Sour Cherry Breeding in Eastern Europe

Abstract

The origin and center of diversity for sour cherry ( Prunus cerasusL.) is believed to be in the territory surrounding the Caspian, Black, and Adriatic Seas (2). The wealth of sour cherry germplasm in this area is undoubtedly a major reason for the success of the sour breeding program in the Eastern European countries. Over the centuries, superior trees were propagated by suckers and by grafting thereby establishing the local varieties. At first, emphasis was placed on the collection of the better strains of local varieties and selection among these strains. These selections were subsequently crossed with cultivars, usually from Western Europe, which generally had better fruit quality Such breeding programs have proven highly successful and the first series of hybrids have been released and commercially accepted. The second breeding cycle will surely result in the release of even more promising hybrids.