Conservation strategy of the wild species collections of the Fruit Gene Bank in Dresden-Pillnitz – Active Collection, Cryopreservation, Global Seed Vault

Abstract

The preservation of fruit genetic resources is the basis for ensuring a sustainable fruit production. All activities of long-term preservation, utilization, research and development of fruit genetic resources are based on the German National Program for Genetic Resources of Agricultural and Horticultural Plants. The Fruit Gene Bank at the Julius Kühn-Institute (JKI), Institute for Breeding Research on Fruit Crops has been established as a partner for science and practice at the national and international level since its integration into JKI at January 1^st, 2003. In addition to the cultivar collections for all fruit species native to Central Europe, it also has comprehensive wild species collections, which are the largest public collections of their type in Europe for the genera Malus and Fragaria. The conservation strategies in the fruit gene bank, especially under the special aspect of wild species, will be summarized in this paper and the combination of different conservation methods will be highlighted as a potential to secure the genetic resources of fruits sustainably and effectively.