**8. References**

44 The Dynamical Processes of Biodiversity – Case Studies of Evolution and Spatial Distribution

These results highlight that interspecific *Begonia* crosses have a significantly reduced pollen fertility. There are a number of notable exceptions, particularly in F1 crosses in the section *Gireoudia*, where pollen stainability is above 30% (Matthews, unpublished). This includes crosses between divergent species found in different geographical areas, such as *B. conchifolia* and *B. plebeja*. Hybrids with good pollen fertility were also observed in section *Gaerdtia* (see above). Overall, this suggests that hybrid fertility is constraining in the formation of later generation hybrids in the wild. However, male fertility is not necessarily linked to female fertility as different genes may underlie male and female meiosis. Some of the male sterile hybrids have been successfully used as a seed parent in crosses (Dewitte et

The role of hybrid speciation in *Begonia* should be investigated further, but several preconditions for hybrid speciation are fulfilled in this genus: weak crossing barriers, a very labile genome, the presence of natural interspecific hybrids and the occurrence of 2n gametes. The fertility of artificial hybrids is very variable and depends on the cross combination. If a hybrid retains some fertility and becomes isolated from its parent plant,

*Begonia* is a remarkable genus both for its size and diversity. As a pantropical genus, it provides the opportunity to compare biogeographic patterns in different regions using like to like. It also offers the chance to examine the reasons behind the high levels of tropical diversity through comparisons with speciation patterns in correspondingly widespread

Major progress has been made clarifying the evolutionary relationships in the genus *Begonia* at the sectional level. Further work is required at the species level, to assess lower level relationships, and reveal biogeographic patterns. The lack of a fossil record for the genus has been a stumbling block to the generation of detailed evolutionary scenarios (Goodall-Copestake et al., 2009). Moreover, more informative genetic markers are needed to obtain well-resolved phylogenies of the recent rapid radiations that have occurred in different regions.. However, the development of barcoded next generation sequencing techniques holds out the promise that phylogenies of many hundreds of accessions could be produced en-mass, transforming our ability to detect speciation patterns. The decreasing cost of sequencing means that transcriptomes, whole plastid genomes and even draft nuclear

genomes can be produced for reasonable amounts of money (Ng & Kirkness, 2010).

The prevalence of geographic isolation between *Begonia* species may be one of the factors explaining the limited postzygotic reproductive isolating barriers between species. The lack of interspecific crossing barriers has contributed to its success as a horticultural subject, and provides us with the opportunity to use classical and quantitative genetic techniques to

On one level such analysis can be done by transcriptome or genome comparisons and the screening for genes that show the signature of diversifying or purifying selection (Biswas & Akey, 2006). However, these techniques can provide only statistical support for the importance of any one locus, and are not informative about which traits are affected. In a non-model group the link between locus and function can only be based on comparisons

al., 2010a; Twyford & Kidner unpublished data).

hybrid speciation may be a possible outcome.

**7. Future perspectives and conclusions** 

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**3** 

*University of Bari,* 

*Italy* 

**Olive (***Olea Europaea* **L***.***): Southern-Italian Biodiversity Assessment and Traceability** 

R. Simeone1, A. Blanco1, A. Pasqualone2 and C. Montemurro1 *1Department of Agro-forestry and Environmental Biology and Chemistry, 2Section of Genetics and Breeding and Section of Food Science and Technology,* 

Southern Italy has geographical, climatic, historical and traditional peculiarities summarized in a landscape to which olive trees are the backdrop. Olive (*Olea europaea* L. subsp. *europaea*) is cultivated since the third millennium B.C. in the Eastern region of the Mediterranean sea (Loukas & Krimbas, 1983) and spread later around the basin following land and maritime

The plant longevity, the cross-pollinating nature of the species and its secular history contributed to determine a wide germplasm biodiversity with more than 1200 cultivars, 9.992 thousand harvested hectares and a total production of 18 million tons (Tab.1; FAO 2009) mostly concentrated in the main olive oil producing countries (Alba et al., 2009a). Europe alone produces the 69% of the total worldwide production (Fig. 1). Italy is one of the main producers and has a rich assortment of olive cultivars, with a total number of 395 registered entries in the national list of *O. europaea* L. Italian cultivars (Official Journal of the Italian Republic, 1994), covering 1,18 million hectares and a total production of 3.6 million tons (ISTAT, 2010). The 80% of the cultivation is mostly concentrated in Southern Italy, where the production touches the 88% of the whole Italian olive production. In particular,

Nowadays olive-growing has a crucial commercial role in many Italian regions with a richness of biodiversity spread from North to South in terms of cultivars grown, agronomic practices, processes of transformation of the raw material. Therefore, the preservation and protection of Italian olive biodiversity depends upon the use of genetic research tools like molecular markers for a correct cultivar identification. In countries that belong to the "Union Internationale pour la Protection des Obtentions Végetales" (UPOV) the registration, multiplication, certification, and commercialization of olive varieties rely on the evaluation of morpho-agronomic descriptors. Recently, morphological, biochemical and agronomic traits have been complemented with the large array of DNA molecular marker types

routes to Italy, Spain, North Africa and France (Angiolillo et al., 1999).

Apulia region alone produces 1/3 of the total (about 1,7 milion tons) (Tab. 2).

**1. Introduction** 

**of Processed Products by** 

**Means of Molecular Markers** 

V. Alba1, W. Sabetta1, C. Summo2, F. Caponio2,

