The diversification and breeding of horticultural crop cultivars suitable for Baltic Sea Region

Research aim - development and selection of cultivars adapted to the Baltic Sea region with adequate ecological plasticity, productivity, product quality, resistance to diseases and pests.

Research topics:

• The breeding of cultivars that are adapted to the agro-climatic conditions of the Baltic Sea region, the breeding of cultivars of primary fruit crop cultures (apples, raspberries) that are highly resistant or immune to pests and diseases;
• Introduction of molecular marker-based breeding for priority fruit crop cultures;
• Study of the phenotypic reaction of perspective genotypes of priority fruit crop cultures on low temperatures in natural and controlled environments for accelerated evaluation of winter-hardiness and phenotypic plasticity;
• The characterisation, genotyping and diversity analysis of horticultural crops' genetic resources and raw breeding material;
• Use of horticultural crops' genetic resources for cultivar selection diversification and breeding, the assessment of storage and processing method suitability;
• Monitoring of emergence of new Venturia inaequalis races and potential of overcoming resistance;
• Introduction of rare vegetable species in Latvia;
• Initial testing of hybrids, introducible cultivars and rootstocks, incl. fruit chemical composition compatibility assessment for various methods of consumption.

Units of LatHort involved in research:

• Unit of Genetics and Breeding
• Unit of Plant Pathology and Entomology
• Unit of Processing and Biochemistry
• Unit of Agronomic Research and Variety Testing