Identification of pollen donors for the sweet cherry cultivars ‘Stella’ and ‘Summit’ by isozyme analysis

Abstract

Pollinisers of the sweet cherry cultivars ‘Stella’ and ‘Summit’ were determined by analysing isozymes of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD), 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase (6-PGD), glucose phosphate isomerase (GPI), isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH), shikimate dehydrogenase (SKDH), fructose-1,6-diphosphatase (FDP), and glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase (GOT) in their embryos. Possible polliniser cultivars were selected on the basis of similar full bloom dates and orchard position in regard to Stella or Summit. Examination of the ratios for the segregation of isozymes showed that Summit was predominantly pollinated by Stella, and Stella by Van. In the same orchard, but in a different season, the main polliniser for Stella was found to be Venus, and 29% of Stella embryos resulted from selfing. Thus the effectiveness of cherry pollinisers depends on overlapping flowering dates, which can vary from year to year, and, for a self-fertile cultivar in a mixed block, cross-pollination predominates over selfing.

Characterization of microsatellites in wild and sweet cherry (Prunus avium L.) — markers for individual identification and reproductive processes

“…† Recombination frequency cannot be estimated because pollen donor is homozygous at the SSR locus. planting design and mixture of cultivars (Brant et al 1999). For example, in open-pollinated breeding populations, new advantageous combinations may be identified without performing laborious controlled crosses.…”

Gene flow in cherry orchards

“…Granger (1997) found that the selfcompatible cultivar Stella outcrossed in 70% of successful pollinations and selfed in 30%, and concluded that it was necessary to include polliniser cultivars in plantings of self-compatibles; this finding concurs with the results for Sunburst which add further support to this conclusion. Brandt et al (1999) found Stella to be the main polliniser for Summit; in this study, Stella contributed about 30% of pollen genes to Summit embryos, while Van and Merchant made larger contributions. Jackson and Clarke (1991) found that gene flow in almond orchards was concentrated between neighbouring parts of tree canopies and no gene flow occurred beyond 76 m. In comparison, Granger (1997) found that 50% of gene flow in a cherry orchard occurred over 50 m. In this study the main polliniser was usually within approximately 20 m.…”