Abstract
Brassicamontana Pourr., a wild relative of the Brassicaoleracea L. cole crops (broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, etc.), deserves special attention for its potential to easily transfer agronomically useful traits to related crops. Monitoring existing B.montana populations is the first step to enabling long-term conservation and management of wild genetic resources. The main distribution area of B.montana extends along the coasts of the northern Mediterranean Sea from north-east Spain to north-west Italy (coast of Liguria and Apuan Alps in Tuscany). Further east and south, the distribution of B.montana is fragmentary, with isolated populations, in some cases, only observed in the 19th or early 20th century and never re-confirmed later. In this paper, we focus on all the B.montana reports for the Italian regions of Emilia-Romagna and Marche, and additionally for the neighbouring Republic of San Marino. Literature records were verified through field visits where possible. According to our analysis, the presence of B.montana is confirmed in the Marche and the Republic of San Marino, but not in Emilia-Romagna. We recommend further studies on the distribution of B.montana in Italy, also applying molecular means, beyond morphology, to distinguish B.montana from naturalized B.oleracea and other related taxa.
Highlights
Brassica montana Pourr. (Brassicaceae), belongs to B. sect
Available sources of information indicating the distribution of B. montana in EmiliaRomagna, Marche and San Marino were analysed, based on existing bibliography, The occurrence of Brassica montana Pourr. in the Italian regions
The following names have been regarded as synonyms of B. montana, following Marhold (2011): B. robertiana J.Gay and B. oleracea subsp. pourretii Foucaud & Rouy
Summary
Brassica, which includes the taxa sharing the same C genome (x = 9) with the B. oleracea L. cole crops, as proposed by Stork et al (1980) and elaborated by Snogerup et al (1990). This genetically coherent group includes mainly Mediterranean chasmophytic suffrutescent species, which are highly interfertile and correspond to the B. oleracea primary genepool (Harlan and de Wet 1971). (with five subspecies), B. macrocarpa Guss., B. insularis Moris, B. thyrrena Giotta, Piccitto & Arrigoni, and B. trichocarpa C.Brullo, Brullo, Giusso & Ilardi All these taxa may be used as genetic resources, potentially hosting valuable traits that could be transferred to the respective cultivated crops (cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, etc.). Knowledge about distribution and status of their populations (i.e. size, level of threat, etc.) is the primary information for their conservation and possible use
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