Preservation and study of old local forms of the so called “vineyard peach” (Prunus persica L.) in the Shumen region, Bulgaria

. During the period 2015-2017, scientific expeditions were conducted in the region of the town Shumen, located in the north-eastern part of Bulgaria, mainly around the village Madara where the concentration of natural forms derived from seedlings is the greatest. The purpose is to discover and research old local forms of the so called “vineyard peach” and to preserve them for possible future inclusion in breeding programmes to create new cultivars using more extended genepool. As a result, three forms of “vineyard peach” were selected from the local populations. The fruits of the three local forms are small and with primitive taste qualities but fit for human consumption. Two of the forms have white fruit flesh and one is with green. Two of the peach forms have vigorous growth, but one of the forms with white fruit flesh is of weak vigour. The three forms are spontaneous natural products obtained through long-term seed propagation. The trees are old but vital and without visual damage by diseases and pests, regularly bear fruits and have good annual growth despite competition from weeds, bushes and trees.