with different ripening times and for dif-
ferent purposes have been created,
which meet the main agrotechnical re-
quirements for mechanical harvesting:
hard fruits, to be removed together with
the fruit stem (dry abscission). Modern
cytogenetic and genetic methods were
used to create these varieties.
Research Co-operation
The Institute for Cytology and Ge-
netics has scientific co-operation on se-
abuckthorn with the Institute for Soil and
Water Conservation, Chinese Academy
of Sciences, and the Ministry of Water
Resources, Yangling, Shaanxi, China.
[Submitted by S.N. Semenovich, S.L. Petrovna,
and S.G. Mihailovich, Institute for Cytology and
Genetics, Siberian Division, Russian Academy of
Sciences, 630090 Novosibirsk-90, Lavrentiev
Ave. 10, Russia.
Tel.: +382 2 333699, Fax: 331278
E-mail: kiseleva@bionet.nsc.ru]
Sweden
Sweden
Current Research Activities
Sweden's main goal in seabuckthorn
research is to introduce seabuckthorn
as a commercial berry crop in Sweden.
The activities include plant breeding,
development of cultivation system, me-
chanical harvesting, fruit quality analysis
and genetic variation. In the breeding
programme, mostly Russian cultivars
and plants from native stands in north-
ern Europe are used. A vast collection
of germplasm for evaluation and breed-
ing purposes is available at Balsgård.
For large-scale cultivation in Swe-
den, some kind of mechanical harvest is
necessary. Thus, selection for harvest
ability is one major breeding aim. Differ-
ent harvester devices are also being
tried and for this purpose production
fields at Balsgård as well as at the
Torslunda Experimental Station, have
been established. Promising selections
are tested at three sites: Balsgård and
Torslunda in southern Sweden, and in
Kvarken region in northern Sweden.
Recently, a molecular marker for sex
determination was found (Persson and
Nybom 1998). Unfortunately, it was not
universal and further attempts need to
be undertaken. Genetic variation in wild
populations of seabuckthorn (ssp.
rhamnoides
) has also been surveyed to
obtain information that can be used in
germplasm collection and conservation
(Bartish et al. 1999). These investiga-
tions have been continued to cover the
Hippophae
genus and the results are
now being prepared for publication.
Future Research Needs
In the future, work on plant breeding
and development of cultivation tech-
niques will continue. Studies on fruit
quality and factors affecting fruit quality
will be intensified.
Perspectives for Research Co-operation
Plant pathology and adaptation are
further areas that have high priority and
partners for co-operation in these fields
are being sought. Sweden would also
like to contribute to joint investigations
concerning germplasm evaluation.
References:
Bartish, I., Jeppsson, N. and Nybom, H.
1999. Population genetic structure in the
dioecious pioneer plant species
Hippo-
phae rhamnoides
investigated by RAPD
markers. Molecular Ecology (in press).
Persson, H.A. and Nybom, H. 1998. Genetic
sex determination and RAPD marker
segregation in the dioecious species sea
buckthorn (
Hippophae rhamnoides
L.).
Hereditas, 129: 45-51.
[Submitted by Niklas Jeppsson, SLU-Balsgård,
Department of Horticultural Plant Breeding,
Fjälkestadsvägen 123-1, 291 94 Kristianstad,
Sweden. Fax: +46 44 75530,
E-mail: niklas.jeppsson@hvf.slu.se]
