Evaluation of the cloudberry (Rubus chamaemorus L.) genetic resources of Latvia and Belarus as a background for the breeding program and conservation

The project’s scientific leader from the Latvian side: Asoc. Prof. Dr. biol Dace Grauda

Project partners: Central Botanical Garden of the National Academy of Science of Belarus

Project annotation: Researchers of the Institute of Biology of the University of Latvia in collaboration with colleagues from the Central Botanical Garden of the National Academy of Science of Belarus have begun the project “Evaluation of the cloudberry (Rubus chamaemorus L.) genetic resources of Latvia and Belarus as a background for the breeding program and conservation”. The project is implemented as a part of collaboration program in the field of science and technologies supported by the ministry of education and Science of the Republic of Latvia and State Committee on Science and Technology of the Republic of Belarus.

The widespread localities of cloudberries in Latvia, and especially in Belarus, are close to the southern spread areal. Cloudberries by their biochemical composition are very rich and valuable berries. Taking into account the rarity of cloudberries in Belarus, and the decreasing harvest of cloudberries in Latvia, caused by the loss of suitable habitats, research of cloudberry genetic variability and population genetic structure following by collecting of specific samples for further reproduction it is essential to get starting material for development of new methods that can be applied for commercial purposes.

The knowledge and seed material gained during the execution of the project will give the possibility to create a species conservation strategy and to create a breeding raw material base.

Project target: To commence Latvian and Belarusian cloudberry genetic variety research, to develop species retaining strategies and collection of perspective plant material for the creation of a base for breeding.

Project participants from Latvia: Dr. biol. Dace Grauda, Dr. biol. Dalius Butkauskas, Dr. habil. biol. Isaak Rashals, MSc. biol. Nikole Krasņevska, Dr. biol. Anita Osvalde, BSc. biol. Sandra Dombrovska

Project participants from Belarus: Dr. biol. Vladimir Titok, Dr. biol. Boris Anochenko, Dr. biol. Alesia Kruchonok, Dr. biol. Eugenij Popov, Dr. biol. Larisa Sidor.