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The aim of this research was to investigate the effect of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) colonisation on root morphology and nitrogen uptake capacity of carob (Ceratonia siliqua L.) under high and low nutrient conditions. The experimental design was a factorial arrangement of presence/absence of mycorrhizal fungus inoculation (Glomus intraradices) and high/low nutrient status. Percent AM colonisation, nitrate and ammonium uptake capacity, and nitrogen and phosphorus contents were determined in 3-month-old seedlings. Grayscale and colour images were used to study root morphology and topology, and to assess the relation between root pigmentation and physiological activities. AM colonisation lead to a higher allocation of biomass to white and yellow parts of the root. Inorganic nitrogen uptake capacity per unit root length and nitrogen content were greatest in AM colonised plants grown under low nutrient conditions. A better match was found between plant nitrogen content and biomass accumulation, than between plant phosphorus content and biomass accumulation. It is suggested that the increase in nutrient uptake capacity of AM colonised roots is dependent both on changes in root morphology and physiological uptake potential. This study contributes to an understanding of the role of AM fungi and root morphology in plant nutrient uptake and shows that AM colonisation improves the nitrogen nutrition of plants, mainly when growing at low levels of nutrients.

The aim of this study was to analyse the prevalence of barriers to physical activity (PA) among adults according to the gender and socioeconomic status (SES). A total of 2236 subjects (927 men, 1309 women) aged between 30 and 50 y (M = 42±5 y) participated in the study. The data was collected through a questionnaire. Qui-square tests were performed to analyse the differences between genders and SES on perceived barriers. Significance level was p <0.05. Only 31% (32% male, 31% female) achieved the current PA recommendation. The most cited barriers were lack of time (55%), costs (20%), the desire to do other things (15%), the failure to consider themselves as athletes (15%) and lack of infrastructures near where they live. All other reasons were mentioned by less than 10% of the individuals tested. Among the most cited barriers, women reported costs more than men (12% male vs 25% female, p<0.001). On the other hand, men reported more often the lack of infrastructures in the neighbourhood (14% male, 9% female, p<0.001). In all of the most cited barriers there were significant differences between subjects with low and high SES. The barriers most associated with prevalence of inactivity among those with low SES were the failure to consider themselves as athletes (p<0.001), the costs (p<0.001), no time to practise (p=0.002) and the lack of infrastructures (p=0.002). The subjects with higher SES cited more often the desire to do other things. Women reported more often the barriers for PA in general, with big prevalence in the costs. Man, who practices informal PA more easily, reported more often the lack of infrastructures in the neighbourhood. Perceived barrier for PA were more prevalent in subjects with low SES. However, lack of time was a barrier most cited by men and women with high or low SES.

In the quest for eco-friendly products with biostimulant properties, foliar application of wood distillate (WD) was tested on the growth and yield of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.). WD (pyroligneous acid) is a by-product of plant biomass pyrolysis and is rich in biologically active substances like polyphenols, alcohols, acids and esters. In this work, chickpea plants were sprayed weekly with 100 ml 0.25% (v/v) chestnut (Castanea sativa Mill.) WD during the whole growing period, and at the end physiological and nutritional analyses were performed both on the whole plant and on seeds.While plant height and weight did not change significantly, seeds showed an increase in diameter (+11.2%) and weight (+33.3%), and in the content of starch (+45.9%), total soluble protein (+12.9%), total polyphenol (+16.4%) and antioxidant power (+28.4%). Overall, the content of essential free amino acids increased, except for lysine (À3.4%), phenylalanine (À10.5%) and methionine (À13.7%). Among all the mineral elements analysed, only potassium and magnesium decreased in WD-treated plants, although values were within the common range for chickpea seeds. These results are a clear demonstration of the effectiveness of the use of WD on increasing the nutritional qualities of the edible parts of crop species, thus representing a possible solution to counteract human malnutrition and famine as well as environmental concerns.

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