CONSERVATION AND UTILIZATION OF GENETIC RESOURCES OF CUCURBITACEOUS CROPS IN ARMENIA

Abstract

The addressing food security issues in the face of climate change and predicted adverse impacts on the efficiency of agricultural systems is closely linked to the availability of a wide range of crops and varieties that meet the requirements of modern production and are adapted to changing soil and climatic conditions. Crop genetic resources are a resource basis for the development of new varieties and hybrids; to conserve them the base and active collections of Cucurbitaceous crops were created to ensure their long-term and medium-term conservation and targeted use in breeding. In the course of the conducted work to replenish and optimize the seed collection of Cucurbitaceous crops 389 samples of modern breeding and local traditional varieties, as well as breeding material, were stored for long-term and medium-term conservation. As a result of the study of collection accessions and their use new promising varieties of cucumber, watermelon, melon, pumpkin, vegetable marrow and summer squash were created.