S02 - Session O1 - Fruit trees diversity in the Near East, a challenged legacy for conservation actions.

Authors: Lamis Chalak *,

The Near East region, with its ancient settlements , geographical extension and diversified environments, has a notable legacy of fruit genetic resources ranging from temperate to subtropical species. Olive, grapevine, apple, almond, citrus, fig, pomegranate and many others are cultivated there, while fruit wild relatives are still found in various environments and many of which are commonly used by rural communities. Nevertheless, over time, parts of these genetic resources are being eroded through various anthropogenic pressures. Much of the inherited wild relatives and landraces will be lost unless sustainable management strategies for the conservation and sustainable utilization of agricultural biodiversity are established in the region. In this study, we review the current status of the main fruit resources growing in the Near East and the major threats affecting their conservation and sustainable utilization in the region which is currently experiencing the likely worst drought of the past nine centuries. This is a LIA O-LiFE contribution number OC-2021/1 .