Cultivation In Europe Research Articles

Europe, a continent with high potential for the cultivation of the Burgundy truffle (Tuber aestivum/uncinatum)

The Burgundy truffle (<em>Tuber aestivum/uncinatum</em>) grows, in Europe, in the most varied soils from a physical and chemical viewpoint. The only common point is the presence of a minimum level of exchangeable calcium in the soil. The truffle soils in Europe can be classified in two categories: the soils coming directly from the parent rock, and those formed from deposits covering the parent rock. The first group corresponds to most traditional truffle areas , France, Italy and Spain. It is also true for some soils from Ireland to Eastern Europe (Romania, Bulgaria), from Southern Europe (Greece, former Yugoslavia) to Northern Europe (Sweden, Baltic countries). The sedimentary layers that cover most areas are from the secondary and tertiary era. The primary parent rocks are less frequent. The second group means quaternary or recent alluviums covering the parent rock on huge surfaces and at great depth sometimes. They characterize mainly countries Eastern and Northern Europe. By bringing within reason limestone, it is possible to cultivate <em>T. aestivum/uncinatum</em> on sedimentary soils non-calcareous or decalcified or even on soils issued from magmatic rocks (granite) or metamorphic (schists). The possibilities of truffle cultivation in Europe are therefore enormous, the limiting factors not being the soil but the climate.

Target-site resistance to pyrethroid insecticides in German populations of the cabbage stem flea beetle, Psylliodes chrysocephala L. (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae)

Cabbage stem flea beetle, Psylliodes chrysocephala L. (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) is a major pest of winter oilseed rape in several European countries particularly attacking young emerging plants in autumn. Over the last several decades, pyrethroid insecticides have been foliarly applied to control flea beetle outbreaks. Recent control failures in northern Germany suggested pyrethroid resistance development in cabbage stem flea beetles, which were confirmed by resistance monitoring bioassays using lambda-cyhalothrin in an adult vial test. The purpose of this study was to investigate the presence of polymorphisms in the para-type voltage-gated sodium channel gene of P. chrysocephala known to be involved in knock-down resistance (kdr). By using a degenerate primer approach we PCR amplified part of the para-type sodium channel gene and identified in resistant flea beetles a single nucleotide polymorphism resulting in an L1014F (kdr) mutation within domain IIS6 of the channel protein, known as one of the chief pyrethroid target-site resistance mechanisms in several other pest insects. Twenty populations including four archived museum samples collected between 1945 and 1958 were analyzed using a newly developed pyrosequencing diagnostic assay. The assay revealed a kdr allele frequency of 90–100% in those flea beetle populations expressing high-level cross-resistance in discriminating dose bioassays against different pyrethroids such as lambda-cyhalothrin, tau-fluvalinate, etofenprox and bifenthrin. The presence of target-site resistance to pyrethroids in cabbage stem flea beetle is extremely worrying considering the lack of effective alternative modes of action to control this pest in Germany and other European countries, and is likely to result in major control problems once it expands to other geographies. The striking fact that cabbage stem flea beetle is next to pollen beetle, Meligethes aeneus the second coleopteran pest in European winter oilseed rape resisting pyrethroid treatments by expressing a target-site mutation, underpins the importance of diversity in available chemistry for resistance management tactics based on mode of action rotation in order to guarantee sustainable winter oilseed rape cultivation in Europe.

Are We Closer to GM Crop Cultivation in Europe?

Are We Closer to GM Crop Cultivation in Europe?

A regional implementation of WOFOST for calculating yield gaps of autumn-sown wheat across the European Union

Wheat is Europe's dominant crop in terms of land use in the European Union (EU25). Most of this wheat area is sown in autumn, i.e., winter wheat in all EU25 countries, apart from southern Italy, southern Spain and most of Portugal, where spring wheat varieties are sown in late autumn. We evaluated the strengths and limitations of a regional implementation of the crop growth model WOFOST implemented in the Crop Growth Monitoring System (CGMS) for calculating yield gaps of autumn-sown wheat across the EU25. Normally, CGMS is used to assess growing conditions and to calculate timely and quantitative yield forecasts for the main crops in Europe. Plausibility of growth simulations by CGMS in terms of leaf area, total biomass and harvest index were evaluated and simulated yields were compared with those from other global studies. This study shows that water-limited autumn-sown wheat yields, being the most relevant benchmark for the largely rain fed wheat cultivation in Europe, are plausible for most parts of the EU25 and can be used to calculate yield gaps with some precision. In parts of southern Europe unrealistic simulated harvest index, maximum leaf area index and biomass values were found which are mainly caused by wrong values of phenology related crop parameters. Furthermore CGMS slightly underestimates potential and water-limited yields, which calls for a calibration using new field experiments with recent cultivars. Estimated yield gap is between 2 and 4tha−1 in main parts of the EU25, is smaller north-western Europe and highest in Portugal.

