About one-third of the food produced globally for human consumption is lost or wasted each year. This represents a loss of natural resources consumed along the food supply chain that can also have negative impacts on food security. While food loss occurs between production and distribution and is prevalent in low-income countries, food waste occurs mainly at the consumer level, in the retail and food service sectors, and especially in developed countries. Preventing food losses and waste is therefore a potential strategy for better balance food supply and demand and is essential to improve food security while reducing environmental impact and providing economic benefits to the different actors in the food supply chain. In this context, we specifically provide an overview of case studies and examples of legislation from different countries and actions carried out by the various actors in the food chain and by non-profit organisations to effectively prevent and or reduce food loss and waste. We also outline current limitations and possible research avenues. We conclude that the comparison and the integration of knowledge, and the awareness of where along the food chain, for which foods and in which countries the greatest losses are produced, is essential to decide where and how to target efforts in the most effective way.

The use of microbial biostimulants such as plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPB) and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) has gained popularity in recent years as a sustainable approach to boost yield as well as the quality of produce. The beneficial effects of microbial biostimulants have been reported numerous times. However, information is missing concerning quantitative assessment of the overall impact of microbial biostimulants on the yield and quality of vegetable crops. Here we provide for the first time a comprehensive, semi-systematic review of the effects of microbial biostimulants allowed by Regulation (EU) 2019/1009, including microorganisms belonging to the AMF (phylum Glomeromycota), or to Azospirillum, Azotobacter and Rhizobium genera, on vegetable crops’ quality and yield, with rigorous inclusion and exclusion criteria based on the PRISMA method. We identified, selected and critically evaluated all the relevant research studies from 2010 onward in order to provide a critical appraisal of the most recent findings related to these EU-allowed microbial biostimulants and their effects on vegetable crops’ quality and yield. Moreover, we highlighted which vegetable crops received more beneficial effects from specific microbial biostimulants and the protocols employed for plant inoculation. Our study is intended to draw more attention from the scientific community to this important instrument to produce nutrient-dense vegetables in a sustainable manner. Finally, our semi-systematic review provides important microbial biostimulant application guidelines and gives extension specialists and vegetable growers insights into achieving an additional benefit from microbial biostimulant application.

In Ranunculus asiaticus L., vernalization of propagation material is a common practice for the production scheduling of cut flowers, however little is known about the plant physiology and metabolism of this species as affected by cold treatments. We investigated the influence of two hybrids, MBO and MDR, and three preparation procedures of tuberous roots, only rehydration (control, C), and rehydration plus vernalization at 3.5 °C for 2 weeks (V2) and for 4 weeks (V4), on plant growth and flowering, leaf photosynthesis, and leaf metabolic profile in plants grown in pot in a cold greenhouse. Net photosynthesis (NP) was higher in MDR than in MBO. In the two genotypes, the NP did not change in V2 and increased in V4 compared to C in MBO, while was unaffected by vernalization in MDR. Quantum yield of PSII electron transport (ΦPSII), linear electron transport rate (ETR) and non-photochemical quenching (NPQ) did not differ in the two hybrids, whereas maximal PSII photochemical efficiency (Fv/Fm) was higher in MBO than in MDR. Fluorescence indexes were unaffected by the preparation procedure, except for ETR, which decreased in V2 compared to C and V4 in MDR. A significant interaction between genotype and preparation procedure was found in plant leaf area, which was reduced only in V4 in MBO, while decreased in both the vernalization procedures in MDR. In Control plants, flowering started in 65 days in MBO and 69 days in MDR. Compared to controls, both the vernalization treatments anticipated flowering in MDR, while they were detrimental or only slightly efficient in promoting flowering in MBO. Vernalization always reduced the quality of flower stems in both the hybrids.

Three commercial microbial-based biostimulants containing fungi (arbuscular mycorrhizae and Trichoderma spp.) and other microrganisms (plant growth-promoting bacteria and yeasts) were applied on a processing tomato crop in a two-year field experiment in southern Italy. The effects of the growing season and the microorganism-based treatments on the yield, technological traits and functional quality of the tomato fruits were assessed. The year of cultivation affected yield (with a lower fruit weight, higher marketable to total yield ratio and higher percentage of total defective fruits in 2020) and technological components (higher dry matter, titratable acidity, total soluble solids content in 2020). During the first year of the trial, the consortia-based treatments enhanced the soluble solids content (+10.02%) compared to the untreated tomato plants. The sucrose and lycopene content were affected both by the microbial treatments and the growing season (greater values found in 2021 with respect to 2020). The year factor also significantly affected the metabolite content, except for tyrosine, essential (EAA) and branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs). Over the two years of the field trial, FID-consortium enhanced the content of proteins (+53.71%), alanine (+16.55%), aspartic acid (+31.13%), γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) (+76.51%), glutamine (+55.17%), glycine (+28.13%), monoethanolamine (MEA) (+19.57%), total amino acids (TAA) (+33.55), EAA (+32.56%) and BCAAs (+45.10%) compared to the control. Our findings highlighted the valuable effect of the FID microbial inoculant in boosting several primary metabolites (proteins and amino acids) in the fruits of the processing tomato crop grown under southern Italian environmental conditions, although no effect on the yield and its components was appreciated.

Basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) is among the most widely used aromatic plants of Lamiaceae, often grown in areas where salinity is an adverse factor. Most studies on the effect of salinity on basil focused on the influence of salt stress on productive traits, while few reported on how it affects the phytochemical composition and the aroma profile. Three basil cultivars (Dark Opal, Italiano Classico, and Purple Ruffles) were grown hydroponically for 34 days with two nutrient solutions that differed in NaCl concentration [no NaCl (Control) and 60 mM NaCl]. Yield, secondary metabolite concentration (β-carotene and lutein), antioxidant activity [1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and ferric reduction antioxidant power (FRAP)], and aroma profile based on composition of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were appraised in response to salinity applications. Salt stress significantly reduced fresh yield in Italiano Classico and Dark Opal by 43.34 and 31.69%, respectively, while no effect was observed in Purple Ruffles. Furthermore, the salt-stress treatment increased β-carotene and lutein concentrations, DPPH, and FRAP activities, and the total nitrogen content of the latter cultivar. CG-MS analysis revealed significant differences in VOCs composition of the basil cultivars, with Italiano Classico and Dark Opal characterized by the predominance of linalool (average 37.52%), which, however, was negatively affected by salinity. In Purple Ruffles, the predominant VOC compound, estragole (79.50%), was not affected by the deleterious effects of NaCl-induced stress.