Biodiversity of fruit plants in Azerbaijan: Prospects of conservation and utilization

Abstract

Azerbaijan considered as the primary or secondary center of origin, domestication and diversity of many fruits, grapevines and nuts, taking their basis from the wild relatives of the region. The land races and wild relatives in Azerbaijan are conserved in protected areas and botanical gardens, as well as ex-situ and on-farm conservation in field collections of the National Gene Bank. At present, more than 4000 accessions of fruit plants are maintained in field collections of GRI (Genetic Resources Institute (GRI), Ministry of Science and Education Republic of Azerbaijan). GRI maintains valuable collections of apple, pear, quince, medlar, pomegranate, grapevine, fig, cherry, apricot, almond, pistachio, almond, pomegranate, sea-buckthorn and other crops. Despite the broad utilization of native varieties in conventional agriculture, the traditions of usage of wild relatives for food, food additives or environmental purposes are still kept among populations like fresh fruit consumption as a raw material for processing and making traditional food, including in a food chain as a feed for domestic animals, initial materials for breeding. Except for fruit utilization, wild relatives are also used as rootstocks, live fences; honey, decorative and medical plants, and wind-brake in plantations.