar among the three species. Great variation was found in the amylose content, and the highest was in sorghum (27.12%), followed by oat 16.71% and maize 10.59%. Regarding the pasting profile, the rank of Peak Viscosity was sorghum (742.8 Brabender Unit, BU), followed by maize (729.3 BU) and oat (685.9 BU). Oat and sorghum genotypes had similar average breakdown (407.7 and 419.9 BU, respectively) and setback (690.7 and 682.1 BU, respectively), whereas maize showed lower values for both parameters (384.1 BU and 616.2 BU, respectively). The total antioxidant capacity, only in maize, significantly correlated with total flavonoid, phenolic and proanthocyanidin contents, indicating that all the measured compounds contributed to antioxidant capacity. The study indicated the importance of sounding out the nutritional and technological characteristics of gluten-free cereals in order to select suitable cultivars to be processed in different gluten-free foods with better and healthier quality.