S02 - Session P2 - Research regarding restoration of the main identity traits of old Romanian autumn cabbage variety, Licurisca

Authors: Costel Vinatoru *, Bianca Musat, Camelia Bratu, Geanina Negosanu, Matilda Popescu, Dorel Hoza

For a long time, it was considered that the cabbage variety Licurisca was lost forever because of negligence in terms of conservative selection and removal from the Official List of Crop Plants. This variety is considered one of the oldest varieties of cabbage grown in Romania. It has its origin in the old landraces extended in Buzau vegetable area, which, due to the empirical selection practices applied differently from one area to another, led to the emergence of new genotypes that received various popular names. This study aimed at the rehabilitation of Licurisca variety, restoration, and restriction of the variability of the identity characters according to the requirements of DUS test, preservation of the authenticity of the variety, promotion in culture, and future breeding works. This study used 26 representative landraces purchased from traditional domestic growers and gene banks. The improvement method used was mass selection with a single choice followed by negative mass selection. The applied culture technology was the standard one applied identically for all genotypes. During the vegetation period, phenological and biometric observations were made, emphasising the purification works. The variety was majorly affected by genetic erosion. At the beginning of the research, only 18% were typical plants of the variety. The selection and improvement work undertaken have brought the Licurisca cabbage variety back to the initial parameters described in the specialized literature: the average weight of the plant head of 2533 g, the total weight of the plant with the root of 4068 g, the vegetation period of 140 days. In 2022, this variety will be re-examined by ISTIS Romania and proposed for re-registration. It will be preserved in the medium and long term within the germplasm bank.