Fundamental and practical bases for creating a blackcurrant field repository in Russia

Abstract

Creating a virus-free repository of blackcurrant will allow an assessment of productivity, other qualitative characteristics and the use of pollen from healthy plants for breeding. The aim of the research was to reveal the most promising varieties and hybrids of blackcurrant, test plants for viruses and obtain nuclear stock plants for laying the repository. The studies were carried out in 2018-2020 using generally accepted methods of variety study, virus diagnosis and plants reproduction. Valuable blackcurrant varieties and hybrids of the All-Russian Horticultural Institute for Breeding, Agrotechnology and Nursery breeding were studied; the most productive clones were selected and tested by ELISA and PCR. The species composition of harmful viruses in the fruiting stands of blackcurrant under ex situ conditions is diverse. The total prevalence of Arabis mosaic virus (ArMV), Raspberry ringspot virus (RpRSV), Strawberry latent ringspot virus (SLRSV), Tomato black ring virus (TBRV) on blackcurrant plants was 31.5 %. The prevalence of SLRSV and RpRSV was about 15 %, TBRV – 14 %, ArMV – 7 %. Blackcurrant reversion virus (BRV) was absent. As a result of the monitoring carried out in 2018, blackcurrant plants of 8 varieties free from harmful viruses were identified and, after PCR, will be used to establish the repository and base mother nursery.