Evaluation of germinative power and volatile compounds in specimens of Crithmum maritimum L. taken from different sites in Salento.

In the framework of the project 'Biodiversity of Apulian Non-Fruiting Horticultural Species - BiodiverSO Veg' (CUP: B97H22003760009), characterisation actions and cultivation protocols were started for some of the edible species considered interesting both from a gastronomic and nutraceutical point of view. This is the case of Sea Fennel (Crithmum maritimum L.), a plant adapted to thermal, water and salt stresses that follow one another even in short intervals of time, and therefore suitable for the restoration of marginal soils or those no longer suitable for conventional agronomic cultivation. In order to identify the most suitable ecotypes for cultivation, germplasm (seed) collection campaigns were carried out in various Salento locations: San Cataldo, Otranto, Tricase, Santa Maria di Leuca, Gallipoli and Torre Lapillo. For each sample, the morphological characterisation of the seeds (colour, size and weight) and the evaluation of their germinative power were carried out. In addition, to better characterise the intraspecific diversity of C. maritimum salentino, the volatile compounds (VOC) of the various accessions were also analysed. The data collected indicate that the species has excellent germinability and that VOCs characterise the product in both nutraceutical and gastronomic terms.