Firmness QTL mapping using an ‘Ambrunés’ × ‘Sweetheart’ sweet cherry population

Abstract

Sweet cherry cultivation has high cultural and economic interest in the Jerte Valley (Extremadura, Spain). ‘Ambrunes’ is one of the main cultivated varieties in this area and it is marketed under the Protected Origin Designation “Cereza del Jerte”. ‘Ambrunes’ is a sweet cherry landrace, remarkably adapted to the local growing conditions, that shows exceptional organoleptic characteristics, especially fruit firmness, a trait appreciated by traders and consumers. As the market increasingly demands high quality cherries with good postharvest behaviour, ‘Ambrunes’ is a relevant genetic resource for sweet cherry breeding. In this work, a breeding population of the Sweet Cherry Breeding Program belonging to CICYTEX in Extremadura, that comes from the crossing of the sweet cherry cultivars ‘Ambrunes’ × ‘Sweetheart’, was used to study the genetic control of fruit quality traits, particularly fruit firmness.