n. bouzari

Introduced early ripening cultivars and high quality, due economic importance it is one of the important goals of reform programs. Program for identification, evaluation and collection of cherry genotypes in Khorasan Razavi province, Mashhad, Tous cultivar was introduced for 20 years since 1998 with the implementation of 5 research projects through a selection of native genotypes. The results of more than a decade of research showed that Tous cultivar has a habit of extensive growth and moderate branching power. The beginning of flowering of Tous in the first week of April and is ready to be harvested in the fourth week of May. Pollination examination showed that this cultivar is self-incompatible. Dovomras and Siahmashhad recommended as suitable and compatible pollinator cultivars. Fruit weight Tous (6.2 gr) is higher than Adli (4.9 gr) and Delamarka (3.8 gr). Fruit tail length is one of the traits used in identifying cherry cultivars. Fruit tail length of Tous cultivar is (2.48 cm) shorter than Adli (3.72 cm) and Delamarka (3.63 cm) cultivars. The high fruit weight and the short length of the fruit tail of Tous cultivar are among the advantages of this cultivar which are expected to increase its economic value and more marketability.

Release of early ripening and high-quality cultivars is always one of the most important goals of cherry breeding programs. In 2019, Shandiz was released through selection of native cherry genotypes of Khorasan Razavi province after performing five research projects during 20 years. The results of more than a decade of research showed that Shandiz cultivar has an extensive growth habit and moderate branching power. According to the phenological studies Shandiz flowering starts in the first week of April and it is ready to be harvested in the Third week of May. This cultivar is self-incompatible and Zard-90 and Sorati Lavasan are recommended as suitable and compatible pollinator cultivars. Fruit weight of Shandiz (7.23 gr) is higher than Adli (4.9 gr), and Delamarka (3.8 gr) cultivars. Shandiz has a higher total solid soluble (TSS) (%18.16) compared to Adli (%16.9) and Delamarka (%16.2) cultivars. The yield of Shandiz was 23 kg/tree compared to Adli (14.5 kg/tree). Although early ripening cultivars usually have smaller fruit size due to the short growing season, but the high fruit weight and percentage of TSS in Shandiz are considered as some important advantages to increase its economic value as well as its marketability.

In order to introduce and promote high quality commercial cultivars in Iran, the apricot breeding program began in 1996 with the aim of achieving the desired cultivars. After conducting preliminary experiments, supplementary evaluations and regional experiments, the Parsi variety was released in 2018. This new variety is obtained from the crossing between Ghermez Shahroud × Nasiri 90 cultivars. The fruit of this variety has standard quality for drying and fresh market properties such as flesh firmness, long post-harvest life, free stone, high TSS (19%), red over color and good taste. On the other hand, the productivity and fruit quality of this variety is higher than most of other local genotypes. Also its flesh firmness of fruit, fresh consumptions and its T.S.S. is more than its parent Ghermez Shahroud cultivar. Parsi is self-incompatible and Ourdubad 90, Haft Baradaran and Jalil cultivars have been determined as the best pollinizers for its pollination. Based on the high quality of fruit and good yield of these varieties, they can be used as a commercial cultivar in the appropriate and well adapted areas along with Parsi cultivar.

To assess the vegetative rootstock effect on some vegetative and reproductive characteristics of peach and nectarine commercial cultivars, a study was conducted in Golestan agricultural and natural resources research center, Iran, from 2012 to 2017. Six commercial cultivars; Kuota, Independence, J. H. Hale, Dexired, Redtop and Redgold, were grafted on Penta, Tetra and GF677 rootstocks. The greatest fruit yield efficiency was observed in Dexired and Independence on Penta, and the least in Redtop on GF677. The highest fruit yield per tree was obtained from J. H. Hale on GF677, and the lowest belonged to Independence on Penta. Also, the amount of total soluble solids (TSS) was significantly affected by rootstock and cultivar, and was the highest in cv. Redtop on the Penta. The lowes TSS, however, was measured in cv. Redtop on the GF677. The highest fruit acidity (pH) was in J. H. Hale on GF677. The effect of rootstock on the TCSA (tree cross sectional area) was significant, and the greatest was measured for cv. Redtop on GF677, and the least belonged to Redgold and J. H. Hale on GF677. The TCSA was the highest in GF677 and lowest in Penta. The largest canopy developed in cv. Redtop on GF677.

