Joint research project

Valorization of local genetic resources of agroforest tree species: the case study of Juglans regia L. in Moldova and Italy

Project leaders
Monica Mattana, Maria Pintea
Agreement
MOLDOVA - ASM-not in force - Academy of Sciences of Moldova
Call
CNR/ASM 2015-2016
Department
Biology, agriculture and food sciences
Thematic area
Biology, agriculture and food sciences
Status of the project
New

Research proposal

The items of the bilateral cooperation project arise from the needs and perspectives of conservation and sustainable use of forest genetic resources, in particular, agroforest trees species.
The creation and organization of a data-base on genetic resources is of interest both for gene conservation and food production, including information on the geographical location and the molecular genetic characteristics, environmental, phenotypic, biochemical, nutritional. All these traits will be of real importance for actions to support and enhance agriculture with manufacturing processes and social and economic development.
This project focuses its attention on the arboreal patrimony, in particular on walnut. The common walnut (Juglans regia L.), native of central Asia, is an agroforestry species used to produce not only fruits with high nutritional and nutraceutical value, but also oil, natural dyes, drug compounds, and high quality wood. Because of these characteristics the walnut was cultivated since ancient times so that the species is widely spread and anthropized. At present, a restriction of the distribution area is occurring, owing to climate and land-use changes or, in the worst case, to desertification problems. These occurrences are actually causing a considerable erosion of genetic resources, especially in Europe. Collection, characterization, propagation and sustainable use of genetic resources of walnut, assessment of the adaptive potential and phenotypic plasticity in front of environmental changes, are therefore items of considerable importance both for the preservation in situ and ex situ biodiversity and for the improvement of rural economy. Previous activities in these fields were developed in the framework of international and national projects founded by European Union, Italian MiPAAF and National Research Council.
In Italy and in Moldova the absence or low agronomic standard care, the use of plants grown from seed and the absence of development of selected and locally adapted varieties make the species productivity unstable and variable. Italy and Moldova share a new interest for walnut both for genetic resources conservation and fruit production (see for Italy "La conservazione ex situ della biodiversità delle specie vegetali spontanee e coltivate in Italia", http://www.isprambiente.gov.it/ and "La Strategia Nazionale per la Biodiversità", http://www.minambiente.it/, and for Rep of Moldova "The Law of Walnut 1999", modified in 2000-2011, "The National Program for the Development of Nut Crops until 2020"and "Strategy of the Development of Agriculture until 2015").
In the Republic of Moldova, traditional local domestic walnut trees have high socio economic impacts. Local varieties and selected biotypes are characterised by high resistance to unfavourable biotic and abiotic factors. Current investigations are directed to studies and method for rapid valorisation/conservation of walnut important biotypes. The development of researches is essential and actual, due to the limits of natural resources of the Republic of Moldova and the enhancement of the dependence on ecological factors during climatic changes within the different and varied walnut growing localities.
Taking into consideration the common interest in genetic resources conservation, improvement and sustainable utilization, Italian and Moldovian scientists planned to join the effort in order to revise distinct populations of walnut to reveal new provenances and unique genotypes and to develop recommendations for conservation and sustainable use of species.
The expected results of the project, based on the application of reliable scientific methods, will be made available to agricultural and professional organizations to conserve natural resources anticipating climate change effects. This can be also achieved fostering a possible change of biological material (seed sources) adapted to different environmental conditions to be included in future breeding programs.

Research goals

The main objective of this study is to assess the genetic diversity of walnut in Moldova using morphological, biochemical and genetic approaches, to be compared with genetic variability of walnut in Italy and to establish the possible relationship among the two gene pools. The research involves the development and application of molecular markers for identification of varieties and Moldovian provenances and the comparison with the genetic diversity of germplasm from Italy; especially to assess variability in selected genotypes adapted to cold-wet, cold-dry, and hot-wet locations; biochemical investigations for the characterization of fruit quality (content in fatty acids and tocopherols) and analysis of morphological, physiological and adaptive sensing of climatic and ecological parameters in situ, in active collaboration between Italian and Moldovian researchers and local rural communities. The application of these approaches will allow the characterization of ecotypes/genotypes adapted to the environmental conditions of each region, with a maximum of agronomic traits and superior quality fruit to be used either as a source for seed orchards or as new cultivars to be multiplied by grafting. The chemical components of the fruit will allow the identification of populations that are qualitatively distinguished, in agreement with the original agro-ecological characteristics. This could allow a better utilization of the production according to the interests of farmers.

Last update: 29/03/2024