Rosa damascena - Genetic resources and capacity building for molecular breeding

Abstract

Rose genetics and genomics research has tremendously advanced during the last 10 years. This mini-review focuses on the current status of knowledge related to the worldwide genetic resources characterization of Rosa damascena, a species which belongs to the Damask group of roses and which has economic importance in several countries related to its cultivation for production of rose oil and rose water. We discuss the needs and options for R. damascena improvement and we present the research activities of the AgroBioInstitute related to R. damascena improvement in frame of the NSF funded DO02-105 "Centre for sustainable development of plant and animal genomics" project.