INHERITANCE OF THE KERNEL FLAVOR IN ALMOND

In this study, the sweet, bitter or slightly bitter flavour of the kernel of 1969 almond trees was determined over a 2-year period; the trees are seedlings of 51 families deriving from crosses of 12 varieties of almond. It is proven that this trait is controlled by just one gene, with bitterness being due to the recessive allele. Trees with slightly bitter kernels are heterozygous forms, in which the bitter flavour is scarcely expressed due to an alteration of the total dominance system. In addition, the varieties used as parents have been classified as homozygous or heterozygous for this trait.