The Cultivation of Iris pallida as an Opportunity for the Enhancement of Tuscan Agro-Biodiversity and a Resource for the Local Economy

Iris Pallida is produced in Italy only in Tuscany in two limited hilly areas. Cultivation of Iris has undergone a progressive contraction, mainly due to the high labor requirements of the crop and to the reduction in the price of dry rhizome on international market of perfume industry. To improve the value of Iris crop as a resource for the local economy, a key aspect is to improve the quality of Iris of Tuscan territory. Innovative biocidal and repellent products form arbutus and olive tree, containing antimicrobial active ingredients, have been developed to improve the critical points that compromise the quality and the microbiological safety of Iris rhizome. GC-MS and innovative GCxGC-TOF and GC-VUV analysis have been optimized for the exhaustive characterization of irones and volatile compounds in flours with different aging degrees and in absence or presence of cuticle, to obtain an identity card of the aromatic profile of Iris, to monitor the quality of the product and to enhance the biodiversity of Tuscany. HPLC-DAD-MS was also used, to characterize the non-aromatic component with antioxidant activity, in order to enhance a possible innovative use in the cosmetic and liqueur sectors of both flour and by-products of the supply chain