Silk road apples - Collection, evaluation, and utilization of Malussieversii from Central Asia

摘要

Malus sieversii Lebed., a wild apple species native to Central Asia, is recognized as a major progenitor of the domesticated apple, M. xdomestica Borkh. (Juniper et al., 1999; Morgan and Richards, 1993; Ponomarenko, 1987, 1992; Way et al., 1992). In ancient times, apple seeds and trees were probably dispersed from Central Asia east to China and west to Europe via trade caravan routes popularly referred to as the "Silk Road" (Juniper et al., 1999). This flow of apple germplasm declined over the last few centuries as overland trade through the region decreased, and ceased in the 20th century as Central Asia was isolated for political reasons. In the 1920s, Vavilov traveled through Central Asia, reporting that large wild stands of M. sieversii existed in specific localities, and suggested the region as a center of origin for the domesticated apple (Vavilov, 1987). Djangaliev (1977), while confirming the contemporary existence of the wild apple forests, also noted that they were under pressure in some areas because of urbanization, agriculture, grazing, and wood harvesting. In the 1980s, the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture (USDA) National Plant Germplasm System recognized thatM, sieversii was a critical species that lacked representation in its Malus collection at the Plant Genetic Resources Unit (PGRU) in Geneva, N.Y.