Assessment of the inheritance of resistance and tolerance in cherry (Prunus sp.) to Blumeriella jaapii, the causal agent of cherry leaf spot

Abstract

Cherry leaf spot (CLS), caused by Blumeriella jaapii, is a serious fungal disease of sour cherry (Prunus cerasus). Cultivar Montmorency, the major cultivar grown in the United States, is highly susceptible to CLS. As many as 10 fungicide sprays can be required each growing season to combat this disease; therefore, developing CLS‐resistant cultivars is a top breeding priority. Germplasm previously reported to be resistant or tolerant to CLS was acquired and incorporated into the sour cherry breeding programme at Michigan State University (MSU) and included three cherry species: sour cherry, sweet cherry (P. avium), and the wild species P. canescens. This study aimed to: (i) compare the CLS disease progression profile of the susceptible cultivar Montmorency with those of the resistant and tolerant germplasm; and (ii) gain an understanding of the inheritance of these resistance and tolerance traits by evaluating the host response of progeny individuals belonging to families derived from this germplasm. Significant differences were observed between the susceptible Montmorency and the tolerant and resistant accessions in their response to CLS and its progression during the growing season. Evaluation of the CLS host responses of progeny individuals derived from this germplasm supported a dominant two‐gene model for P. canescens‐derived resistance and a recessive gene model for sweet cherry‐derived tolerance. These insights into disease progression and trait inheritance improve the efficiency and potential success of breeding sour cherry cultivars with durable resistance to CLS.