Breeding and conservation of pedunculate oak ( Quercus robur L.) genetic resources in Serbia and Croatia

Pedunculate oak ( Quercus robur L.) natural populations in Serbia and Croatia represent the southern (rear-edge) distribution limit of the species, having high conservation and management values, not only at the national levels, but also at the European scale. Despite their relevance, these forests are under growing pressure from habitat alteration, biotic and abiotic threats and climate change. To address these issues and enhance the conservation and sustainable use of Q. robur genetic resources, multiple research initiatives have been carried out in Serbia and Croatia aiming to: i) assess genetic diversity and genetic structure of populations grown in situ and ex situ, ii) evaluate the growth performances of provenances/populations/half-sib families in the field experiments, and iii) assess the species’ adaptive potential and drought response mechanisms through the leaf functional traits and gene expression analyses. In the present paper we attempted to systematically summarize the literature sources on the aforementioned topics and review the current knowledge on genetic resources of Q. robur in Serbia and Croatia, emphasizing scientific actions that can be implemented to strengthen breeding and conservation programmes for Q. robur , particularly through coordinated, cross-border efforts between Serbia and Croatia.