Analysis on Genetic Diversity of 40 Flowering Cherry Cultivars and Construction of Molecular ID Based on SSR Markers

Studying on the genetic diversity and genetic relationship of flowering cherry cultivars is extremely important for germplasm conservation, cultivar identification and breeding. Flowering cherry is widely cultivated as an important woody ornamental plant in worldwide, especially Japan, China. However, owning to the morphological similarity, many cultivars are distinguished hardly in non-flowering season. Here, we evaluated the genetic diversity and genetic relationship of 40 flowering cherry cultivars, which are mainly cultivated in China. We selected 13 polymorphicprimers to amplify to allele fragments with fluorescent-labeled capillary electrophoresis technology. The population structure analysis results show that these cultivars could be divided into 4 subpopulations. At the population level, Na and Ne were 6.062, 4.326, respectively. Ho and He were 0.458 and 0.670, respectively. The Shannon’s information index (I) was 1.417. The Pop3, which originated from P. serrulata, had the highest Ho, He, and I among the 4 subpopulations. AMOVA showed that only 4% of genetic variation came from populations, the 39% variation came from individuals and 57% (p < 0.05) came from intra-individuals. 5 polymorphic SSR primers were selected to construct molecular ID code system of these cultivars. This analysis on the genetic diversity and relationship of the 40 flowering cherry cultivars will help to insight into the genetic background, relationship of these flowering cherry cultivars and promote to identify similar cultivars.

Genome of tetraploid sour cherry (Prunus cerasus L.) ‘Montmorency’ identifies three distinct ancestral Prunus genomes

Sour cherry(Prunus cerasus L.)is a valuable fruit crop in the Rosaceae family and a hybrid between progenitors closely related to extant Prunus fruticosa(ground cherry)and Prunus avium(sweet cherry).Here we report a chromosome-scale genome assembly for sour cherry cultivar Montmorency,the predominant cultivar grown in the USA.We also generated a draft assembly of P.fruticosa to use alongside a published P.avium sequence for syntelog-based subgenome assignments for‘Montmorency’and provide compelling evidence P.fruticosa is also an allotetraploid.Using hierarchal k-mer clustering and phylogenomics,we show‘Montmorency’is trigenomic,containing two distinct subgenomes inherited from a P.fruticosa-like ancestor(A and A’)and two copies of the same subgenome inherited from a P.avium-like ancestor(BB).The genome composition of‘Montmorency’is AA’BB and little-to-no recombination has occurred between progenitor subgenomes(A/A’and B).In Prunus,two known classes of genes are important to breeding strategies:the self-incompatibility loci(S-alleles),which determine compatible crosses,successful fertilization,and fruit set,and the Dormancy Associated MADS-box genes(DAMs),which strongly affect dormancy transitions and flowering time.The S-alleles and DAMs in‘Montmorency’and P.fruticosa were manually annotated and support subgenome assignments.Lastly,the hybridization event‘Montmorency’is descended from was estimated to have occurred less than 1.61 million years ago,making sour cherry a relatively recent allotetraploid.The‘Montmorency’genome highlights the evolutionary complexity of the genus Prunus and will inform future breeding strategies for sour cherry,comparative genomics in the Rosaceae,and questions regarding neopolyploidy.

Impact of black cherry on pedunculate oak vitality in mixed forests:Balancing benefits and concerns

