A review of genetic resources of pome fruits in Iran

Iran is very rich in plant genetic resources, due largely to the diversity in the agro-ecological landscape. Protection, preservation and utilization of genetic resources would facilitate development of premium varieties and biotech products that can potentially lead to a change in the food, agricultural, pharmaceutical and chemical industries in Iran. This paper discusses the distribution, ethnobotany, diversity and utilization of wild and domestic genetic resources of pome fruit species in Iran including apple (Malus spp.), pear (Pyrus spp.), quince (Cydonia oblonga Mill.), hawthorn (Crataegus spp.), medlar (Mespilus germanica L.) and loquat (Eriobotrya japonica Lindl.), all of which are members of the Rosaceae family. The goal of this paper is to highlight the importance of Iran as a contributor to the diversity of pome fruit genetic resources in the world.