Evaluation of Triticum durum Desf. germplasm for the improvement of local products.

Durum wheat (Triticum turgidum L. var. durum, 2n = 4x = 28; AABB genomes) is an important crop, mainly used for human consumption. In recent decades, genetic improvement of durum wheat led to the spread of a limited number of varieties, with characteristics of adaptability and high productivity, that have replaced the pre-existing genetic diversity. The direct consequence of this process was the genetic erosion of durum wheat germplasm base available for future breeding advances. Ex situ conservation of land races and wild relatives provides vital insurance against excessive erosion of a crop’s genetic base. For this reason, over the past years, gene bank collections have been established for all major and most minor crops. Currently, there are also many worldwide collections of durum wheat, but only few of them have been characterized and used. Thus, it is possible to acquire germplasm collections of genetic resources from the gene banks and use them for their characterization, in order to obtain all the information necessary for their proper use. In this study 128 genetic resources of durum wheat collected in previous decades in southern Italy and now available from the gene banks were evaluated, through morphological, biochemical markers, SSR markers and quality parameters. The results describe: - the evolution of genetic diversity through multiplication and rejuvenation of the materials over the past 60 years, and the effects of genetic erosion; - the attitude of this germplasm to the production of bread and pasta. The germplasm with adequate quanti-qualitative characteristics represents a valuable genetic resource that will have utility for future breeding improvement of typical production, linked to specific region areas.