Integration of Conservation Strategies of Plant Genetic ... - Genres

The results of the plot tests are not available yet, since these varieties were planted two years ago.
Observing the old trees, a great resistance to fungin diseases could be ascertain; they adapt to
unfavourable habitats by means of morphological and physiological characters. For example many apples
have a thick pericarp and are often rusty in colour; this enables them to better resist the conditions of
drought.
The informal sector in Italy
Several figures of the informal sector are, apparently, contributing to conservation of fruit trees diversity.
They are almost uniformly distributed all over the Italian regions. The sector is too heterogeneous to be
called simply informal. There are many different levels, interests, roles and aims. Everything that is not
official is considered informal. Even so this great spectrum is highly fragmented, without organization
and a common policy, deserves to be considered
and praised . Moreover it seems that there is no connection among the various elements of this sector;
therefore, often, research and conservation activity is done exclusively for the devotion and the
awareness of single persons or farmers. Nevertheless it was possible to identify different groups of active
subjects from the informal sector. In order to give a general picture about it, the main groups are here
listed and briefly described.
Farmers
As it is highly recognized today, farmers have been the principal protagonists of plant conservation,
especially those working in marginal areas, hills and mountains. They are the sole left witnesses of the
popular knowledge. They have conserved some varieties as a consequence of the bond of affection with
plants, even when plants have lost their economic importance. Thus farmers, preserving local genetic
resources, should be considered cardinal figures for future conservation actions.
The European Community Regulation n. 2078 /1992 promotes the preservation of the traditional rural
landscape and the local varieties. Though this regulation has been produced late, it is still on time to save
what remains from a much richer genetic patrimony. Old varieties may be reintroduced in cultivation by
old and young farmers not only in virtue of the above mentioned low, but because of a constant pressure,
of many social components, towards conservation of biodiversity. In Italy there is still a large number
of traditional farmers, and often young too, willing to live closer to nature rather than in big industrial
cities. Few but strong and convinced farmers of any age are waiting the right actions from a more
adequate and updated politics.
Biological farmers
They are generally organized in local cooperatives and/or regional associations. They are sensitive to
conservation problems but sometimes they are novice farmers, with no connection with the previous
generation of farmers, who have gone back to agriculture too late to save most of the old and local
varieties. With difficulty they find plants or trees to be conserved or reproduced; moreover, they often
buy modern varieties to be grown under biological methods.(Recchia,1992).
Nevertheless, there are some important activities carried out by these associations, which, directly or
indirectly, are serving the cause of on farm conservation of old fruit variation.
Biodynamic farmers
Farmers belonging to farmer associations. This category of farmers by using and cultivating only local
varieties plays a very important role in their conservation. As for the previous category the number of
associations increases every year. It seems there are already many farmers working on cereals, vegetables