EFFECT OF POST HARVEST FRUIT CONDITIONING OF TWO DIFFERENT PLUM CULTIVARS: FIRST RESULTS ON QUALITATIVE TRAITS EVOLUTION

Abstract

In recent years the issues of safeguarding biodiversity and protecting and conserving genetic resources in agriculture have become of growing interest to the scientific world as well as stimulating political and public opinion in general. This stimulated the foundation of projects aimed at the safeguarding, conservation and exploitation of indigenous genetic resources. Indeed, wherever possible, in the current socioeconomic context the commercial exploitation of indigenous accessions and cultivars may make their safeguarding more justifiable. For many of these genetic resources, in this case old fruit tree cultivars, the possibility of their commercial exploitation is enhanced by their excellent characteristics. This awareness has stimulated several measures aimed at the exploitation of products belonging to the local germplasm and many programmes aimed at the preservation and commercial diffusion of indigenous cultivars and accessions of fruit trees species, considered of great value. Obviously, the entry of a product into the marketing circuit depends much on its shelf life and storability. Therefore, in recent years several research programs to improve the conditions of the storage of these products and to extend their period of availability on the market have been made. This type of research is very important for fruit cultivars belonging to the local germplasm, and it was considered useful to extend this study to include two plum cultivars belonging to the Sicilian germoplasm, which were already included in a program of safeguarding and conservation of local plant resources. These cultivars have already fairly good distribution on the local market and the recognition of their high value warrants their wider exploitation on national markets.