ESTIMATING GENETIC EROSION IN LANDRACES - 2 CASE-STUDIES

The results of collecting missions in Albania in 1941 and 1993 and in South Italy in 1950 and in the eighties allowed a comparison to be mad e of the material cultivated. The number of landraces still cultivated recently, as compared to their former number, was the basis for the e stimation of genetic erosion. Genetic erosion (GE) was calculated as G E = 100% - GI (Genetic integrity). Genetic erosion was found to be 72. 4% in Albania and 72.8% in South Italy, respectively. These results pr ove the high degree of genetic erosion in landraces from different par ts of the Mediterranean area. Apart from the economic conditions, seve ral other factors are responsible for genetic erosion, among them bree ding system, crop type (i.e., garden or field crop) and crop group (e. g., cereals, vegetables and pulses). The results show that in the area s investigated there are still landraces for in situ conservation. Ex situ conservation in genebanks proved to be a possibility. An integrat ion process is necessary to prevent losses in crops which are difficul t to propagate under ex situ conditions. The complementarity of both c onservation methods is stressed.