Insights in the chestnut genetic diversity in Canton Ticino (Southern Switzerland)

AbstractCastanea sativa Miller displays a high variability of morphological and ecological traits, vegetative and reproductive habits, nut morphology, wood characteristics, adaptability, and resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses. The present range of distribution of the species has been strongly influenced by human migrations and it is thought that Romans played a crucial role in the spread of the cultivation in Europe, although in some areas there is also evidence of local domestication and spontaneous spread of the tree after the last glacial period. In Switzerland chestnut stands are found mostly in the South (Canton Ticino), a region where the debate about the origin of the local germplasm, whether derived from the survival or spontaneous migration of C. sativa on the territory or due to the introduction of the tree during the Roman colonisation, is still open. This study aims contributing to depict the chestnut genetic situation of the species in Canton Ticino as a contribution to the debate about the native character of the species. The study area is located in Switzerland, on the southern slopes of the Alps, where 3 C. sativa populations were sampled and analysed at 9 SSR loci. Populations showed a high degree of diversity, as it is observed in most natural population of tree species: all nine SSR loci were polymorphic (no fixed alleles were detected), and genetic diversity, measured by expected heterozygosity, was high ranging in the populations between 0.647 and 0.721, on average. Results suggest that three homogeneous gene pools contributed to the formation of the 3 populations sampled. The genetic germplasm structuring of the analysed chestnut stands is very mild as confirmed by the relatively low level of genetic differentiation and divergence observed among sites.

Diversity and structure of a sample of traditional Italian and Spanish tomato accessions

Italy and Spain are the countries with the oldest record of tomato cultivation in Europe and arguably, with the higher number of traditional and heirloom varieties. In this work we evaluated the genetic diversity and structure in a sample of 26 cultivated accessions belonging to four traditional tomato types, Muchamiel and De la Pera from Spain, and San Marzano and Sorrento from Italy. The (GATA)4 fingerprinting of the 109 genotypes confirmed the ability of this DNA marker to discriminate tomato plants that are otherwise difficult to distinguish. Furthermore, both the estimated population structure and the genetic differentiation statistics were consistent in indicating that subpopulations are more likely to correspond to farmers’ breeding efforts and market specialization than to country-specific groups. Our results provide useful information not only for germplasm description and management but also for current breeding programs in both regions.

The Product Carbon Footprint of EU beet sugar (Part II)

With regard to farming operations, all N-fertilizer was assumed to be in the form of mineral fertilizer, as there is no publicly available figure known for the average use of organic fertilizer (e.g. manure) in sugar beet cultivation in Europe. All the basic inputs to sugar beet cultivation were included, that is, seed, fertilisers, pesticides and diesel consumption for field work. Nitrous oxide, soil emissions (N2O, commonly known as laughing gas) from farming were included according to Biograce (i.e. 2.7% of applied N is emitted as N2O). Transport of sugar beet and adherent soil was also accounted for, and it was assumed that all transports are by 40-t truck. The emissions related to the return of empty trucks delivering beet to the factories were also accounted for in the Biograce data. GHG emissions linked to LUC (land use change, direct or indirect) were estimated to be negligible because all land used to grow beet, at least in the EU, is already arable land. With regard to factories, very small inputs were excluded. Specifically, most process chemicals used in sugar production such as NaOH or HCl for pH correction or antifoaming agents were assumed not to be significant for the overall result because they were used only in small quantities. However, as limestone is a processing aid used in larger amounts (approx. 2% per tonne of beet processed), it therefore was included.7 For surplus steam, which some factories co-produce, substitutes were difficult to establish, because they depend on the local situation. Since the resulting GHG credit for surplus steam was expected to be small as an EU average, no GHG credit for surplus steam was calculated. Potential emissions from water treatment systems were, on the other hand, not taken into account because there is insufficient data available about the different types of water treatment systems in operation in EU beet sugar factories. The emission factors of the process inputs used in the calculations are listed in Table 9.

