ALLOZYME INHERITANCE IN TETRAPLOID SOUR CHERRY (PRUNUS-CERASUS L)

Inheritance for seven enzyme loci was determined in seeds produced from crosses and self-pollinations involving four sour cherry parents and one open-pollinated ground cherry (P. fruticosa Pail.) parent. Segregation data were used to identify allozymes and determine whether sour cherry is a naturally occurring allo- or autotetraploid. Three allozymes were identified at the 6-Pgd-1 locus, and two were identified at each of the following loci: Pgi-2, Lap-1, Adh-1, Idh-2, Pgm-2, and 6-Pgd-2. Segregating allozyme patterns for the diagnostic loci Idh-2, Pgm-2, 6-Pgd-1, and 6-Pgd-2 fit disomic inheritance models and thus confirmed the allotetraploid hypothesis for sour cherry. Chi-square tests of independence between loci indicated that Pgi-2, Adh-1, Idh-2, 6-Pgd-1, and 6-Pgd-2 were not linked.