sodininkystė ir daržininkystė 32(3–4)

treatment techniques (Stankiene, Stanys, 2000, Stankienė et al., 2009). Immunologicaland molecular based methods are being used for pathogen diagnostics, and researchon virus, phytoplasma and microbial pathogen distribution and identification is carriedout (Stankienė et al., 2012; Mažeikienė et al., 2012).Phytoplasma distribution was studied in strawberry plants growing in commercialand experimental plots in Lithuania and Poland (Cieslinska et al., 2006). The studyrevealed an infection by phytoplasma that belong to three different subgroups of theAster yellows group (16SrI-A, -B and -R). The evaluation of cherry orchards revealedinfections by phytoplasma of the 16SrI-B subgroup and newly identified subgroup16SrIII-T (Valiunas et al., 2009), affecting sweet and sour cherry (Stanienė et al.,2009). This study also demonstrated that induction of in vitro culture from infectedshoots was partially effective in eliminating phytoplasmas.C u l t i v a r e v a l u a t i o n. New cultivars with improved traits are imperativeto biological and technological progress of fruit production and to meet the constantlychanging needs of production practices, processing industries, and consumers. Since theestablishment of the Institute, large scale activity has been dedicated to the evaluationof apple (Gelvonauskis, Gelvonauskiene, 2004 d; Sasnauskas et al., 2006 b; Sasnauskaset al., 2006 a), black currant (Misevičiūtė, 1977; Sasnauskas et al., 2004; Siksnianaset al., 2006 a) and strawberry (Rugienius et al., 2004) cultivars. Cultivars valuable forbreeding or production purposes are being obtained throughout the world and assessedfor their appropriateness for production practices under local climatic conditions. Cropproductivity attributes (yield, production pattern, fruit size, suitability to manual ormechanical harvesting), fruit quality (fruit appearance, colour, shipping quality, shelflife, and flavour), and resistance or tolerance to important pests and pathogens are theselection criteria used for cultivar evaluation trials. The most recent achievements arereflected by the results of the European network for black currant cultivar evaluation(Sasnauskas et al., 2010). Influence of geographic and climatic conditions on plantperformance, berry quality and disease resistance were investigated at seven participatingcountries over a four year period. An important advancement in the field ofcultivar evaluation research was a development of common protocols for evaluationand descriptors for black currants.Concluding remarks. The IH, LRCAF acts as a comprehensive scientific researchinstitution in addition to maintaining a germplasm repository representing numeroushorticultural plant species. Since its establishment in 1938, the Institute has been activelyengaged in fruit plant collection, evaluation, breeding and research. The germplasmrepository includes numerous resources of temperate fruit plants, valuable forproducers and breeders worldwide. Research activities involve advances in fruit plantbiological diversity, adaptation to low temperatures, disease resistance, fruit qualityand biology of plant development. This knowledge is integrated into plant breedingprograms through the development of improved genetic lines, biological markers,in vitro techniques and can also find application in the assessment and improvementof the genetic quality of germplasm. Cultivars of small fruits, pomefruits and stonefruits developed over the last 50 years of the breeding program present a valuablefoundation of germplasm adapted for the temperate climate regions, in addition tohaving valuable traits such as winter hardiness, productivity and fruit quality. The IH,40