Description
Fruits are irreplaceable part of human diet with compounds beneficial for human health. Native fruits are even more important, since they represent germplasm for future, treasury of genes, a range of bioactive compounds, antioxidant capacity, metabolomic pattern and other traits desirable for breeding in the environment and climate changing and for healthy food. According to the Convention on Biological Diversity and other international agreements, there is a responsibility of each nation to conserve its own germplasm. Crop wild relatives and landraces of small fruit species will be assessed for their threat in wild habitats and conservation needs. Within the project, native and naturalised species of Czech and Norwegian flora will be revised in native sites, characterized morphologically, chemically and genetically in order to analyse their diversity, population divergence/similarity and to use them potentialy in crop breeding. Critically endangered glacial relic in Czech flora Rubus chamaemorus will be genetically compared with the Norwegian vicariant. The level of divergence of vicariant material separated after glacial period will be compared with divergence among country populations. Landraces still occurring in landscape will be checked, mapped, and genetically characterized. Conservation ex situ includes classical gene bank storage, and in vitro and cryo-conservation. Individual plants of all species with a higher fruit performance or other characters of interest will be evaluated for properties useful for breeding. The project was based on collaboration between Czech and Norwegian institutions and it was designed to meet conservation and research needs of both countries equally. New knowledge can help conservationists in planning in situ conservation, in selecting of localities with diverse materials, in order to conserve as wide as possible diversity of species.
Summary of project results
Crop wild relatives and landraces of small fruit species were assessed for their threat in wild habitats and conservation needs were proposed. Native and naturalised species of Czech and Norwegian flora (Rubus chamaemorus, Ribes petraeum, Sorbus sudetica, Ribes vulgare, R. nigrum, R. spicatum, Grossularia uva crispa, Rubus idaeus) were revised in native sites, characterized morphologically, genetically and chemically in order to analyse their diversity, population divergence/similarity. Native sites were evaluated from the point of vegetation, botanical diversity, threat to species and site. Distribution maps were produced in GIS including estimated distribution in future 20-50 years after climatic changes. Critically endangered glacial relic in Czech flora Rubus chamaemorus was compared with Norwegian populations by DNA analysis. Individual plants of all species with a higher fruit performance or other characters of interest were evaluated for properties useful for breeding and as healthy food. Small fruit landraces still available in the countries as remnants after former settlement represent a cultural heritage of previous generations. Many of them were grown also by ethnical groups that may not live on those sites any more. Landraces of cultural settlements in German speaking piedmont and mountain regions of Šumava Mts (part of ethno-historic Sudetenland) and original settlements of Norwegians in North and Central Norway were investigated. Such landraces were checked, mapped and characterized. Nutritive properties of fruits were updated by exact chemical analyses. Traditional uses of fruits were critically evaluated in order to uncover often forgotten knowledge of our ancestors (especially Sami, Norwegians) and making them available for present lifestyle. The need for conservation actions in situ and ex situ was assessed. and potential for use in crop breeding
Summary of bilateral results
Fruits are irreplaceable parts of human diet with compounds beneficial for human health. Native fruits are even more important, since they represent germplasm for future, treasury of genes and traits desirable for breeding in a changing environment and climate. Czech Republic and Norway have some similarities in flora: Krkonoše Mts are considered an island of Nordic flora with an occurrence of glacial relics that belong to the critically endangered species in Czech flora (Rubus chamaemorus and Ribes petraeum). The main aim of the project was to compare relatedness of those critically endangered fruit related species from sites in Czech Republic, Norway and Svalbard and to assess their conservation needs. Landraces and obsolete traditional cultivars represent a cultural heritage of a region or nation, because human knowledge, skills, breeding experience based on the needs, traditions, habits and cultural environment of the region in which they are conserved. Landraces of cultivated plants originated from the beginning of agriculture by selection from wild ecotypes that were cultivated by farmers in their domestic region. A lot of landraces are regional or connected with an ethnic group or even a nation. Localized landraces can serve as indicators of former status, past settlement of a national minority/ethnical group, accordingly. Each partner contributed to the project with expert knowledge and special methodology and technology. Without such cooperation and wide expertize the project could not have been done. The entities involved were responsible for topics in their expertize. Other partners contributed with materials and partial results. The outputs were formulated jointly under leading of responsible expert. 4 internationally refereed publications were prepared by responsible experts with participation of other experts in the team, that submitted partial results. The mutual collaboration set up new scientific relationships between NIBIO, CRI and RBIP. The project put together people of different professions, experts in different branches including group leaders, national PGR coordinators and regular researchers. It was gender balanced project or rather female – prevailing.