S-Genotype Diversity in Wild Cherry Populations in the Czech Republic

Abstract

Abstract Wild cherry (Prunus avium L.) S-genotyping is aimed to uncover and thus make it possible to select appropriate genotypes applicable in establishing commercial plantations and advanced forest tree breeding activities. The general and long-term aim is to increase genetic gain in economically valuable traits while maintaining sufficient genetic variability (represented by diverse S-alleles in population). We genotyped 123 accessions from wild cherry growing areas in the Czech Republic using polymerase chain reaction based length polymorphisms detection of S-RNase and SFB genes. The studied plant material revealed 18 different S-haplotypes, 54 S-genotypes corresponded to 25 defined incompatibility groups of cultivated sweet cherry. Eighteen unique S-genotypes were designated to group ‘0’ as a universal pollinator. Eleven new incompatibility groups were found out, of which four were cross-compatible with sweet cherry cultivars. The most frequent was a new incompatibility group S14S21 followed by the group S12S14. The haplotypes S14 (13%) and S1 (10%) were the most frequent whereas S20 was less frequent in the wild populations of cherry. The present study of S-genotyping in the wild cherry population reveals the genetic diversity structure of natural populations and hopefully will help define the breeding strategy including more accurate planning activities such as the optimal seed design of orchards.