ABSTRACT Here, we studied the habitat preferences and some population parameters (morphology, sex ratio, population size and capture rate) of the European glass lizard (Pseudopus apodus, [Pallas 1775]) in Sazlıgöl, Gediz Delta, Izmir, Türkiye in 2022. During the fieldwork, we captured 20 individuals and 3 were recaptured in Sazlıgöl. The species has been observed to be more active on cool, humid, cloudy and windless days. Individuals were mostly observed in or around shrubs such as Sarcopoterium spinosum, Rosmarinus officinalis, Origanum onites and Asparagus acutifolius. In open areas, it was detected on the move in areas with herbaceous vegetation such as Asphodelus aestivus and Stipa sp. Although the GLM analysis revealed that habitat variables did not have a statistically significant effect on the species’ microhabitat selection, observational data support the preference for shrublands. According to the data obtained from the capture-recapture method, the population size was 52 individuals, and the capture probability was 0.074. Male-biased (4:1) sex ratio was detected. It was determined that various human-induced pressures such as urban development, agricultural activities, road mortality, pesticide use and drought due to climate change, are threatening P. apodus in the Delta. It was suggested that habitat integrity be ensured, pollutants be reduced, pesticide use be limited and local people be made aware for the protection of the species. In addition, it was emphasized that the population should be monitored for the long term and these studies should be integrated into the Gediz Delta Management Plan.

Before the Bronze age, when agricultural practices spread throughout the Iberian Peninsula, the diet of the native people was based on hunting, fishing, and gathering wild plants. In spite of modern agriculture, the popular gathering of wild species for medical use, food, craftwork, etc., for centuries has left a detailed knowledge on the use of many of these species. Of the 6176 Angiosperms native to the Iberian Peninsula and the Balearic Islands, over 200 species were introduced into cultivation during the Neolithic period outside the Iberian Peninsula. The names of 30 of the progenitors still popularly used as food are listed in this paper, together with the names of their derived crops. This review focuses on five wild species collected as food from ancient times, namely Borago officinalis L. Prunus spinosa L., Silene vulgaris (Moench) Garke subsp. vulgaris, Scolymus hispanicus L., and Asparagus acutifolius L. In response to great demand, they have been recently introduced into cultivation in Spain and are now harvested and commercialized as new crops. Special attention is paid to their basic bioactive compounds and pharmacological properties. The limitation of this study is that the published information about the bioactive compounds of these five plants originates from different parts of the world where they grow wild or are cultivated. Therefore, further research is needed to trace the metabolomic dynamics of these plants regarding geographical and ecological principles, as well as wild versus cultivated origins.

Dalmatian Zagora has experienced significant depopulation trends over recent decades. The area is very interesting because of its rich biodiversity of species as well as its history of the use of wild foods. Since there is a danger of permanent loss of knowledge on the use of wild edibles, we focused our research on recording traditions local to this area. We conducted interviews with 180 residents. A record was made of 136 species of wild food plants and 22 species of edible mushrooms gathered in the area. The most frequently collected species are Rubus ulmifolius Schott, Cornus mas L., Portulaca oleracea L., Asparagus acutifolius L., Sonchus spp., Morus spp., Taraxacum spp., Amaranthus retroflexus L., Cichorium intybus L., and Dioscorea communis (L.) Caddick & Wilkin. The list of taxa used is typical for other (sub-)Mediterranean parts of Croatia; however, more fungi species are used. The most important finding of the paper is probably the recording of Legousia speculum-veneris (L.) Chaix, a wild vegetable used in the area.

The Asparagus genus includes approximately 240 species, the most important of which is garden asparagus (Asparagus officinalis L.), as this is a vegetable crop cultivated worldwide for its edible spear. Along with garden asparagus, other species are also cultivated (e.g., Asparagus maritimus L.) or have been proposed as untapped sources of variability in breeding programs (e.g., Asparagus acutifolius L.). In the present work, we applied reduced-representation sequencing to examine a panel of 378 diverse asparagus genotypes, including commercial hybrids, interspecific lines, wild relatives of garden asparagus, and doubled haploids currently used in breeding programs, which enabled the identification of more than 200K single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). These SNPs were used to assess the extent of linkage disequilibrium in the diploid gene pool of asparagus and combined with preliminary phenotypic information to conduct genome-wide association studies for sex and traits tied to spear quality and production. Moreover, using the same phenotypic and genotypic information, we fitted and cross-validated genome-enabled prediction models for the same set of traits. Overall, our analyses demonstrated that, unlike the diversity detected in wild species related to garden asparagus and in interspecific crosses, cultivated and wild genotypes of A. officinalis L. show a narrow genetic basis, which is a contributing factor hampering the genetic improvement of this crop. Estimating the extent of linkage disequilibrium and providing the first example of genome-wide association study and genome-enabled prediction in this species, we concluded that the asparagus panel examined in the present study can lay the foundation for determination of the genetic bases of agronomically important traits and for the implementation of predictive breeding tools to sustain breeding.

