The ongoing climate change accompanied with weather extremities has increased the uncertainty in the crop production sector with severe impact on yield and quality of crops (FAO, 2022). Moreover, the increasing world population along with the continuous reduction of available irrigation water and the agricultural land degradation due to anthropogenic activities necessitate the redesign of the existing farming systems through the integration of valuable and underexplored genetic material, such as the local landraces of various vegetable species. Local landraces are cultivated in restricted regions and have been adapted over the years to specific growing conditions (soil and climate characteristics). Usually they possess high genotypic diversity which allows the crops to overcome the pressure from abiotic and biotic stressors from time to time (Conesa et al., 2020), while increasing on-farm agrobiodiversity at the same time (Conversa et al., 2020). For this reason, this genetic material is highly valuable for breeding purposes and the selection of new genotypes with improved characteristics (Formisano et al., 2012). Their use is becoming more and more limited due to the intensification of crop production section and restrictions from marketing standards mostly related with visual appearance and the uniformity of the final product. However, the current trends show the increasing were associated with nine agronomic traits controlled by various genes and that could be further 68 valorized in breeding programs. 69 Agre et al. studied yam landraces of Nigeria and proceeded to assessing their genetic variability pattern, 70 qualitative traits loci, alleles and genetic characteristics. Their analysis revealed three distinct groups, 71 based on thirteen SNP markers correlated with specific agronomic traits. Moreover, the authors 72 identified thirteen landraces with high crossing merits for several traits through the use of Genomic 73Prediction of Cross Performance that could be used as genitors in yam breeding programs. 74According to Saadaoui et al. squash is a species with high genotypic variability, mostly due to 75 interspecific hybridization, which could be valorized in the selection of elite genotypes adapted to 76 drought stress. In their study, they evaluated four Tunisian squash landraces in terms of tolerance to 77 water stress at two distinct growth phases, namely seed germination and young seedling stage. Their 78 results highlighted the drought tolerance of two specific landraces (Batati orange and Bejaoui green) 79 as indicated by higher seed germination rates and seedling growth at the tested drought stress levels ((-80 0.24, -0.47 and -0.73 MPa). 81 Finally et al. conducted a literature review regarding the genetic variability of vegetables and 82 maize landraces of South and Uruguayan Pampa aiming to compile all the relative information 83 that could be used in conservation and valorization strategies aiming to the sustainable management of 84 the existing genetic material. The also presented case studies of in situ and ex situ conservation of 85 several landraces to identify problems and highlight the genetic variability of the species in these 86 regions. 87In summary, this research topic comprises seven articles (six research articles and a review paper) that 88 provide significant knowledge regarding local landraces of vegetables in different regions of the world. 89The presented information could be useful in highlighting the importance of the genetic variability 90 captured in local landraces that could be used in valorizing the existing genetic material through 91 breeding efforts to address the pressure of climate change on crops. 92
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