Periodic Reporting for period 2 - BeFOre (Bioresources For Oliviculture)
Berichtszeitraum: 2017-02-01 bis 2019-01-31
A subset of 105 cultivars, selected based on the number of replicates (present in two or more collections and seasons), their particular relevance for the production of olive oil or table olives and for their representativeness of peculiar areas. Common protocols have been established for sample collection, imaging, post-processing, sample storage and biochemical analysis. Morphological data have represented an efficient tool for characterization and discrimination of varieties: image capture and image analysis have been performed on leaves, fruits and stones from samples of at least three different collections/environments. A semi-automatic method for detecting morphological parameters based on image analysis tool has been developed.Fatty acid composition, as a key factor of the quality and health properties of olive oil has been evaluated. An easy and accurate protocol to determine olive oil fatty acid composition directly on fruits has been agreed, and genotype-environment interactions were also taken under consideration. All data have been loaded on a database of molecular, morphological and biochemical patterns for each variety and it has been made publicly available as a reference olive database.
Resistance to main pathogens and pests and fruit metabolic profiles have been considered for the agronomical characterization of olive varieties. An extensive data set on the resistance-susceptibility to Verticillium wilt of many olive varieties from 20 countries has been summarized and compared. Furthermore, the following objectives were pursued by BeFOre project: providing information on low-resource and low-water demanding cultivars and rootstocks . A complete picture on self- and inter-incompatibility of a core set of Mediterranean varieties has been obtained, verifying the G1 or G2 group of incompatibility for about 200 varieties. To pursuing the ethical issues arising from the Project, the Legal Research Unit, performed many activities. In relation to the entry into force of the Nagoya Protocol, how the member countries have or are in the course of placing in act their national ABS measures taking into consideration the provisions of the CBD and the ITPGRFA has been analyzed. The analysis of the olive plant production market and its potential developments has allowed to determine if such structures may incentive efficient production, distribution and commercialization in the nursery field in the countries involved.
All information derived by the BeFOre project has been disseminated to the scientific community through the publication of more than 20 scientific articles on international ISI journals and many others still under preparation or submitted for publication and through the public opinion, using the website of the project (www.beforeproject.eu) social media and organizing seminars and conferences.