Spear yield and quality of wild asparagus (Asparagus acutifolius L.) as an understory crop in two olive systems

Abstract The wild asparagus Asparagus acutifolius L. is common in the Mediterranean Basin. Wild asparagus spears are an important food source within their native range, and can be used as a sustainable nutrition source. In addition, interest has risen in wild relative species of Asparagus as a source of genetic improvement in Asparagus officinalis L. In this study, the quality traits (spear colour, total soluble solid content, dry matter content and chlorophyll and sugar fractions) and health-related compounds (total phenolics and antioxidant capacity) of fresh spears of wild and cultivated asparagus grown in Turkey were compared using the same three harvest periods for two consecutive years. The results of this study indicated that spears of wild asparagus contained a higher level of greenness (–a*), hue angle, total soluble solid, dry matter, chlorophyll, sugars, total phenolic content and antioxidant activity, compared to cultivated asparagus. Although there was no significant difference in the total soluble solid, glucose, sucrose and antioxidant activity in the contents of the spears of both species throughout the season, the colour, dry matter, chlorophyll, fructose, total sugar and total phenolic content were subject to seasonal variations. Colour, chlorophyll and total phenolic content showed some minor fluctuations over the course of the season, but the patterns of fructose and total sugar differed, which tended to increase throughout the harvest season. The present work suggests greater quality traits and biochemical compounds of the spears of A. acutifolius compared with those of commonly cultivated species.

This study was conducted to evaluate the nutritional and some bioactive compounds like pigment, total phenolic, amino acid, and ascorbic acid of nine species as Capsella-bursa pastoris L., Chenopodium album L., Echinophora tenuifolia L., Malva sylvestris L., Trachystemon orientalis L., Tragopon reticulatus L., and three woody species as Asparagus acutifolius L., Smilax excelsa L., and Vitis vinifera L., which are widely consumed in Kastamonu region. All species were taken from the local market in the second week of May 2019. According to the result, K was the most abundant macronutrient ranged from 20 470 to 65 410 mg kg-1, followed by Ca, Mg, and P. The amount of Na, Cl, Mn, Fe, Zn, Cu, Ni, and Co of samples Mn was in the range 100.4-3 280, 759.5-13 930, 77.6-4 298, 8.2-25.3, 9.40-25.4, 307-1 590 and 3.9-11.21 mg kg-1, respectively. In terms of chemical constituents, T. orientalis, V. vinifera, M. sylvestris, and T. reticulatus are the richest species with the high level of total chlorophyll, β-carotene, lycopene, phenolics, free amino acid, glycine betaine, ascorbic acid, but S. excelsa and C. album are two poorest species. As a result, T. orientalis, M. sylvestris, V. vinifera, and T. retiqulatus were the richest species in terms of total phenolics, amino acid, chlorophyll, β-carotene, ascorbic acid, but S. excelsa and C. album were the two poorest species. Considering all data, it can be said that these species were found significantly beneficial in terms of mineral sources have the potential to provide essential nutrients and antioxidant compounds to the consumers.

