Author(s):
Simões, Joana ; Peleja, Ana ; Neves, Cláudia M.B. ; Costa, Daniela V.T.A. ; Correia, Helena Esteves ; Pinto, António ; Wessel, Dulcineia ; Delgado, F.M.G. ; Carneiro, João ; Horta, Carmo ; Bahcevandziev, Kiril ; Vidal, Maria M.B. ; Filipe, Olga M.S. ; Costa, Cristina Amaro da
Date: 2025
Persistent ID: http://hdl.handle.net/10400.11/10109
Origin: Repositório Científico do Instituto Politécnico de Castelo Branco
Subject(s): Agroecology; Antioxidants; Microbiology; Phenolics; Horsetail; Chilli; Nettle; Prickly pear; Purslane; Garlic
Description
Agroecological transition is a major societal challenge and it is urgent to support technical solutions to answer farmers demand towards the necessary changes. The project RESTORE - biopReparados Em SisTemas prOdução agRoEcológicos aimed to study and validate the production, conservation, and use of seven biopreparations by characterizing and testing them in lettuce nurseries. The biopreparations used include prickly pear vinegar, purslane vinegar, fermented orange juice, garlic extract, nettle infusion, horsetail decoction and a biopreparation of garlic and chilli. The in vitro microbiological characterization and chemical analysis of the biopreparations, which included phenolic composition and antioxidant capacity, allowed us to understand their properties and to propose the most appropriate conservation strategy. The tests were conducted in four different moments: during the biopreparations’ manufacturing, after six months of frozen storage, and after three and six months of fresh storage. One-Way ANOVA in SPSS 29.0 and PCA comparison tests were used to analyze the results. Fermented orange juice and vinegars were the biopreparations that showed the greatest outcomes in terms of antioxidant capacity and phenolic composition. Purslane vinegar had the highest average inhibition against germs. The concentration of phenolic compounds, the antioxidant capacity, and the antibacterial activity of the biopreparations varied with time and type of conservation. It is crucial to conduct more trials, using different species and recipes, to support farmers’ decision making and adoption of agroecological solutions.
