The 2012 ASHS Annual Conference

Evaluation of Taiwan Cherry (Prunus campanulata) germplasm for the breeding of subtropical sweet cherries has identified two Mendelian traits.  A genotype possessing standard five petal flowers of white color was hybridized with a pink colored multi-petal (10–25 petals) flowered genotype.  All hybrids had pink flowers with approximately half processing the multi-petal trait.  This observation shows that the white flower trait was recessive, and it appears to be analogous to the white flower trait in peach (P. persica).  When expressed, trees lack anthocyanin and produce white flowers, green stems, green petioles, and golden yellow fruit at maturity.  An F₂ was obtained from the hybrids and 766 seedlings were rated for the lack of anthocyanin.  A chi square showed a fit for a 3:1 segregation with a 95% level of confidence.  The white flowered offspring will be grown to maturity, and they are expected to segregate 1:1 for the multi-petal trait due to the trait’s presence in the F₁ population.