Antonio FERRANTE
Ph.D.
Horticultural Science
Associate Professor at
Department
of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
Via Celoria 2, 20133 Milano - Italy
Tel. 02 50316589, Fax 02 50316575
President of section
of floriculture and vegetables of SOI
e-mail: antonio.ferrante@unimi.it
AIR UNIMI ID 6350;
ResearcherID: B-1927-2008;
RG: AF;
Google Scholar citations
Main research topics:
Biostimulants in agriculture: the research topics are
related to evaluate the effect of biostimulants or prototypes for improving the
yield and quality of vegetables. Biostimulants are also studied for enhancing
the crop tolerance against abiotic stresses.
Transcriptome changes under abiotic stresses: the identification of quality
markers is very important for monitoring and assessing the quality during
postharvest. In the frame of a research project funded by EU – QUAFETY – a
transcriptome profile was determined in control and stresses rocket. Pre-harvest
and post-harvest differential expressed genes have been studying as potential
quality markers.
Quality of fresh-cut vegetables: the quality of vegetables
after harvest can be preserved and rarely improved, surely can be lost. During
storage leafy vegetables such as rocket, spinach, lettuce, and lamb’s lettuce
undergo many physiological deterioration processes. The research studies are
focused on the metabolic changes that affect the oxidant systems and substances
such as carotenoids, polyphenols, ascorbic acid, etc. The carotenoids are
compounds with antioxidant proprieties. In the human diet the most part of
carotenoids come from the vegetables. They are powerful antioxidants that may
help to prevent age-related macular degeneration and diseases. Polyphenolics
are the major antioxidant present in the vegetables and can be classified in
several groups on the base of the structural and functional characteristics.
The antioxidant ability depends from the number and location of hydroxy groups.
Epidemiological studies have suggested a role of certain polyphenolics in
preventing carcinogenesis, reducing the free radicals and inducing the
oxidative repair system. The ascorbic acid is another important soluble in
water that inhibits oxidative reactions. In the humans the ascorbic acid has
anti-scorbutic proprieties and enhances the absorption of non-heme iron. It may
protect against oxidative or stress related and age-related diseases, coronary
heart diseases and certain cancers. Unfortunately the ascorbic acid can be
easily destroyed during the fresh-cut preparation process. Therefore it is very
important to preserve all these compounds during storage until to reach the
end-users.
Mineral nutrition
of leafy vegetables: the main research activity is focused on the
nitrogen metabolism in leafy vegetables grown in hydroponics. Currently we have
been working on the activation or inhibition of the enzymes involved in the
nitrate uptake and assimilation in spinach plants grown in limited oxygen
conditions. Genes involved in nitrate uptake such as nitrate transporter have
been isolated and other unknown genes encoding for enzymes related to nitrate
metabolism have been studying. The isolated genes will be studied in normoxia
and anoxia conditions and during different lightening conditions. Cross species
microarray hybridization has been used for understanding gene activation under
anoxia conditions in spinach roots.
Floriculture: the
main research topic is to understand the physiological and biochemical
mechanisms behind the leaf and flower senescence in ornamental plants. Leaf
senescence and in particular leaf yellowing, a postharvest disorderof some
sensitive cut flowers such as alstroemeria, stock, chrysanthemum, lilium etc.,
compromises the ornamental values of the plants. The loss of leaf colour, before flower senescence is
a postharvest problem that reduces the economic value and the commercialisation
of cut flowers. Leaf yellowing is a form of leaf senescence that occurs when
the chlorophyll is degraded and disappears. Treatments with cytokinins and
gibberellins are able to inhibit or delay the chlorophyll degradation. A potent
inhibitor of leaf yellowing has been recently discovered, it is the thidiazuron
(TDZ) that is able to inhibit the leaf yellowing, even if leaves or cut flowers
are placed in darkness. It is a substitute of phenyl-urea that is commonly used
as plant growth regulator.
Recent published papers:
1. Roversi T., Ferrante A., Piazza L., 2016. Mesoscale investigation of the
structural properties of unrefined cell wall materials extracted from minimally
processed salads during storage. Journal of Food Engineering 168:
191-198.
2. Cavaiuolo M., Cocetta G., Bulgari R., Spinardi A., Ferrante A., 2015.
Identification of innovative potential quality markers in rocket and melon
fresh-cut produce. Food Chemistry 188: 225–233.
3. Trivellini A., Ferrante A., Hunter D.A., Pathirana R., 2015. Agrobacterium
tumefaciens -mediated transformation of axillary bud callus of Hibiscus
rosa-sinensis L. ‘Ruby’ and regeneration of transgenic plants. Plant Cell, Tissue and Organ Culture 121: 681–692.
4. Trivellini A., Cocetta G., Vernieri P., Mensuali-Sodi A., Ferrante A., 2015.
Effect of cytokinins on delaying petunia flower senescence: a
transcriptome study approach. Plant Molecular Biology 87:169–180.
5. Baldassarre V., Cabassi G., Spadafora N., Aprile A., Müller C., Rogers H.,
Ferrante A., 2015. Wounding tomato fruit elicits ripening stage-specific
changes in gene expression and production of volatile compounds. Journal of Experimental Botany 66: 1511-1526.
Lab |
Projects |