CHERRY BREEDING IN ESTONIA

The sweet cherry breeding appeared to be more successful. Approximately 30 selections were turned over to state cultivar testing. The most successful female parents in the Estonian breeding programme have been 'Leningradskaya Chernaya' and its seedling 'Nord', from open pollinated seed. Some good selections have been produced when using female parents 'Krasavitsa' and 'Kristiina' (seedling of 'Krasavitsa' from the Polli Horticultural Institute). Good winter hardiness of the selections is the most important and difficult task for our breeding programme in Estonia. A lot of seedlings with good fruit taste, attractiveness, and excellent productivity were screened. Fruit cracking is a problem mostly in early maturing selections. Fruits are relatively small, mostly 3-5 g. The most winter hardy selection, Jaama Maguskirss, is an offspring of the cross 'Dönissens Gelbe Knorpelkirsche' and 'Kozlovskaya' (Russian cultivar). 'Meelika' (a seedling of 'Leningradskaya Chernaya') is ranking second in winter hardiness, with black tasty fruits (3.1 g). Priima, Elo and Eva are the most early-ripening. Juku, Kadrin, Kati, Kaie, 'Kristiina', Polli Murel, and Tontu have the biggest fruits. The most widely tested three sweet cherry cultivars, 'Kristiina', 'Meelika' and 'Nord', are included into the list of cultivars recommended for growing in Estonia.

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