Genetic resources of Prunus (Rosaceae) in India

Abstract

The genetic diversity in genus Prunus is mainly confined to temperate regions of Himalaya and to a lesser extent in the sub-montane and hilly regions of peninsular India. The cultivated and wild species of Prunus have tremendous potential for improvement and utilization. This paper includes the genetic resources of cultivated and wild useful species of Prunus in India with emphasis on their distribution, potential traits/ useful characteristics and utilization. The information on potential genetic resources of Prunus would be helpful in collection, evaluation, conservation and utilization of species.

Prunus diversity- early and present development: A review

“…There are over 400 to 430 species in the genus Prunus, but only 89 are listed in the Genetic Resource Information System (Willis, 1948;Anonymous, 1969;Bailey and Bailey, 1976;Ghora and Panigrahi, 1984). In India, about 36 Prunus species have been reported so far and 18 species are useful for cultivation for different purposes (Santapau and Henry, 1973;Ghora and Panigrahi, 1984;Pandey et al, 2008). Diverged wild and domesticated species as well as traditional cultivars of *Corresponding author.…”

IRAP variability in Prunus domestica (L.) borkh based on Cassandra retrotransposon polymorphism

“…Green plums (P. cerasifera Ehrh.) are diploid but in the area of Balkan and Caucasus natural tetraploid and hexaploid types are distributed and both of hexaploids, Prunus domestica (L.) Borkh as well as P. cerasifera Ehrh., are reported as to be very similar (ZOHARY 1992;PANDEY et al 2008).…”

Prunus

“…Third, cross-compatibility among species, especially closely related ones, has allowed interspecific hybridization to play an important role in breeding efforts, such that some cultivars include genetic contributions from more than one naturally occurring species. Pandey et al (2008) surveyed the wild and cultivated species of Prunus available in India, where considerable genetic diversity of the genus is found in the Himalayan region and, to a lesser extent, at higher elevations farther south (peninsular India). They documented the presence of 29 species used for food, 12 used as rootstocks, and 14 used medicinally; they also mentioned the uses of several species as ornamentals.…”