Journal für Kulturpflanzen, 71 (2/3). S. 41–51, 2019, ISSN 1867-0911, DOI: 10.5073/JfK.2019.02-03.01 Verlag Eugen Ulmer KG, Stuttgart Übersichtsarbeit Monika Höfer, Henryk Flachowsky, Magda-Viola Hanke German Fruit Genebank – looking back 10 years after launching a national network for sustainable preservation of fruit genetic resources Deutsche Genbank Obst – Rückblick auf 10 Jahre nationales Netzwerk für nachhaltige Erhaltung von obstgenetischen Ressourcen 41 Abstract established fruit-specific networks and fulfil the aim of the cooperation agreement. The German Fruit Genebank In Germany, all activities of long-term preservation, is represented at the web site www.deutsche-genbank- utilization, research and development of fruit genetic obst.de, including the database of the cultivars and resources are based on the German National Program for accession data as focal point. Data from systematic char- Genetic Resources of Agricultural and Horticultural acterization and evaluation along with photographs will Plants. The preservation of fruit genetic resources is the be uploaded for all the cultivars preserved in this decen- basis for ensuring a sustainable fruit production in Ger- tralized network. many. It has a long-lasting tradition, which reaches back to the early decades of the 20th century. Ever since, a Key words: decentralized network, fruit, genetic multitude of cultivars of different fruit crop species is pre- resources, German Fruit Genebank, preservation served in public and private germplasm collections. The German Fruit Genebank has been established as a decen- tralized network 10 years ago aiming at the coordination Zusammenfassung of the different germplasm collections in Germany to minimize the risk of losing fruit genetic resources. The Das Nationale Fachprogramm zur Erhaltung und nach- German Fruit Genebank is organized in species-specific haltigen Nutzung pflanzengenetischer Ressourcen land- networks. Currently, six of those networks consisting of wirtschaftlicher und gartenbaulicher Kulturpflanzen ist 41 different collections are held at federal and state gov- die Arbeitsgrundlage aller Aktivitäten auf dem Gebiet der ernmental institutions as well as in communities and Erhaltung obstgenetischer Ressourcen in Deutschland. towns, non-governmental organizations, and by private Die Erhaltung obstgenetischer Ressourcen, die in Deutsch- individuals. Because of high priority, the first projects land bereits eine sehr lange Tradition hat und bis in die characterizing the genetic resources on trueness-to-type frühen Jahrzehnte des 20. Jahrhunderts zurückreicht, ist based on pomological and molecular characters were die Grundlage für eine langfristige Sicherung des Obst- completed in the last few years. About 75% of the apple baus. Bereits seit dieser Zeit wird eine Vielzahl an Sorten cultivars belonging to German Fruit Genebank and ~60% unterschiedlicher Obstarten in staatlichen und nicht- of the cherry cultivars could be determined as true-to- staatlichen Sammlungen erhalten. Die Deutsche Gen- type. Based on the results exchange of plant material will bank Obst (DGO) wurde als dezentrales Netzwerk vor be organized between the partners of the German Fruit 10 Jahren mit dem Ziel gegründet, die Erhaltung ver- Genebank in order to duplicate the cultivars within the schiedener Sammlungen von genetischen Ressourcen zu Institute Julius Kühn-Institut (JKI), Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, Institute for Breeding Research on Fruit Crops, Dres- den, Germany Correspondence Dr. Monika Höfer, Julius Kühn-Institut (JKI), Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, Institute for Breeding Research on Fruit Crops, Pillnitzer Platz 3a, 01326 Dresden, Germany, e-mail: [email protected] Accepted 4 April 2019 Journal für Kulturpflanzen, 71 (2/3). S. 41–51, 2019, ISSN 1867-0911, DOI: 10.5073/JfK.2019.02-03.01 Verlag Eugen Ulmer KG, Stuttgart koordinieren, um somit das Risiko eines Verlustes von Since that time, the conservation of plant genetic Übersichtsarbeit Obstsorten zu minimieren. Die DGO besteht zum gegen- resources (PGR) has gained significant importance and is wärtigen Zeitpunkt aus sechs obstartenspezifischen Netz- now accepted as an essential responsibility of national werken mit insgesamt 41 Sammlungen, die von Partnern governments (ENGELS, 2002). Several countries have sowohl an Bundes- und Landeseinrichtungen als auch in strengthened efforts for the conservation and sustainable Landkreisen und Kommunen sowie von Vereinen und use of PGR based on the CBD and the Global Plan of Privatpersonen erhalten werden. Da der Echtheitsüber- Action for the Conservation and Sustainable Use of PGR prüfung der Obstsorten höchste Priorität beigemessen for Food and Agriculture (http://www.fao.org/home/en/). wird, war es in den letzten Jahren das Ziel, in den Samm- Today, biodiversity is regarded as an important global lungen der Partner Bestimmungen der Sortenechtheit issue. The Global Plan provides a coherent framework for sowohl pomologisch als auch molekulargenetisch durch- activities in the field of in situ and ex situ conservation zuführen. 