GENETIC GAIN ACHIEVED IN THE PLUM CULTIVARS AND ROOTSTOCKS BREEDING PROGRAM FROM S.C.D.P. VALCEA
M. Botu, I. Botu
KEY WORDS: plum, breeding, cultivars, rootstocks, Prunus
Plum breeding for cultivars and rootstocks started in Romania in 1950. At SCDP Valcea the breeding program was initiated almost 30 years ago and is continuing now. Till present days a number of 2 cultivars (‘Valcean’ and ‘Andreea’) and 7 rootstocks (‘Otesani 8’, ‘Otesani 11’, ‘Miroval’, ‘Rival’, ‘Oltval’, ‘Pinval’ and ‘Corval’) have been named in this research station. A new cultivar (‘Alutus’) is in advance phase of homologation and will be released soon. The main breeding methods used for obtaining genetic diversity were: clonal selection, simple and pyramid type cross, selfing, mutagenesis and less the androgenesis and polyploidy. The cultivars and rootstock obtained during 1980-2006 period at SCDP Valcea are remarkable trough their valuable characteristics comparatively with older plum cultivars from Romania and abroad.