A Somaclonal variant in 'Hedelfinger' sweet cherry

Somaclone HS, isolated inside a population of regenerated shoots from Prunus avium cv Hedelfinger leaf explants, showed different pattern of growth and development when tested under different light quality both in vitro and ex-vitro conditions. DNA analyses conducted by ISSR (Interspaced Simple Sequence Repeat) system revealed a polymorphism between the HS somaclone and the wild type propagated by microcutting. Under white light proliferating shoots of somaclone HS showed reduced apical dominance compared to the wild type. Somaclone HS shoots grown in vitro under blue light had a peculiar bushy habit due to a low leader shoot growth, relatively high nodes (buds) formation alongside the stem and reduced 'distance from the apex' expressed as the number of nodes included between shoot apex and the first shoot or disclosed bud. Darkness affected chlorophyll a and b accumulation at a greater extent in somaclone HS than in Hedelfinger not only in vitro but also in ex vitro conditions.