The vitality of European forests continues to decline due to new pests and diseases,climate-change related disturbances and high loads of atmospheric nitrogen deposition.Deteriorating soil health is a major factor underpinning the low vitality of West-European forests.Selecting tree species with soil ameliorative traits is proposed as an avenue to counteract soil acidification and improve overall forest vitality.Here we evaluate the impact of black cherry(Prunus serotina Ehrh.),a known rich litter species,on the vitality of neighboring pedunculate oak(Quercus robur L.)in ten mixed forests on sand in Germany,Belgium and the Netherlands.We found that black cherry admixture increases foliar N and P to a surplus whereas it causes deficiencies in foliar Mg,thereby resulting in an overall negative effect on oak foliar nutrient concentrations.Contrary,defoliation of oak leaves by herbivory decreases with the proximity of black cherry.Using structural equation modelling(SEM),we tested the hypothesized‘improved soil health’pathway.Our analyses showed that black cherry admixture leads to lower accumulation in the humus layer,resulting in higher soil base saturation which has a positive effect on foliar Ca yet a negative effect on total chlorophyll.Moreover,the SEM illustrated that herbivory of oak leaves decreases when black cherry is admixed,both via dilution and improved soil health.Indirect effects of black cherry on oak vitality via“improved soil health”in our SEM are however small in comparison to direct relations.Hence,our study showed that the combined positive and negative impacts of black cherry on oak vitality are limited,which tempers the potential benefits of using the rich litter species to counteract oak decline via improved soil health–yet,the concern of black cherry as an invasive alien species negatively affecting the vitality of mature pedunculate oak trees may also be exaggerated.

Molecular characterization of the SAUR gene family in sweet cherry and functional analysis of PavSAUR55 in the process of abscission

Small auxin up RNA(SAUR) is a large gene family that is widely distributed among land plants. In this study, a comprehensive analysis of the SAUR family was performed in sweet cherry, and the potential biological functions of PavSAUR55 were identified using the method of genetic transformation. The sweet cherry genome encodes 86 SAUR members, the majority of which are intron-less. These genes appear to be divided into seven subfamilies through evolution. Gene duplication events indicate that fragment duplication and tandem duplication events occurred in the sweet cherry. Most of the members mainly underwent purification selection pressure during evolution. During fruit development, the expression levels of Pav SAUR16/45/56/63 were up-regulated, and conversely, those of Pav SAUR12/61were down-regulated. Due to the significantly differential expressions of PavSAUR13/16/55/61 during the fruitlet abscission process, they might be the candidate genes involved in the regulation of physiological fruit abscission in sweet cherry. Overexpression of PavSAUR55 in Arabidopsis produced earlier reproductive growth, root elongation, and delayed petal abscission. In addition, this gene did not cause any change in the germination time of seeds and was able to increase the number of lateral roots under abscisic acid(ABA) treatment. The identified SAURs of sweet cherry play a crucial role in fruitlet abscission and will facilitate future insights into the mechanism underlying the heavy fruitlet abscission that can occur in this fruit crop.

Study on Control Techniques of Virus Diseases in Facility Cherry

The diseases of sweet cherry caused by viruses and viroids have occurred in the main cherry producing areas of China and are increasing year by year, which has become an important factor affecting the yield and quality of sweet cherry. For this reason, this paper elaborated the prevention and countermeasures of virus diseases from six aspects, including soil treatment, cultivation of disease-free seedlings, prevention of disease and pest damage, reasonable pruning, water management, and treatment of virus diseases, in order to provide technical guidance for the disease resistance, high quality and high yield of facility cherry, as well as information reference for the further improvement of the technical system of virus disease prevention and cultivation of facility cherry.

Marketing Strategies for Chinese Specialty Agricultural Products under the Internet Environment : Taking Tianshui Qinzhou Big Cherry Industry as an Example

Combined with the current situation of marketing of Chinzhou big cherries in Tianshui,we find out the problems in the development of network marketing of Chinzhou big cherries and put forward corresponding countermeasures and suggestions to improve its marketing level and solve the problem of imbalance between supply and demand of Qinzhou big cherries.

Interaction Between Cryptococcus laurentii,Monilinia fructicola,and Sweet Cherry Fruit at Different Temperatures

The present study was performed mainly to investigate the antagonist-pathogen-host interaction in wounds of the sweet cherry fruits. The antagonistic yeast Cryptococcus laurentii could significantly reduce the brown rot of the sweet cherry fruit caused by Monilinia fructicola at 25 and 1 ℃. The populations of yeast increased faster in the presence of the pathogen initially, but then decreased rapidly. In the fruits inoculated with M. fructicola alone or combined with C. laurentii, an induction of lipid peroxidation as well as activities of the antioxidant enzymes, such as, superoxide dismutases （SOD）, catalase （CAT）, and peroxidase （POD）, was observed. The isoenzyme pattern of polypheno/oxidase （PPO） changed greatly after the symptoms appeared, with new PPO isoforms being induced. By contrast, the induction of lipid peroxidation and activities of SOD, CAT, and POD were low, although no significant changes were found in the PPO isoenzyms in the fruits inoculated with antagonist C. laurentii alone. The inhibition of brown rot during the antagonist- pathogen-host interaction in wounds of the sweet cherry fruits was mainly on account of the stimulated growth of C. laurentii as well as the induction of antioxidant enzymes of the fruits by M. fructicola.

