Development and preservation of genetic potential of temperate zone fruits

The project will be realized by two scientific research institutions, Fruit Research Institute and Faculty of Agronomy, both from Cacak, with 17 researchers and 696 research months. The research includes: collection, evaluation and conservation of autochthonous fruit genotypes; breeding pome, stone, kernel and small fruits; study of biological and agronomic properties of autochthonous, developed and introduced cultivars, selections and rootstocks. The study of indigenous material and database establishment is a major step not only in preservation of fruit germplasm and development of new genotypes, but also in singling out superior clones to be more widely introduced into production and thus ensure the status of protected geographic origin. Breeding new and study of promising selections represents the continuation of the long-term breeding work which will be considerably advanced by the application of molecular markers in the project. Biological and agronomic traits of both developed and introduced cultivars, selections and rootstocks will be a basis for singling out of genotypes which with the application of modern growing technology and minimum chemicals exhibit the best performance under our agro-environmental conditions. The establishment of in vitro gene bank of indigenous and cultivated genotypes is a new quality issue aimed at preserving of the overall biodiversity. The realisation of 176 results classified into 15 types of scientific results has been also envisaged.