TECHNICAl Tour S3

RESEARCH INSTITUTE FOR FRUIT GROWING (RIFG) PITESTI, ROMANIA

on May 14th, 2024

08:45 am - Departure to the first visit site (1.45 h drive)

A bilingual tour guide will accompany participants during their trip.

10:30 – 12.30 Visit the Research Institute for Fruit Growing

Research Institute For Fruit Growing (RIFG) Pitesti, Romania, has more than 50 years of experience in fruit-growing research. The Institute is a public institution under the coordination of the Academy of Agricultural and Forestry Sciences „Gheorghe Ionescu Șișești” Bucharest. With 105 staff members, including 25 researchers, it covers an area of about 150 ha of research fields and demonstrative plots located near Pitesti city, a beautiful hill area 120 km from Bucharest (https://icdp.ro/ ).

The Institute is Romania's leading research and development center for fruit growth. It has afforded us a reputation for developing new cultivars and rootstocks with tolerance to the main pests and diseases, to environmental stress, reliable high yield, and attractive fruit quality that are suitable for professional orchards as well as for hobby gardening and for fresh market as well as for processing.

The main research targets are to develop:

• Preservation and evaluation of fruit germplasm (about 3,000 accessions);

• Breeding of new cultivars with resistance against economically significant diseases and pathogens;

• Breeding of rootstocks with better adaptation to different kinds of soils;

• New fruit technologies according to plant and environmental protection;

• Biotechnological tools to accelerate the development of new fruit cultivars;

• Virology and micropropagation.

In the last 20 years, the Institute has released 51 cultivars, of which seven apples, six pears, two quinces, four plums, six cherries, two strawberries, one chokeberry, one black currant, seven blueberry, three seabuckthorn, three honeysuckles, two gooseberries, four raspberry, two blackberry, one cornelian cherry. As an essential access to knowledge and resources, the Institute has extended national and international cooperation with other research institutes, universities, fruit companies, individual producers, nursery companies, and the processing industry.

13:00 - 14:30 – Lunch - The Museum of Viticulture and Fruit Growing Golești, with the support of the National Research & Development Institute for Biotechnology in Horticulture Stefanesti – Arges

National Research & Development Institute for Biotechnology in Horticulture Stefanesti – Arges, NRDIBH (https://incdbh-stefanesti.ro/ ) has 65 years of experience in genetics, molecular biology, and plant breeding of horticultural species, breeding activity of horticultural species – table grape varieties, wine grape clones, tomato varieties; molecular biology research: biotechnologies of in vitro regeneration in vines, ornamental, aromatic and medicinal plants, other species with restricted distribution areas; DNA extraction; the use of genetic markers to determine the degree of similarity and variability; verification of identity, uniformity, and genetic stability by molecular methods (RAPD, SSR); procedures for obtaining virus-free vine plants; innovative, precision technologies for horticultural species; owner of the national collection of viticultural germplasm.

A traditional research-development activity that is carried out in the institute is regarding viticulture and winemaking. The tour includes a wine-tasting experience featuring wines produced in the Ștefanești area.

14:30 – 16:30 - Visit The Museum of Viticulture and Fruit Growing Golești

The Golesti Museum was established in 1939 by law no. 296/7 June, promulgated by royal decree, signed by King Charles II. Its name was “The Dinicu Golescu Museum.” Museum heritage includes a medieval ensemble consisting of The Golesti Manor, The Golesti Public Free School, The (Watch) Tower, The Hospital Radu Golescu, The Turkish Bathroom, and outbuildings, in which arranged The Ethnography and Folk Art Section, and The Golesti History Exhibition.

The title Golesti Viticulture and Tree Growing Museum was established by law no. 311/2003. The institution is located in the Stefanesti town, Arges, street Radu Golescu, on route 7 Pitesti-Bucharest, 11 Km far away from Pitesti City, with an area of 14 ha, where the museum heritage is divided into two major museums: The Open-Air Section and The History – Ethnography Section.

https://muzeulgolesti.ro/ro/