An evaluation of the implications of virulence in non-European populations of Globodera pallida and G. rostochiensis for potato cultivation in Europe

The potato cyst nematodes Globodera pallida and G. rostochiensis are listed in the EU Plant Health Directive 2000/29/EC and are also subject to the new EU Council Directive 2007/33/EC on the control of potato cyst nematodes, requiring unilateral suppression of these pests in Europe. At the same time there is also pressure to increase world trade in potatoes. Such pressure has to be balanced by the risks involved in the associated spread of these pests and subsequent problems in management. Populations of the potato cyst nematodes from outside Europe, in particular South America, which is considered the origin of G. pallida and G. rostochiensis, pose a risk to those European countries where limited genetic variability of these nematode species has been recorded. The development and usage of resistant cultivars under such conditions has formed a pivotal role in integrated management programmes in Europe. Molecular studies have shown that populations of G. pallida and G. rostochiensis from South America have a different genetic composition from those in Europe. The introduction of such populations would pose a threat to the use of resistant cultivars as a major tool in reducing the potential spread and damage caused by these species. At present, an inability to link precisely genetic variability to the virulence characteristics of a specific nematode population, and quickly identify the virulence status of intercepted populations for inspection purposes, strengthens the case for using plant health legislation to prevent their introduction.

Perception of the impact of root-knot nematode-induced diseases in horticultural protected crops of south-eastern Spain

With a surface area of 37 000 ha and an annual yield of 3 × 106 t, the south-east of Spain, predominantly the coast of Almeria, is the largest horticultural growing area under protected cultivation in Europe. A survey on perception of the impact of root-knot nematodes on vegetable production was carried out in this area by face-to-face interviews with 120 farm advisors. The survey was designed to evaluate opinions about prevalence and severity of root-knot nematode-induced diseases, percentage of infested area and effectiveness of root-knot nematode control methods. According to the answers, 17.7% of the fields were infested with root-knot nematode and 18.8% of the cultivable area within each site showed root-knot nematode disease symptoms, which came to 2.0% of the total area used to grow vegetables in the region. Average yield loss was estimated at about 30.8% of total vegetable production, and 38.1% of the farm advisors considered that root-knot nematode infections had increased over the last 5 years. Most farm advisors (78.3%) stated that the most commonly used control method was chemical soil fumigation. Non-fumigant nematicides were cited by 59.8% of them, grafting and resistant cultivars by 42.3%, soil solarisation 38.1%, plant extracts 14.4% and biofumigation 6.2%. The majority of farm advisors considered the application of fumigant nematicides combined with soil solarisation, and grafting onto resistant rootstocks as the most effective methods of root-knot nematode control. In addition to the interviews, plant and soil samples were taken from plastic greenhouses throughout the region to determine species of root-knot nematode present. Meloidogyne javanica was the most prevalent species followed by M. incognita and M. arenaria, but species distribution was linked to the predominating crop sequence in each area, since M. javanica occurred less frequently when sweet pepper rather than tomato appeared in the crop sequence.

Evolutionary history of barley cultivation in Europe revealed by genetic analysis of extant landraces

BackgroundUnderstanding the evolution of cultivated barley is important for two reasons. First, the evolutionary relationships between different landraces might provide information on the spread and subsequent development of barley cultivation, including the adaptation of the crop to new environments and its response to human selection. Second, evolutionary information would enable landraces with similar traits but different genetic backgrounds to be identified, providing alternative strategies for the introduction of these traits into modern germplasm.ResultsThe evolutionary relationships between 651 barley landraces were inferred from the genotypes for 24 microsatellites. The landraces could be divided into nine populations, each with a different geographical distribution. Comparisons with ear row number, caryopsis structure, seasonal growth habit and flowering time revealed a degree of association between population structure and phenotype, and analysis of climate variables indicated that the landraces are adapted, at least to some extent, to their environment. Human selection and/or environmental adaptation may therefore have played a role in the origin and/or maintenance of one or more of the barley landrace populations. There was also evidence that at least some of the population structure derived from geographical partitioning set up during the initial spread of barley cultivation into Europe, or reflected the later introduction of novel varieties. In particular, three closely-related populations were made up almost entirely of plants with the daylength nonresponsive version of the photoperiod response gene PPD-H1, conferring adaptation to the long annual growth season of northern Europe. These three populations probably originated in the eastern Fertile Crescent and entered Europe after the initial spread of agriculture.ConclusionsThe discovery of population structure, combined with knowledge of associated phenotypes and environmental adaptations, enables a rational approach to identification of landraces that might be used as sources of germplasm for breeding programs. The population structure also enables hypotheses concerning the prehistoric spread and development of agriculture to be addressed.

