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Re-introduction of the four leaf clover in the agricultural context of the Po River Plain, Italy

Identifying crop genetic resources represent an important aspect of agricultural biodiversity conservation. However, conservation of landraces is challenging because they often cannot be properly identified, or have already suffered from genetic erosion, or have disappeared. Identification of landraces can be obtained using molecular markers or discriminating qualitative and quantitative morphological traits. The latter methodology is cheap and easily achievable, allowing the registration of landraces in national catalogues. In this study, we carried out a morphological characterisation of different accessions of Cucurbita maxima (Cucurbitaceae) cultivated in the Po Valley (N-Italy), locally known as Cappello da prete. The aim was to explore the morphological fruit variability among accessions and to identify potential distinct landraces within the Cappello da prete squash group. Differences between accessions were found indicating that morphological traits can be effectively used to identify these landraces and suggesting a diversification by isolation. Indeed, our morphological analysis shown the existence of two different landraces of Cappello da prete squashes. The adopted procedure can demonstrate that few low-cost traits are useful for the registration of local varieties in the official catalogue of landraces. Our study also demonstrates that morphological characterisation allows a rapid and cost-effective identification of diagnostic morphological traits that, together with historical and cultural information, are fundamental to recognise landraces.

In this contribution, new data concerning the Italian distribution of alien vascular flora are presented. It includes new records, exclusions, confirmations, and status changes for Italy or for Italian administrative regions for taxa in the genera Acer, Amaranthus, Araujia, Aubrieta, Avena, Bidens, Calycanthus, Celtis, Elaeagnus, Eragrostis, Euonymus, Fallopia, Ficus, Hedera, Lantana, Ligustrum, Ludwigia, Morus, Oenothera, Opuntia, Oxalis, Parkinsonia, Paspalum, Paulownia, Platycladus, Pleuropterus, Rumex, Salvia, Senecio, Setaria, Syagrus, Tradescantia, Trifolium and Yucca. Furthermore, a new combination in the genus Vicia is proposed.

Results of the first documented reintroduction of the endangered endemic quillwort Isoetes malinverniana are presented 1 year after transplanting. This represents the most complete report of a quillwort translocation globally. A new population of I. malinverniana was established in a protected area in Lombardy (northern Italy) after several years of investigation of the ecology, biology and genetics of this species. The selected site was restored before the trial release in March 2016 of 20 individuals of the target species. Although modelling for the selection of suitable release sites for the target species indicated that the selected site was not suitable for the species, I. malinverniana exhibited a survival of 60% 1 year after reintroduction. This trial indicates that with very rare species, experimental trialling of a few individuals can test the feasibility of translocation at a larger scale. Although the model was constructed using a wide variety of ecological and phenological parameters, it was unreliable because of intrinsically low statistical power, which is a limitation of modelling associated with very rare species. Although mature spores were dispersed in autumn 2016, sporelings have not yet been observed. Ultimately, reintroduction of I. malinverniana will rely on the evidence of self-recruitment; however, this translocation effort promoted understanding of ecological tolerance and facilitated focused conservation management. For instance, a protocol for in vitro reproduction of the species was successfully developed, resulting in long-term survival of ex situ collections that exist in two botanical gardens in Pavia and Turin. Considering that many isoetid species are threatened worldwide, the techniques applied here may have broad applicability to other endangered species.

Conservation of Leucojum aestivum, a wetland-dependent species distributed in Europe and west Asia, should aim to reduce the fragmentation of wild stands, through the establishment of new populations. However, density-dependent dynamics occur in L. a estivum. For instance, fruit set and seed set increase with increasing plant density. In this study, we evaluate the effect of plant density on translocation success of two recently established populations of L. a estivum. Twenty-six populations of L. a estivum were investigated in northern Italy to find out differences in population traits (size, density, age structure, and reproductive performance) between populations from different habitats. Data obtained were used to establish two new populations of the species differing for population density (high H, mirroring the typical plant density of a wild population in Salix alba woods and low L, in which plant density was halved compared to H), to evaluate the role of density-dependent dynamics on the translocation success. 4 years after the translocation, H produced seedlings, while L did not. Moreover, H produced a significantly higher number of fruits per fruiting plant and higher fruit set. Seed set was also greater in H than in L, while mortality was greater in L than in H, but differences were not significant. Our results suggest that population density is an important factor to account for in newly established populations, especially in those species showing density-dependent population dynamics. Moreover, the imitation of successful within-population dynamics occurring in natural stable populations may increase the translocation success.

In this contribution new data concerning the distribution of native vascular flora in Italy are presented. It includes new records, exclusions, and confirmations to the Italian administrative regions for taxa in the generaAsplenium,Bolboschoenus,Botrychium,Chamaerops,Crocus,Galeopsis,Grafia,Helosciadium,Hieracium,Juniperus,Leucanthemum,Lolium,Medicago,Phalaris,Piptatherum,Potamogeton,Salicornia,Salvia,Seseli,Silene,Spiraea,TorilisandVicia.Rhaponticoidescalabricais proposed assynonym novumofR.centaurium. Furthermore, new combinations in the generaGalatellaandLactucaare proposed.

The genus Aegilops represents the secondary gene pool of wheat. A better understanding of the germination behaviour of Aegilops species is important to improve their use in breeding programmes and strengthen their in situ/ex situ conservation. In this study, we investigated the germination behaviour of nine Aegilops species, five of them not yet investigated, under two alternating and two constant temperatures. Seed germination was higher than 60% in all temperature treatments and species. Alternating temperatures promoted higher germination rates in all the species and significantly enhanced seed germination in three species (Aegilops biuncialis, Aegilops geniculata and Aegilops neglecta), in comparison with constant temperatures. One of the rarest and least productive species in the genus (Aegilops uniaristata) displayed the highest germination. This study suggests that different (seed) regeneration strategies/niches occur across Aegilops species.