Metabolic and Physiological Traits from Wild Crops Species and Crops' Landraces

Dear Colleagues,

Crop wild relatives (CWRs) are all those species found growing in the wild that to some degree are genetically related to food, fodder and forage crops, medicinal plants, condiments, ornamental and forestry species. Crops landraces (CLs) are dynamic populations of cultivated plants having a historical origin, distinct identity and lacking formal crop improvement, as well as often being genetically diverse, locally adapted and associated with traditional farming systems. Both CWRs and CLs can be regarded as important sources of novel alleles which can be utilized for improving nutrient uptake and utilization, resistance against pests and diseases, and tolerance to abiotic stresses in the desired crops. Modern agricultural practices, however, as well as an increased anthropogenic pressure (habitat loss, fragmentation and degradation), and the derived genetic erosion, pose CWRs and CLs with a risk of declining. The present Special Issue welcomes relevant high-quality papers dealing with the search and exploitation at the molecular, metabolic, physiological or whole plant levels, of useful traits from the formidable genetic reservoir constituted by CWRs and CLs, to be introduced into domesticated crops for promoting security and quality of food and feed, biomass production, germplasm and biodiversity conservation, sustainable agriculture, and adaptation to global changes.

Dr. Maurizio Badiani
Guest Editor

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• crops wild relatives
• crops landraces
• environmental stress in plants
• global changes
• biodiversity
• germplasm conservation
• food security
• primary production