The role of fruit-trees, small fruits and ornamental plant collections as an instrument for increase of breeding efficiency

Data are represented on assortment, investigation and use of genetic collection of fruit-trees, small fruits and ornamental plants of different ecological and geographic origin, including the unique areals, maintained in the All-Russian Institute for Selection and Technology in Horticulture. A fundamental study of this biologically diversified genetic collection makes the base for selection programs and allows intensifying the creation of high-productive cultivars which are also adaptive and resistant to diseases. To preserve the collection, both traditional methods and developed in vitro technologies are used.