Collecting crop genetic resources in the Mediterranean agricultural islands: Maltese Archipelago
2004
Laghetti, G. | Perrino, P. | Cifarelli, S. (Plant Genetic Institute - The National Research Council, Bari (Italy)) | Scicluna-Spiteri, A. | Attard, E. | Hammer, K.
This collecting mission in Maltese Archipelago opens a new exploration cycle aimed to safeguard autochthonous crop genetic resources still present in the Mediterranean islands. This new research is the sequel to that carried out in the Italian small islands that ended in 2002. Maltese agriculture is an economic activity of low importance, mainly due to the scarcity of arable land and water resources. In this first and preliminary expedition, 32 valuable landraces were collected of 19 species of pulses, vegetables, cereals, forages, industrial plants, spices and condiments. In general, strong crop genetic erosion was observed, but on the Island of Gozo this phenomenon was less severe. The building of a local genebank would certainly help to stop this trend
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