Rediscovering Local Landraces: Shaping Horticulture for the Future

Book excerpt: Local landraces are traditional crop varieties cultivated in specific locations. However, the intensification of modern horticulture has put these genotypes aside, since farmers tend to select hybrids or commercial cultivars due to higher yield, uniformity and marketability. The various landraces are very distinct in their quality features, therefore it is of high importance to highlight these differences and identify genotypes that could be further exploited by producing high added value products and by reinforcing local rural economies. The proposed Research Topic aims to reveal the importance of local landraces for sustainable horticulture, focusing on their special quality features as the result of adaptation to specific growing conditions after domestication.