U.S. flagAn official website of the United States government
                    Here's how you know **Official websites use .gov**
                            
                            A **.gov** website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
 **Secure .gov websites use HTTPS**
                            
                            A **lock** (                            
                              A locked padlock                                                      
                            
                            ) or **https://** means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.


Menu Agricultural Research Service
						
                    U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
 Plant Genetic Resources Unit (PGRU): Geneva, NY
 close



    Research

                    Research Projects
                                    Publications
                                    Collaborations
                                    News
                People

                    Staff Listing
                                    Careers


        


                    Diversity Collections
                        Apple
                                    Brassica
                                    Buckwheat
                                    Celery
                                    Grape
                                    Hemp
                                    Onion
                                    Radish
                                    Squash
                                    Tart Cherry
                                    Tomato
                                    Other Seed CropsSearch small
                    Search
            
            ARS Home
                                About ARS
                                Contact Us




ARS Home Northeast Area Geneva, New York Plant Genetic Resources Unit (PGRU) Docs





- ARS National Programs
- Search for a scientific manuscript
- Search for a research project
- ARS Software
- Programs and Projects
- Collaborations
- Subjects of Investigation
- Publications

Tart Cherry Collectionheadline bar USDA Tart Cherry *(Prunus cerasus)* Collection /ARSUserFiles/80600500/images/TartCherry.jpg  *Prunus*species provide an assortment of valuable horticultural crops, including cherries, plums, apricots, peaches, and nectarines. PGRU is responsible for tart cherry (*Prunus cerasus*) and its relatives and maintains **149****accessions** representing **16 species and hy****brids.** *P. cerasus*(2n=32) is a tetraploid hybrid of *Prunus avium*(2n=16) (sweet cherry) and *Prunus fruticosa*(2n=32) (European dwarf cherry). Fruit quality, including fruit firmness, acidity, final use, and fruit chemistry distinguish tart cherries from sweet cherries (Serradilla et al. 2016). Tart cherry is a prime example of the need to utilize broad genetic diversity. U.S. tart cherry production was valued at $56.6M in 2018 (USDA/NASS 2019), with production based on a centuries-old French cultivar, ‘Montmorency’. PGRU research is focusing on tart cherry cold-hardiness and phenology, fruit quality, aromatics, and anthocyanin content. Anthocyanin content is of interest because of its contribution to fruit color and nutritional quality of tart cherries (Serradilla et al. 2016). Fruit samples were collected across five growing seasons and measured for different fruit quality traits. Results show total soluble solids (sweetness) ranges from 11.4 to 22.63 °Brix, and malic acid content ranges from 5.3 to 34.7 g·L-1. Total anthocyanin content ranges from 72.9 to 2640.7 μg·g-1 in fresh fruit, with ‘Montmorency’ on the low end (110.1 μg·g-1). Cultivars ‘Stevensbar’, NY 13664, ‘Tamaris’, and a *Prunus*hybrid PI 657708 had high total anthocyanin content with 1466.4, 1575.6, 2038.0, and 2640.7 μg·g-1, respectively (un-published data). While ‘Montmorency’ remains fixed in time through propagation, climate conditions and horticultural practices have changed around it. Events such as late frost, higher than normal temperatures or rainfall significantly impact tart cherry production in the United States (USDA/NASS 2019). Additionally, the cherry industry is moving to primarily mechanical harvest techniques. Cultivars with increased quality, local adaptations, and increased yield will ensure the continued success of the U.S. tart cherry industry (Iezzoni 2008). *Excerpt from: G*utierrez B, Battaglia K, Zhong G-Y (2020) Preserving the future with the USDA Plant Genetic Resources Unit tart cherry, grape, and apple germplasm collections. Journal of the American Pomological Society 7 **References** Prunus avium Prunus cerasus
 Looking for plant germplasm? Review our distribution policy for germplasm requests Visit the CHERRY-TARTcrop page in GRIN-Global to find citations and descriptor data. Interested in plant conservation? Read about the vulnerability of *Prunus* genetic resources. Contact ben.gutierrez@usda.gov for more information
  **PGRU Tart Cherry Accession Distribution****1996-2021**  Data from GRIN-Global


Return to top


Connect with ARS Sign up


ARS Home
                            USDA.gov
                            Plain Writing
                            Policies & Links
                            Civil Rights Statements
                            FOIA
                            Accessibility Statement
                            Privacy Policy
                            Non-Discrimination Statement
                            Quality of Information
                            USA.gov
                            WhiteHouse.gov