Leaf curl is a serious disease on peaches and nectarines. Planting of resistant varieties is one of the best ways to prevent and control this disease. In this research, 17 peach and nectarine cultivars were evaluated for susceptibility to the causative agent of peach leaf curl. The results of the evaluations in the first year indicated that, the highest disease severity was related to the Caldesi 2000 and July Alberta cultivars, based on the reaction type of cultivars, they were placed in the sensitive group (S). Then, Red Skin, Baby Gold, Springtime and Antonia cultivars had the highest disease severity and all of them were classified as semi-resistant (MR) cultivars. In contrast, Amesdan, Redhaven, Springcrest and Fayette respectively had the lowest severity of the disease, and all were highly resistant (HR). In the second year of evaluation, Springtime and Caldesi2000 cultivars had the highest rate of disease severity and according to the reaction type of cultivars, both of them classified, highly susceptible (HS). Then July Alberta and Baby Gold cultivars were susceptible to disease (S). In contrast, Amesdan, Redhaven and Robine cultivars had the lowest severity of disease and according to the type of cultivars reaction were classified highly resistant (HR). Therefore, according to the results of two years evaluation, it can be said that the cultivars Caldesi2000, Springcrest,then July Alberta and Baby Gold are the most susceptible and Amesdan and Redhaven are the highest resistance to the peach leaf curl disease.

Eighteen pulm cultivars including ten Iranian native and eight foreign cultivars were evaluated based on 36 parametric and non-parametric characteristics and 15 RAPD primers. The results of analysis of variance showed significant differences among the cultivars for all characteristics except the petal color. Dissimilarity matrix revealed that two cultivars Mashhad 4 and Dirras-e-Seif and two other cultivars Ontario and Barbang were distinctly different considering their quantitative and qualitative characteristics. Cluster، constructed from morphological data in distance of 25، classified cultivars into two major groups. Cluster analysis could differentiate the Iranian and foreign cultivars in some extents. Molecular data generated a high percentage of polymorphic bands (99. 04%)، and the similarity matrix of these data showed the highest similarity between Emprofrance and Bokharaye Marghob (71%) and the lowest similarity between Shiro and Bokharaye Mamoli (9%). The cluster constructed from molecular data clustered cultivars from 0. 15 to 0. 85 genetic similarity coefficient. In the similarity distance of 0. 26، the cultivars were divided into three groups where the Dirras-e-Seif cultivar exclusively comprised an indipentent cluster and was distinguished from other cultivars. In valuation of plum cultivars based on morphological and RAPD primers، although Iranian and foreign cultivars were clearly differentiated، but in some cases they showed some differences.

Sweet cherry (Prunus avium L.) is one of the most important temperate fruits in the world. Most sweet cherry cultivars are self-incompatible and have usually problem with fertilization and fruit set, so they need suitable pollinizer for good fruit setting and commercial yield. The present study was carried out on sweet cherry cultivar Ghermez Rezaeieh as seed parent tree and Zarde daneshkadeh, Protiva, Sorati Lavasan, Haj-Yosefi and Meshkinshahr cultivars as pollen parent trees. Treatments (Pollens) were applied in randomized complete blocks design (RCBD) with three replicates. All laboratory and microscopic examinations of the collected samples were carried out in the Department of Horticultural Science, Tarbiat Modares University (TMU), Tehran, Iran and Controlled hybridization and pollination performed in the Seed and Plant Improvement Institute (SPII), collection orchard at Kamalabad, Karaj during 2004 and 2005 growing seasons. In order to determine the compatibility or incompatibility of various pollens on Ghermez Rezaeieh two methods were used: controlled pollination and examination of pollen tube growth with fluorescence microscopy. The results based on controlled pollination showed that MeshkinShahr and Protiva cultivars are compatible and Zarde daneshkadeh, Sorati Lavasan and Haj-Yosefi are incompatible cultivars with Ghermez Rezaeieh. The mean of fruit set in Ghermez Rezaehe cultivar with use of pollen grains of Zarde daneshkadeh, Protiva, Sorati Lavasan, Haj-Yosefi and Meshkinshahr were 0.54, 40.49, 0.24, ,0.80 and 61.36 percent respectively .The results also showed that sweet cherry cv. Ghermez Rezaeieh is a self-incompatible cultivar (fruit set=0) and it needs compatible and suitable pollinizer for fruit set. The results based on microscopic examinations showed that pollen tube of Meshkinshahr cultivar reached into the Ghermez Rezaeieh ovary flowers in 96 hours after pollination. These microscopic examinations and observations confirmed the obtained results from controlled hybridization in garden. In conclusion, Protiva and Meshkinshahr were selected as the best pollinizers for Ghermez Rezaeieh cultivar