State boundaries limit human contacts in a homogenous context of a landscape and its natural features, including plants. After nine centuries of separation, finally the two territories in Slovenia share the same political history. In this paper we tried to answer the question to which extent the past political borders, geographical and cultural drivers affect today’s traditional knowledge on wild plants use of Slovenians, living unified in the same political entity. Data were collected using 60 in-depth semi-structured interviews, from March to August 2019, in two municipalities: Komen at Karst and Izola in Istria concerning food, medicinal, economic use, and local customs. The results indicate a quite large divergence in ethnobotanical and ecological knowledge between the two studied areas. In the Komen area, many people still use wild plants daily for various purposes (Taraxacum officinale, Melissa officinalis, Urtica dioica, Cornus mas, and Sambucus nigra). In contrast, this is limited to fewer people in the Izola area and mainly to seasonal use of specific plants (Asparagus acutifolius, Rosa canina, Salvia officinalis, Foeniculum vulgare and Rubus caesius). Unusual for the Mediterranean is the use of young shoots of Clematis vitalba, in the Izola area prepared as omelettes. We can assume that these differences are partly due to minor differences in climatic conditions and partly due to the influence of different cultures and cuisines. In the first place, the impact of Austro-Hungarian eating habits and cuisine can be seen on the area around Komen. Moreover, temporal “layers of knowledge” across the time scale are additionally mixed by the immigration of people from other parts of Slovenia or abroad, or with the influence of local herbal specialists. At last, we conclude Komen area knowledge is alive and homogeneous, and more connected to their local identity.

Reduction of inter- and intraspecific seed mass variability along a land-use intensification gradient

The phytochemical composition of leaves, stems, pericarps and rhizomes ethanolic extracts of Asparagus acutifolius were characterized by HPLC-DAD-MS. A. acutifolius samples contain at least eleven simple phenolics, one flavonon, two flavonols and six steroidal saponins. The stem extracts showed the highest total phenolic acid and flavonoid contents, where cafeic acid and rutin were the main compounds. No flavonoids were detected in the leaf, pericarp or rhizome while caffeic acid and ferulic acid were the predominant. Steroidal saponins were detected in the different plant parts of A. acutifolius, and the highest contents were found in the rhizome extracts. The stem extracts exhibited the highest antioxidant activity against 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) and the highest 2,2-azino-bis (3 ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) (ABTS) scavenging activity was found in the pericarp extracts. The rhizome and leaf extracts showed a potent cytotoxic activity against HCT-116 and HepG2 cell lines. Moreover, the pericarp and rhizome extracts revealed a moderate lipase inhibitory activity. The leaf and rhizome extracts were screened for their antimicrobial activity against human pathogenic isolates. The leaf extract exhibited a powerful inhibitory activity against all the bacteria and fungi tested.

Abstract In this study, antioxidant, oxidant, antimicrobial, and antiproliferative activities of Asparagus acutifolius L. and Asparagus officinalis L., known for their nutritional properties, were determined. In this context, methanol (MeOH) and dichloromethane (DCM) extracts of plants were obtained. Total antioxidant status (TAS), total oxidant status (TOS), and oxidative stress index (OSI) were determined using Rel Assay kits. Antimicrobial activities of plant extracts were determined against the test microorganisms using the agar dilution method. Antiproliferative activity was tested on the lung cancer cell line A549. As a result of the studies, it has been determined that the plant species have high antioxidant potential. In addition, it was observed that the antifungal potentials of plant extracts are high. Antiproliferative activity was determined to be at high level in both plant species. As a result, it has been determined that A. acutifolius and A. officinalis have medical potential and can be used as natural agents in pharmacological designs.

Zebeeba falsalis (Herrich-Schäffer, 1839) has a Mediterranean distribution. In Hungary it was not recorded until 2020. One male specimen was attracted to light on Zöld-hegy near Csákvár in the Vértes Mountains. This species feeds on Asparagus plants, mainly on Asparagus acutifolius in the Mediterranean region. Presumably, its host plant in Hungary is Asparagus officinalis. Its occurrence is due to the climatic changes in recent years.

Studies are scarce on the nutritional and phytochemical composition of wild edible Mediterranean plants after culinary processing. This work provides the nutritional composition after culinary treatment (including dietary fiber and mineral composition) and bioactive compounds (folates, vitamin C and organic acids) of wild Rumex pulcher L., Silene vulgaris (Moench) Garcke. leaves, and wild Asparagus acutifolius L., Bryonia dioica Jacq., Humulus lupulus L., Tamus communis L. young shoots. Shoots better preserved their nutrients than leaves, due to their different tissue structure. Fresh and cooked wild greens present high dietary fiber values, and remained at remarkable levels after boiling. Na, K, Mg and Zn were lost in about 50% due to culinary processing, while Ca, Cu, Fe and Mn were more stable. Boiled leaves of S. vulgaris remained as a good Mn source. A portion of 100 g of most of the cooked analyzed species could cover a relevant percentage of the daily requirement of folates (R. pulcher and A. acutifolius providing more than 80%) and vitamin C (T. communis and A. acutifolius providing more than 35%).

