Advances in the chestnut nursery industry: The new Castanea spp. conservation and certification center

High-quality horticultural productions require plants of premium quality. The production of certified plant material is well established for most fruit species. Italy is at the forefront of the production of certified plants, with 9 conservation and 10 pre-multiplication centers, mostly concentrated in four Regions (Veneto, Emilia-Romagna, Trentino-Alto Adige, and Puglia). Italian certified crops, especially pome and stone fruits, are among the most profitable ones. The certification process consists of genetic analysis and sanitary tests on the presence of viruses, fungi, phytoplasmas, bacteria, and nematodes. The main purposes of the certification are the production of genetically and phytosanitary standardised materials, quality improvement, and sector traceability. In recent years, chestnut cultivation has arisen, affirming itself as an important woody plant in horticulture and agroforestry, especially in the European area. This new interest in Castanea spp. cultivation has caused the shifting of its production from extensive to intensive orchards. Modern chestnut cultivation, whether intensive or traditional, needs the same operating standards as the major horticultural crops to be competitive. The Chestnut R&D Center - Piemonte is the Italian reference center for chestnut cultivation, with over 15 years of experience. The Center was recognized by the Italian Ministry of Agriculture as the Center for the conservation for pre-multiplication and for the pre-multiplication of the Italian chestnut cultivars by a Ministerial Decree in 20/11/2020. At the Chestnut R&D Center, the steps of conservation and pre-multiplication take place, leading to the production of basic plants that are essential materials for the final production of certified chestnut trees. The chestnut-growing sector could finally rely on certified trees in regard to the phytosanitary aspects and compliance to varietal characteristics. The present work describes the steps of the European voluntary certification carried out at the Chestnut R&D Center.