Articles
Development of Japanese quince (Chaenomeles japonica) as a fruit crop and involvement in horticultural practice in the Baltics
Article number
1438_33
Pages
275 – 282
Language
English
Abstract
The plant genus Chaenomeles is classified under the subfamily Maloideae within the Rosaceae family, comprising five species indigenous to central and eastern Asia.
In North America and Europe, these species and their intercrosses have been utilized as ornamental shrub cultivars.
However, the fruits of Chaenomeles boast a valuable composition of organic acids, vitamin C, phenolic compounds, and antioxidant properties.
Latvian breeder A. Tīcs recognized these fruit characteristics and, in the 1950s, initiated the selection of introduced genotypes suitable for fruit crop development.
Among the best selections were ‘Ada’ and ‘Alfa,’ which are presently part of the germplasm collection.
The chosen genotypes were disseminated as seedlings in orchards across Latvia and Lithuania, providing raw material for the production of processed products.
Continuing into the 1990s, S. Ruisa in Latvia and D. Kviklys in Lithuania carried forward the breeding efforts.
The best selections were later incorporated into the collaborative Latvian-Lithuanian-Swedish breeding program, forming the basis for the contemporary cultivar assortment.
This initiative led to the selection and registration of cultivars ‘Rondo’ and ‘Darius’ in Latvia, marking them as among the first officially registered cultivars of Japanese quince globally as a fruit crop.
The cultivar ‘Rasa’ was chosen and registered in the breeding program led by S. Ruisa.
E. Kaufmane continues the breeding efforts in Latvia by selecting high-yielding genotypes with valuable fruit chemical content and identifying desirable self-fertility in cultivar candidates.
The cultivars ‘Jānis’ and ‘Silvija’ are currently undergoing the registration process.
The breeding populations obtained and the genotypes of various Chaenomeles species also serve as the basis for crop genetic research.
The breeding and implementation activities have witnessed a fivefold increase in crop cultivation over the last six years, reaching an expansive area of 706 ha in Latvia.
Recently, there has been a rapid expansion of areas in Poland, the restoration of plantations in Lithuania, a gradual spread in Estonia, and cultivation in Sweden.
In North America and Europe, these species and their intercrosses have been utilized as ornamental shrub cultivars.
However, the fruits of Chaenomeles boast a valuable composition of organic acids, vitamin C, phenolic compounds, and antioxidant properties.
Latvian breeder A. Tīcs recognized these fruit characteristics and, in the 1950s, initiated the selection of introduced genotypes suitable for fruit crop development.
Among the best selections were ‘Ada’ and ‘Alfa,’ which are presently part of the germplasm collection.
The chosen genotypes were disseminated as seedlings in orchards across Latvia and Lithuania, providing raw material for the production of processed products.
Continuing into the 1990s, S. Ruisa in Latvia and D. Kviklys in Lithuania carried forward the breeding efforts.
The best selections were later incorporated into the collaborative Latvian-Lithuanian-Swedish breeding program, forming the basis for the contemporary cultivar assortment.
This initiative led to the selection and registration of cultivars ‘Rondo’ and ‘Darius’ in Latvia, marking them as among the first officially registered cultivars of Japanese quince globally as a fruit crop.
The cultivar ‘Rasa’ was chosen and registered in the breeding program led by S. Ruisa.
E. Kaufmane continues the breeding efforts in Latvia by selecting high-yielding genotypes with valuable fruit chemical content and identifying desirable self-fertility in cultivar candidates.
The cultivars ‘Jānis’ and ‘Silvija’ are currently undergoing the registration process.
The breeding populations obtained and the genotypes of various Chaenomeles species also serve as the basis for crop genetic research.
The breeding and implementation activities have witnessed a fivefold increase in crop cultivation over the last six years, reaching an expansive area of 706 ha in Latvia.
Recently, there has been a rapid expansion of areas in Poland, the restoration of plantations in Lithuania, a gradual spread in Estonia, and cultivation in Sweden.
Authors
G. Lācis, E. Kaufmane, S. Ruisa
Keywords
Chaenomeles, germplasm, characterization, introduction, breeding
Groups involved
- Division Ornamental Plants
- Division Temperate Tree Fruits
- Division Temperate Tree Nuts
- Division Tropical and Subtropical Fruit and Nuts
- Division Vine and Berry Fruits
- Division Vegetables, Roots and Tubers
- Division Sustaining Horticulture in a Changing World
- Division Horticulture for Human Health
- Division Landscape and Urban Horticulture
- Division Plant-Environment Interactions in Field Systems
- Division Plant Genetic Resources, Breeding and Biotechnology
- Division Postharvest and Quality Assurance
- Division Precision Horticulture and Engineering
- Division Greenhouse and Indoor Production Horticulture
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