As shown in the literature, preserving ecological balance in the Spanish dehesa has traditionally depended on the exploitation of its potential for multifunctionality. Given the increasing number of ecological, climatic, economic and cultural change processes threatening its integrity, new public goods valued by society or the reinvention and revalorisation of existing public goods is, once again, required to contribute to dehesa management in this dynamic context. Historically, humans and ‘wild asparagus’ (Asparagus acutifolius L.), have cohabited within this agro-silvo-pastoral system, establishing a mutually beneficial relationship, since wild asparagus proliferates in the mosaic of forest, shrubs, crops and fields that characterize the dehesa. In addition, this species shows a positive response to collection, which has increased in the last four decades. In the past, food and nutritional values were the most important factors accounting for human interest in wild asparagus. Currently these reasons have been superseded by social and symbolic motives. Today, wild asparagus is the most relevant wild edible plant for various types of users in the dehesa, while gathering events have become a remarkable social phenomenon. In this paper, we describe how wild asparagus is exploited by different users and offer an explanation for its continuing relevance in the dehesa agro-ecosystem, and its revalued importance for rural communities in southern Extremadura (Spain).

The study aimed to assess the influence of three cooking methods (boiling, steaming, and microwave-cooking) on (i) composition in individual phenolic compounds, (ii) total phenolic content (TPC), and (iii) total antioxidant activity (TAA) of eight Mediterranean wild edible species (Asparagus acutifolius, Asphodeline lutea, Beta vulgaris, Helminthotheca echioides, Sonchus oleraceus, Taraxacum officinale, Urospermum picroides, Urtica dioica). In raw greens, several caffeic acid derivatives (chicoric, caftaric, chlorogenic, neochlorogenic, 1,5-and 3,5-dicaffeoylquinic acids) and flavonoids (glycosides of apigenin, luteolin, quercetin, isorhamnetin, kaempferol) were identified. Cooking treatments did not affect qualitative phenolic composition, while quantitative changes were recorded in some phenolic compounds and in TPC. Generally, boiling decreased TPC and TAA, while chicoric, caftaric, chlorogenic acids and quercetin-3-rutinoside increased in some species after steaming and microwave-cooking, showing positive correlation with TAA. Results confirmed steaming and microwave-cooking as mild procedures able to increase antioxidant capacity of some species, producing beneficial effects on their nutraceutical properties.

Bioengineering approaches provide cost-effective ways to protect slopes against surface erosion and shallow mass movements. Indeed, vegetation is an excellent way to control slope erosion and instability of slopes. Plants play an active role both on the surface, protecting and holding soil particles, and at deeper layers, reducing pore pressure and increasing soil shear strength. The use of vegetation is particularly appropriate where soil conservation measures are needed. In the paper, a series of laboratory tests are described, together with the equipment used, to better understand plant root effects on soil shear strength and slope stability. Two species of Mediterranean plants, such as Asparagus acutifolius and Spartium junceum, were tested in the laboratory. More than 170 tensile tests have been performed on dry and saturated samples. In order to evaluate the effect of soil moisture, most several roots were also tested at different saturation ratios. Laboratory tests also included direct shear tests on root-reinforced and unreinforced samples. Comparison between reinforced and non-reinforced samples confirms the contribution of roots to improve the soil strength.

Pre-sowing seed treatment techniques of stratification and scarification were used in order to find the most appropriate method to overcome dormancy of wild asparagus (Asparagus acutifolius L.) seeds. An indoor and an outdoor experiment were carried out at the Agricultural University of Athens. For the indoor experiment, the pre-sowing treatments of stratification (fresh and stratified seeds) and scarification (non-scarified, mechanical scarification and chemical scarification with sulfuric acid) were used as the main treatments, and three different temperatures (15, 20 and 25 °C) as sub-treatments. For the outdoor experiment, there were only the treatments of stratification and scarification. The stratification of asparagus seeds was found to have a positive effect on germination and vigor indices compared to non-stratified (fresh) seeds. The highest germination percentage, vigor index I and II were recorded with the stratified seeds that had been mechanically scarified in both indoor and outdoor conditions. The results indicate that just the scarification cannot improve germination of fresh collected seeds of wild asparagus. Stratification increased the germination percentage from 2.7-6.6% to 45.1-75.3%. The mechanical and the chemical scarification had a positive effect on the root length compared to the non-scarified seeds that have been stratified. These pre-sowing treatments can increase the germination percentage and produce vigorous seedlings that can be used to establish plantations of this potential new crop.