Biological characterization of genetically modified trees (GMTs)

In the last 20 years, a large number of GMTs have been generated, characterized and field tested to evaluate their agronomic behaviour and their potential performance for technological applications. Therefore, important knowledge has been gained from these studies on the potential of GMTs whereas biosafety concerns have been raised on the plantation of transgenic trees in the field. The European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST) action FP0905 on the biosafety of forest transgenic trees aims to help forthe building and implementation of EU policy directives to ensure a safe development and practical use of GMTs in the future. This Action is expected to generate important benefits thanks to the experience gained by the research community, to provide general information on these studies as well as to address public concerns about biosafety issues raised by transgenic tree plantations, and finally to help for the establishment and implementation of EU policy directives in the view of a future deployment of GMTs cultivation in Europe. Within this action, the objective of the working group 1 (WG1) is to gather the existing knowledge on genetically modified forest trees (GMTs) including both field trials and greenhouse experiments. More specifically, the action of WG1 is focused on the compilation of: - Data from literature and methods developed on gene flow and containment strategies - Data available on the traits targeted and the function of the gene introduced, on their intended and eventually unintended effects - Data on host species characteristics especially related to biosafety issues such as their biological cycle, their way of pollination and the characteristics of pollen and seed dispersal. This information will be collected from published papers in books and reviews as well as from reports from different agencies available on the web. Moreover, additional data will hopefully be gained through the responses of expert scientists from public or private institutions to an ongoing survey accessible at the website of the COST Action FP0905: [http://www.cost-action-fp0905.eu/index.php?option=com_kunena&Itemid=74&func=view&catid=4&id=11] The information collected will be used to: - 1) establish a list of protocols for the control of transgene flow and gene containment. - 2) establish the present state of the art in gene targeting strategies for site specific integration of transgenes. - 3) get an appraisal on the types of construct and genes inserted in GMTs in the past; in the present and in the future. This information will be compiled in a database that will be made available to the scientific community as well as to the European policy makers. The results of this work will enable the participants and end-users to get a clear factual overview of the global status of GMTs and especially the status of Europe compared to non-European countries. Furthermore, the information gathered will also be useful for assessment of environmental impacts of GMTs that is the object addressed in the WG2 of the COST Action FP0905.

Chloroplast SNP-marker as powerful tool for differentiation of Populus species in reliable poplar breeding and barcoding approaches

Background The genus Populus is one of the world’s most important tree genera. High growth rates, particularly of some interspecies hybrids, and a broad range of applicability from wood and paper to energy production, led to their widespread cultivation in Europe and North America. For the use in SRCs (short rotation coppices), in particular interspecies-hybrids are well suited because of their superior growth and advanced resistance traits. However, Populus hybrids are often morphologically extreme variable and can show either more criteria of the one or the other parental species. Thus, species identification within the genus Populus using morphological characters can sometimes be difficult. Furthermore, systematically performed records during breeding or vegetative propagation of poplar hybrids and/or clones are not available to date. For breeding activities with the priority of registration of new high-efficiency clones, clear species identification is inevitably necessary. Therefore, we evaluate the usability of already published plant barcoding regions (“barcoding”; Barcode of Life [http:// www.barcodeoflife.org/]) for their efficacy to differentiate seven often used poplar species. We present data on amplification success of the barcoding regions by using the already published primers. Moreover, novel primers were established in promising chloroplast regions to differentiate Populus species.

