Biodiversity Study on Wild Food Plants Traditionally Consumed in the Area of Bologna (Emilia romagna Region, Italy) and in the Middle Agri Valley (Basilicata Region, Potenza Province, Italy)

The aim of this project was to record the Traditional Local Knowledge (TLK) concerning the traditional uses of wild food plants together with all the practices linked as gathering, processing, cooking, including the therapeutic uses, to re-discover plant species often under-utilized or neglected and to identify those with new or underestimated healthy effects for human people. This research was performed in two areas belonging to the province of the city of Bologna (Emilia-Romagna region, Northern Italy) and in the Middle Agri Valley (Potenza province, Basilicata region, Southern Italy). Up to now no research has been carried out on the use of wild edibles in these territories and, therefore, this study represents the first attempt to collect and save from oblivion an important part of the cultural heritage preserved by these populations. Using an ethnobotanical approach, people still retaining TLK about wild food plants were interviewed recording the edible species and related practices used. By means of the Relative Frequency of Citation index (RFC), it was possible to state that Crepis vesicaria subsp. taraxacifolia (Thuill) Thell and Cichorium intybus L. were the most recognised and important wild food species respectively in the area of Bologna and in the Middle Agri Valley. The results of the two investigated areas were compared. The ethnobotanical study was followed by a metabolic screening of 34 plants samples mentioned by the informants (13 collected in Bologna’s area and 21 in Middle Agri Valley). Sanguisorba minor Scop. showed the highest antioxidant activity and polyphenol content; Mentha spicata L. exhibited the highest flavonoid content; Sinapis arvensis L. revealed the highest content of chlorophylls and carotenoids and Clematis vitalba L. the highest protein content. Finally, the most considerable and cited species in the area of Bologna, Crepis vesicaria subsp. taraxacifolia (Thuill) Thell, was analysed by an untargeted metabolomics approach.