The wild asparagus species Asparagus acutifolius L. is widespread in Mediterranean and subtropical environments, where its spears are consumed regularly. The species is known to have ecophysiologic plasticity, however there is no literature on this subject. This work aimed at assessing the photosynthetic characteristics of this wild species of asparagus, grown under full light (FL) and partial (i.e., about 40%) light (PL) conditions, and evaluating its ecophysiologic response to drought and temperature stress. The photosynthetic response to light of spears and of new cladodes (NC; current year) and old cladodes (OC; previous year) was measured using an infrared gas analyzer coupled with a climatized cuvette chamber. Cladodes net photosynthesis at high irradiance was also measured at varying air temperatures and decreasing soil water availability. Results indicate that developing spears were photosynthetically active with no difference between FL and PL treatments. Photosynthetic rates did not differ between NCs and OCs and were greater for FL cladodes, except at low irradiance. Well-watered plants were photosynthetically active from 0 to 45 °C, with a maximum photosynthetic rate of up to 9 µmol·m –2 ·s –1 at 30 °C and a decrease of about 60% at 45 °C. The species also demonstrated high tolerance to drought, with positive net photosynthesis even at predawn leaf water potential values of –2.4 MPa. Showing great ecophysiologic plasticity, this wild asparagus could be an interesting species in areas were conventional crop species are not profitable economically, or as an intercrop in agroforestry systems.

The aim of this study was to determine the phenolic profile, antiproliferative, and pro-apoptotic activities of Asparagus acutifolius, Tamus communis, and Ruscus aculeatus aqueous extracts against human bladder (T24) and lung cancer (A549) cell lines. Antiproliferative activity of the extracts at the concentration range from 0.5 to 4mg/ml was measured by MTT test, after the incubation period of 4, 24, 48, or 72hr. Pro-apoptotic activity of selected plant extracts against T24 and A549 cells was analyzed by flow cytometry at the concentrations of 0.5, 1, and 2mg/ml. The highest antiproliferative activity against both cancer cell lines was detected by T. communis aqueous extract. The highest pro-apoptotic effect was achieved by A. acutifolius aqueous extract and its effect was similar against A549 and T24 cells. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Wild edible plants, such as wild asparagus, black bryony, and butcher's broom represent important aspect of the Mediterranean diet. They are rich source of various natural bioactive compounds which express different biological activities (antioxidative, antiproliferative, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory…). The current trend for natural and healthy diet, such as the Mediterranean diet, is in relation to the rapidly growing problem of chronic diseases in a modern society. Wild edible plants have a high direct-use value using them in dishes containing mixed vegetables, in soup preparation, as natural additives in fermented natural products containing cheese or fish, in water infusions (natural drinks).

Asparagus acutifolius L. (wild asparagus) is an edible plant species that is widely distributed throughout the Mediterranean. This study was designed to investigate the phenolic compounds, antioxidant, and cytotoxic activities of ethanol and water extracts of different parts (fruits and leaves) of A. acutifolius. The antioxidant activities of these extracts were analyzed using scavenging methods (DPPH and ABTS scavenging activity), the β-carotene/linoleic acid test system and the phosphomolybdenum method. Among the evaluations of the ethanol and water extracts of the different parts of A. acutifolius, the ethanol extract of the leaves was shown to have the highest amount of radical scavenging activities (DPPH, 0.383 mg/mL and ABTS, 0.145 mg/mL). Each extract of A. acutifolius exhibited strong antioxidant capacities with the β-carotene/Linoleic acid test system. For the phosphomolybdenum method, the antioxidant capacity of the extracts was in the range of 8.89-45.29 µg/mg and each extract exhibited high cytotoxic activities. The results will provide additional information for future studies on the biological activities of A. acutifolius, while also helping us to understand the importance of this species.