Point of contact at UniTrento
prof. Fabrizio Costa (coordinator)
prof.ssa Flavia Gasperi
prof. Eugenio Aprea

Point of contact at FEM
dr. Nicola Busatto
dr. Michela Troggio

It addresses key challenges in modern horticulture by developing fruit varieties that promote human health, meet consumer expectations and support environmentally sustainable production. Indeed, International health and food-security strategies highlight the importance of regular fruit and vegetable consumption for chronic disease prevention and these benefits are driven by nutritional and nutraceutical traits that develop during fruit ripening and vary widely among varieties.

Fruit production is increasingly affected by climate change, emerging diseases and the need to reduce agrochemical inputs. At the same time, up to half of fresh fruit production can be lost to post-harvest waste, underscoring the need for improved shelf life and intrinsic fruit conservation. Addressing these challenges requires varietal renewal based on a deep understanding of the genetic and physiological mechanisms controlling ripening, quality and storability.

The methodologies are based on an integrated approach combining genomics, metabolomics, advanced phenotyping and systems genetics to identify genes, allelic variants and genomic regions underlying key traits.
Through close collaboration with quality, metabolomics and consumer science experts, the research output are molecular tools and breeding strategies that support sustainable fruit production, reduced losses and healthier diets.

Research lines:

• Analysis of the genetic variability available in the collections and breeding programs of the main fruit tree species.
• Identification of gene networks involved in the regulation of the processes of interest.
• Characterization of the main qualitative properties of the fruit, functional for both consumer satisfaction and sustainable conservation.
• Characterization of metabolites with an active role in human health.
• Identification of QTLs and genomic regions responsible for controlling these properties.
• Development of new molecular-genetic investigation tools useful for the selection of new accessions in breeding programs.