75% der Apfelsorten, die für die DGO ausge- and for sustainable utilization of PGR. One of the actions wählt wurden und ca. 60% der Kirschsorten konnten bis- determined in the Global Plan is the building of strong her als sortenecht bestimmt werden. Aufbauend auf die- national programs, as they are the foundation of regional sen Ergebnissen wurde der erste Reiseraustausch zum PGR efforts, as well as to promote international coopera- Aufbau von Duplikaten in den Sammlungen organisiert, tion on access to PGR and the fair and equitable sharing um das in den Kooperationsvereinbarungen gestellte of benefits arising from their use. In 2002, the first Ziel, Erhaltung der Sorten an mindestens zwei verschie- German National Program for Genetic Resources of Agri- 42 denen Standorten mit jeweils mindestens zwei Bäumen, cultural and Horticultural Plants was published, and schrittweise zu erfüllen. Die Öffentlichkeitsdarstellung der updated in 2012 (http://www.ble.de/). This program DGO erfolgt über die Webseite www.deutsche-genbank- provides an essential basis for conservation, utilization, obst.de, wobei die Datenbank mit den Sorten- und Akzes- research and development of genetic resources (cultivated sionsdaten den Schwerpunkt des Internetauftrittes bildet. plants and wild crop relatives) in agriculture and horti- Zukünftig werden schrittweise Charakterisierungs- und culture in Germany. The program also aims at the re-in- Evaluierungsdaten sowie Fotos für alle Sorten der Samm- troduction of old varieties in meadow orchards, in breed- lungen integriert. ing programs, in botanical gardens, and in landscape archi- tecture. The gentle use of such genetic resources is the Stichwörter: Deutsche Genbank Obst, Erhaltung, best way for ensuring a sustainable preservation. Genetische Ressourcen, Nationales Netzwerk, Obst One emphasis of the German National Program for Genetic Resources of Agricultural and Horticultural Plants is the establishment of a decentralized network for Introduction preservation of fruit genetic resources (FGR). Such a net- work was established in 2007. The present article pro- For many centuries, fruit crops were mainly cultivated in vides information about the history and the initial situa- abbeys, house gardens, and small farms of Central tion of the government-organized preservation activities Europe (MORGAN and RICHARDS, 1993). At this time fruit in Germany, the establishment of the German Fruit Gene- production aimed to ensure the provision of fresh fruits and bank (GFG) as an efficient conservation strategy and the vitamins for self-consumption as long as possible over the current state and ongoing activities of this network about year. This was not easy as long-term storage was still im- 10 years after launching. possible. To overcome this problem fruits were processed into products, which could be stored more easily. On this account, fruit production was depending on the availability Conservation of Fruit Genetic Resources in Germany in of a high number of cultivars differing in ripening time and the past properties for processing (e.g. backing, cooking, drying, winemaking, and distilling). Today, most fruit production The preservation of FGR is the basis for ensuring a sus- takes place in highly specialized farms and the provision of tainable fruit production. It has a long-lasting tradition in a sufficient amount of fruits for fresh-consumption is not an Germany. First government-organized activities date issue anymore. Only a few number of top cultivars are pro- back to the early decades of the 20th century. At this time, duced globally at large quantities. Fruits of these cultivars institutional collections were established at the Institute are stored for months in high-tech storage facilities and im- for Breeding Research of the Emperor-Wilhelm-Institute ported from the Southern hemisphere when out of season in Müncheberg (Germany) and the Biological Imperial in Europe, respectively. This has led to a dramatic loss of Institute for Agriculture and Forestry in Naumburg (Ger- diversity in forms of traditional and locally adapted culti- many). These collections mainly consisted of landraces, vars (WAY et al., 1990). The global development of agricul- primitive forms and wild species as the basis for science- tural production has resulted in a worldwide loss of bio- based fruit breeding (HÖFER and HANKE, 2014). During diversity, a problem that was first