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The olive tree is one of the most important economic, cultural, and environmental resources for Italy, in particular for the Apulian region, where it shows a wide diversity. The increasing attention to the continuous loss of plant genetic diversity due to social, economic and climatic changes, has favored a renewed interest in strategies aimed at the recovery and conservation of these genetic resources. In the frame of a project for the valorization of the olive Apulian biodiversity (Re.Ger.O.P. project), 177 minor genotypes were recovered in different territories of the region. They were submitted to morphological, molecular, technological and phytosanitary status analysis in comparison with reference cultivars, then they were propagated and transferred in an ex situ field. All the available information was stored in an internal regional database including photographic documentation and geographic position. The work allowed obtaining information about the genetic diversity of Apulian germplasm, to clarify cases of homonymy and synonymy, to check the sanitary status, and to identify candidate genotypes useful both to set up breeding programs and to enrich the panel of olive cultivars available to farmers for commercial exploitation., (Copyright © 2020 Miazzi, di Rienzo, Mascio, Montemurro, Sion, Sabetta, Vivaldi, Camposeo, Caponio, Squeo, Difonzo, Loconsole, Bottalico, Venerito, Montilon, Saponari, Altamura, Mita, Petrontino, Fucilli and Bozzo.)

The morphology of olive flowers allows either self- or cross-pollination that could partially explain the existence of both reproductive features in this species. However, a high degree of self-incompatibility is reported for many olive genotypes, that could be an important reproductive barrier influencing olive yield. Due to the strong environmental influence, results of compatibility tests are often contradictory, making cultivar classification quite imprecise. In this study, the self-incompatibility value has been determined for four olive genotypes (Bella di Spagna, Coratina, Leccino, and Ogliarola barese) widespread in the Mediterranean basin. Moreover, the incompatibility relationships of cultivar Coratina with some suitable pollinizers (Leccino, Oliastro, and Picholine) have been studied in controlled crosses: the in vitro germination potential of progenies has been evaluated and the selection of cross-derived embryos has been indirectly performed by the molecular characterization of the corresponding endosperm. The results increase knowledge on factors affecting self-compatibility in olive. Moreover, they provide useful information to farmers about the most effective cultivars for the set-up of new olive grove or for graft planning. Finally, they provide a new strategy and procedure based on endosperm analysis by SSRs for an accurate, fast, and relatively cheap screening of embryos/seedlings.

Flavonoids are a well-studied group of secondary metabolites, belonging to the phenylpropanoid pathway. Flavonoids are known to exhibit health promoting effects such as antioxidant capacities, anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory activity. Globe artichoke is an important source of bioactive phenolic compounds, including flavonoids. To study the regulation of their biosynthesis, a R2R3-MYB transcription factor, CcMYB12 , was isolated from artichoke leaves. Phylogenetic analysis showed that this protein belongs to the MYB subgroup 7 (flavonol-specific MYB), which includes Arabidopsis AtMYB12, grapevine VvMYBF1, and tomato SlMYB12. CcMYB12 transcripts were detected specifically in artichoke immature inflorescence and young leaves and overlapped with the profiles of flavonol biosynthetic genes. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays (EMSAs) revealed that recombinant CcMYB12 protein is able to bind to ACII element, a DNA binding site ubiquitously present in the promoters of genes encoding flavonol biosynthetic enzymes. In transgenic Arabidopsis plants, the overexpression of CcMYB12 activated the expression of endogenous flavonol biosynthesis genes, leading to an increase of flavonol accumulation and a decrease of anthocyanins in leaves. Likewise, in transgenic tobacco petals and leaves, the overexpression of CcMYB12 decreased anthocyanin levels and increased flavonols.