Contacts

Group head: 

Radek Černý

Centre: 

Lysolaje

Address: 

1) Strizovice, 463 45 Pencin u Liberce 2) Rozvojova 263, 165 02 Praha 6

Email: 

cernyueb [dot] cas [dot] cz

Phone: 

+420 225 106 492

Research objectives of the Station

We are focused on breeding apple varieties naturally resistant to significant diseases, particularly scab (Venturia inaequalis), powdery mildew (Podosphaera leucotricha), and fire blight (Erwinia amylovora). We began breeding for scab resistance as early as 1966, and since then, in collaboration with our commercial partners, we have introduced several dozen resistant varieties to the market. In our breeding efforts, we aim to develop outstanding varieties that cater to the needs of consumers, growers, and the environment. Our mission is to push the boundaries of knowledge and improve the quality of apple varieties to a level where growing them is a joy and passion and eating their fruit is a unique experience, while contributing to a healthier society through science.

Our main activities are:

• Breeding and selection of new apple varieties using both traditional and molecular approaches
• Searching for and exploring new genetic sources, development and utilization of genetic markers for new types of disease resistance and other traits
• Collaborating with domestic and international research and business partners to test our varieties
• Securing plant variety rights and plant patents for our new selections in the Czech Republic, the European Union, Switzerland, Ukraine, the USA, and other countries
• Granting the rights for propagation and sales of trees or fruit production of our varieties to business partners on the basis of licence agreements
• Promotion of our research and breeding activities and varieties at conferences, fairs, seminars, and workshops
• Public outreach and science communication

Our breeding is focused on four main groups of varieties:

• Dessert varieties for both intensive and extensive plantings and home gardens
• Columnar varieties, suitable especially for home gardens
• Red-fleshed varieties, particularly rich in anthocyanins, compounds beneficial to human health
• Ornamental columnar varieties intended mainly for pollination of apple orchards

Our selected new varieties can be found in commercial orchards and home gardens worldwide. Thanks to their disease resistance, they are valued not only in integrated management but also in organic production. The latter contributes to environmental protection and the production of healthy fruit without pesticide residues. In addition, reducing expenses of pesticides contributes to the profitability and competitiveness of growers.

Among our most popular varieties, 'Topaz' with its natural red mutation 'Red Topaz', have become the world's most widely grown scab-resistant varieties. 'UEB 32642', known under the trademark Opal®, is gaining success especially in the USA, Chile and Spain, where it is gradually replacing the similar scab-susceptible variety 'Golden Delicious'. The varieties 'Bonita' and 'UEB 6581' (marketed under the trademark Melinda® Dolce Vita) are cultivated by professional fruit growers for the production of marketable fruit, mainly in southern and western Europe.

In home gardens, hobby growers plant tens of thousands of trees of our columnar varieties every year; among the favourites are 'Lambada', 'Redspring', 'Rondo', and 'Rumba'. Our latest selections – the columnar 'Acrobat', the crisp and exceptionally tasty 'UEB 6481' (Orange Crisp®), the remarkably disease-resistant and delicious 'Lyra', the slightly tart and long-storable 'Camelot', and the robust and popular 'UEB 47021' (Ellipso®) – are also gaining recognition of customers. Enthusiasts of this healthy fruit can also look forward to our latest columnar red-fleshed varieties, 'UEB 55861' (Tigawa®) and 'UEB 47721', which will soon be introduced to markets in selected countries.

Selected varieties to which plant protection in the European Union or in the USA has been granted since 2005