Preservation of Chestnut (Castanea sativa Mill.) Genetic Resources and Adaptive Potential in Relation to Environmental Changes

A brief review of a series of studies, dealing with adaptedness of Castanea sativa Mill. to environmental water availability, is provided. The ecophysiological knowledge of the mechanisms underlying the species capability to cope with contrasting environments is crucial to assess the evolutionary potential of C. sativa under a scenario of global change. Carbon and oxygen stable isotope methodologies offer powerful ecophysiological strategies of investigation on patterns of water-use efficiency and of exploitation of water sources. Water-use efficiency and the capability to explore shallow or deep soil water pools are plant characters which are strictly linked and affected by both environmental and genetic features. The adaptive significance of these complex quantitative traits is shown and briefly discussed along the review. Finally, a summary of the present knowledge on chestnut adaptedness is presented together with relevant perspectives for future ecophysiological studies.