Monitoring and preservation of old cherry cultivars in the Slovak Republic

The cherry trees have attractive fruits suitable for direct consumption and industrial processing. In Slovakia they have been grown for a long time as an important source of food. Monitoring, preservation and growing of old cherry cultivars are valuable both within the preservation of cultural heritage and as a part of biodiversity conservation. Researchers from the Gene Bank of the Slovak Republic focus on the monitoring of old cherry cultivars in the Slovak Republic, evaluation of their fruits, assessing the molecular variability, screening of the occurrence of economically important and emerging viruses of red stone-fruits and development of molecular techniques for their sensitive and specific detection. Nine localities of cherry occurrence in Slovakia were monitored in 2014 and 130 samples of plant material (flowers, leaves, fruits) were obtained. Basic description and evaluation was carried out according to the Cherry Descriptor List. The most promising genotypes of cherries found in different parts of Slovakia were grafted on three different rootstocks (Prunus avium seedlings, Prunus mahaleb seedlings and 'Gisela 5'). Thirty five most promising genotypes are planted in a nursery of the Research Institute of Plant Production in Piestany. All obtained samples were tested and characterized for the presence of Prune dwarf virus (PDV), Arabis mosaic virus (ArMV), Plum pox virus (PPV) and Apple chlorotic leaf spot virus (ACLSV).