Changes of Aroma Components in Hongdeng Sweet Cherry During Fruit Development

To study the changes of aroma components in sweet cherry during fruit development, the aroma components in sweet cherry fruit from the green stage, the color stage, the commercial stage, and the ripe stage were collected using head-space solid phase microextraction （HS-SPME）, and were analyzed using a gas chromatograph-mass spectrophotometer （GC- MS）. A total of 37 compounds were identified from the sample extracts. Aldehydes, alcohols, and esters were the major constituents. The aroma components behaved differently during the fruit developmental period. C6 aldehydes and aromatic aldehydes were the main aldehydes in the sweet cherry fruit. The contents of C6 aldehydes increased quickly to 84.16% in the color stage, then decreased as ripening proceeded, and then, the contents decreased to 59.20 and 55.58% at the commercial stage and the ripe stage, respectively. The aromatic aldehydes （benzaldehyde） increased as ripening proceeded, and the maximum was found at the ripe stage. Alcohols of sweet cherry fruit included C6 alcohols and aromatic alcohols. The content of （E）-2-hexen-l-ol increased as ripening proceeded. The maximum was found at the commercial stage; alcohol was only found at the ripe stage. Ester components included ethyl acetate, butanoic acid ethyl ester, hexanoic acid ethyl ester, which increased as the fruit ripened. Hexanal, （E）-2-hexenal, benzaldehyde, （E）-2-hexen-l-ol, ethyl acetate, and hexanoic acid ethyl ester were the characteristic aroma components of sweet cherry fruit. These aroma components started to form drastically at the color stage, and the main aroma was formed at the commercial stage, which then turned bad at the ripe stage because of the presence of alcohol. So the optimal harvest time of sweet cherry was at the commercial stage.

Impact of chilling accumulation and hydrogen cyanamide on floral organ development of sweet cherry in a warm region

The microscopic investigation of the floral development of sweet cherry（Prunus avium L. cv. Hongdeng） from a warm winter climate（Shanghai） and cold winter climate（Tai＇an, Shandong Province, China） was conducted to explore the reason of low fruit set. The effect of hydrogen cyanamide（HCN） on floral development under warm winter conditions was also investigated. Trees grown in Shanghai with insufficient chilling accumulation exhibited little difference in the progression of microspore development compared to trees in Tai＇an that accumulated adequate chilling, but showed substantial delays in ovule and embryo sac development. The growth of nucelli did not proceed beyond the macrospore mother cell and macrospore stages with abortion rates of 13, 15 and 45% by 6, 3 and 0 d before full bloom, respectively. These abnormalities in the ovule and embryo sac in the Shanghai-grown trees were eliminated by HCN application. These results suggest that chilling regulates the development of female floral organs in winter dormancy; therefore, insufficient chilling accumulation, causing abnormality of the female floral organs, restricts the cultivation of sweet cherry in warm winter regions. Interestingly, HCN application, which decreased the chilling requirements for Hongdeng, may be a potential strategy for sweet cherry cultivation in warm winter regions.

