Several field collecting trips in the 2009-2011 period confirmed that forest fruit species are an inexhaustible genofond of extremely important varieties that yield fruit of excellent quality and high nutritive value, with wide range of applications, including nutritional, medicinal and food production. The aim of this work was to develop long term interactive and integrated strategy for selection of wild fruit species through different breeding methods, as well as popularization of selected products and their integration into intensive fruit growing. The most important morphological, ecological, and biological characteristics were studied and presented for Cornus mas, Sambucus nigra, Morus sp. and Rosa sp. For each studied fruit species, advanced selections for cultivar release has been reported

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Biodiversity of natural populations, biodiversity located on farm and the introduced cultivars and selections are a rich source of genetic variability in sour and sweet cherries, but they have never been bread with the aim of creating decorative varieties. Low vigour − dwarfing and upright − sour cherry genotypes, NS 1/16 KK and NS 1/24 KK, were selected from natural population of Fruška Gora and private arboretum, respectively. Sweet cherry selections NS 6/15 K and RŠ 8/27 were part of on farm conservation of genetic resources. Furthermore, reduction in vigour was achieved by defining specific combining abilities as a result of rootstock/scion interaction. The outcome of this study is unique columnar and dwarf forms that integrate specific genetic potential of varieties and selections, their interaction with rootstocks and traditional horticultural skills. Collected biodiversity is another confirmation that the Balkan peninsula is one of the most valuable secondary centres of genetic diversity and inexhaustible gene pool for breeding both, varieties and vegetative rootstocks