CHARACTERIZATION AND VALORISATION OF MOUNTAIN PLANT GENETIC RESOURCES

Nowadays, there has been a significant global loss of agrobiodiversity, with an estimated 75% decline. Plant agrobiodiversity encompasses wild relatives, landraces, and modern cultivars of agricultural and food interest. Landraces, in particular, are traditional, locally adapted crop varieties that can hold immense value in terms of agronomic traits, phytochemical-nutritional profiles, and resilience to climate change. Many of them exhibit unique nutritional and phytochemical characteristics, especially in terms of secondary metabolites, antioxidants, and micronutrients, making them highly relevant for crop improvement, functional food development, and human health. However, only a limited number of these varieties are currently studied and conserved either in situ (on-farm) or ex situ (in germplasm banks) leaving many at risk of genetic erosion. To address these concerns, the European Union (EU) has implemented strategies such as the EU Biodiversity Strategy 2020, the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR), and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, all of which emphasize the need for innovative solutions to safeguard agrobiodiversity. These policies encourage the conservation and valorization of traditional cultivars, while promoting circular economy models to counteract genetic erosion in agriculture. In line with these directives, Italy has established the National Register of Agrobiodiversity, an innovative policy tool designed to protect local genetic resources of plant, animal, or microbial origin that are threatened by extinction or erosion. Italy is rich in agrobiodiversity; in 2020 more than 1600 traditional local cultivars were registered and most of them cultivated in the mountain and submountain areas. Thought, many of these varieties are little or not at all scientifically characterized and, due to their characteristics (biological, ecological and phytochemical), can constitute important resources for the sustainable development of mountain areas. In particular, they could be considered raw materials for the creation of innovative agro-food systems. The research presented in this thesis focused on the scientific characterization and valorization of four plant genetic resources: the “Copafam” bean, “Carciofo di Malegno” and “Grano Siberiano Valtellinese” landraces and the Italian saffron. This work is the result of the research activities realized at UNIMONT, the University of Milan’s Hub located in Edolo (BS) dedicated to mountain research, in collaboration with the Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences-Production, Landscape and Agroenergy (DISAA) and at the Department of Food, Environmental and Nutritional Sciences (DeFENS) of the University of Milan and at the Department of Nutrition and Food Science of the University of Madrid. The four case studies presented in this thesis demonstrate the potential of mountain landraces and high-value crops as strategic resources for agrobiodiversity conservation and valorization. The “Copafam” bean (P. coccineus), a traditional landrace from the Brescia Pre-Alps, was characterized by high dietary fiber, the richest phenolic content, strong antioxidant activity, and low levels of antinutritional factors, confirming its potential as a functional food ingredient. Multivariate analyses highlighted its unique profile, while technological trials demonstrated its suitability for bakery products. Valorization of processing by-products focused on cooking water, which proved to be a source of proteins and phenolics. Protein recovery reached 47% at pH 6, while phenolic retention was markedly higher, up to 85% in enriched systems. Moreover, 97% of externally added rutin was encapsulated, confirming the potential of alginate hydrogels for developing polyphenol-enriched functional ingredients. In parallel, “Copafam” bean pods was explored, which are typically discarded after seed harvest. Pods, initially rich in insoluble fiber, were effectively transformed through high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) combined with enzymatic hydrolysis, leading to the release of soluble fiber and prebiotic oligosaccharides (raffinose, verbascose, cellobiose). HHP treatments also enhanced the availability of phenolic compounds, with moderate pressures (200 MPa) improving antioxidant potential and higher pressures (400 MPa) releasing bound hydroxycinnamic acids. Overall, “Copafam” demonstrated value both as a food crop and through its by-products, supporting sustainable valorisation pathways for mountain agrobiodiversity. The “Carciofo di Malegno” was morphologically different from commercial cultivars; it resulted belong to the “spinosi” group. Phytochemical characterization revealed appreciable levels of chlorogenic acid, cynarine, luteolin, and apigenin, comparable to those of commercial varieties, with edible capitula showing the highest concentrations. Interestingly, stems and outer bracts, usually discarded as waste, were also found to contain relevant amounts of these compounds, highlighting opportunities for circular economy valorization. Ecological niche modeling predicted an upward altitudinal shift in cultivation suitability under future climate scenarios, raising concerns for in situ conservation in the traditional lowland areas but also identifying new opportunities for mountain cultivation. On the valorization side, the landrace was submitted for inclusion in the Italian National Register of Agrobiodiversity, securing its legal recognition and protection. In parallel, participatory innovation initiatives, such as the development of leaf-based spirit prototypes in collaboration with local stakeholders and their successful sensory evaluation, demonstrated the potential of this landrace to generate added value through new agri-food products. These results underline the dual cultural and economic importance of the “Carciofo di Malegno”, showing how scientific characterization, conservation tools, and community-driven valorisation can converge to strengthen biodiversity conservation and support rural development in mountain regions. The “Grano Siberiano Valtellinese” showed a distinctive nutritional and phytochemical profile, with high protein, fiber, and quercetin content. Extraction studies confirmed that hydroalcoholic solvents maximized flavonol recovery, particularly quercetin and rutin, while aqueous systems favored polar phenolic acids due to rutinosidase activity. Antioxidant assays (Folin, FRAP, ORAC) reinforced the strong bioactive potential of this landrace. Valorization of its by-product (straw) demonstrated that high hydrostatic pressure combined with enzymatic hydrolysis enhanced the release of soluble fibers and bound phenolic acids, improving antioxidant activity. These findings highlight the potential of this neglected crop both as a functional food and as a source of value-added ingredients in circular economy models. Finally, Italian saffron quality analysis confirmed an overall excellent quality according to ISO 3632 classification (93% of samples were found to be of the first quality category). Non-destructive approaches, such as NIR spectroscopy combined with chemometric models, also proved highly effective in predicting quality parameters, offering valuable tools for rapid and sustainable monitoring. Ecological niche modelling projected a future upward shift of suitable cultivation areas, indicating that saffron will increasingly become an exclusive crop of mountain regions. For the valorization aspects, a new first category ISO 3632 subclassification (“premium”, “superior”, “high-quality”) was proposed to better reward excellence. Valorization was further supported by participatory networks, producer engagement, and educational initiatives, reinforcing both competitiveness and sustainability of this niche mountain crop. These results highlight how scientific characterization, advanced analytical tools, and participatory valorization strategies can transform underutilized landraces and crops into key drivers for sustainable rural development, functional food innovation, and the long-term conservation of mountain agrobiodiversity.