Naturalization as a tool to increase adaptability in future varieties of felt cherries

Abstract

Naturalizing plants are characterized by both a reduction in the gene pool in comparison with the genetic diversity of the same species in the natural range, and the accumulation of new adaptive traits. Nanking cherry (Prunus tomentosa Thunb.) on the one hand, it demonstrates instability to support in the conditions of Yekaterinburg, on the other hand, it shows a tendency to naturalize in the vicinity of Chelyabinsk. The study of the variability of plants in the places of naturalization of Nanking cherry by weight, fruit color, and peduncle length showed that the value of such populations for the selection of new selected forms is not inferior to the breeding garden laid from seedlings obtained from free pollination in varietal plantations of Nanking cherries. Only plants that have undergone natural selection in nature can be characterized by a higher adaptive potential. The range of variability in fruit weight for all studied plants in naturalization sites ranged from 0.57 to 2.16 g. In the breeding garden – from 0.62 to 2.20 g. Among the varieties, the highest average fruit weight in 2021 was noted for the Natalie variety 4.1 g, but in previous and subsequent years of observations did not reach such values. In the naturalizing populations, no plants with the maroon color of the fruit characteristic of the Damanka variety were found. In the breeding garden, such a fruit color was found, but the weight of the fruit is much less than that of the Damanka variety. The varieties, including some of which were obtained by introgressive hybridization with the species of Nanking cherry and louisiania vicinifolia (Louiseania ulmifolia (Franch.) Pachom. sin. Prunus ulmifolia Franch.), did not show an increase in the length of the peduncle, characteristic of the species that took part in the creation of varieties. Plants with a longer peduncle length than those of existing varieties were found at individual centers of naturalization.

Keywords

• fruit mass
• range of variability
• peduncle length
• maroon fruit color
• hybrid