Biodiversity Day, Coldiretti: “the apple is the queen, in Italy almost 1,400 varieties”

The apple is the queen of biodiversity at the table thanks to its almost 1400 different variations. This was revealed by Coldiretti who, on World Biodiversity Day, which is celebrated today, 22 May, has drawn up the ranking of the five species most present in the consumption habits of Italians. Taking into consideration the list of fruit plants registered in the national register, it emerged as mentioned that the apple is the most “varied”, followed by peaches with 1300 species and pears, which are over 600. In fourth place, there are cherries, which boast over 500 varieties, immediately ahead of strawberries, which number just under half a thousand.
Numbers that confirm Italy’s role as a European leader in biodiversity with the national territory hosting a third of the animal species and half of the plant species present in the Old Continent. Our country boasts over 58,000 faunal species and 6,700 plant species, of which 30% and 15% respectively live practically only in Italy, again according to a Coldiretti analysis, performed on CBD data. A record guaranteed by the constant work of Italian farmers who have saved many varieties from extinction that would otherwise have been abandoned. An example are the Seals by Campagna Amica, a work to enhance rural biodiversity, but also the farmers’ markets promoted by Coldiretti throughout Italy have contributed to the survival of many varieties, guaranteeing them a commercial outlet.
However, the effects of climate change weigh on Italian biodiversity which, in addition to bad weather and drought, have favored the spread of insects and alien organisms which have caused damage amounting to over 1 billion euros in the countryside, starting precisely from orchards: ranging from the “Asian marmorated bug” from China which ruins the fruit with its bites, making them unusable and seriously compromising part of the harvest. And Drosophila Suzukii, the killer fly that has attacked cherries, blueberries and grapes from Veneto to Puglia, is also doing damage. Chestnuts have suffered from the chestnut root gall wasp and Dryocosmus Kuriphilus, from China. Finally, Xylella, which arrived in Italy brought by tropical plants from Latin America, has so far infected over 21 million olive trees.