Flavonoid content and radical scavenging activity in fruits of Chinese dwarf cherry(Cerasus humilis) genotypes

The Chinese dwarf cherry（Cerasus humilis（Bge.） Sok.） is a small shrub with edible fruits. It is native to northern and western China. This species was included as a medicinal plant in the ‘‘Chinese Pharmacopeia’’ and has emerged as an economically important crop for fresh fruit consumption, processing into juice and wine and nutraceutical products as well. To gain a better understanding of flavonoid biosynthesis and help develop value added products and better cultivars with greater health benefits, we analyzed total flavonoid content（TFC）, composition, and radical scavenging activities in fruit extracts of 16 Chinese dwarf cherry genotypes. Fruit peel TFC ranged from 33.5 to72.8 mg/g REáFW（RE： rutin equivalent, FW： fresh weight）while fruit flesh TFC ranged from 4.3 to 16.9 mg/g REáFW.An HPLC analysis revealed that fruit extracts contained 14 flavonoids with considerable variation in their profiles across genotypes. The most abundant flavonoids in most genotypes were proanthocyanidin B1（PA-B1）, proanthocyanidin B2（PA-B2）, phloretin 20-O-glucoside（PG）, and phloretin 20,40-O-diglucoside（PDG）. Principal component analysis showed that PG, PA-B1, and PA-B2 had large,positive factor loading values in the first principal component for each genotype. Increased scavenging activity of2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl（DPPH） radicals was apparent in genotypes ‘Nongda 4’, ‘Nongda 3’, ‘Nongda 6’,‘Wenfenli’, and ’10-32’, suggesting promising applications in the production of nutraceutical products. In summary, our results will aid in breeding, fruit processing, and developing medicinal uses of the Chinese dwarf cherry.

Reduction of Chilling Injury and Ultrastructural Damage in Cherry Tomato Fruits After Hot Water Treatment

The effects of hot water treatment in alleviating chilling injury and reducing ultrastructural damage of mature-green cherry tomatoes （Lycopersicun esculentum cv. cerasiform Alef） were investigated. Mature-green cherry tomato fruits were treated in water at 40℃ or 45℃ for 5 min or 15 min, and then stored at 5℃ for 19 days followed by ripening at 20℃. Water treatment at 40℃ for 15 min increased tolerance of cherry tomato fruits to chilling stress, indicating as low outbreak of skin lesion, high color a＊ value, and low electrolyte leakage. Treated fruits showed typical climacteric respiration and developed normal red color with chlorophyll degradation and lycopene accumulation during ripening, while fruits without treatment failed to develop red color and suffered skin lesion. After 19 days of chilling, heated fruits showed the conversion of chloroplast to chromoplast with the disappearance of thylakoids. Mitochondria and other cell organelles were not adversely affected in treated fruits. However, ultrastructures in pericarp cells in control fruits severely damaged with extensive disorganization of cytoplasm, swelled chloroplasts, distorted and unstacked thylakoids. Chloroplast was the first and most severely impacted organelle by chilling stress. Hot water treatment （40℃ for 15 min） before storage alleviated chilling injury in cherry tomato fruits. The results suggest that chilling injury is related with the damage of cell structure under chilling stress.

Wudang cherry ameliorates urate underexcretion and renal dysfunction in hyperuricemic mice

OBJECTIVE To investigate effects of Wudang cherry on urate excretion and renal function and examined whether renal organic ion transporters were involved in potassium oxonateinduced hyperuricemic mice.METHODS The model of hyperuricemic mice was induced by intraperitoneal injection of potassium oxonate(250 mg·kg^(-1))for 7 d.Water extracts of Wudang cherry at 500 mg·kg^(-1)were orally administered to hyperuricemic mice for 7 d,benzbromarone(20 mg·kg^(-1))and allopurinol(20 mg·kg^(-1))were given as positive controls,vehicle control group was given equal normal saline.Serum and urine levels of uric acid were measured in hyperuricemic and normal mice.Simultaneously,the m RNA and protein levels of mouse urate transporter 1(m URAT1),glucose transporter 9(mGLUT9),organic anion transporters(mOAT1 and mOAT3),ATP-binding cassette,subfamily G,membrane 2(mABCG2)and organic cation/carnitine transporters(m OCT1,m OCT2,m OCTN1 and m OCTN2)in the kidney were analyzed by Western blot,RT-PCR,immunohistochemical and immunofluorescent assay,respectively.RESULTS Wudang cherry significantly reduced serum uric acid levels and increased urine uric acid levels in hyperuricemic mice.And it effectively reversed potassium oxonate-induced alterations in renal m URAT1,mGLUT9,mOAT1,mOAT3 and mABCG2 m RNA and protein levels,resulting in the enhancement of renal urate excretion in mice.Moreover,Wudang Cherry increased renal m OCT1,m OCT2,m OCTN1 and m OCTN2 m RNA and protein levels,and improved renal impairment in this model.CONCLUSION Wudang cherry processes uricosuric and nephroprotective actions by regulating renal organic ion transporters in hyperuricemic mice.