COST Action FP0905: Biosafety of forest transgenic trees: improving the scientific basis for safe tree development and implementation of EU policy directives

Background The potential for unintended consequences of the spread of foreign genes (either via vertical or horizontal transfer) and of pleiotropic effects following transgene expression may be enhanced in long-lived forest trees. The COST Action FP0905 will focus on four key aspects related to the biosafety of genetically modified trees (GMTs): (a) analyses of the efficiency of existing gene containment strategies to avoid or if not possible to minimize gene flow; (b) facilitate efforts to develop sitespecific integration of transgenes in tree genomes to minimize variability of transgene expression and pleiotropic effects, (c) evaluate possible methods to monitor GMTs in the whole production chain, and (d) conduct socio-economic and cost/benefit analyses in relation to the use of GMTs in plantations. This Action combines multidisciplinary knowledge generated with transgenic lines of different forest genera (such as, Populus spp., Pinus spp., Eucalyptus spp., Betula spp., Castanea spp., Picea spp., etc.) as well as extensive expertise in correlated topics. The information gained should contribute to strengthen the scientific basis for the execution of the EU policy directives related to transgenic trees intended for cultivation in Europe. The main objective of the COST Action is to evaluate and substantiate the scientific knowledge relevant for GMT biosafety protocols by putting together already existing information generated in various European and Non-EU countries as basis for future EU policy and regulation for the environmental impact assessment and the safe development and practical use of GMTs.

Transgenic soya beans: economic implications for EU livestock sector

World oilseed trade consists of many closely substitutable commodities, with canola and cottonseed as possible alternatives to soya beans for many purposes. Transgenic events in all three crops have been widely adopted, particularly in North and South America, for compelling economic or agronomic reasons. Despite the close attention from organizations concerned about the potential consequences of transgenic crop adoption, there appears to be no substantiated evidence of transgenic DNA in meat or milk products when such crops are fed to livestock. The global area of these transgenic crops continues to increase. No transgenic canola, cotton or soya bean crops are permitted for commercial cultivation in Europe, and although transgenic feed resources are permitted for import, importers risk shipments being denied entry if the traces of an unauthorized transgenic crop are detected. These tight controls can mean that livestock farmers in the EU are disadvantaged due to restricted access to cheaper feed or higher feed costs, and they are thus loosing a degree of competitive advantage. This paper reviews the extent to which transgenic soya beans have become the ‘conventional’ method of cultivation elsewhere, and notes implications this has for livestock nutrition, traceability and economics within the EU. The paper concludes with discussion regarding the implications for the EU of delayed acceptance of newly available transgenic traits.

Environmental impact assessment of energy crops cultivation in Europe

AbstractThe production of energy crops must be studied and evaluated in terms of environmental impact, in order to integrate them into a sustainable agricultural development. As bioenergy carriers they offer ecological advantages over fossil fuels by contributing to the reduction of greenhouse gases and acidifying emissions. However, there could be ecological shortcomings related to the intensity of agricultural production. There is a risk of polluting water and air, losing soil quality, enhancing erosion, and reducing biodiversity. In the scope of the project Future Crops for Food, Feed, Fiber and Fuel (4F Crops), supported by the European Union, an environmental impact assessment study was developed and applied to the production of potential energy crops in Europe. The following variables were selected as categories: use of water and mineral resources, soil quality and erosion, emission of minerals and pesticides to soil and water, waste generation and utilization, landscape, and biodiversity. In addition, a normalization and weighting procedure was applied, which attempts to aggregate environmental impacts. Results suggest that growing energy crops does not inflict higher impact on the environment compared to potato and wheat farming (regarding the studied categories). Although the different indicators did not yield a common pattern, overall results suggest that woody and lignocellulosic crops have an advantage over annual crop systems, namely regarding erodibility and biodiversity. Some crop management options, such as pesticides and fertilizers inputs, can influence the outcomes. However, site‐specific factors should be accurately assessed to evaluate the adequacy between crop and location. Environmental hotspots in the systems are detected and options for improvement are presented. © 2010 Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd

First record of the winter moth Operophtera brumata (Linnaeus, 1758) (Lepidoptera: Geometridae) in northern Iran

Operophtera brumata (Linnaeus, 1758) is a winter moth with wingless females. It is a serious pest in forestry and fruit cultivation in Europe. We present the first report of its occurrence in Iran. Moths of both sexes and their genitalia are illustrated. The species is distinguishable from its sister species O. fagata (Scharfenberg, 1805) by a smaller male and the presence of two signa on the corpus bursae of female O. brumata. Potential host plants in Iran (mostly cultivated and forestry trees) are compared with those known in Europe. Natural enemies of O. brumata (mainly Hymenoptera, Coleoptera and Hemiptera) are listed.

