Traditional Italian maize varieties

Traditional Italy, Italian maize varieties have been, according to historical, archaeological, botanical, botany, morphological, and genetic evidence, molded since the introduction of this Introduced species, exotic cereal crop from the Americas in the sixteenth century.

History

The speciation and Evolutionary biology, evolution of maize varieties in Italy, by means of man-made adaptive selection, maintained a broad genetic variability for about four centuries. Traditional Variety (botany), varieties and ecotypes were sown in the Geography of Italy, diversified ecological regions of Italy until the introduction of Corn Belt Hybrid (biology), hybrids in the twentieth century presented outstanding ecological adaptation, Crop yield, yield and cooking characteristics.

Most Italian Agriculture, agro-ecotypes of maize are from the ''Indurata'' and ''Indentata'' sections and their combinations, characterized by seed, kernels with flint, semi-dent and dent consistency. A few local varieties from the ''Everta'' section (pop-corn) were also grown in Italy. The kernel apex can take different shapes: smooth, horned, cuspidate, rostrum-like or indented.

The eco-Agricultural economics, agronomic characteristics of Italian traditional varieties match the Mediterranean climate, Mediterranean and semi-continental climate of the country, with mostly spring and some summer (post-wheat) sowings; and early (summer) to late (autumn) maturity.

Classification

Biological classification, Classification, along the plant cropping and grain cooking characteristics, is summed in the following Ear (botany), ear types;
*Eight-rows (ottofile),
*Large conic
*Long-ear cylindric,
*Polirows-subconic,
*Short-cycle dwarf conic.

An early description of 12 maize varieties was published by P. Venino in 1916, followed by extensive studies by Tito Vezio Zapparoli between 1920 and 1943. An extensive collection of 562 seed samples of local varieties was collected in 1954-1955 by Aureliano Brandolini.

The agronomic, Morphology (biology), morphological and Cell biology, cytological characterization, and multi-variate analysis, of such and other accessions stored at the germplasm bank of the "Maize experimental station" in Bergamo, allowed the systematic classification of Italian traditional varieties.Aureliano Brandolini and Andrea Brandolini.
''Il mais in Italia: storia naturale e agricola. II. Caratteristiche morfologiche'', CRF Press, Bergamo, 2006

According to such classification, Italian traditional maize varieties are:

*Sections ''Indurata'' and ''Indentata'' (9 racial complexes, 35 Race (biology), races & 65 agro-ecotypes)
**Eight-rowed flints and derived races: 6 races and 10 agro-ecotypes
***Ottofile puri (true eight-rows)
****Ottofile
****Ottofile tardivo
****Tajolone
***Razze derivate (derivative races)
****Cannellino
****Derivati 12-14 file
****Monachello
**Conical flints and derived races: 5 races and 15 agro-ecotypes
***Barbina
***Biancone
***Montano
***Ostesa
***Poliranghi
**Late Southern cylindrical flints: 3 races and 4 agro-ecotypes
***Montoro
***Pannaro
***Rodindia
**Midseason Southern cylindrical flints: 3 races and 6 agro-ecotypes
***Altosiculo
***Dindico
***Trentinella
**Extra-early dwarf flints: 4 races and 6 agro-ecotypes
***Agostinello
***Poliota
***Tirolese
***Trenodi
**Microsperma flints: 4 races e 8 agro-ecotypes
***Appenniniche
****Zeppetello
***Subalpine
****Cadore
****Cinquantino Marano
****Quarantino estivo
**Padanians: 4 races and 7 agro-ecotypes
***Poliranghi
****Bani-Scaiola
****Pignolo
****Rostrato-Scagliolo
***Longispiga
****Agostano
**Pearl white flints: 3 races and 4 agro-ecotypes
***Bianco Perla
***Cimalunga
***Righetta bianco
**Dent corn: 2 races and 5 agro-ecotypes
***Dentati bianchi antichi
***Dentati moderni
*Section ''Everta''
**Pop corn: 3 races and 12 agro-ecotypes
***Bianco tardivo cremonese
***Perla prolifico
***Risiforme precoce

Future

Genetic erosion is a menace to the basis of further improvement for a monoic, Allogamy, allogamous species, ''Zea mays L.'', whose genetic progress is mainly founded on the combination of the structural and physiological Phenotypic trait, traits, contributed by each parental genotype, and a hazard to the specific qualities of different maize varieties, selected throughout the centuries as a major element for each peculiar meal involving maize derivates.

See also

*Consiglio per la ricerca e la sperimentazione in agricoltura

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Italian Traditional Maize Varieties
Maize varieties
Agriculture in Italy
Lists of cultivars, Maize varieties