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Urgent need for preservation of grapevine (Vitis vinifera L. subsp. vinifera) germplasm from small circum-Sicilian islands as revealed by SSR markers and traditional use investigations

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Abstract

Since the last decades grapevine germplasm is undergoing a process of rapid genetic erosion. This process is of particular concern in minor circum-Sicilian islands, because of the sharp reduction of the cultivated surfaces and the shift of their economy from agriculture to tourism. Aiming at valorising and preserving the surviving varieties we collected 185 accessions during several surveys since 2007. Six nuclear microsatellite markers were used for germplasm characterization, yielding 75 different genetic profiles. We found out that most genetic profiles (39) were not listed in national and international grapevine databases, confirming that the Sicilian minor islands represent underexplored hotspots of genetic diversity for grapevine. We also identified several synonymies, often due to geographic isolation, having 20 varieties at least two names. Conversely, 18 homonyms collectively indicated 34 genetically different accessions. Interviews with farmers provided information on current and past usage, and the origin and type of cultivation practices as well. The study also shows the urgent need for preservation of local grapevine germplasm, due to the disappearance of the elder caretakers of these traditional varieties. For rare germplasm preservation most part of the collected grapevine cultivars were introduced in an ex situ collection field.

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Acknowledgments

This research was partly supported by Regione Siciliana (PSR Sicilia 2007–2013, Sottomisura 214/2A—Preservazione della biodiversità: Centri pubblici di conservazione, Grant No. 94750767637) and by the grant from the Italian Ministry of the Research in the frame of the project ‘Tracciabilità della filiera vitivinicola’ (OR 2.1.2-CISIA DGLS 191/2009). We are very grateful to all the following informants for providing material, interviews and information. Without their support, openness, memory, passion for traditions and history of their peoples and territory, this work could not have been realized. They are the last holders of an unwritten tradition that is being lost. Together with them we have spent so many pleasant years of research. The farmers Pino Bartolo, Antonino Bono, Salvatore Maltese, Giuseppe Palmeri, Gaetano Taranto Pasquale Tonnicchia and, the personnel of Legambiente Association (Manager of Isola di Lampedusa Nature Reserve): Vincenzo Billeci, Giuseppe Maraventano, Giusi Nicolini, Elena Prazzi, Gerry Sorrentino from Lampedusa; Fedele Giardina, Salvatore La Russa and Giacomo Sorrentino from Linosa; Battista Belvisi, Giovanni Belvisi, Francesco Belvisi, Giovanni “Migroscio” Bonomo, Giovanni Consolo, Giovanni Errera, Antonio Ferrandes, Giovanni Ferrandes, Salvatore Ferrandes, Vito Ferreri, Michele Maccotta, Giovanni Maddalena, Giovanni Rizzo and Gabriele Vincenzo from Pantelleria; the farmers Lorenzo Basile, Gaetano Biscotto, Felicino Bruno, Antonio Cento, Salvatore Cincotta, Salvatore D’Amico, Carmela “Pizzicata” De Corrado, Lucio De Fina, Antonio Di Giorgi, Aldo Galletta, Salvatore Galletta, Rosario Giordano, Felice La Rosa, Gaetano Marchetta, Mario Marsile, Giacomo Merlino, Fiorella Miglietti, Antonino Mirenda, Mimì Randazzo, Bartolino Russo, Enrico Virgona and Gino Zagami and Pietro Lo Cascio and Flavia Grita (NESOS Association) from Salina; Nicola Longo and Margherita Longo from Ustica. In special remembrance of Carmelina De Corrado, who passed away last year at the age of 100.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Istituto di Bioscienze e BioRisorse, UOS di Palermo, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Corso Calatafimi 414, 90145, Palermo, Italy

    Alessandro Silvestre Gristina, Roberto De Michele, Giuseppe Garfì, Ignazio Fontana, Patrizia Spinelli, Antonio Motisi & Francesco Carimi

  2. Dipartimento SAF, dell’Università di Palermo, Viale delle Scienze 11, 90128, Palermo, Italy

    Tommaso La Mantia

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  1. Alessandro Silvestre Gristina
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  2. Roberto De Michele
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  3. Giuseppe Garfì
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  4. Tommaso La Mantia
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Correspondence to Francesco Carimi.

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Gristina, A.S., De Michele, R., Garfì, G. et al. Urgent need for preservation of grapevine (Vitis vinifera L. subsp. vinifera) germplasm from small circum-Sicilian islands as revealed by SSR markers and traditional use investigations. Genet Resour Crop Evol 64, 1395–1415 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10722-016-0444-6

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