Cherry breeding – for better quality & new markets

1. Cherry breeding – for better quality & new markets W. David Lane, Ph.D. Senior Research Scientist Plant Biotechnology Pacific Agri-Food Research Centre Summerland, BC Canada VOH 1ZO

2. Agronomic Commodity Yield Disease resistance Efficiency Type Quality Horticultural Consumer product Brand Distinct / recognizable High quality Special / expensive Agronomic v’s horticultural

4. Horticultural examples

5. Breeder: scientist + industry • Develop funding proposal + industry • Develop breeding goals + industry • Plant breeding biology • Small commercial testing + industry • Variety development + industry • Coordination of test results • Interaction with marketers

6. Breeding plots 1 or a few trees each many selections / cvs Visitor’s feedback Older trees Poor tree culture 1 location Grower’s testing Many trees Good training Packing / selling Many locations Discussion > ranking Evaluation and characterization

7. Positive Little history > fast prog. Steep improvement curve No seed multiplication More progress possible Growth habit Firmness Cracking Size Maturity time Negative Difficult to hybridize Narrow genetic base Importing parent var. Long testing period # tons to market Cherry breeding - perspective

8. Cherry breeding - perspective • Advances so far - biology • Self-fertility > yield • Crack resistance > yield • Large size > quality • Firmness / post harvest > quality • Late maturity > yield + quality • Growth habit • Fruit color

9. Cherry breeding - progress

11. Cherry breeding - perspective • Result for growers • Luxury item > high price • Brand recognition • Market separation • Enables air freight • Consistent crop + quality • Earlier production • Higher density • Uses modern infrastructure and technology

12. Cherry breeding - operations • Continuity • Summerland / government – 50 years • Demand for cultivars not linear • Response to new opportunities slow • Therefore • Inventory of new selections cultivars + • Complementary work on management; diversification with work on other related crops ??

13. Cherry breeding - operations • Establishing the program • Variety collection / testing • Germplasm collection / testing • Virus diseases • Generating hybrids • open pollinated seed or ‘crosses’ from orchards • seed or crosses from collaborators

14. Cherry breeding - operations • Time course of breeding • Clear & achievable objectives • Hybridization 1st year • Greenhouse + nursery 3rd year • 1st fruiting 7th year • 1st fruit in grower test 10th year • Propagation small scale 11th year • Propagation large scale 13th year

15. Cherry breeding - objectives • Maturity time • Early: embryo rescue; smaller size and yield • Later: more days of growth = yield + large size + sugar • Self-fertility • Consistent crop; higher yield / hectare • Some risk of over set > thinning • Crack resistance • Timing of rains • Fruit size • 10 grams • Firmness • Post harvest quality • Bruising • ‘cling stone’

16. Cherry breeding - objectives • Taste • Sweet; not acid; balance; 19 Brix • Tree growth habit • Spreading; upright • Skin color • Pink > black • Stem • Stemless; thickness; length • Fruit Shape • Round; pointed