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Sour cherries (Prunus cerasus L.) are rich in anthocyanins and have a correspondingly high antioxidant activity and potential health benefits with respect to the prevention of many diseases, including cancers and diabetes. As one of the centres of origin of the subgenus Cerasus, Iran is rich in cherry germplasm resources. The aim of this research was to evaluate promising Iranian sour cherries for different fruit quality characteristics. Generally, significant differences (P ≤ 0.05) were observed across the sour cherry genotypes for characters such as fruit weight (FW) (1.89-5.51 g), firmness (0.17-0.37 Nmm −1 ), total sugars (14.57-21.54°Brix), titratable acidity (0.91%-2.81% malic acid), total organic acids (381.04-1742.50 mg 100 g −1 ), total phenolic content (184.10-625.38 mg GAE 100 g −1 ), total anthocyanin content (17.49-123.80 mg cy-3-gly 100 g −1 ) and total antioxidant activity (10.09%-28.79% FW). In addition, a wide variation in fruit colour and sensory quality were observed within the studied genotypes. It was found that Iranian selections such as KaThLaSSGe21, Hamedan, KaTaJo2Ge9, KrRIV4C20, EsASC1V1SS1 and KaThLa3Ge23 generally scored higher for desirable fruit characteristics across this range of parameters than existing commercial genotypes used as the control comparisons. Thus, they can be considered as promising genotypes for further evaluation in cherry breeding programmes, as well as being potentially useful for the cherry juice/concentrate industry.

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Iran is one of the chief origins of subgenus Cerasus germplasm. In this study, the genetic variation of new Iranian sour cherries (which had such superior growth characteristics and fruit quality as to be considered for the introduction of new cultivars) was investigated and identified using 23 intersimple sequence repeat (ISSR) markers. Results indicated a high level of polymorphism of the genotypes based on these markers. According to these results, primers tested in this study specially ISSR-4, ISSR-6, ISSR-13, ISSR-14, ISSR-16, and ISSR-19 produced good and various levels of amplifications which can be effectively used in genetic studies of the sour cherry. The genetic similarity among genotypes showed a high diversity among the genotypes. Cluster analysis separated improved cultivars from promising Iranian genotypes, and the PCoA supported the cluster analysis results. Since the Iranian genotypes were superior to the improved cultivars and were separated from them in most groups, these genotypes can be considered as distinct genotypes for further evaluations in the framework of breeding programs and new cultivar identification in cherries. Results also confirmed that ISSR is a reliable DNA marker that can be used for exact genetic studies and in sour cherry breeding programs.

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