The Re.Ger.O.P. project for the preservation of apulian olive germplasm biodiversity

As part of the Rural Development Programme for 2007-2013, the Apulia Region has identified in the call 214/4 sub-action): "Integrated projects for biodiversity" the importance of protecting, characterize and identify the autochthonous germplasm. The main objective of the Re.Ger.O.P. (Recupero del germoplasma olivicolo pugliese) project is to provide, through an integrated multidisciplinary approach, an effective recovery and study of the olive germplasm, as a prerequisite to the exploitation of regional agro biodiversity. The first phase of the work consists of a thorough literature search for published and unpublished sources, but also through the testimonies and the historical memory of the farmers of the customs and traditions concerning the old varieties. Hence, an economic evaluation of agrobiodiversity benefits in Apulia Region has been carried out in order to enhance the importance of the agro-biodiversity on the purchase influence of the final consumer. About 200 olive accessions have been collected on the Apulia Region and geotagged in a Geographical information system (GIS). All these materials were characterized for morphological, molecular, technological and phytosanitary aspects. After assessment of the sanitary status, infected plants can undergo sanitation treatments to produce plants with sanitary status required by ECC lows. Selected plants were recovered in order to enrich the existing ex situ collections. In this way it will be possible to clarify the existence of homonymy and synonymy, discover new genotypes, and assess the potential economic and productive value for an overall crop production improvement.