SaVeGraINPuglia: recupero, caratterizzazione, salvaguardia e valorizzazione di leguminose e cereali da granella e foraggio in Puglia

In the past, Puglia was particularly rich in local varieties of legume and cereal grains grown following to traditional techniques of crop rotation, which allowed to preserve fertility of the soil. These old varieties, well adapted to the climatic conditions of the region, are from long time threatened by genetic erosion resulting from the gradual spread of more productive varieties. The farmers, the scientific community and the political representatives from Puglia, have recently stressed the importance and urgency to recover, preserve and store in germplasm banks this prized autochthonous varieties. The primary objective of the PSRSaVeGraINPuglia project is the recovery, characterization, conservation and valorization of legumes, cereals and fodder of Puglia. Local varieties are collecting in different areas and regional habitats. They are characterized and safeguarded, through the application of appropriate, regional and international protocols, and kept both ex situ and in situ. The project activities, coordinated by the Institute of Biosciences and Bio-Resources of the National Research Council (IBBR-CNR) are carried out in collaboration with 20 partners operating in the regional territory and belonging to public research organizations, universities, parks, private companies and associations.