Welcome to the OLGENOME website, a project funded by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Forests (Ministerial decree n.13939 – 24/04/2018) in the context of the “Piano Olivicolo oleario” (Interministerial Decree n.3048 – 22/07/2016)
The main aim of the project is to complete the olive tree genome sequencing (Olea europaea cv. Leccino) and to obtain gene expression data useful to identify genes involved in the mechanisms controlling characters of interest.
The new knowledge obtained in the project context can be considered transversal and useful for all olive tree research lines, from the strictly agronomic to the phytosanitary one, from the one involving the very first processing to the organizational one, therefore impacting on the competitivity of the whole olive sector production system.
In fact, a better understanding of the genetic mechanisms being at root of olive tree physiology can have result into: an increased production; a more efficient use of the species genetic resources; a wiser control of important agronomic characters (such as tree architecture, fertility, oil content of the fruits, resistance to pathogens and parasites, tolerance to environmental stresses); a better rationalisation of the agronomic and cultivation techniques; a further development of more and more efficient cultivation systems to increase productivity and the nutritional value; a reduced environmental pressure of the crops and an increasing sustainability; an improvement of the oils quality and of their nutraceutical and functional value and traceability; a promotion of the ecotypes and of the vocational soils; olive tree genetic improvement, to obtain new varieties.