Molecular characterization of emmer (Triticum dicoccum) landraces from central Italy

Emmer (Triticum dicoccon Schrank,2n = 4x = 28) is a hulled wheatspecies [more] widely spread in the Mediterranean basin. In Italy it survives as acrop in a few marginal areas and peculiar ecological niches in different regionsof central and southern Italy. A renewed interest has occurred during the lastdecade toward local varieties belonging to this species. As a matter of fact,local varieties have the highest genetic variation and adaptation to the naturaland anthropological environment from where they originated. Results on thegenetic diversity within and relationships among 11 Italian local varieties ofemmer as assessed with 17 RAPD marker loci are here reported. The proportion ofthe among-local variety genetic diversity was as high as 48% (GST =0.479). Thus, about 52% of the total variation was within population. Localvarieties of emmer proved to be formed by a variable number of lines geneticallydistinguishable from each other, and the vast majority of individuals overpopulations proved to be different multilocus genotypes. Landraces of emmer fromcentral and southern Italy showed distinctive molecular traits. In particular,local varieties classified as «Central Italy» types were characterized by a common set of RAPD marker alleles and proved to bedistinguishable from both the «Southern Italy» and the«Garfagnana» accessions. The overall results confirm the highvariability that can be found within landrace populations, underlining thevalues of landraces as an irreplaceable bank of genetically diversified andhighly co-adapted genotypes. Information for an appropriate insitu conservation and management of this valuable source of emmergermplasm is discussed.