Biodiversity of old fruit tree accessions from western Emilia

Preservation of biodiversity is recognised worldwide as a topic of great interest concerning both natural and cultivated species. Cultivated species are characterised usually by a genetic variability lower than that normally present in natural species, and the loss of genetic variability, in consequence of the adoption of few superior varieties and of the abandonment of cultivated areas, is referred as genetic erosion. Local varieties (landraces) that have been rarely subjected to breeding are characterised by an elevated genetic variability and usually they have high frequency of co-adapted genotypes that confer to the local populations a good fitness for the anthropic and natural environment in which they have evolved. Such populations represent an invaluable source of genotypes, they are characterised by interesting traits from an agronomic, technologic and nutraceutical point of view and for centuries they represented an important food source for local people. Despite their importance only recently there has been an increased interest for the conservation and enhancement of the remaining local varieties. Within the “Misura 214, azione 7 of the Emilia Romagna regional development plan” we carried out a survey of local accessions of fruit trees of Western Emilia (province of Parma and Piacenza). Accessions belonging to sweet cherry (Prunus avium L.), sour cherry (Prunus cerasus L.), apple (Malus domestica Borkh.) and pear (Pyrus communis L.) have been sampled in different areas of the two provinces where their cultivation is reported to be present, based on historical documentation, for more than 150 years. The DNA from the different accessions has been recovered from very young leaves and analysed by using SSR (Simple Sequence Repeat) markers with the aim to clarify the homonymy and synonymy cases of local name inside thel old fruit tree germplasm. The presence of a high level of genetic variability and of different ploidy levels (diploid and tetraploid) has been detected in sour cherry, apple and pear. Sweet cherry accessions, despite the high genetic differences, are confirmed to be only diploid. This analysis represents a starting point to plan conservation and enhancement projects for the local old fruit tree germplasm.