Biotechnological approaches in strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo L.) breeding

Abstract

Arbutus unedo L. (Strawberry tree) belongs to Ericaceae family, is an evergreen shrub or tree, mostly known around Mediterranean region in natural habitat, has valuable medicinal and aromatic properties. The plant is mainly used for its edible fruits. In addition, A. unedo have increasing importance in afforestration programmes, beekeeping facilities, ornamental purposes and elucidating plant physiology. Therefore, the species is seemingly a promising fruit plant. Orchards are very limited but increasing demand to the plant will result in initiations of establishment new fruit orchards with superior genotypes viz. tolerant to the abiotic stress, resistant to pests and diseases, rich contents in terms of valuable compounds, convenience to postharvest operations, being visually preferable and suitable to target climate. Plant breeding is an important component to overcome elimination of unwanted features and to reach admirable characters. The main steps in breeding are effective selection, succesfully adaptation and inheritance via transferring the features to subsequent generations. Studies on A. unedo breeding via biotechnological approaches were reviewed. In A. unedo breeding, only few biotechnological techniques have used in all known for the purposes especially for selection and propagation of the determined best type. The mostly used biotechniques for A. unedo were consantrated on in vitro propagation and fingerprint analyses to determine genetic diversity and the favourite genotypes wherein the population with compared with pomological features for help in breeding programme

Keywords

• arbutus unedo, strawberry tree, breeding, biotechnology