Sour Cherry Breeding, Genetics, and Genomics
Researchers at Michigan State University
have identified the genetic control of self-incompatibility
in sour cherry that determines whether individuals
can self-pollinate. Self-fertility is critical
for any successful new sour cherry cultivar
because self-pollinating cultivars do not
require neighboring pollinator trees and
do not have an absolute requirement for bees
for pollen transfer.
Research is underway to implement marker
assisted selection for self-fertility into
sour cherry breeding programs. Marker assisted
selection allows breeders to easily identify
desirable genetic traits (such as being self-fertile)
to incorporate into their breeding programs.
Early selection of self-fertile seedlings
will dramatically increase the efficiency
of the breeding effort. Molecular markers
for self-incompatibility are also used to
examine pollen flow in grower orchards, enabling
growers to identify the most effective pollinator
for those cultivars currently in production
that require cross-pollination.
CSREES funded the research through the National
Research Initiative plant genome program.
The researchers published their findings
in the February 2006 issue of the journal Genetics.
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