Abstract:
In 1976 the Istituto Sperimentale per la Frutticoltura began studying the germplasm in central south Italy in order to determine the edible fruit cultivars which are most valid from an agronomic and technological point of view.
After searching the territory, the local biotypes were identified, inventoried, put into the collection and a comparative study was carried out.
In 1977 and 1978, 90 varieties were located in Campania under various names.
Since then, the study has been extended to cover Puglia, Abruzzo and Calabria and since 1979 also regions in north Italy.
So far a total of 442 clones have been found.
Morphological, phenological, productive and carpological observations carried out between 1980 and 1987 have cleared up many synonymies and led to the grouping of many clones with similar characteristics into only 50 groups of different cultivable values and to distinguishing certain kinds which are worth cultivating in germplasm collections because they are very difficult to find.
Since 1980 other public Institutions have carried out similar researches, studying the germplasm in regions of Abruzzo, Basilicata, Puglia and Sardegna.
The detailed description of some cultivar and local biotypes has already been carried out and others are in the process of being done.
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