Proceedings of the XLV Italian Society of Agricultural Genetics - SIGA Annual Congress

Salsomaggiore Terme, Italy - 26/29 September, 2001

ISBN 88-900622-1-5

Poster Abstract

VALORIZATION OF LATHYRUS SPP. GERMPLASM

CAPITANI E.*, GRANATI E.**, BISIGNANO V.***, VENDRAMIN E.*, CHIARETTI D.**, DELLA GATTA C.****, TAVOLETTI S.*, CRINÒ P.**, POLIGNANO G.B.***

* Dipartimento di Biotecnologie Agrarie ed Ambientali, Università degli Studi di Ancona

** ENEA, C. R. Casaccia, Divisione Biotecnologie e Agricoltura, Roma

*** Istituto del Germoplasma, C.N.R., Bari

**** Dipartimento di Biologia e Chimica Agroforestale e Ambientale, Università degli Studi di Bari

Lathyrus spp., germoplasm, diversity, protein content, ODAP

Grass pea (Lathyrus sativus L.) is a grain legume which has received renewed attention as local product and typical product. Moreover, grass pea could represent a crop alternative to soybean as a source of proteins for animal feeding.

Results of a research carried out in 1999-2000, concerning collection and evaluation of Lathyrus spp. germplasm, will be reported. The research was conducted on 2 groups of materials:

1) 117 Italian and foreign accessions available at the Istituto del Germoplasma, C.N.R., Bari;

2) 7 local populations and 10 commercial populations collected and evaluated in the Marche Region (Italy).

As far as the first group of materials are concerned, the analysis of protein content, ash content, 100 seed weight, and ODAP content showed a high variability among the accessions evaluated. Both principal component and cluster analysis grouped the 117 accessions in 5 clusters well differentiated for the traits analyzed. These results allowed the identification of a group of accessions which will be included in a breeding program.

In 1999 local and commercial populations cultivated in the Marche Regions were collected. These populations were evaluated during 1999-2000, under field conditions, for morphologic and agronomic traits, and also for ODAP content. Principal component analysis clearly separated local from commercial populations. ODAP content was medium-high (0,25-0,6%) and one local population collected in the Province of Ancona showed the lowest concentration of ODAP in the seeds. A research has also been started to characterize the collected materials using RAPD markers.

The results of the present research underlined that basic information concerning breeding strategies, genetic diversity and genetic control of ODAP content will be necessary to valorize grass pea as an alternative grain legume for both human and animal consumption.