Scale Implications for Environmental Risk Assessment and Monitoring of the Cultivation of Genetically Modified Herbicide-Resistant Sugar Beet: A Review

Genetically modified herbicide-resistant (GMHR) sugar beet ( Beta vulgaris L.) has been cultivated in the US for several years and an application has been submitted for cultivation in Europe. Concerns have been raised about how GMHR sugar beet cultivation might impair the agro-environment. European legislation for GM plants requires, prior to their commercial import and/or cultivation, a stepwise reduction of the containment and a gradual increase in the scale of release. Experimental results gained during this procedure enter an environmental risk assessment; after the GM plant approval, a systematic monitoring of potential adverse environmental effects is required. We collected information on sugar beet biology and cultivation and the HR technology. We categorised the literature findings, evaluated the evidence of agro-environmental effects and indicated adverse effects. The impacts are directly and indirectly linked to sugar beet biology and/or to the HR technology. Most likely are a) adverse herbicide effects on field organisms, aquatic communities and soil microbial communities, b) persistence of the GM plant triggered by a potential selective advantage and/or genetic drift after hybridisation of GMHR cultivated, feral and weed beet with neighbouring beets and wild relatives, c) the increase of HR in weeds and subsequent increase and/or change in the herbicide application regime after several years of glyphosate application, and d) decline in agrobiodiversity (weed communities, herbivores, pollinators and beneficial species). Our study reveals a lack of experimental data on potential agro-environmental effects. This suggests that the principle of a stepwise scale increase of release is inadequately applied to the GMHR sugar beet approval process. The adverse effects identified should prompt further research experiments to gain information for the ERA and/or specific monitoring activities at the respective identified spatial scale levels.

Evolution and history of grapevine (Vitis vinifera) under domestication: new morphometric perspectives to understand seed domestication syndrome and reveal origins of ancient European cultivars

In spite of the abundance of archaeological, bio-archaeological, historical and genetic data, the origins, historical biogeography, identity of ancient grapevine cultivars and mechanisms of domestication are still largely unknown. Here, analysis of variation in seed morphology aims to provide accurate criteria for the discrimination between wild grapes and modern cultivars and to understand changes in functional traits in relation to the domestication process. This approach is also used to quantify the phenotypic diversity in the wild and cultivated compartments and to provide a starting point for comparing well-preserved archaeological material, in order to elucidate the history of grapevine varieties. Geometrical analysis (elliptic Fourier transform method) was applied to grapevine seed outlines from modern wild individuals, cultivars and well-preserved archaeological material from southern France, dating back to the first to second centuries. Significant relationships between seed shape and taxonomic status, geographical origin (country or region) of accessions and parentage of varieties are highlighted, as previously noted based on genetic approaches. The combination of the analysis of modern reference material and well-preserved archaeological seeds provides original data about the history of ancient cultivated forms, some of them morphologically close to the current 'Clairette' and 'Mondeuse blanche' cultivars. Archaeobiological records seem to confirm the complexity of human contact, exchanges and migrations which spread grapevine cultivation in Europe and in Mediterranean areas, and argue in favour of the existence of local domestication in the Languedoc (southern France) region during Antiquity.

Genetic differentiation of hexaploid wheat inferred from analysis of microsatellite loci

Landraces of wheat can serve as important potential sources for extending the genetic basis of selection cultivars. Analysis of microsatellites and typing of polymorphism in a representative sample of 347 genotypes, including landraces and selection cultivars, was performed using a set of 38 selected oligonucleotide primer pairs. Classification of genotypes with respect to the level of their similarity was performed using cluster analysis. The data obtained pointed to genetic differentiation of hexaploid wheat. The groups of cultivars, the formation of which was thought to be associated with the main old areas of wheat cultivation in Europe and Asia, were identified. The basis of each of the groups was formed by landraces of common wheat. The differences between the groups identified were associated with multiple changes in the wheat genome and were expressed as quantitative differences in the allele frequencies of microsatellite loci. The results of the study are of interest in terms of understanding the structure of wheat genetic diversity and revealing the pathways of evolution of this culture.

Different cucumber melon (Cucumis melo L.) races cultivated in Salento (Italy)

South Italy is still a centre of diversity for melons but new cultivars progressively replace its traditional landraces. The area of Salento is important for several typical old crops as the cucumber melon ‘Meloncella’ (Cucumis melo L. var. chate (Hasselq.) Filov) traditionally cultivated for its unripe fruits. Information on cultivation, quality and variation of this Apulian landrace (probably the last relic of a wider cultivation in Europe) is reported. A strategy for its characterization and safeguarding is in progress at the genebank of IGV of Bari (Italy).