"Unique local varieties of carrots from Apulia: Polignano and Tidzhano, underrated treasures for biodiversity and health."

Carrot (Daucus carota L.) is one of the most significant root vegetables, widely known worldwide. It is valued for its content of nutrients such as provitamin A, antioxidants, and dietary fiber.

While commercial hybrid varieties of carrots dominate on a global scale, traditional local varieties have a special importance for preserving biodiversity, local cuisine, and sustainable agriculture.

Local varieties often possess unique morphological, agronomic, and organoleptic characteristics that make them well adapted to specific agroecological conditions and cultural practices.

Two local carrot varieties, Tidjano and Polignano, from the region of Apulia (Southern Italy), deserve attention due to their history, cultural significance, and agricultural value.

Polignano carrots are grown in the municipality of Polignano a Mare, where their development and taste qualities greatly depend on limestone soils and proximity to the sea.

Tidjano is cultivated in a small coastal area near the eponymous municipality. Vegetable cultivation in this area is carried out using traditional methods on sandy soils. Both varieties are distinguished by bright colors, unique shapes and flavors, as well as their resilience to local environmental conditions.

For example, Polignano is valued for its unique taste, tenderness, crunchiness, aroma, and variety of colors. Its roots can have shades of yellow, dark orange, or dark purple. Meanwhile, their core can have shades ranging from pale yellow to light green. Such unique coloration is characteristic only of Polignano and is not found in other commercial carrot varieties.

This variety of colors makes Polignano significantly more expensive in the local market. Its price is usually three to five times higher than that of regular orange carrots. Additionally, the purple roots of this local variety have significantly higher antioxidant activity (approximately 42.7 mg Trolox equivalents per 100 g fresh weight), which is about ten times higher than in yellow and orange roots.

Regarding sugar content, Polignano carrots have a total concentration of glucose, fructose, and sucrose of about 4.38 g per 100 g fresh weight, which is 22% lower than in commercial orange carrots. However, its relative sweetness is comparable to some commercial varieties due to the high fructose content, which also influences its unique taste and glycemic index.

Tidjano carrots, known for their positive effects on male potency, have dark purple skin and yellow-orange flesh. These roots contain over 100 mg of anthocyanins per 100 g fresh weight, as well as significant amounts of chlorogenic and caffeic acids.

Like other local vegetable varieties from Apulia, the carrot varieties "Polignano" and "Tidjano" have been included in the register of plant genetic resources of the Apulia region, as well as in the list of traditional agricultural products of Apulia.

However, they are still subject to genetic erosion, which threatens the loss of genetic characteristics that are important for the biodiversity and nutritional characteristics of these varieties. For example, Tidjano carrots are grown only on a few hectares, and their traditional cultivation methods risk being lost due to the aging of farmers and the lack of information transmission from generation to generation.

Considering the advantages and limitations of each local variety, researchers from the University of Salento and the University of Bari Aldo Moro suggest considering the possibility of seed registration for commercialization. This will allow for a better study of these genetic resources and provide accessibility, protection, and potential for further research and development.

Registration of plant varieties is crucial for the preservation and use of plant genetic resources. It provides a structured foundation that guarantees accessibility, protection, and potential for the further development of these varieties, especially local and traditional ones.

Registering seeds for commercialization will help disseminate these genetic resources in regulated markets, ensuring accessibility for farmers, breeders, and researchers. It will also increase awareness of their unique characteristics, potential resilience to adverse conditions, and ability to adapt to specific agroecological conditions.

It is important to note that both carrot varieties are already included in the registry of plant genetic resources of Apulia and in the list of traditional agricultural products of the region.