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Wild Cherry Breeding (Prunus avium L.)

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Forest Tree Breeding in Europe

Part of the book series: Managing Forest Ecosystems ((MAFE,volume 25))

Abstract

Wild cherry (Prunus avium L.) is native from central-eastern European temperate forests and it has only recently been introduced in intensive forest tree farming practices outside its natural range. Characterised by allogamy with pollination provided by honey bees, it is also able to spread by root stumps in juvenile phases of the ecosystem.

Wild cherry cultivation for wood production has started in the early 1980s in Western Europe and then, more recently, in Eastern Europe. It is now an important commercial species in all the temperate areas of Europe – namely Spain, France, Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium and Great Britain – where most progress has been made in breeding and selection. Due to the higher aesthetic value of its wood, wild cherry is nowadays overcoming other valuable species such as walnut. Unfortunately, selection and breeding programmes have now effectively come to a reduction of funds for planting.

This monograph presents the main biological features of the species relative to breeding and it describes the work carried out in breeding and propagation techniques across 14 European countries. Main results in terms of genetic parameters and trade of reproductive materials are then summarised. Numerous references are provided for the interested reader.

With the contribution of:

Joukje Buiteveld (Alterra, NL), Oscar Cisneros (JCYL, ES), Olivier Desteucq (CRNFB, BE), Raquel Díaz (Cifal, ES), Elena Foffova (NLC, SK), Helmut Grotehusman (NW-FVA, DE), Jan Kowalczic (IBL, PL), Dierk Kownazki (NFW, DE), Georghe Parnuta (ICAS, RO), Marijke Steenackers (INBO, BE), Lars-Göran Stener (Skogforsk, SE), Jan Svejgaard Jensen (FLD, DK).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Consiglio per la Ricerca e la sperimentazione in Agricoltura, Forestry Research Centre (CRA-SEL) viale Santa Margherita 80, 52100, Arezzo, Italy

    Fulvio Ducci & Anna De Rogatis

  2. Instituut voor Natuur- en Bosonderzoek (INBO), Research Unit of Forest Genetic Resources Gaverstraat 4, 9500, Geraardsbergen, Belgium

    Bart De Cuyper

  3. Unité de Recherche Amélioration, Génétique et Physiologie Forestières - Forest Tree Breeding and Physiology Unit, INRA UR 588, Centre Val de Loire, 2163 Avenue de la Pomme de Pin, CS 40001, 45160, Ardon, France

    Jean Dufour & Fréderique Santi

Authors
  1. Fulvio Ducci
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  2. Bart De Cuyper
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  3. Anna De Rogatis
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  4. Jean Dufour
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  5. Fréderique Santi
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Correspondence to Fulvio Ducci .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. , Unité AGPF, INRA, Avenue de la Pomme de Pin 2163, Orléans, 45075, France

    Luc E Pâques

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Ducci, F., De Cuyper, B., De Rogatis, A., Dufour, J., Santi, F. (2013). Wild Cherry Breeding (Prunus avium L.). In: Pâques, L. (eds) Forest Tree Breeding in Europe. Managing Forest Ecosystems, vol 25. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-6146-9_10

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