Innovative strategies for promoting and valorizing sicilian wild herbs

The InnovHerbae project aims to demonstrate the agronomic, environmental and economic sustainability of the cultivation and commercialisation of wild Sicilian herbs. To this end, two 􏰛􏰍􏰔􏰒 􏰜􏰁􏰏􏰝􏰐 􏰛􏰍􏰃􏰜 􏰐􏰍􏰓􏰌􏰍􏰞􏰟􏰗􏰌􏰃 􏰗􏰓􏰏􏰍􏰠􏰘􏰘􏰒 􏰗􏰂􏰂􏰁􏰗􏰔 􏰗􏰌􏰒 􏰁􏰟􏰘􏰌􏰘􏰡􏰍􏰟 􏰍􏰡􏰂􏰗􏰟􏰃 􏰛􏰁􏰏􏰁 􏰐􏰃􏰕􏰒􏰍􏰁􏰒􏰢 Foeniculum Vulgare Mill. (wild fennel) and Asparagus acutifolius L. (wild asparagus). The project involved four 􏰒􏰁􏰡􏰘􏰌􏰐􏰃􏰏􏰗􏰃􏰍􏰘􏰌 􏰠􏰗􏰏􏰡􏰐 􏰗􏰌􏰒 􏰘􏰌􏰁 􏰁􏰣􏰂􏰁􏰏􏰍􏰡􏰁􏰌􏰃􏰗􏰔 􏰞􏰁􏰔􏰒 􏰒􏰁􏰒􏰍􏰟􏰗􏰃􏰁􏰒 􏰃􏰘 􏰃􏰜􏰁 􏰟􏰕􏰔􏰃􏰍􏰎􏰗􏰃􏰍􏰘􏰌 􏰘􏰠 Asparagus acutifolius L. (wild asparagus). The experimental design included agri-perlite fertilisation at two different 􏰔􏰁􏰎􏰁􏰔􏰐􏰊 􏰛􏰍􏰃􏰜 􏰃􏰜􏰏􏰁􏰁 􏰝􏰍􏰘􏰔􏰘􏰓􏰍􏰟􏰗􏰔 􏰏􏰁􏰂􏰔􏰍􏰟􏰗􏰃􏰁􏰐􏰄 􏰙􏰌 􏰃􏰜􏰍􏰐 􏰁􏰣􏰂􏰁􏰏􏰍􏰡􏰁􏰌􏰃􏰗􏰔 􏰞􏰁􏰔􏰒􏰊 􏰃􏰜􏰁 􏰗􏰟􏰃􏰍􏰎􏰍􏰃􏰍􏰁􏰐 􏰘􏰠 􏰃􏰜􏰁 􏰠􏰘􏰔􏰔􏰘􏰛􏰍􏰌􏰓 soil enzymes were assessed as health and quality indicators: 􏰤-glucosidase, acid and alkaline phosphomonoesterase, phosphodiesterase, caseinase, urease, and FDA hydrolase. In parallel optimal storage conditions for Foeniculum Vulgare Mill. (wild fennel) seeds were investigated. Seeds collected in the farms involved in the project were dried using two distinct methods: some underwent natural sun drying, while others were processed using a professional- grade electric dehydrator. The seeds were then stored in three different packaging types (Paper, Glass or Plastic - PP) and under three different temperature conditions (4 °C, 16 °C and 25 °C) for six months, following a completely randomized experimental design with three replicates per treatment. Every two months, the following parameters were evaluated: total phenolic content, CIE Lab* color values, humidity, DPPH and FRAP antioxidant activities and aromatic compounds content via GC-MS. The knowledge collected during the InnovHerbae project regarding the cultivation and storage of these wild herbs will be vertically transferred to the entire agri-food sector, fostering innovation in line with the objectives of the Rural Development Plan (PSR).