Objectives

  • the selection of the most valuable genitors for the breeding of the new cultivars;
  • biodiversity preservation of the strawberry major and minor berries genotypes, gene bank.

The shrub collections include more than 600 genotypes (varieties and species, as well as some selections and hybrids of particular value for breeding purposes) from the genera Ribes (blackcurrant, redcurrant, whitecurrant, gooseberry), Rubus (raspberry and mulberry varieties), Fragaria (strawberry varieties and species), Vaccinium (blueberry varieties), Cornus mas (hornbeam selections), Rosa sp. (rosehips and petal roses), Sambucus nigra (elderberry selections and varieties), Hippophae rhamnoides (white hawthorn selections and varieties), Dyospiros virginian (American persimmon), Aronia melanocarpa (black scorus), Crataegus coccinea (hawthorn), and Romanian specialists are co-opted in the ECPGR Berries working group.

Table 1. Situation of the germplasm stock in the Fruit Tree Laboratory (in 2024)

No. crt.SpeciesTotal number of accessions Number of speciesNumber of autochthonous varietiesNumber of foreign varietiesNumber of vaieties evaluatedYear of esthablishmentSurface (ha)
1Strawberry147 71404420230,03
2Blueberry79 9701520240,2
3Blackberry40 2261020210,1
4Raspberry49 6431520220,1
5Blackcurrant and redcurrant152 61461020230,18
6Gooseberry23 221420230,03
7Sea buckthorn5 55520210,01
8Aronia2 11220210,01
9Lonicera9 361020220,01
10Rosa1 11120180,015
11Rosa hip2 11220210,01
12Cornelian cherry90 1891019980,25
13Elderberry2 2–220210,001
14Hawthorn2 20020180,001
15Saskatoon berry1 01020210,0001
16Persimmon3 03020180,033
17Paw paw2 02020180,015
18Medlar1 10020180,015
19Fig1 01020180,015
20Goji2 20020180,033
21Kiwi4 04020180,033
22Zizyphus jujuba3 03020180,033