POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCHER OF SANT’ANNA SCHOOL LIFE SCIENCES INSTITUTE RECEIVES “PISTOIA GIOVANI E RICERCA SCIENTIFICA” FUNDING FOR INVESTIGATION IN NUTRACEUTICALS TO BOOST THE AGRO-FOOD MANUFACTURING IN PESCIA AND PISTOIA
Alice Trivellini, postdoctoral researcher at Sant’Anna School Institute of Life Sciences, has been identified as one of the awardees of the “Pistoia Giovani e Ricerca Scientifica 2016” program funded by the Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio di Pescia e Pistoia. The grant will support youth initiatives across the Pistoia province: recipients will be invited to participate in the awards ceremony to be held on March 30 at 9.30 am in Pistoia - via De’ Rossi 26 a.
The “Pistoia Giovani e Ricerca Scientifica 2016” program will be supporting 5 grants, each with a value of Euro 60.000 (75% of total amount), by providing financial support to projects that will help young researcher (under 40 years of age) develop to their full potential. Universities and research institutes will cover the 25% of the grant, to strengthen their ties across Tuscany region in selecting inspiring initiatives to support the development of youth and invest in their future.
Alice Trivellini is studying a fruit crop – the Pitaya or Dragon fruit (Dragon fruit or pitaya is one of the tropical fruits under the cactus family, Cactaceae. In general, there are two species of dragon fruits i.e. red dragon fruit (Hylocereus polyrhizus) and white dragon fruit (Hylocereus undatus). The project coordinated by Anna Mensuali, professor of Horticulture of Institute of Life Science is aimed to analyze the polyphenolic components of dragon fruit and its antioxidant activity. A nutraceutical is demonstrated to have a physiological benefit or provide protection against chronic disease.
Wound healing activity of aqueous extract of Pitaya leaves, fruit and flowers was evaluated in 2005. Dragon fruit extract was also recommended to formulate cosmetic products with moisturizing, soothing and re-epithelizing activity. According to agronomist Anna Mensuali, dragon fruit can be considered an interesting exotic variety to be cultivated in Italy. Research on dragon fruit crop started a few decades ago and received a positive feedback from consumers. Project partners include: the Consiglio per la ricerca in agricoltura e analisi dell’economia agraria (CREA), the Research Unit for Greenhouse and Nursery Plant Growers in Pescia (Pistoia) represented by Daniele Massa; Flora Toscana; Società Agricola Cooperativa di Pescia (Pistoia) represented by Luca Quilici.
Experimental implementation of Pitaya integrated crop management systems will be performed at Dipartimento di Scienze agrarie, ambientali e agroalimentari of University of Pisa.
Cover image archive: white Pitaya
