Gaetano Laghetti

Dr. Gaetano Laghetti is a Senior Researcher at the Institute of Biosciences and BioResources (IBBR) of the National Research Council of Italy (CNR) in Bari. He has served as the curator of the CNR's Gene Bank in Bari since 2011 and as the Italian representative in the 'Solanaceae' working group since 2012. Since October 2013, he has been deputy director of IBBR and heads the CNR work order on 'Biodiversity for the sustainability of Mediterranean agricultural systems' since 2011.

Dr. Laghetti's educational background includes:

• 1984: Degree in Agricultural Science (cum laude) from the University of Bari, Faculty of Agriculture
• 1986: Passed State Examination for qualification to practice as an agronomist
• 1987: Awarded international scholarship by the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA)

His research focuses on the safeguarding of plant genetic resources, with particular emphasis on Mediterranean agricultural systems. Dr. Laghetti has conducted approximately 50 exploration and collecting missions across Italy and internationally, gathering over 5,000 plant accessions. His work encompasses germplasm characterization using agronomical, morphological and biochemical traits, statistical analysis of characterization data, and taxonomic studies to identify crop origins and wild ancestors. He has significant expertise in obtaining EU quality marks for local products and holds two plant patents.

Dr. Laghetti's recent publications demonstrate a strong focus on agrobiodiversity conservation, with particular attention to traditional Italian crop varieties, ethnobotanical knowledge, and the documentation of crop wild relatives. His research spans plant systematics, germplasm characterization, and the application of statistical methods to genetic resource data. He has made significant contributions to documenting ancient cereal varieties in Southern Italy and studying the biogeography of edible halophytes in the Apulia region.

As an active member of the scientific community, Dr. Laghetti serves on the Editorial Board of the International Journal Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution and is a peer reviewer for multiple international journals in botany and biodiversity. He has coordinated four books and authored approximately 200 scientific papers.

Dr. Laghetti has supervised academic work including a Research Doctorate, a Degree Thesis, and six scholarship recipients. He has served as the scientific responsible for six internal CNR projects and seven external projects, while collaborating on 21 additional research initiatives. His field work includes establishing and managing an experimental field for scientific trials since 2003.

At the institutional level, Dr. Laghetti contributes to biodiversity conservation through his leadership roles at the CNR Gene Bank in Bari and his representation of Italy in international working groups focused on plant genetic resources.