TY - JOUR
T1 - Morphological and Genetic Characterization of Local Maize Accessions from Emilia Romagna Region, Italy
AU - Stagnati, Lorenzo
AU - Soffritti, Giovanna
AU - Martino, Michelangelo
AU - Lanubile, Alessandra
AU - Desiderio, Francesca
AU - Ravasio, Adriano
AU - Marocco, Adriano
AU - Rossi, Graziano
AU - Busconi, Matteo
PY - 2022
Y1 - 2022
N2 - Italian maize germplasm is particularly rich in local materials and each region is characterized
by the presence of peculiar local varieties deriving from centuries of adaptation, selection
and cultivation. While the introduction of hybrids, during the 1950s, led to the disappearing of
many of these varieties, some have been maintained in cultivation by farmers, frequently in marginal
areas, as a kind of family heritage. Local varieties were identified throughout field surveys carried
out in recent years. The discovery of a traditional popcorn variety over the most common flint and
semi-flint materials used for production of polenta was interesting. Since these varieties have never
been adequately described and reported in scientific literature, this study was aimed to solve this
lack of knowledge on recently discovered local maize populations. Characterization represents the
first step of a process focused on the preservation and possible exploitation of important genetic
resources. Traditional materials are a useful reservoir of genes for adaptation to local conditions and
climate changes. Adequate breeding programs can use such germplasm for developing new and
more resilient varieties. These local materials have been characterized at the morphological level
highlighting plant, ear and kernel differences. Genetic characterization, carried out on 455 individuals
by the use of 10 SSR markers, revealed 62 different alleles ranging from four for markers phi127,
phi076 and phi084 to nine for marker p-bnlg176. The landraces are well distinguishable at genetic level
since 40% of genetic variability is present among accessions. Five landraces are characterized by the
presence of private alleles and heterozygosity levels are generally good. These findings support the
possibility to correctly preserve local materials through in situ conservation. Phylogenetic analysis
evidenced the presence of varietal clusters, the clearest one formed by three red-pigmented accessions.
STRUCTURE analysis revealed that five landraces have a well-defined genetic attribution while the
remaining two (EMR04-Mais Rosso di Rasora and EMR10-Mais del Principe di Scavolino) are both
constituted by two different backgrounds.
AB - Italian maize germplasm is particularly rich in local materials and each region is characterized
by the presence of peculiar local varieties deriving from centuries of adaptation, selection
and cultivation. While the introduction of hybrids, during the 1950s, led to the disappearing of
many of these varieties, some have been maintained in cultivation by farmers, frequently in marginal
areas, as a kind of family heritage. Local varieties were identified throughout field surveys carried
out in recent years. The discovery of a traditional popcorn variety over the most common flint and
semi-flint materials used for production of polenta was interesting. Since these varieties have never
been adequately described and reported in scientific literature, this study was aimed to solve this
lack of knowledge on recently discovered local maize populations. Characterization represents the
first step of a process focused on the preservation and possible exploitation of important genetic
resources. Traditional materials are a useful reservoir of genes for adaptation to local conditions and
climate changes. Adequate breeding programs can use such germplasm for developing new and
more resilient varieties. These local materials have been characterized at the morphological level
highlighting plant, ear and kernel differences. Genetic characterization, carried out on 455 individuals
by the use of 10 SSR markers, revealed 62 different alleles ranging from four for markers phi127,
phi076 and phi084 to nine for marker p-bnlg176. The landraces are well distinguishable at genetic level
since 40% of genetic variability is present among accessions. Five landraces are characterized by the
presence of private alleles and heterozygosity levels are generally good. These findings support the
possibility to correctly preserve local materials through in situ conservation. Phylogenetic analysis
evidenced the presence of varietal clusters, the clearest one formed by three red-pigmented accessions.
STRUCTURE analysis revealed that five landraces have a well-defined genetic attribution while the
remaining two (EMR04-Mais Rosso di Rasora and EMR10-Mais del Principe di Scavolino) are both
constituted by two different backgrounds.
KW - Biodiversity
KW - Characterization
KW - Emilia Romagna region
KW - Italian Maize landraces
KW - SSR
KW - in situ conservation
KW - Biodiversity
KW - Characterization
KW - Emilia Romagna region
KW - Italian Maize landraces
KW - SSR
KW - in situ conservation
UR - http://hdl.handle.net/10807/216527
UR - https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/14/1/91
U2 - 10.3390/su14010091
DO - 10.3390/su14010091
M3 - Article
SN - 2071-1050
SP - N/A-N/A
JO - Sustainability
JF - Sustainability
ER -