STRAWBERRY BREEDING PROGRAM FOR SOUTHERN ITALY

Due to the earliness of the crops, this production assumes a big importance for the Italian export. However, following the entrance into E.E.C. of Spain and Greece, there is a risk that serious problems could be encountered in the commercialization of fruits on the European markets. In order to reduce the risk of such a competition, the Ministry of Agriculture is promoting a special project to sustain and improve the strawberry industry, which is still at the first place among the western European countries.

A number of official Research Organizations take part into the project; they cover different competences such as genetics, pomology, plant protection, general biology and field management.

The plan is split in:

1. Breeding for superior pomological and agronomic features;
2. Breeding for superior resistance to parasites;
3. Cleaning of the clones to be released.

The working Units are the following:

Istituto Sperimentale per la Frutticoltura, Rome

Istituto di Patologia Vegetale, Basilicata University, Potenza

Istituto di Patologia Vegetale, Bologna University

Istituto di Biologia Agraria, Basilicata University, Potenza

Istituto di Coltivazioni Arboree, Bologna University

Istituto di Orticoltura, Palermo University

Istituto di Patologia Vegetale, Bari University

Istituto di Nematologia Agraria, C.N.R., Bari

E.R.S.O., Cesena, Forli

Azienda Regionale Sperimentale "Pantanello", Regione Basilicata

The objectives of the program were identified as follows: a)combine some good features of the California varieties (firmness, skin colour, shape and size of the fruits) with a good adaptability to the Italian environments; b)introduce low susceptibility, even not resistance, to the most widely spread soil borne diseases; c)combine high productivity with day neutral character; d)breed for mechanical harvesting.

The project calls for a big implementing ability, which is provided by organizations and research institutions with highly experienced personnel. In addition, in order to accelerate the activities, they must be integrated by other competences available in the regions for which the breeding programmes are designed. The Istituto Sperimentale per la Frutticoltura of Rome, the Istituto di