Articles
CURRENT STATUS OF SWEET CHERRY BREEDING
Article number
468_1
Pages
35 – 44
Language
Abstract
A world-wide summary of current sweet cherry breeding was undertaken for scion and rootstock efforts.
Three forces creating optimism about cherry production are: 1) dwarfing precocious rootstocks for efficient culture, sometimes with rain covers; 2) modified controlled atmosphere storage for trans-oceanic shipment; plus 3) apples are in over-supply in some parts of the world causing greater interest in cherries and other orchard business diversification possibilities.
Cherries remain a minor crop world-wide, so they receive limited research attention, especially in pest management disciplines.
In the United States less than two full time scientist’s years are committed to sweet cherry breeding annually by public and private researchers combined — a dangerously weak situation for an industry desiring expansion.
Some new breeding research exists in the southern hemisphere and in the orient, both getting their impetus from northern hemisphere marketing opportunities.
In hot climate localities some projects focus on nondoubling fruit.
High, early-season prices drive this new research.
Rootstock breeding usually employs interspecific hybridization and focuses on dwarfing characteristics.
Applied-genetic-engineering, breeding research remains at a standstill in cherries due to the dilemma created by the Prunus regeneration-biology impasse.
Genetic mapping of Rosaceae using molecular biology techniques is progressing in the cherry tribes allowing optimism about more pre-selection.
Luckily barriers to international communication are minimal as the new millennium approaches.
The need for direct industry supplemental funding for cherry breeding research is apparent with patent royalties being the primary mode used to channel industry money to breeders.
Three forces creating optimism about cherry production are: 1) dwarfing precocious rootstocks for efficient culture, sometimes with rain covers; 2) modified controlled atmosphere storage for trans-oceanic shipment; plus 3) apples are in over-supply in some parts of the world causing greater interest in cherries and other orchard business diversification possibilities.
Cherries remain a minor crop world-wide, so they receive limited research attention, especially in pest management disciplines.
In the United States less than two full time scientist’s years are committed to sweet cherry breeding annually by public and private researchers combined — a dangerously weak situation for an industry desiring expansion.
Some new breeding research exists in the southern hemisphere and in the orient, both getting their impetus from northern hemisphere marketing opportunities.
In hot climate localities some projects focus on nondoubling fruit.
High, early-season prices drive this new research.
Rootstock breeding usually employs interspecific hybridization and focuses on dwarfing characteristics.
Applied-genetic-engineering, breeding research remains at a standstill in cherries due to the dilemma created by the Prunus regeneration-biology impasse.
Genetic mapping of Rosaceae using molecular biology techniques is progressing in the cherry tribes allowing optimism about more pre-selection.
Luckily barriers to international communication are minimal as the new millennium approaches.
The need for direct industry supplemental funding for cherry breeding research is apparent with patent royalties being the primary mode used to channel industry money to breeders.
Publication
Authors
R.L. Andersen
Keywords
Prunus avium, genetic progress, fruit cracking, disease resistance to Pseudomonas species, fruit mass
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