S01 - Session P4 - Use of X-ray-induced mutations in S alleles in sweet cherry breeding

Authors: Pavol Suran *, Veronika Nekvindova, Jana Cmejlova

Sweet cherry ( Prunus avium L.) breeding programs produce commercial varieties primarily using traditional breeding methods. Induced mutations and molecular biology methods can be acceleration tools for speeding up and refining the breeding process. An increasingly desirable feature is self-pollination of sweet cherries. Sweet cherry is primarily self-incompatible, but there are gene mutations that allow its self-compatibility. Mutation of genes providing self-pollination was induced at the RBIP Holovousy in the Czech Republic. Branches with generative buds in the meiosis phase of pollen grains of sweet cherry cultivars 'Tamara', 'Irena' and 'Burlat' were irradiated with X-rays. The selected X-ray dose was 20 Gy. In 3 years, 496 cherry embryos were sown, from which 28 individuals were grown. These were subjected to molecular genetic analyses to determine the combination of S-alleles. An individual with the combination of S-alleles: mutated S4´S6 from the original S4 S6 combination of S-alleles was was identified. In this individual, the mutation in the S4 allele will be verified by genotyping with an SSR markers.