Aim. Ukrainian breeders have created a large number of sweet cherry cultivars, which still remain almost unexplored at the molecular level. The aim of our study was to identify the self-incompatibility alleles (S-alleles) in Ukrainian sweet cherry cultivars and landraces, and to elucidate, to which cross-incompatibility group the cultivars belong. Methods. The PCR was conducted using consensus primers to the first and second introns of S-RNAse gene and to the single intron of SFB gene. The electrophoretic analysis of the PCR products of the second intron of S-RNAse was carried out in agarose gel, whereas detection of fluorescently labeled DNA fragments of the first S-RNAse intron and the SFB intron was performed using a genetic analyzer. Results. The S-alleles of 25 Ukrainian sweet cherry cultivars and 10 landraces were identified. The S-alleles frequencies and affiliation of cultivars and landraces to the groups of cross-incompatibility were determined. The obtained data can be used in breeding programs and by planning of industrial plantings. Conclusions. In the study, 12 different S-alleles and 79 S-haplotypes were identified. The S1, S3, S4, S5, S6 and S9 alleles are the most widespread among Ukrainian sweet cherry cultivars and landraces. The high frequencies of S5 and especially of S9 alleles are characteristic for the Ukrainian cultivars and distinguish them from other European ones. For the Ukrainian sweet cherry cultivars, the XXXVII (S5S9) cross-incompatibility group appeared to be the most numerous.Keywords: Ukrainian sweet cherry cultivars, S-locus, Sgenotypes, self- and cross-incompatibility, Prunus avium.
Population structure and genetic bottleneck in sweet cherry estimated with SSRs and the gametophytic self-incompatibility locus