As dr. Valentino Ferrari from the CRA - Unità di Ricerca per l'Orticoltura (Research Centre) in Monsampolo del Tronto (Marche) says, "many of these are still unknown outside of their area of origin because they are not cheap and they are easily damageable during transportation and handling."
Dr. Ferrari's team is working since the '80s on a way to improve cauliflowers, especially coloured ones, and their qualities.
"For example, it is now possible to grow the "Verde di Macerata" all over Italy thanks to the genetic improvement carried out at the CRA. It is very popular because it is tastier than the white ones and it contains more substances important for our health."
Until the 1990s, the "Verde di Macerata" was only grown in small veggie plots in the Macerata municipality as it had many defects because plants were not uniform and they ripened at different times and the plant/head ratio favoured plants, meaning it could not be used in intensive crops, a sector dominated by the F1 varieties.
In the mid-1990s, the CRA team launched two varieties: "Velox" (an early variety later called "Noverde") and "Tardox" (late variety). Others with different ripening periods followed.
"The research aims at recuperating ancient varieties and adapting them to the current technical and sales needs. It is what happened to the "Verde di Macerata" and what we are doing for many other species. Consumption of "Verde" cauliflowers intensified after the CRA launched the two above-mentioned varieties. The variety is now available in retailing many months a year."
"Romanesco" cauliflowers have also been included in genetic improvement programmes in the early '00s. "We have obtained new varieties and hybrids that can travel outside Lazio from local varieties," says Ferrari.
In fact, "Romanesco" cauliflowers have an improved corymb, with smoother florets so they break and rotten less easily.
Red corymb cauliflowers
A new research is the one concerning the creation of red corymb varieties from the "Violetto di Sicilia". In fact, supplying a wide range of high quality varieties made from local ones is the only way to deal with competition.
Valentino Ferrari points out that, "demand for Violetto di Sicilia cauliflowers is high in the Catania area, but the variety has never left Sicily because it is very delicate as florets break easily. The objective was to obtain red cauliflowers with a compact head like the Verde but with the characteristics of Violetto."
"Soon, this variety will be widespread, even though so far the project has only been financed by a Japanese seed company, which will help us through the next three year. Other brassicas were supported by a French company. We tried involving Italian partners but nothing came of it. It is a pity, though those who invested will be the first to benefit from it."
