ISHS Acta Horticulturae 522: XXV International Horticultural Congress, Part 12: Application of Biotechnology and Molecular Biology and Breeding - General Breeding, Breeding and Evaluation of Temperate Zone Fruits for the Tropics and the Subtropics.
SWEET CHERRY BREEDING AT WASHINGTON STATE UNIVERSITY |
| Authors: | J.W. Olmstead, D.R. Ophardt, G.A. Lang |
| Keywords: | Podosphaera clandestina, Prunus avium, cultivars, disease resistance, powdery mildew, selection, export quality, self-fertile |
| Abstract:
Sweet cherry (Prunus avium) breeding at IAREC/WSU was begun nearly 50 years ago. During that time, 'Rainier' and 'Chinook' were bred and released by Harold Fogle, and 'Chelan', 'Glacier', 'Olympus', 'Index', 'Cashmere', and 'Simcoe' were bred by Tom Toyama and released by Ed Proebsting. Of these, the blushed yellow 'Rainier' has become the highest valued cherry produced in the Pacific Northwest U.S. and is the premier export cherry destined for Asian markets and major U.S. cities. 'Chelan' is the earliest high quality dark red cherry currently being planted to diversify the ripening window around the industry standard cultivar, 'Bing'. 'Glacier' (a very large-fruited variety), as well as 'Cashmere' and 'Index' (two early-ripening varieties), are the first self-fertile cherries released from IAREC/WSU. Further selection of Toyama's crosses and new hybridizations are on-going under current lead scientist Greg Lang. The contemporary breeding objectives are to: 1) develop large, very firm dark red and blushed yellow cherries with good sweet/tart flavor suitable for international export; 2) continue to broaden the ripening window, with particular emphasis on early season harvest; 3) incorporate genes for self-fertility and/or resistance to powdery mildew, Podosphaera clandestina, into new varieties; and 4) select late blooming cultivars to reduce potential damage by spring frosts. Key characteristics of the most recent cultivar releases and "elite" selections will be described, including characteristics of possible importance for use on precocious rootstocks. Technical progress in screening and rapid selection for specific traits, such as powdery mildew resistance, will be presented and discussed. | |
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