Cryopreservation of sour cherry (Prunus cerasus L.) using a dormant vegetative bud method

Five sour cherry varieties were successfully cryopreserved using cold hardy , dormant vegetative buds. Viability was estimated by chip budding to roots tock. Twig sections dried to moisture contents of approximately 25% (fresh weight basis) survived exposure to ca. -160 degrees C more successfully tha n those with higher moisture contents. Levels of survival observed were suf ficient to initiate practical application of cryopreservation in sour cherr y and in a test of 19 lines, 13 had survival rates exceeding 40% after liqu id nitrogen exposure. Further studies are needed to reduce variability in s urvival obtained after low temperature exposure and to define other factors that are important in retrieving viable bud and cambial tissues. The dorma nt, vegetative bud method is a simple system to preserve sour cherry, and c an be used to screen lines that will require either modified, or entirely d ifferent, cryopreservation strategies.