Artichoke landraces recovering and enhancement in Puglia (southern Italy)

The artichoke (Cynara cardunculus L. subsp. scolymus (L.) Hayek) is historically cultivated in Puglia region (South of Italy), which is a prominent national producer and important at European level. Given the artichoke importance and its diffusion, regional genetic diversity represents a valuable resource for both agronomic and nutritional characteristics. However, it was poorly promoted, neglected, and threaten by pathogens and viruses. To recover the Apulian germplasm, retrieving, characterization, sanitation, and conservation activities were fulfilled through the integrated project “Biodiversity of vegetable crops in Puglia (BiodiverSO)”, funded by Puglia Region Administration under the 2007-2013 and 2014-2020 Rural Development Program. As a result of the cooperation of regional authorities and universities, research centers, farms, and privates, 12 local artichoke landraces are described and preserved: ‘Brindisino’ granted “Geographical Indication” recognition; ‘Verde di Putignano’, ‘Violetto di Putignano’, ‘Locale di Mola’ granted Traditional Agrifood Product; ‘Bianco Tarantino’, ‘Centofoglie di Rutigliano’, ‘Locale di Mola’ registered in the Regional Register of Autochthonous Genetic Resources and in the National Register of Biodiversity of Agricultural and Food Interest. Further target landraces are ‘Nero di Ostuni’, ‘Bianco di Ostuni’, ‘di Lucera’, ‘Francesina’, ‘Nero a calice del Salento’, ‘Tricasino spinoso’. In continuity with these results, the new project “BiodiverSO Veg” is currently working to preserve and extent the abovementioned results, as well as to implement a comprehensive enhancement and promotion of regional artichoke landraces, as it will be described in the full presentation.