The Banco de Germoplasma de Fresa de Málaga (Malaga strawberry germplasm bank) houses a collection of incalculable value, unique in Europe. Some of its pieces date back two centuries while others have been added over the years to make it an international reference in the genetic improvement of this fruit.
Its "somewhat romantic" origin dates back to the 18th century, when the crossing of two wild varieties by a gardener in the Palace of Versailles gave rise to the 'fragaria ananassa', a cultivated strawberry from which the varieties that are eaten today have been developed. This is how José Sánchez Sevilla, a researcher at the Andalusian Institute for Agricultural, Fisheries, Food, and Ecological Production Research, and Training (IFAPA), explains it from the headquarters which has been in Churriana since 1928.
At present, this seed bank conserves some 400 varieties of cultivated strawberry, to which are added as many accessions of wild material from different parts of the world, "in addition to other materials that are crossbred and experimental until there are over a thousand entries", says Sánchez Sevilla, who points out that after Oregon (USA), which has the largest strawberry germplasm bank in the world, Malaga is the next. "There is also the one in Dresden (Germany), which is a benchmark because it has the largest collection of wild strawberries, but they are not cultivated like those of the IFAPA".
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