The Ancient Varieties of Mountain Maize: The Inheritance of the Pointed Character and Its Effect on the Natural Drying Process

Sangiorgio, Stefano; Colombo, Federico; Ghidoli, Martina; Giupponi, Luca; Ferro, G.; Ferro, C.; Cassani, E.; Landoni, M.; Pilu, Roberto

doi:10.3390/agronomy11112295

Cited by 6 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 52 publications

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“…Interestingly, only the landrace Perloz can be classified in the group of “Rostrata” having pointed-beaked kernels. This particular trait is very common in mountain maize landraces since it is associated to better drying and storage ability of the kernels [ 4 ]. Intra-population variability was noticed for characters that are not considered by farmers for selection, i.e., tassel traits, while farmers’ relevant traits as ear shape and color appear to be uniform or fixed.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…From that moment, its cultivation began to grow more and more leading in the centuries to the selection of local varieties (landraces) perfectly adapted to the different microclimatic areas of the Italian territory [ 2 , 3 ]. Landraces are defined as dynamic populations of genetically diverse individuals well adapted to local conditions, associated with traditional agricultural practices and local history; moreover, they can be considered the ultimate expression of crop domestication [ 4 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In the framework of biodiversity conservation, the importance of mountain areas has been addressed by several authors [ 16 , 17 ]. Mountains are essential areas to counteract the general loss of agrobiodiversity, which in turn represents a valuable opportunity to create small agri-food chains thus enhancing the resilience and economy of marginal areas [ 4 ]. In the case of maize landraces, interesting discoveries of several unique landraces have been completed in mountain areas even in the recent past [ 3 , 5 , 18 , 19 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Characterization and Valorization of Maize Landraces from Aosta Valley

Lezzi,

Stagnati,

Madormo

et al. 2023

Plants

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While there is a rich collection of maize germplasm from Italy, it lacks genetic resources from the Aosta Valley, an isolated mountain region where landraces have been preserved in the absence of modern germplasm introductions. These local materials, which are still cultivated mainly at household level, can have high importance from a genetic and historical point of view. In the present study, five landraces named, after the collecting sites, Arnad, Arnad-Crest, Châtillon, Entrebin and Perloz, were sampled in Aosta Valley and subjected to historic, morphologic and genetic characterization. This study provided evidence for the landraces’ long presence in Aosta Valley, a significant genetic variability and differentiation among the investigated landraces. Globally, 67 different alleles were detected ranging from 4 for markers phi127 and p-bnlg176 to 10 for phi031, with a mean of 6.7 alleles per locus. Observed heterozygosity levels were comprised from 0.16 to 0.51 and are generalkly lower than expected heterozigosity supporting fixation at some loci. STRUCTURE analysis revealed clear separation between accessions revealing the presence of four ancestral populations. This may be explained by the long reproductive isolation experienced by these materials. Finally, morphological observations confirm the high diversity between landraces revealing that they generally have flint kernels, variable color from yellow to dark red (Châtillon) while Perloz showed kernels with an apical beak. The present work confirms the importance of mountain areas in conserving biodiversity and increases the rich Italian maize germplasm with materials well adapted to marginal areas. Such new genetic variability may be used to breed new materials for more resilient agriculture.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Characterization and Valorization of Maize Landraces from Aosta Valley

Lezzi,

Stagnati,

Madormo

et al. 2023

Plants

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“…The loss of biodiversity has been a crucial problem in the last century, and it was estimated that about 75% of the species of living things used for food and agriculture were lost; nowadays, three-quarters of global food produced is composed of only five animal species and twelve plant species [1][2][3][4][5]. Thus, the safeguarding and the promotion of agrobiodiversity have been central issues in recent decades [6][7][8].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Agriculture in Marginal Areas: Reintroduction of Rye and Wheat Varieties for Breadmaking in the Antrona Valley

et al. 2022

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In marginal lands, cereal landraces continue to be important in agricultural production, whereas hybrids lose their competitive advantage. In this context, selection for adaptation to each environment is particularly important in crops grown under unfavourable conditions, e.g., mountain areas. In this work, from a panel of traditional and modern varieties, mixtures and evolutionary populations, a randomised block experiment was established to select the most productive and suitable wheat and rye varieties specific for the Antrona Valley. The nutritional analysis of each flour was carried out. The results obtained in two years of varietal comparison suggested that rye is more suitable than wheat for growing in this environment: Alpina rye showed the highest yield/m2 and the highest ash content (1.87% ± 0.03%; p < 0.05) compared to other varieties, indicating it as suitable for the baking process. Among wheats, San Pastore showed the highest number of ears/m2 (411 and 350; p < 0.05) compared to others. However, in a context of climate change, the cultivation of Solibam could ensure yield stability, thanks to the high variability within the evolutionary population. Overall, our results demonstrated the possible reintroduction of the cereal supply chain in the Valley and the resumption of the historic rye bread production.

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“…The selection of tolerant genotypes could potentially reduce the reliance on chemical inputs. Also, many authors reported that the use of genotypes with pigmented pericarp appears promising for mitigating Fusarium infection (Landoni et al, 2020;Pilu et al, 2011;Sangiorgio et al, 2021;Venturini et al, 2016). Considering maize morphology, husk leaves have a significant impact on the susceptibility of maize to Fusarium.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The role of husk traits in maize susceptibility to Fusarium verticillioides: A multi‐location study in northern Italy

Magarini,

Colombo,

Cassani

et al. 2024

Food and Energy Security

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Fusarium disease and the consequent mycotoxin accumulation pose significant problem in maize cultivation, with fumonisins produced by Fusarium verticillioides posing a global health concern. To address this issue, a range of preventive measures (e.g. crop management techniques) can be implemented to minimize fungal infections. A promising strategy to counteract this issue involves the selection of genotypes with greater resistance to fungal pathogens. This approach has the potential to reduce the reliance on chemical inputs for controlling fungus growth or indirect infection vectors. Leveraging genetic approaches can help improve the economic sustainability of agriculture in the face of climate change challenges. In the present work, we assessed the importance of two husk leaf traits (coverage and number), their association with F. verticillioides infection, fumonisin content, and their potential influence on crop yield. The study was conducted in three locations in the North of Italy and 38 hybrids with varying resistance to F. Verticillioides were compared. The results obtained showed that husk coverage has a pivotal role not only in protecting maize ears from Fusarium infection but have also a significant impact on crop yield: a significant positive correlation was found between husk coverage and yield in all three locations (r = 0.33185; r = 0.51327 and r = 0.51207, respectively). Furthermore, in the field of Vicenza, a significant negative correlation was found between husk coverage and Fusarium severity (r = −0.41492). Husk coverage emerges as an important trait that merits inclusion in maize breeding programs, given its protective role against fungal infections and its favourable influence on both yield and grain quality.

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The Ancient Varieties of Mountain Maize: The Inheritance of the Pointed Character and Its Effect on the Natural Drying Process

Cited by 6 publications

References 52 publications

Characterization and Valorization of Maize Landraces from Aosta Valley

Characterization and Valorization of Maize Landraces from Aosta Valley

Agriculture in Marginal Areas: Reintroduction of Rye and Wheat Varieties for Breadmaking in the Antrona Valley

The role of husk traits in maize susceptibility to Fusarium verticillioides: A multi‐location study in northern Italy

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