Conservation of Fruit Tree Genetic Resources and Their Use in the Breeding Process

Abstract

Conservation of fruit tree biodiversity is important for the mankind according to the Convention on Biological Diversity. In Romania, due to favorable environmental conditions, numerous genetic resources of plum, apple, walnut, hazelnut, sweet chestnut and other fruit crops are present. Identification, evaluation and conservation of fruit genetic resources activities were launched in 1970' in order to limit the loss of the biodiversity due to erosion and genetic vulnerability.

Plum Germplasm Resources and Breeding in Romania

“…Most of the Romanian accessions belong to Prunus domestica, Prunus insititia, Prunus cerasifera, Prunus spinosa and Prunus salicina (Botu et al, 2008(Botu et al, , 2017Butac et al, 2010). (Maggioni et al, 2010).…”

“…Biodiversity is very important for humanity according to the Convention on Biological Diversity signed by more than 150 countries, at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in 1992 (Botu et al, 2017). Plum is considered the second most important fruit tree crop produced in temperate climates and the most important fruit tree crop in Romania (Butac et al, 2011;Coman et al, 2012).…”

“…Romania is a country located in Southeastern Europe, which has good environmental conditions for many fruit species in the wild or under cultivation. Numerous genetic resources of plum, apple, pear, sweet and sour cherry, peach, apricot, walnut, hazelnut, sweet chestnut, and berries are present (Botu et al, 2017).…”

“…The oldest fruit tree collections were established at Teynham, Kent (England) in 1533, at Hessen, Saxony (Germany) in 1542, at Pradel (France) in 1608, at Arad (Romania) in 1877 etc. (Braniºte et al, 2006;Botu et al, 2017).…”

Plum Breeding

“…In Romania there are plum collections in two centers: RIFG Pitesti and UCv-SCDP Valcea. Ex situ conservation of accessions is done by different methods: conservation in the field collections (at RIFG Pitesti and UCv-SCDP Vâlcea), conservation in plastic containers, and cryoconservation, at À196°C, in liquid nitrogen (at UCv-SCDP Valcea) [50][51][52][53]. The plum cultivar collection at RIFG Pitesti, established in 1997, includes 550 accessions, and the plum rootstock collection, established in 2009, includes 92 accessions.…”