In recent years, both consumers and the scientific community is moving towards finding new foods and nutraceuticals for enriching the modern diet. Such foods with functional and sanogenous properties is goji which received a well-deserved recognition. These generic fruits are produced by closely related species Lycium barbarum L. and L. chinense Mill. Often the introduction of these shrubs in culture is no previous studied, especially in the absence of an advanced technology for cropping. Our goal is to comparatively characterize three L. barbarum L. biotypes and four of L. chinense Mill. under a description model used for this species in order to create a referential and comparison database for these new entry species in Romania and dissociate them from wild and out border varieties. Main traits are referring to vigour, stature, ramification capacity, branch thickness, internodal length, color of annual growths, pubescence, number and length of thorns, flowers features such as peduncle length, sepals number and color, flower diameter, disposal petals etc. Leaves are outlined in length/wide ratio, apex shape, pubescence, stalk length and the fruits are evaluated in terms of size, shape, color, dimensions, peduncle length, and number of seeds per fruit, juiciness and firmness, biochemical composition. Phenology is also important and is revealed in monitoring the phases from budburst to flowering, setting to ripening. Conclusive results are useful for all producers, nurseries and also breeders who decide to invest in goji.

 

 

This abstract was accepted to be presented at the conference entitled “40 Years of Horticulture Education in Cluj-Napoca†Cluj-Napoca, September 27, 2017, being included in ‘Book of Abstracts’ of this special-anniversary event (http://conference.shst.ro). All accepted papers will be published in a special issue of Notulae Botanicae Horti Agrobotanici Cluj-Napoca journal.