THE EUROPEAN PROJECT: EUROPEAN GENETIC RESOURCES OF CYNARA SPP.

The four year project titled “European genetic resources of Cynara spp.”, CYNARES as acronym, started in 2008. CYNARES receives financial support from the European Commission, Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development, under Council Regulation (EC) No 870/2004. The project, coordinated by Tuscia University, Italy, has seven partners: three Italian (Tuscia University, CNR, ENEA), two French (BBV, GEVES) and two Spanish (Cartagena University, ITGA). The project aims to collect, conserve, characterize and utilize the potential Cynara diversity, in agreement with the CBD, the FAO's GPA for PGRFA, and the ITPGRFA. In particular, the activities are focused on: (i) rationalization and augmentation of the present germplasm collection of Cynara through acquiring new varieties; (ii) in situ and ex situ germplasm conservation; (iii) morphological, bio-chemical and molecular characterization for disease resistance; (iv) registration of varieties; (v) protection of their utilization by third parties, (vi) establishment of an interactive web-based documentation catalogue; (vii) promotion and protection of Cynara utilization on-farm.
The activity has been articulated in five work packages:

• WP1 Germplasm collection and collection rationalization is led by Dr. J.I. Macua (ITGA), with 196 lines of artichoke, 34 of cardoon and 55 of wild cardoon collected. The collections have been duplicated among partners. The collections will then be rationalized based the information obtained from WP3.
• WP2 Plant and DNA Conservation and vegetative multiplication, led by Dr. G. Sonnante (CNR), focuses on conserving germplasm in field gene banks, in seed stores, and in a DNA bank. The most promising lines are also conserved in vitro.
• WP3 Germplasm Characterization, led by Prof. M.A. Pagnotta (Tuscia University), entails sharing protocols and set unique methodologies. The germplasm have been evaluated at the morphological, molecular and biochemical levels.
• WP4 Interactive web-based documentation catalogue, led by Dr. P. Crinò (ENEA) includes the development of a website consisting of all the germplasm data and protocols used and developed by the project. The website and database will have different access levels, and will therefore be available also to persons/institutions not involved in the project.
• WP5 Implementation of the CYNARES network and actions, led by Dr. C. Bazinet (BBV), focuses on disseminating information obtained during the project. The first step is to establish a concerted and sustainable network. The network will then promote exchanges and cooperative actions at the European level.