Sour cherries (Prunus cerasus L.) have a very large genome (tetraploid). This is due to the fact that during evolution, meaning the transition from wild ancestors to modern varieties, the genomes of the parent plants combined. The size and complexity of the genome have so far made it difficult to decode the complete genetic sequence of some varieties.
A research group from the Julius Kühn Institute (JKI) in Dresden, the University of Greifswald, and the Dutch company KeyGene has now succeeded in doing this for the “Schattenmorelle” variety. In “Frontiers in Plant Science,” the researchers describe how they decoded the building blocks of the large genome using an innovative technology capable of generating long DNA sequences and bioinformatics tricks.
With the genome sequence of the sour cherry, all the important genetic data are now available to draw conclusions about the origin of sour cherries.
The steppe cherry, depicted here as a flowering shrub, is clearly a parent of today's sour cherry species.
“Sour cherries originated in the regions of the Caspian Sea and the Black Sea through the natural crossbreeding of the two parental species of the steppe cherry (Prunus fruticosa Pall.) and the sweet cherry (P. avium L.),” reports Dr. Thomas Wöhner from JKI in Dresden-Pillnitz. The exact time and place of this “spontaneous mating” and its effects on the genome structure are not yet fully clarified.
“What is certain, however, is that the two parental species initially developed separately from each other. Later, in areas where they evolved simultaneously, a random hybridization must have occurred, giving rise to today’s sour cherries,” explains the researcher. As confirmed by the genome sequence of the sour cherry, the genome of the sour cherry is made up of two parts. One half of the chromosomes comes from the sweet cherry, and the other from the steppe cherry.
Source: Bionity.com
Image: Bionity.com
26 Aug 2025
An American study analysed five varieties of cherries to verify their shelf life and quality during export to international markets. Black Pearl and Chelan proved to be the best, especially when stored cold and packaged in a modified atmosphere.
18 Jul 2025
A late spring frost has severely impacted Michigan’s cherry harvest, with tart cherry yields expected to drop by 45% and sweet cherries by 30%. Despite excellent fruit quality, the reduced supply across the region is expected to lead to significantly higher market prices.
19 Jun 2026
PGPR applied to Gisela 6 rootstock improve rhizosphere fertility, nutrition and root development in sweet cherry. Co-inoculation with Pantoea ananatis D1-28 and Bacillus aryabhattai LAD emerges as a sustainable strategy for efficient roots and more vigorous plants.
19 Jun 2026
Early cherries in California offer strong market potential for growers, but success depends on adapted genetics, protected agriculture and climate risk management to secure fruit quality, consistency and profitability in the San Joaquin Valley, even in unstable seasons.
