Project: Valorising the diversity of the fig tree, an ancient fruit crop for sustainable Mediterranean agriculture

Acronym	FIGGEN (Reference Number: 2019-SECTION2-12)
Project Topic	The fig tree (Ficus carica L.) has a great potential for expansion thanks to valuable nutritional and nutraceutical characteristics, combined with the ability to adapt to dry, calcareous and saline environments, making this species extremely interesting for sustainable commercial production in Mediterranean region, also in relation to the climate change. This project aims at: a) exploring, valorising and evaluating genetic variability of fig genotypes on available Spanish, Tunisian Turkish fig collections using a genotyping by sequencing approach; b) phenotyping fig genotypes to identify plants with traits wanted by stakeholders and most suitable to be cultivated in drought/salt conditions; c) identifying genomic loci linked to yield and drought/salt adaptation performing Genome Wide Association Study (GWAS) d) disseminating project’s products and results to stakeholders. The project meets PRIMA topic 2.2.2 RIA “Use and management of biodiversity as a major lever of sustainability in farming systems” in the Thematic area “Farming Systems”. It aims to evaluate performances and genetic variability of fig varieties integrating new knowledge and technologies in assessing biodiversity with knowledge coming from local farmers and stakeholders. On the other hand it aims to select genotypes better adapted to drought/salt condition that can efficiently cope with the challenges ahead due to climate change. These genotypes will be introduced within traditional agricultural systems located in marginal areas to obtain mixing cropping systems as agroforestry. This will contribute to implement biodiversity-based agriculture producing beneficial effects in terms of soil and water conservation, poor soil valorisation and, consequently, better ecosystem services. Molecular markers linked to yield and drought/salt condition adaptation developed through (GWAS) will contribute to the genetic improvement of this species developing new varieties better adapted to a changing climate.
Network	PRIMA
Call	Section 2 Call 2019 - Multi-topic

Project partner

Number	Name	Role	Country
1	Università di Pisa	Coordinator	Italy
2	Agencia Estatal Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas	Partner	Spain
3	Centro de Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas de Extremadura	Partner	Spain
4	Université de Tunis El Manar	Partner	Tunisia
5	Çukorova University	Partner	Türkiye