ISHS Acta Horticulturae 734: VIII International Symposium on Plum and Prune Genetics, Breeding and Pomology
MAJOR ISSUES IN ASSURING THE CONTINUITY OF THE ON FARM NATURAL GENETIC VARIABILITY IN ROMANIA |
| Authors: | I. Botu, S. Preda, M. Botu, G. Achim |
| Keywords: | Prunus, plum, genetic variability |
| Abstract:
In the sub-Carpathian areas of Romania, various Prunus species (P. domestica, P. insititia, P. cerasifera, P. spinosa, P. avium, P. cerasus, P. persica, P. armeniaca, etc.) can be found in spontaneous and semi-cultivated status. In this zone, numerous populations, biotypes and natural hybrids derived from inter-specific and intra-specific open pollination, are grown in fruit farms. In that respect, continuous genetic variability was assured mainly through grown individuals obtained from seed or suckers. This was the way in which local populations and cultivars that are still grown (‘Vanat romanesc’, ‘Scolduse’, ‘Gogosele negre’, ‘Pepenii’, ‘Calugaresti’, ‘Tiganesti’, ‘Prune negre’, etc.) were formed. Presently, some issues that have caused major changes in the local plum populations have occurred: cutting off on a large scale the plum orchards formed by populations and local biotypes; disappearance of some biotypes and natural hybrids due to viral diseases (Plum Pox Virus); lack of interest of the fruit growers in local plum populations and cultivars which are not very attractive from the point of view of fruit quality; lack of financial support for research that can turn into good account the complex and rich plum genetic variability, which exists in the zone. A solution to avoid the loss of the genetic variability of the Prunus genus in this area can be the support of small on farm collections with specific accessions that are characteristic for the area in which they were formed. | |
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