A multidisciplinary approach for the evaluation, conservation and utilization of apulian rare olive germplasm.

Olive is a long-living crop widespread in all the Mediterranean basin. The importance of this crop is due, not only to the recognized health benefits of olive oil but also to environment and local traditions. In Italy the richness of cultivated olive germplasm, the presence of synonyms and homonyms and the lack of information on many local varieties need to use an efficient and reliable tools to distinguish, unambiguously, between cultivars. For this reasons, while traditionally genotype description was based on morphological characterization; today the contribution of several disciplines is necessary. The Re.Ger.O.P project was born with the aim of exploring Apulian olive biodiversity through a morphological, molecular, phytosanitary, and technological approach. Given the large amount of collected materials, the interactions among the different disciplines involved and the complexity of information, collected data were organised in a unique database. The obtained data have been merged with cartography and GPS data of the fields and with a photographic documentation with a geotag system and 3D photographs. Collection, conservation, characterization, and evaluation of these genetic resources has allowed to obtain objective information about the genetic diversity, clarify cases of homonymy and synonymy and represent a necessary steps against the genetic erosion risk. Furthermore, the valorization of old local varieties and the safeguard of traditional farming systems and landscapes can be very profitable from a socio-economic point of view and is an essential prerequisite to a wide utilization of the plant material, through its direct use or in breeding programs.