Introduction of not widespread fruits and berries in Siberia for their application as functional food products

Abstract

The paper shows the results of more than 70 years activities on creation unique collection of non-traditional fruit and berry plants in the laboratory of food plants introduction at the Central Siberian Botanical Garden of SD RAS. The collection consists of 85 species from 29 genera and 10 families, 314 varieties and 567 selected forms. The paper shows the results of research on introduction and breeding of wild apple-tree, mountain ash, bird cherry tree, cherry, cranberry, blueberry, red currant, blue honeysuckle and hawthorn in Siberia. Such berries as mountain ash, bird cherry, cranberry and blueberry are of particular interest as they are rather new to horticulture of Siberia. The article highlights the outlooks of introduction of non-traditional fruit and berry plants into horticulture of Siberia. The paper contains characteristic of chemical composition of wild fruit and leaves and bred exotic species. The author explores the possibility of their use as food, medical and cosmetic products; the paper shows promising use of rare fruit and berry plants of Siberia as a functional food.