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

Verona, Italy - 24/27 September, 2003

ISBN 88-900622-4-X

Poster Abstract - 2.45

JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT BETWEEN “ISTITUTO SPERIMENTALE PER L’ORTICOLTURA” AND “BLUMEN” TO IMPROVE SOME TOMATO ITALIAN ECOTYPES

N. ACCIARRI*, G. VITELLI*, G. CAMPANELLI*, E. SABATINI* P. SBARBATI**

*) Istituto Sperimentale per l’Orticoltura Sezione di Monsampolo del Tronto (MiPAF)

**) Blumen

Licopersycon esculentum L., Cuor di Bue Ligure, Pera d’Abruzzo, hybrid

There is an increasing interest in some Italian ecotypes of tomato (Licopersycon esculentum L.). In particular, two local types, “Cuor di Bue Ligure” originating from Liguria and Piemonte regions and “Pera d’Abruzzo” from Marche and Abruzzo show good characteristics of the fruit such as shape, taste and absence of aqueous sacs.

It possible to find these ecotypes in little local markets but now an interest by the large-scale retail trade exists.

The main defects of these cultivars are the absence of genetic resistance to diseases, the sensibility to environmental stresses, the short shelf life of the fruits after harvest and the low fruit firmness.

A joint program for the genetic improvement was started by “Istituto Sperimentale per l’Orticoltura” and “Blumen-Ortoricerca” to obtain new lines and hybrids with the typical of the “Cuor di Bue Ligure” fruit and superior firmness and genetic resistance to main diseases.

Blumen-Ortoricerca, using the lines obtained in collaboration with Istituto Sperimentale per l’Orticoltura”, is producing seeds of some hybrids showing good performances to carried out trials in open field and greenhouse before the registration in the Ialian “National Register of Varieties”.

The new lines obtained during the breeding program were selected within the original ecotypes to uniform the variability found; lines with different dimension, shape, and color of fruit (with or without green shoulder), and adaptability to open field or greenhouse condition were selected. The improvement for disease resistance was carried out using as starting materials the segregating progenis derived from the cross between the ecotypes with traditional types provided with dominant genes of resistance.