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(i) In this study we propose new protocols for quantifying the concentration of carbohydrates, proteins, and lipids present in capping layers of biogenic selenium nanoparticles. We applied them to compare BioSeNPs produced by five different bacterial strains. (ii) A hypothesis to describe capping layer composition of the bacterial SeNPs is suggested: some biomolecules are bound more strongly than others to the core metalloid matrix, so that the diverse capping layer components differentially contribute to the overall structural characteristics of the nanostructures. (iii) The application of the approach here in combining quantification of cap‐associated biomolecules with the measurement of structural integrity related parameters, can give the biogenic nanomaterial field useful information to construct a data bank on biogenic nanomaterials. Summary Biogenic metal/metalloid nanoparticles of microbial origin retain a functional biomolecular capping layer that confers structural stability. Little is known about the composition of such capping material. In this study, selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) synthesized by five different bacterial strains underwent comparative analysis with newly proposed protocols for quantifying the concentration of carbohydrates, proteins and lipids present in capping layers. SeNPs were therefore treated with two different detergents to remove portions of the surrounding caps in order to assess the resulting effects. Capping material quantification was carried out along with the measure of parameters such as hydrodynamic diameter, polydispersity and surface charge. SeNPs from the five strains showed differences in their distinct biomolecule ratios. On the other hand, structural changes in the nanoparticles induced by detergents did not correlate with the amounts of capping matrix removed. Thus, the present investigation suggests a hypothesis to describe capping layer composition of the bacterial SeNPs: some biomolecules are bound more strongly than others to the core metalloid matrix, so that the diverse capping layer components differentially contribute to the overall structural characteristics of the nanoparticles. Furthermore, the application of the approach here in combining quantification of cap‐associated biomolecules with the measurement of structural integrity‐related parameters can give the biogenic nanomaterial field useful information to construct a data bank on biogenically synthesized nanostructures.

Fruits of the sweet cherry (Prunus avium L.) accumulate a range of antioxidants that can help to prevent cardiovascular disease, inflammation and cancer. We tested the in vitro antioxidant activity of 18 sweet cherry cultivars collected from 12 farms in the protected geographical indication region of Marostica (Vicenza, Italy) during two growing seasons. Multiple targeted and untargeted metabolomics approaches (NMR, LC-MS, HPLC-DAD, HPLC-UV) as well as artificial simplified phytocomplexes representing the cultivars Sandra Tardiva, Sandra and Grace Star were then used to determine whether the total antioxidant activity reflected the additive effects of each compound or resulted from synergistic interactions. We found that the composition of each cultivar depended more on genetic variability than environmental factors. Furthermore, phenolic compounds were the principal source of antioxidant activity and experiments with artificial simplified phytocomplexes indicated strong synergy between the anthocyanins and quercetins/ascorbic acid specifically in the cultivar Sandra Tardiva. Our data therefore indicate that the total antioxidant activity of sweet cherry fruits may originate from cultivar-dependent interactions among different classes of metabolite.

The pest Halyomorpha halys is a recent example of severe worldwide biological invasion. In Italy, after the first detection in 2012, it has rapidly spread and economic damage has already been reported in commercial fruit orchards, eliciting enormous concern for Italian agricultural production. As a long-term solution, biological control investigations are focusing on the potential of natural antagonists, such as generalist predators, in the invaded areas. Due to their biology, ecology and behavior, ants represent one such generalist predator potentially suitable for inflicting mortality on H. halys . In this research, Crematogaster scutellaris was used as a study model. Specifically, the effect of ant predatory behavior on the survival of all H. halys pre-imaginal stages was tested in the laboratory environment. The results suggest that C. scutellaris has a significant predatory impact on all H. halys pre-imaginal stages except for eggs. The reduction of survivorship is between 95 and 85% for instars 1 and 2 and between 38 and 52% for instars 3, 4 and 5. The different levels of predation success suggest that these ants could act as useful generalist predators when associated with other antagonists and/or other control strategies. Although further field investigations are needed, the potential of ants as biocontrol agents of invasive species in agroecosystems deserves consideration in integrated pest management programs.