Agroscope FAW Waedenswil, Swiss Federal Research Station for Fruit-Growing, Viticulture and Horticulture, CH-8820 Waedenswil

Inventory and description of fruit genetic resources n Switzerland

Switzerland is especially rich in fruit genetic resources. In the course of the national plan of action (NAP) of the Federal Office of Agriculture (BLW) an inventory of the fruit diversity was untedertaken from 2000 to march 2005 by the association Fructus in collaboration with Agroscope FAW Wädenswil and private associations. The inventory of still available fruit genetic diversity is the basis for the conservation of valuable genetic resources fur future generations. More than 2000 endangered accessions spotted in the course of the inventory are being saved in collections in the meantime. A new NAP-project is actually dedicated to the agronomical and pomological description of this diversity saved in collections in order to take advantage for breeding as well as for special and rediscovered products.

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