A core collection of the Italian flora for the bioprospection of precious bioactive phytochemicals

The huge diversity in terms of structures, functions, and bioactivities exhibited by plant specialized metabolites represents a valuable resource for bioprospecting, i.e. the exploration of biodiversity for new resources of social and commercial value. Within the frame of Spoke 6 of the National Biodiversity Future Center, we set up a wide bioprospection plan to cover the extensive phytochemical diversity expressed within the vascular and non-vascular Italian flora (more than 11,000 taxa), the former holding the primacy in Europe for the number of native species. We indeed selected about 700 species on a phylogenetic basis to create a core collection in which all Italian plant families are represented, in accordance to their relative amplitudes (e.g., for the Angiosperms, in order: Asteraceae, Poaceae, Fabaceae, Rosaceae, Caryophyllaceae, Brassicaceae, Apiaceae, Lamiaceae, etc.). Plants were sampled from Italian botanic gardens, nurseries, and open fields from various geographical regions of Italy to include species adapted to different environments. Among the vascular section of the collection, about 75% of the species are native (comprising 51 endemic species), and 25% are alien (including 47 casual and 93 naturalized species, of whom 37 are invasive). The collection is being currently characterized through UPLC-HRMS, and the species with the most interesting phytochemical profiles are entering a downstream bioactivity screening program focused on non-communicable diseases (e.g., neurodegenerative diseases, cancer, metabolic syndrome, etc.) and crop enhancement and protection. This screening aims to identify specific phytochemicals that can be exploited to produce drugs, nutraceuticals, cosmetics, and products for more sustainable agricultural practices.