ECPGR - Fruits Network: Malus / Pyrus Working Group

An ad hoc meeting on fingerprinting of Prunus, Malus / Pyrus and Vitis was held in East Malling, United Kingdom, on 7-8 December 2006. A second ad hoc meeting followed on 23-25 June 2008 in Gembloux, Belgium on synonymy of Prunus, Malus / Pyrus and Vitis cultivars. An ad hoc meeting of the four Fruit Database Managers (Malus, Prunus, Pyrus and Vitis) is planned to be held in 2008 as well (place and date to be confirmed). In the same year, an ad hoc meeting on in situ and on-farm conservation of Prunus, Malus / Pyrus and Vitis is planned to be held in Dresden, Germany.

The third meeting of the Malus / Pyrus Working Group was held on 25-27 October 2006 in Tbilisi, Georgia. See:

Presentations given during the third meeting, 25-27 October 2006, Tbilisi, Georgia

A pilot version of the ECPGR Malus Database (EMDB), managed by Wye College, UK, is available from the Internet as downloadable in Access. The agreed list of passport and minimum characterization descriptors is also available from the Web.

The European Pyrus Database (EPyDB), managed by the Centre de Recherches Agronomiques, Gembloux, Belgium is under development and accessible on-line, including the list of Pyrus species and potential data contributors, as well as the list of agreed minimum passport descriptors and proposed specific descriptors.

The Group agreed to collect passport and specific data on a subset of the most common European pear cultivars:

1.	Alexander Lucas Butterbirne (Beurré Alexandre Lucas)
2.	Comtesse de Paris (Gräfin von Paris)
3.	Beurré Hardy (Gellerts)
4.	Doyenné du Comice
5.	Joséphine de Malines (Josephin von Mecheln)
6.	Précoce de Trévoux (Frühe von Trevoux)
7.	Seigneur Esperen (Esperen Herrenbirne)
8.	Williams Bon Chrétien (Bartlett)
9.	Conférence
10.	Beurré d'Hardenpont
11.	Curé (Pastorenbirne)
12.	Triomphe de Vienne

The Group encouraged each WG member to add to this list at least three original cultivars from their country, in order to test the descriptors.

European Malus and Pyrus collections

The Group acknowledges the validity of ensuring the safety-duplication of the accessions within framework agreements, although duplication of trees in different countries may sometimes be impractical due to phytosanitary and climatic constraints.

The Group agreed on the need to formalize the establishment of a decentralized collection of Malus and Pyrus accessions to ensure long-term conservation and easy access to the important germplasm for European horticulture, silviculture, cultural heritage or science.
See: Model for a Memorandum of responsibility and: Establishment of a European Malus/Pyrus Collection (respectively Annex II and III of the Report of the Second meeting of the Malus/Pyrus Working Group).

Valuable examples are known of collaboration between the formal plant genetic resources community and the NGOs. The advantages of looking into possible means of collaboration can be invaluable, since voluntary associations can find the time and the appropriate way to identify rare and threatened genetic material as well as its cultural and historical heritage. On the other hand, NGOs can benefit from the empowerment and the assistance with long-term conservation that the formal sector can offer. This sort of interaction should result in an enhanced preservation and accessibility of genetic material.

The Group seeks to assist, help and foster this kind of useful collaboration. A step in this direction is the compilation of a list of NGOs involved in the conservation of Malus and Pyrus in each country (see: Appendix III of the Dublin meeting report).

During an ECPGR ad hoc workshop on Malus germplasm, held in June 1995 at Wye College, University of London, UK, European country delegates expressed concern that genetic uniformity prevailing in commercial apple production was a threat to the apple industry in Europe. The ability of commercial European production to survive future external fluctuations was thought to be dependent on the availability of a broad genetic base.

In order to harmonize and rationalize the European collections of Malus and Pyrus, and therefore optimize European capital and labour resource utilization, a number of recommendations were made, including the proposal to establish an ECPGR Working Group on Malus/Pyrus with the following tasks:

Definition of a minimum set of standardized characterization descriptors

Characterization of all European Malus and Pyrus collections

Inclusion of characterization data into a central European database for Malus and for Pyrus

Definition of additional standardized evaluation descriptors

Definition of standard methodologies for evaluation

Development and implementation of a comprehensive European Malus and Pyrus conservation strategy, taking in consideration:

Development of a European strategy for collecting germplasm, in particular from regions within Europe where unevaluated wild Malus and Pyrus populations are known to exist

Consideration of multilateral agreements for access to and exchange of germplasm

The ECPGR Steering Committee formalized the establishment of a Working Group on Malus/Pyrus in September 1995 and the Group met for the first time in Dublin, Ireland in May 1997 and a second time in Dresden, Pillnitz, Germany on 2-4 May 2002. An extraordinary meeting was held in Angers, France, 2 September 2003.

For more information or comments:
Please contact the Chair of the Working Group: Mr Marc Lateur [click here] and Vice-Chair:
Mr Bronislovas Gelvonauskis [click here]