History of Romanian research in the field of peaches

The peach has been present in our country’s territory since ancient times, when it was introduced by the Greeks who established colonies in today’s Dobrogea.
There have been wild forms and local forms, and empirical selections have been made over the years.
We can talk about peach cultivation from the end of the 19^th century to the beginning of the 20^th century.
The first peach orchards appeared with cultivars from France and Italy during the interwar period.
Prof.
Nicolae Constantinescu laid the foundations of scientific research.
Theodor Bordeianu and Dr. doc.
Vasile Cociu established the first programs and objectives of improving the Peach in Romania.
The studies were carried out at the research stations in Constanța (RSFG Constanța) and Bucharest (RSFG Băneasa). The peach collections were established and enriched in Bucharest, Constanța, and Oradea, so that in the years 1980-1990 they totaled around 1700 accessions from all over the world.
Dr.
V. Cociu made a major contribution to the introduction of numerous foreign cultivars into the country, which were studied under the pedoclimatic conditions of Romania.
He coordinated the activity in the three mentioned research stations.
Special merits go to Dr.
Antonia Ivașcu and the team of RSFG Băneasa.
At RSFG Constanța, the following researchers worked under the guidance of Dr. doc.
V. Cociu: Elena Topor, Ionescu Pr., Alexandra Indreiaș, Liana Dumitru, Marioara Trandafirescu, Georgeta Carețu, Corina Gavăt, and Caplan I. Most of the cultivars were obtained through classic breeding; however, embryoculture was also practiced to produce early and extra-early cultivars.
More than 40 new cultivars were created, which completely changed the current assortment.
Generative peach rootstocks were obtained in Constanța and Oradea, and vegetative rootstocks at the RIFG Pitești.
Apart from fruit cultivars, ornamental forms have been obtained for parks and gardens.

EHC2024: International Symposium on the History of Horticulture in Europe

A. Bucur, L.M. Dumitru, C. Gavăt

peach, nectarine, clingstone, brugnone, hybridization, embrioculture

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2025.1438.31