Revisiting the S-allele Nomenclature in Sweet Cherry (Prunus avium) Using RFLP Profiles

Abstract

Correct assignment of self-incompatibility alleles (S-alleles) in sweet cherry (Prunus avium L.) is important to assure fruit set in field plantings and breeding crosses. Until recently, only six S-alleles had been assigned. With the determination that the stylar product of the S-locus is a ribonuclease (RNase) and subsequent cloning of the S-RNases, it has been possible to use isoenzyme and DNA analysis to genotype S-alleles. As a result, numerous additional S-alleles have been identified; however, since different groups used different strategies for genotype analysis and different cultivars, the nomenclature contained inconsistencies and redundancies. In this study restriction fragment-length polymorphism (RFLP) profiles are presented using HindIII, EcoRI, DraI, or XbaI restriction digests of the S-alleles present in 22 sweet cherry cultivars which were chosen based upon their unique S-allele designations and/or their importance to the United States sweet cherry breeding community. Twelve previously published alleles (S1, S2, S3, S4, S5, S6, S7, S9, S10, S11, S12, and S13) could be differentiated by their RFLP profiles for each of the four restriction enzymes. Two new putative S-alleles, both found in `NY1625', are reported, bringing the total to 14 differentiable alleles. We propose the adoption of a standard nomenclature in which the sweet cherry cultivars `Hedelfingen' and `Burlat' are S3S5 and S3S9, respectively. Fragment sizes for each S-allele/restriction enzyme combination are presented for reference in future S-allele discovery projects.