Breeding and Genetic Resources of Prunus Species

**Chapter 1**

**Abstract**

Japanese cultivars.

**1. Introduction**

material, etc.

**3**

fruits, liqueurs, brandy, etc.) [6].

competition with figs and jujube (**Table 1**).

radicals and thus to the prevention of cancer.

*Madalina Butac*

Plum Breeding

Worldwide, plum is one of the main species, occupying an area of about 2,600,000 ha and ensuring production about 11,700,000 tons. Even though there are over 6000 plum cultivars belonging to 19–40 species, there is still the need to create new cultivars due to the demands of growers and consumers. In addition, the large plum-growing countries (Romania, Serbia, Germany, Bulgaria, etc.) have decreased production due to plum pox virus (PPV) attack. Therefore, these countries developed breeding programs with the following objectives: resistance/ tolerance to PPV, productivity, fruit quality, late blooming, self-fertility, different ripening times, short growing period, spur fructification, etc. Using different breeding methods (controlled hybridization, open pollination, selection in wild population on *Prunus* sp., and mutagenesis), in the last years, over 450 plum cultivars were released, from which 70% represent European cultivars and 30%

**Keywords:** plum, breeding, objectives, genetic resources, achievements

19–40 species, originating from Europe, Asia, and the USA [1–5].

times; they have alkalizing, mineralizing, laxative, diuretic actions.

Plum is one of the main groups of fruits with about 6000 cultivars, belonging to

Plums are the fruits with the highest nutritional value, having a high content in

Recent studies at Tuft University, Boston, have shown that dehydrated plums have the highest antioxidants content, contributing to the neutralization of free

The therapeutic and prophylactic value of plums has been known since ancient

Plum genetics and breeding have been reviewed over time by different specialists: Cullinan (1937), Weinberger (1975), Ramming and Cociu (1991), Okie and Weinberger [8], Okie and Ramming [9], Okie and Hancock (2008), Hartmann and Neumuller (2009), Neumuller (2010), Topp et al. [5], Butac et al. [10], Milosevic and Milosevic [3]. During the time, in the plum breeding programs, these researchers change different knowledge, breeding techniques, biological

Plums are appreciated for fresh consumption and also for dehydration and processing in the different forms (jams, compotes, jellies, candied fruits, frozen

carbohydrates, minerals, and vitamins that stimulate the body's health [3, 7]. Fresh fruits contain sugar (16–20%), proteins (0.7%), lipids (0.28%), pectins and tanoid substances, etc. Dehydrated fruits have a high content in sugar in
