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 Tuscany (Italy) in two limited hilly areas. The cultivation of Iris has undergone a progressive contraction, mainly due to the high labour requirements of the crop and to the reduction in the price of dry rhizomes on the international market of the perfume industry. To improve the value of the Iris crop as a resource for the local economy, a key aspect is to improve the quality of Iris in the Tuscan territory. Innovative biocidal and repellent products from arbutus and olive trees containing antimicrobial active ingredients have been developed to improve the critical points that compromise the quality and microbiological safety of Iris rhizomes. Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and innovative GCxGC-time-of-flight (TOF) and GC-vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) analyses have been optimized for the exhaustive characterization of irones and volatile compounds in flours with different aging degrees and in the absence or presence of cuticles 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. High performance liquid chromatography–photodiode-array detection–mass spectrometry (HPLC-DAD-MS) was also used to characterize the nonaromatic component with antioxidant activity to enhance its possible innovative use in the cosmetic and liqueur sectors of both flour and byproducts of the supply chain.