The in situ Klečac - Popovopoljac landrace is a true descendant of the early maize introductions in the former yugoslavia

The introduction of hybrid varieties into agricultural practices, coupled with the significant depopulation of rural areas, has led to a decline in the cultivation of maize Open Pollinated Varieties (OPV). Despite being considered custodians of nutritional quality and ideal for preparing traditional maize dishes, these varieties are now seldom grown. In collaboration with the Center for the Development of Herzegovina, we obtained a sample of an in situ OPV landrace known as Klečac-popovopoljac, which has been cultivated on a family farm of Anđelko Dolina in Tuli, Popovo Polje, for generations. The local residents use its grain to make polenta and maize bread, which are integral to the authentic culinary offerings of the City of Trebinje. The Maize Research Institute Zemun Polje Gene Bank (MRIZP) maintains a collection of 2,217 ex-Yugoslav maize landraces, including 324 from Bosnia and Herzegovina. From the entire MRIZP collection, we selected 16 accessions that contain klečac or popovopoljac in the names, including six originating from Trebinje, regardless of the name. Based on morphological data, these landraces were grouped into three clusters and one branch. The results, along with passport data, suggest that these landraces likely evolved from three different types of germplasm. By comparing grain reference samples from the MRIZP with the in situ landraces, we found the closest similarities with AN1972 - domaći tvrdunac and AN1335 - sitnozrni popovac, both of which were collected in Trebinje during the 1970s. Ongoing morphological and molecular analyses aim to assess the genetic relationships among the examined landraces and to examine any potential changes in the in situ landrace during a long-term and continuous cultivation in the isolated region of Popovo Polje.