GENETIC-PARAMETERS AND SELECTION IN A MULTISITE WILD CHERRY CLONAL TEST

A 7-year-old multisite clonal test with 33 clones provided the first e stimations of genetic parameters and potential gains from clonal selec tion of wild cherry. Available traits included periodic stem height in crements between years 0 and 2, and between years 2 and 7 after planta tion (Ist and 2nd stem HI), breast height (BH) girth, stem straightnes s and pruning notes, number, angle and thinness (stem diameter/branch diameter ratio) of branches, leaf dimensions and number of nectaries, susceptibility to aphid and anthracnosis. Second stem HI, BH girth, br anch angle and susceptibility to anthracnosis (or leaf spot) were the most heritable traits (0.56, 0.70, 0.57 and 0.83 at Sarrazac). The num ber and thinness of branches were also heritable, but only on agricult ural sites (0.66 and 0.22 at Sarrazac). Second stem HI, BH girth and n umber of branches were genetically well correlated with each other, an d also correlated with resistance to anthracnosis. The branch angle wa s unrelated with such traits. An ecovalence analysis of the site x clo ne interaction showed that for each trait a high proportion of clones and sites were weakly interactive. We selected 8 clones after multisit e index selection on 2nd stem HI, BH girth and, to a lesser degree, fo r thinness of branches. Two clones were eliminated for other reasons. With a weak selection intensity (1/4) we obtained a genetic gain of +1 1% for 2nd stem HI and +13% for BH girth. Six clones are now on the ce rtification list. They are the first clonal varieties of wild cherry o fficially available in EU countries.