The Longevity of Fruit Trees in Basilicata (Southern Italy): Implications for Agricultural Biodiversity Conservation

Jordan Palli, Michele Baliva, Franco Biondi, Lucio Calcagnile, Domenico Cerbino, Marisa D’Elia, Rosario Muleo, Aldo Schettino, Gianluca Quarta, Nicola Sassone, Francesco Solano, Pietro Zienna and Gianluca Piovesan ()
Additional contact information
Jordan Palli: Department of Ecological and Biological Sciences (DEB), University of Tuscia, 01100 Viterbo, Italy
Michele Baliva: Department of Ecological and Biological Sciences (DEB), University of Tuscia, 01100 Viterbo, Italy
Franco Biondi: DendroLab, Department of Natural Resources & Environmental Science, University of Nevada, Reno, NV 89557, USA
Lucio Calcagnile: Centre of Applied Physics, Dating and Diagnostics (CEDAD), Department of Mathematics and Physics “Ennio De Giorgi”, University of Salento, 73100 Lecce, Italy
Domenico Cerbino: Lucan Agency for the Development and Innovation in Agriculture (ALSIA), via Annunziatella 64, 75100 Matera, Italy
Marisa D’Elia: Centre of Applied Physics, Dating and Diagnostics (CEDAD), Department of Mathematics and Physics “Ennio De Giorgi”, University of Salento, 73100 Lecce, Italy
Rosario Muleo: Department of Agriculture and Forest Sciences (DAFNE), University of Tuscia, 01100 Viterbo, Italy
Aldo Schettino: Ente Parco Nazionale del Pollino, Complesso Monumentale Santa Maria della Consolazione, 85048 Rotonda, Italy
Gianluca Quarta: Centre of Applied Physics, Dating and Diagnostics (CEDAD), Department of Mathematics and Physics “Ennio De Giorgi”, University of Salento, 73100 Lecce, Italy
Nicola Sassone: Lucan Agency for the Development and Innovation in Agriculture (ALSIA), via Annunziatella 64, 75100 Matera, Italy
Francesco Solano: Department of Ecological and Biological Sciences (DEB), University of Tuscia, 01100 Viterbo, Italy
Pietro Zienna: Lucan Agency for the Development and Innovation in Agriculture (ALSIA), via Annunziatella 64, 75100 Matera, Italy
Gianluca Piovesan: Department of Ecological and Biological Sciences (DEB), University of Tuscia, 01100 Viterbo, Italy

Land, 2023, vol. 12, issue 3, 1-17

Abstract: In the Mediterranean basin, agriculture and other forms of human land use have shaped the environment since ancient times. Intensive and extensive agricultural systems managed with a few cultured plant populations of improved varieties are a widespread reality in many Mediterranean countries. Despite this, historical cultural landscapes still exist in interior and less intensively managed rural areas. There, ancient fruit tree varieties have survived modern cultivation systems, preserving a unique genetic heritage. In this study, we mapped and characterized 106 living fruit trees of ancient varieties in the Basilicata region of southern Italy. Tree ages were determined through tree ring measurements and radiocarbon analyses. We uncovered some of the oldest scientifically dated fruit trees in the world. The oldest fruit species were olive (max age 680 ± 57 years), mulberry (647 ± 66 years), chestnut (636 ± 66 years), and pear (467 ± 89 years). These patriarchs hold a unique genetic resource; their preservation and genetic maintenance through agamic propagation are now promoted by the Lucan Agency for the Development and Innovation in Agriculture (ALSIA). Each tree also represents a hub for biodiversity conservation in agrarian ecosystems: their large architecture and time persistence guarantee ecological niches and micro-habitats suitable for flora and fauna species of conservation significance.

Keywords: fruit tree age; olive; chestnut; pear; mulberry; natural heritage; cultural landscape; dendrochronology; radiocarbon; agriculture biodiversity (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/12/3/550/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/12/3/550/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jlands:v:12:y:2023:i:3:p:550-:d:1079186

Access Statistics for this article

Land is currently edited by Ms. Carol Ma

More articles in Land from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().