A new list and prioritization of wild plants of socioeconomic interest in Italy: toward a conservation strategy

Abstract

Wild harvested plants (WHP) and crop wild relatives (CWR), part of the segment of natural diversity that is collectively known as ‘Plant Genetic Resources’, have great socioeconomic importance for humans because they are used either directly or in crop breeding. In order to lay down a solid base for constructing conservation strategies for Italy, an updated annotated list of CWR and WHP was produced for the country including information on known uses. Taxa included in the list were then prioritized using a pragmatic approach based on their value, native status, and need of protection or monitoring.