The OLGENOME project proposal aims to pursue the objective reported in the in the MIPAAF-MEF Interministerial Decree (22th July 2016) “Disposizioni urgenti per il recupero del potenziale produttivo e competitivo del settore olivicolo oleario” (Urgent measures for recovering the productive and competitive potential of the olive-growing and oil sector) whose Article 1, Subparagraph 1, Letter B says: “Supporting and promoting research activities to increase and improve the efficiency of the Italian olive-growing sector” and whose Article 5 says: “Implementing measures for pursuing the objective reported in the Article 1, Subparagraph 1, Letter B” with its priority areas being “Primary agricultural production, for both olives for oil and table olives”.
The following aims are included in the priority area 1 as well: “A sustainable increase of productivity, profitability and resources efficiency in agro-ecosystems”, as provided in the chapter 2 of the Piano Strategico per l’innovazione e la ricerca nel settore agricolo alimentare e forestale (2014-2020) (Strategical Plan for innovation and research in the agri-food and forestry sectors).
OLGENOME will provide a lot of genome information, transversal and necessary to 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 the olive tree physiology can result into:
>> An increase in production,
>> A more efficient use of the genetic resources of the species,
>> 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, developing 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, 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.