The territory of the municipal agro of Pulsano extends for about 1,800 hectares, running along the coast for 3-4 km. Excluding the surfaces serving the town center and the residential coastal area, there are about 1,200 hectares dedicated to agriculture, which along with tourism and handicrafts take the lead in work activities. The warm-arid dry climate in the summer and rainy enough in the winter allows for a rich agriculture capable of hosting various herbaceous species (vegetables in general) and tree species (grapevines, olive trees, etc.). The grapevine, once cultivated as a bush and now transformed into espalier thanks to mechanization, represents the main agricultural income and is characterized by the production of wine grapes. The most representative variety is the Primitivo, followed by the Negroamaro and the Malvasia in white and red berries.
The grapevine plant, vitis vinifera L., is a climbing shrub with palmate leaves and small green flowers in clusters; its fruit is the grape, from which wine is produced. In southern Italy, the favorable soil and climatic conditions and the high availability of native grape varieties create ideal conditions for the production of both high-quality red and white wines with distinctive typical characteristics. The choice of European grapevines must fall among those authorized and recommended for our region. Among these, we point out: Primitivo n., Negro Amaro n., Malvasia Nera from Lecce, Malvasia Nera from Brindisi, Aleatico n., Aglianico n., Minutolo b., White Malvasia, giving priority to those varieties/clones characterized by low production, small and loose clusters, and small berries.
Pulsano is one of the excellent areas in Puglia for olive growing. Olive groves characterize this territory with their millenary plants of remarkable environmental and landscape value due to their appearance, state of preservation, and integration into the local context. Among the most representative olive varieties for extra virgin olive oil are the Ogliarola and Cellina di Nardò. In Italy, there are about 500 olive varieties listed, each of which adapts to different environmental conditions.
Currently, due to the effects of Xylella fastidiosa, in our area, it is possible to plant only two varieties considered tolerant to the bacterium and therefore to the disease that results from it: the complex of olive quick decline (CoDiRO). Regardless of the pedoclimatic characteristics, the choice of varieties to be planted is mandatory between Leccino and FS17 Favolosa. The former is a dual-purpose cultivar for oil and table olives, while the latter, FS17 Favolosa, is exclusively for oil and recently established.
The cultivation of fig trees has had a fundamental role for centuries in Pulsano in supporting the poorest families and the agricultural economy of the area. Its success depended on the plant's marked adaptability to our sunny and very dry soils, modest water requirements, but above all, an extremely pleasant taste for everyone. While fresh fruits were a summer delight, dried figs provided a high-calorie content in the winter diet, which was difficult to find in the poor peasant cuisine of those years.
Today, figs are often discouraged for those who are overweight or have high blood sugar levels; however, the glycemic index and glycemic load attributed to the consumption of these fruits are moderate, making them suitable for all prescribed diets. The concentrations of therapeutic substances are astonishing: in figs, we find 67 polyphenolic compounds with antiviral, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antioxidant, and anticancer properties. 100 grams of figs contain 2.1 grams of polyphenols, a huge amount compared to other fruits and even products sold in pharmacies. The fresh latex that oozes out when picking unripe fruits and leaves is a real remedy for warts due to its keratolytic action and can clot milk, resulting in a local tender and delicious cheese called "Pampanella."
The phrase "not worth a dried fig" is evidently not based on nutritional values but probably stems from habits lost in the mists of time: in ancient Greece, the fig was not considered a delicacy and was eaten and given to the poor. This negative connotation has therefore remained in the popular imagination here as well. In the Puglia region, 80 fig varieties and 18 caprifigs are cataloged, making up a total heritage of 200 species.
