Biodiversity of Vegetable Crops, A Living Heritage

• Main Author: Santamaria, Pietro (auth)
• Other Authors: Renna, Massimiliano (auth), Montesano, Francesco Fabiano (auth), Gonnella, Maria (auth), Signore, Angelo (auth)
• Format: Electronic Book Chapter
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI - Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute 2019
• Subjects: Biology, life sciences; polyphenols; landraces; artichoke; wild edible plants; microsatellite marker; mountain agriculture; HPLC analyses; Posidonia oceanica (L.) Delile; apulian landraces; traditional crops; genetic reserve; landrace; meristem-tip culture; databases; long storage time; Tanzania; cultivated vegetables; crop wild relative; history; safeguarding; nutrition; conservation; Crithmum maritimum L.; Italy; crop population; Tiggiano carrot; germplasm; local varieties; in situ conservation; homegardens; thermotherapy; genetic resources; Solanum lycopersicum L.; plant genetic resources; recovery; vegetables; sanitation; agriculture; ecology; domestication; heavy metal; ecotype; cropping patterns; virus-sanitation; agrobiodiversity; ecotypes; Apium graveolens; genetic distance; genetic variability; plant genetic resources populations; food safety; neglected and underutilized species; heirloom; geographical origin area; seed bank; climate change adaptation; bioactive compounds; genetic differentiation; growing substrate; characterization
• Online Access: DOAB: download the publication; DOAB: description of the publication

Intensive agriculture has generally resulted in higher productivity, but also in a trend towards decreasing levels of agro-biodiversity, which represents a key point in ensuring the adaptability and resilience of agro-ecosystems in the global challenge to produce more and better food in a sustainable way. The biodiversity of vegetable crops includes genetic diversity-both as species diversity (interspecific diversity) and as a diversity of genes within a species (intraspecific diversity) with regard to the vegetable varieties grown-and the diversity of agro-ecosystems (agro-biodiversity). The purpose of this Special Issue is to publish high-quality research papers addressing recent progress and perspectives on different aspects related to the biodiversity of vegetable crops. Original, high-quality contributions that have not yet been published, or that are not currently under review by other journals have been sought. The papers in this Special Issue cover a broad range of aspects and report recent research results regarding agro-biodiversity, which continues to be of significant relevance for both genetic and agricultural applications. All contributions are of significant relevance and could stimulate further research in this area.