Epsilon Archive for Student Projects

Abstract

Mitt examensarbete utgör ett led i Nordiska Genbankens (NGB) uppgift att skapa en nordisk
s.k. "core collection" av rabarber, Rheum rhabarbarum L. Samlingar finns även i våra
nordiska grannländer Norge, Finland, Danmark och Island. I Sverige har ett insamlingsarbete
av rabarber pågått under åren 2002 och 2003 för att komplettera en äldre samling. Detta har
resulterat i en ny samling på totalt 60 kloner som för närvarande finns hos Svalöf Weibull AB
i skånska Svalöv. Min uppgift har varit att dokumentera morfologiska särdrag i enlighet med
"Guidelines for rhubarb, Rheum rhabarbarum L. TG/62/6" utformad av International Union
for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV) samt att fotodokumentera materialet.
Dessutom har jag utfört kemiska analyser av oxalsyra och äppelsyra i 1/3 av klonerna.
Parallellt med mitt arbete har en DNA-fingerprintanalys utförts på Markörlaboratoriet vid
Svalöf Weibull AB. Jag har kunnat utnyttja resultaten från denna undersökning för att spåra
eventuella namngivna sorter och upptäcka dubbletter i det insamlade materialet. Det praktiska
arbetet med fingerprinting har dock inte ingått i mina uppgifter.
Det finns mycket stor variation i det insamlade materialet beträffande både morfologiska och
kemiska karaktärer. Fingerprintanalysen visar dock att flera kloner inte kan skiljas åt. Det
finns således 20 kloner som inte kan separeras från sorten 'The Sutton' och de kommer från
så skilda landskap som Lappland, Närke och Skåne. Ett 10-tal andra kloner tycks vara
identiska men det är ovisst av vilken sort. Ytterligare några kloner verkar ha dubbletter. Efter
bortsortering av dessa bör samlingen kunna begränsas till ett 20-tal kloner med stor inbördes
variation. Denna klonsamling kommer att bevaras i odling på Fredriksdals Friluftsmuseum i
Helsingborg. Beskrivningarna och fotodokumentationen skall ingå i databaser hos NGB och
kommer att vara tillgängliga via Internet.

SUMMARY

This essay is a part of the work at the Nordic Gene Bank (NGB) to create a Nordic core
collection of rhubarb, Rheum rhabarbarum L. Collections have been established also in our
Nordic neighbouring countries Norway, Finland, Denmark and Iceland. In Sweden, collecting
of rhubarb has taken place in 2002 and 2003 and will complement an older collection. This
has resulted in a new collection of totally 60 clones, presently growing at Svalöf Weibull AB,
Svalöv, Skåne. My part of this work has been to examine and describe morphological
characteristics according to the "Guidelines for rhubarb, Rheum rhabarbarum L. TG/62/6"
designed by the International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV)
and to create a photo documentary showing these traits. I have also taken part in chemical
analyses of oxalic acid and malic acid in 1/3 of the clones. In parallel with my work, a DNAfinger
print analysis has been done at the Marker Laboratory at Svalöf Weibull AB. I have
been able to use results from this investigation in order to trace any known commercial
varieties or doublets among the unnamed clones in the collection.
Large differences were found in the collected material considering both morphological and
chemical characters. The finger print analysis showed, however, that several clones could not
be separated from each other. Thus, 20 clones seem to be identical with the variety 'The
Sutton', and they come from such different provinces as Lapland, Närke and Skåne. Another
10 clones seem to be identical, but it is unknown which variety it is. Some other clones also
appear to have doublets. After sorting out the doublets, the collection will be restricted to
some 20 clones with large variation between clones. Once the work with this collection is
finished, the clones will be moved to the open-air museum Fredriksdal at Helsingborg. The
descriptions and photo documentations will be included in the databases at NGB, which are
available at the Internet.

This essay is a part of the work at the Nordic Gene Bank (NGB) to create a Nordic core
collection of rhubarb, Rheum rhabarbarum L. Collections have been established also in our
Nordic neighbouring countries Norway, Finland, Denmark and Iceland. In Sweden, collecting
of rhubarb has taken place in 2002 and 2003 and will complement an older collection. This
has resulted in a new collection of totally 60 clones, presently growing at Svalöf Weibull AB,
Svalöv, Skåne. My part of this work has been to examine and describe morphological
characteristics according to the ”Guidelines for rhubarb, Rheum rhabarbarum L. TG/62/6”
designed by the International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV)
and to create a photo documentary showing these traits. I have also taken part in chemical
analyses of oxalic acid and malic acid in 1/3 of the clones. In parallel with my work, a DNAfinger
print analysis has been done at the Marker Laboratory at Svalöf Weibull AB. I have
been able to use results from this investigation in order to trace any known commercial
varieties or doublets among the unnamed clones in the collection.
Large differences were found in the collected material considering both morphological and
chemical characters. The finger print analysis showed, however, that several clones could not
be separated from each other. Thus, 20 clones seem to be identical with the variety ‘The
Sutton’, and they come from such different provinces as Lapland, Närke and Skåne. Another
10 clones seem to be identical, but it is unknown which variety it is. Some other clones also
appear to have doublets. After sorting out the doublets, the collection will be restricted to
some 20 clones with large variation between clones. Once the work with this collection is
finished, the clones will be moved to the open-air museum Fredriksdal at Helsingborg. The
descriptions and photo documentations will be included in the databases at NGB, which are
available at the Internet.