Schriften zu Genetischen Ressourcen - Genres

Genebank work for preservation of the genetic diversity of wild apples
Genebank work for preservation of the genetic diversity of wild
apples
R. BÜTTNER 1 , M. FISCHER 1 , M. GEIBEL 1 , P.L. FORSLINE 2 and V.V. PONOMARENKO 3
Abstract 4
The centre of diversity of the genus Malus is situated in East Asia. In the mountains of
western and southwestern China, as many as 20 species can be found (ZHOU 1999).
The complex patterns of the origin, domestication and early migration of the
domesticated apple (Malus domestica Borkh.) have been described by PONOMARENKO
(1987). A second cultivated apple (M. × asiatica Nakai ex Matsumura) has been used
as a local fruit for centuries (PONOMARENKO 1991). About 30 wild species and
thousands of cultivars represent the genepool of Malus, a large source of traits for
multiple use, which needs to be preserved for future generations, either by keeping the
trees in situ at the natural site (wild species) or on farm, or by preserving grafted trees
(cultivars) or seedlings ex situ, or seed lots in genebanks. Wild species seeds can be
stored at -20 °C for more than 50 years, while dormant scions can be cryopreserved in
liquid nitrogen (FORSLINE et al. 1998).
For decades, classical collections of wild and cultivated apples have existed, for
example, in Russia and the former Soviet Union (VIR St. Petersburg and its branch
stations), the U.S. (Arnold Arboretum, Massachusetts; Geneva, New York), U.K. (Royal
Botanic Gardens Kew; Wye College) and Germany (Naumburg; Pillnitz). Mostly, the
material was collected a long time ago, exchanged between different arboreta, often as
open-pollinated seeds. Often, the original passport data is highly incomplete. Many
Malus species are represented by a few accessions only. Therefore, the interest in
1 Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK)
Fruit Genebank
Bergweg 23
D-01326 Dresden, Germany
2 N.I. Vavilov All Russian Research Institute of Plant Industry (VIR)
42, Bolshaya Morskaya Str.
190000 St. Petersburg, Russia
3 USDA-ARS
Plant Genetic Resources Unit
Cornell University,
Geneva, New York 14456-0462, USA
4 A full paper was published in Acta Horticulturae 538 (2000), pp. 39-42.
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