Transcriptional responses of wild cherries under drought stress and their molecular characterization by using Prunus SSR sequences

Knowledge of the genetic potential in wild species of the cerasus sub-genus is important for recognizing gene pools in germplasm and developing effective conservation for breeding programs. In this research, seeds from 20 selected genotypes belonging to Prunus avium, Prunus mahaleb, Prunus microcarpa and Prunus incana were collected from different parts of Iran. Physiological traits of seedlings and genetic diversity based on SSR markers were evaluated. Water stress was imposed by holding water and physiological and molecular responses of genotypes were examined under well-watered and water-deficient conditions. To assay transcriptional responses, drought tolerance candidate genes were analyzed by quantitative PCR. This study specifies the importance of some genes probably associated to drought tolerance in studied seedlings. It also helps to determine the relationship between phenotypic data and genotype for identifying molecular markers related to drought tolerance. Our results provide a significant contribution to the understanding of how P. incana and P. microcarpa respond to drought stress, which may help to explain molecular mechanisms associated with the response of cherries to drought.