Assessment of Genetic Variability among Globe Artichoke Spring Landraces from Marche Region Revealed by Molecular and Agronomical Traits

Among the rich Italian primary gene pool of globe artichoke (Cynara cardunculus var. scolymus L.), landraces from Italian Marche Region were assessed with the aim of characterizing and recovering selected germplasm for future plant breeding activities. Four traditional spring landraces, 'Montelupone A', 'Montelupone B', 'Jesino' and 'Ascolano', were grown in two different areas and environments of central Italy: Cerveteri, Rome (Tyrrhenian coast) and Monsampolo del Tronto, Ascoli Piceno (Adriatic coast). In both areas, the landraces were characterized morphologically, utilizing UPOV descriptors, and molecularly by ISSR and SSR molecular markers. The genetic variability within and among landraces, and the environmental influence on the phenotypic expression of the landraces was studied. The analyses, carried out for two years on the Tyrrhenian coast, showed greater vigour of the plants with respect to that observed on the Adriatic coast; vigour was expressed as larger plant and head size. 'Jesino' and 'Montelupone A' landraces had the smallest plants with less lateral shoots but with the longest heads, while the same landraces did not differ statistically for the head diameter. 'Montelupone A' and 'Ascolano' were the most productive landraces in terms of total flower head weight. Due to the variability existing within each landrace, discriminant analysis was able to classify correctly only the 75% of cross-validated grouped cases. In particular, 'Jesino' and 'Ascolano' were sometimes misclassified as 'Montelupone A' and/or 'Montelupone B', while 'Jesino' and 'Ascolano' were never misclassified one with the other. The landraces have been selected for productive and homogeneous material to be utilized in plant breeding programs. Single plants were selected, characterized under agronomical and reproductive profiles and subjected to self-pollination. These inbred lines may be used either for the release of new cultivars or as parental lines in hybridization strategy.