EVALUATION OF A POSSIBLE BREEDING BETWEEN BRASSICA NAPUS CULTIVAR AND SINAPIS ARVENSIS IN THE FIELD

Plant biodiversity studies have been performed in the Migliarino-San Rossore-Massaciuccoli Regional Park in Tuscany (Italy) within the frame of the European project LIFE08 NAT/IT/342 DEMETRA. This project aims at developing a quick monitoring index (QMI) to rapidly assess the potential risk generated by transgenic plants in characterized ecosystems or biotopes. For this reason test areas have been selected inside the protected area to evaluate plant (weeds and trees), animal, and soil microoganisms biodiversity. The proximity of the selected test area to cropped surfaces where Genetically Modified Plants (GMPs) might be cultivated has been taken into account. GMPs could spread pollen and hybridize with their wild relatives. To evaluate potential hybridization, Brassica napus L. var. oleifera Del. (oil seed-rape) were cropped. B. napus forms spontaneous hybrids with both of its wild progenitor species, B. rapa (wild turnip) and B. oleracea (wild cabbage) and there has been much interest in the extent of sexual compatibility between Brassica napus (oilseed rape) and wild Brassica species. Some wild plant species belonging to Brassicaceae have been selected in the protected areas, to evaluate possible hybridization and gene flow. The choice of Brassicaceae has been done considering the pollinating fauna and the flowering period. Sinapis arvensis was considered as one possible candidate to hybridize with oilseed rape. If GM oilseed rape is to be grown the possibility of his modified trait being transferred to S. arvensis needs serious consideration as the species are widespread. Due to the close genomic relationship between these taxa, SSR primers designed for different Brassica species were tested to amplify both in Brassica napus and Sinapis arvensis. Therefore we looked for S. arvensis populations and oilseed B. napus cultivars which would hybridize in the field. Analysis are in progress.