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

CHICKPEA (CICER ARIETINUM L.) “LANDRACES” COLLECTED IN INLAND BASILICATA (ITALY)

LOGOZZO G., MASI P., DILUCA M., SPAGNOLETTI ZEULI P.L.

* Centro Interdipartimentale per la Salvaguardia delle Risorse Genetiche Vegetali 'Pierino Iannelli', Università degli Studi della Basilicata, Campus Macchia Romana, 85100 Potenza

logozzo@unibas.it

chickpea, landraces, genetic resources, germplasm

Modern agriculture increased productivity of many crops but genetic diversity declined. Modern cultivars and hybrids did replace landraces and traditional varieties. Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) is one of the most ancient domesticated crop and fits well in sustainable and biological agriculture. To preserve and collect Basilicata chickpea landraces, 165 farms in six cachment bacins of the Basilicata region (Basento, Melandro, Agri, Mercure, Sinni and Cavone) were visited. Sixty-five accessions were collected: twenty-one in Basento, twenty-two in Melandro, nine in Agri, one in Mercure, eight in Sinni and four in Cavone. In two farms (Melandro and Basento cachment basin) two different landraces are cultivated. One of all visited farms grows a modern variety (“Kairo”) in Cavone valley. Handed down from mother to daughter, each farmer grows and keeps its own chickpea seeds. Planting is mostly in spring time (March-April) and in few instances chickpea is intercropped with corn (Basento and Sinni area). The best seeds are selected from most farmers before sowing but, at least in one case the best chickpea plants are identified to provide seeds for next planting (Mercure basin).

All accessions but two are “Kabuli” type: the two “Desi” type are grown in Sinni valley to feed cattles and pigs, in Agri basin for human consumption. Rarelly chickpea landraces are identified with a local name: “Nostrani” in Melandro area; “Ciciri” in Mercure area; “Nasuti”, “Granaroli” and “Zingari” in Cavone area; “Campanelle” in Basento area. Variation was observed for five seed morphologic characters: seed shape, testa texture, seed colour, seed type and 100-seed weight. 87.7% of accessions have owl’s head, 58% of landraces have smooth testa texture, 70.3% rough seed. Colour is 21.5% white, 61.6% cream, 15.4% light orange and 1.5% black seeds. Five accessions have 100-seed weight >70g. The highest 100-seed weight average is in Basento cachment basin (50,97g) and the lowest in the Sinni valley (35.15 g).

The risk of genetic erosion is high since landraces are being replaced by modern cultivar or because new crops are introduced.