Safeguarding and Valorising European Vegetable Biodiversity Through the Registration of Amateur Varieties: A Critical Analysis

The demand for uniform and high-yielding vegetable varieties has accelerated the erosion of vegetable biodiversity and the marginalisation of local adapted plant genetic resources (PGR) and landraces that do not meet conventional registration standards. This review critically evaluates the European Amateur Varieties (AVs) regime as a regulatory pathway for the conservation and commercialisation of local PGR. Based on the European Common Catalogue (CC), 1,284 AVs were identified (5.5% of all vegeta-ble varieties listed in the CC), with a markedly uneven distribution across countries and maintainers. France accounted for 23.1% of European AVs, followed by Germany (20.2%) and the Netherlands (13.6%). Most AVs (79%) were registered by private maintainers, while the presence of public institutions and third-sector maintainers highlight the regime’s dual function: on the one hand, it supports the commercialisa-tion of low-yielding varieties in niche markets; on the other, it may facilitate the mar-keting and conservation of landraces. A detailed analysis of Italian AVs further clarifies this pattern: of the 85 AVs registered in Italy or by Italian maintainers abroad, 79% were commercial varieties or F1 hybrids, while 21% were local landraces. In addition, 40% of Italian AVs were registered by maintainers based abroad, mainly in Israel, Spain, and Japan. Overall, the AVs regime addresses multiple needs but has limited impact on the European seed market. Greater coordination with the Conservation Va-rieties (CVs) regime could strengthen the conservation, protection, and valorisation of landraces and local PGR.