The conservation of fruit germplasm in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Organized work on the fruit germplasm conservation in Bosnia and Herzegovina correlates with the development of pomology as a science in the country and started with the founding of the State Experimental Fruit Growing Station in Goražde in 1937. The maintenance of the collections was stopped in 1967 when the station was transformed into an agricultural cooperative, although this station had all the chances to become the leading center for fruit growing in the broader region.
The second collection was established near Sarajevo (Betanija) in the fifties of the 20^th century as an experimental orchard of the Faculty of Agriculture, University of Sarajevo with about 14,000 trees of traditional, old and modern cultivars of different fruit species.
Unfortunately, this collection is not alive today.
The third attempt at establishing a fruit collection started after 2000 when two gene banks and field collections were supported through SEEDNet project (2004-2011). Pomological and molecular characterizations were performed on a larger number of species during last 20 years, but mostly on apples, pears, cherries, plums and grapevines.
Protocols for in vitro preservation of pear, vine, raspberry and strawberry have been developed.
Production of planting material of most interested fruit cultivars has been established.
The ex-situ and on in-situ/farm fruit conservation efforts contributes significantly to the entity programs of conservation of plant genetic resources.

XVI EUCARPIA Symposium on Fruit Breeding and Genetics

G. Đurić, N. Mićić

fruit genetic resources, field collection, gene bank

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2024.1412.3