Agapetes: Jewels of the Himalayas

Authors: Hummer, Kim; Oliphant, James - Jim; HOAI, TRAN THI THU - Vietnam Academy Of Agricultural Sciences (VAAS); NGUYEN, KIEN VAN - Vietnam Academy Of Agricultural Sciences (VAAS)

Submitted to: Acta Horticulturae
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/7/2016
Publication Date: 11/30/2017
Citation: Hummer, K.E., Oliphant, J.M., Hoai, T., Nguyen, K. 2017. Agapetes: Jewels of the Himalayas. Acta Horticulturae. 1185:29-34. https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2017.1185.6.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2017.1185.6

Interpretive Summary: The U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Clonal Germplasm Repository (NCGR) at Corvallis maintains genetic resources for temperate specialty crops. This genebank houses crop wild relatives of blueberries, including Agapetes, a cousin in the family Ericaceae. Agapetes has beautiful flowers and fruits. It usually is a semi-climbing woody shrub native to Southeastern Asia that grows directly on a tree-trunk. It is found in the Himalayan highlands from India and Nepal through China to Vietnam, Laos, and Thailand. During 25 October to 14 November 2015, Agapetes, and other species relatives were collected during a Vietnamese-US cooperative expedition in Northern Vietnam. The exploration involved scientists of the Plant Resources Center, Vietnam Academy of Agricultural Sciences in Hanoi, and the NCGR. The exploration was supported through the U.S. National Plant Germplasm System (NPGS) Plant Exploration/Exchange Program. Permissions for collecting were obtained from the Vietnamese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, and the administration of four Vietnamese National Parks. During the expedition, 5 species of Agapetes, were collected, doubling the number of species represented in the NCGR. Root samples for propagation and seeds were collected from 1200 to 3100 m elevation. Chilling hours in these habitats were estimated to be 50 to 160 hours per year. Agapetes species were lithophytic (epipetric) or epiphytic. The plants simultaneously displayed multiple stages of phenology from bud break to fruit development. Fruit colors of these Agapetes wild relatives included pink, bright red, fuchsia, as well as purple to black. Descriptive flower and fruit characters of the Agapetes in the NCGR collection will be summarized.

Technical Abstract: The U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Clonal Germplasm Repository (NCGR) at Corvallis maintains genetic resources for temperate specialty crops. This genebank houses crop wild relatives of Vaccinium L., including Agapetes D. Don ex G. Don, a cousin in the family Ericaceae. Agapetes is usually epiphytic, semi-climbing woody shrub native to Southeastern Asia. It is found in the Himalayan highlands from India and Nepal through China to Vietnam, Laos, and Thailand. During 25 October to 14 November 2015, Agapetes, and other species relatives were collected during a Vietnamese-US cooperative expedition in Northern Vietnam. The exploration involved scientists of the Plant Resources Center, Vietnam Academy of Agricultural Sciences in Hanoi, and the NCGR. The exploration was supported through the U.S. National Plant Germplasm System (NPGS) Plant Exploration/Exchange Program. Permissions for collecting were obtained from the Vietnamese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, and the administration of four Vietnamese National Parks. During the expedition, 5 species of Agapetes, were collected, doubling the number of species represented in the NCGR. Root samples for propagation and seeds were collected from 1200 to 3100 m elevation. Chilling hours in these habitats were estimated to be 50 to 160 hours per year. Agapetes species were lithophytic (epipetric) or epiphytic. The plants simultaneously displayed multiple stages of phenology from bud break to fruit development. Fruit colors of these Agapetes wild relatives included pink, bright red, fuchsia, as well as purple to black. Descriptive flower and fruit characters of the Agapetes in the NCGR collection will be summarized.