Plant profile,phytochemistry and pharmacology of Cordia dichotoma(Indian cherry):A review

More than half of the world's population relies on the traditional medicine and major role of the traditional medicine including the use of plant extract and their active constituents.Among them,Cordia dichotoma Forst.,a small to moderate size plant of family Boragenaceae.commonly called bhokar,lasura,gonda,Indian cherry and shlesmataka.Plant parts such as leaves,fruit,bark and seed have been reported for possessing antidiabetic,antiulcer,anti-inflammatory,immune-modulator and analgesic activity.Screening of fruit,leaves and seed shows the presence of pyrrolizidine alkaloids,coumarins,flavonoids,saponins,lerpenes and sterols.Present review focuses on details of geographical distribution,physicochemical parameters,phytoconstituents and pharmacological properties of Cordia dichotoma reported so far.

Transcriptome analysis for understanding the mechanism of dark septate endophyte S16 in promoting the growth and nitrate uptake of sweet cherry

Sweet cherry is one of the most popular fresh fruits in the world.Previously,we isolated a soilborne dark septate endophyte(DSE)strain,S16,which promoted the growth of Gisela 5 sweet cherry rootstock.However,little is known about the molecular mechanism of the effect of S16 on the growth of sweet cherry.In this study,the physiological parameters and transcript profiles of sweet cherry roots were analyzed under S16 treatment compared with a control to elucidate the molecular mechanisms of the effect of this strain on sweet cherry growth.After inoculation with S16,sweet cherry seedlings exhibited more vigorous growth.Moreover,we identified 4249 differentially expressed genes(DEGs)between S16-treated plants and the control.Many of the DEGs are involved in pathways related to plant growth,such as cellular metabolic and plant hormone pathways.Additionally,some genes involved in nitrate regulation were also enriched;and these genes may be involved in the regulation of nitrate uptake in plants.Physiological index detection demonstrated that S16 could improve the nitrate assimilation of sweet cherry via NO3–transporters.This RNA-seq dataset provides comprehensive insight into the transcriptomic landscape to reveal the molecular mechanisms whereby the DSE influences the growth of sweet cherry.

Effect of Italian Sour Cherry (<i>Prunus cerasus</i>L.) on the Formation of Advanced Glycation End Products and Lipid Peroxidation

Sweet and sour cherries contain several polyphenols that possess antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Aim of this study was to investigate the effect of the maturity stage on phenol content and biological properties of extract of a local Morello-type of sour cherry (Prunus cerasus?L.), “visciola”. The study of total phenol content and total antioxidant potential was associated with the evaluation of the antioxidant property of extracts using a copper catalyzed human low density lipoproteins (LDL) oxidation as experimental model. Moreover, using albumin glycated by methylglyoxal, we evaluated the anti-glycation effect of fruit extract. The results demonstrated that fully ripened fruits exert higher antioxidant and anti-glycation properties when compared with partially ripened fruits. Information about the health-promoting components of “visciola” could lead to a better understanding and an increased consumption of these, including its use as functional food.

Feasibility of using polypropylene ground cover upon consideration of long-term responses of sweet cherry nutrition and profitability

The impacts of synthetic polypropylene ground cover in the row area of sweet cherry (Prunus avium L.) trees (‘Regina’/’Gisela 6’) on soil nutrient availability, tree mineral nutrition and productivity, and economic returns were investigated on a Van Horn fine sandy loam soil at Hood River OR, from 2000 to 2007. Treatments included 2.44-m wide synthetic fabric ground cover made of black, woven poly-propylene over the row area of cherry trees (woven fabric), and no ground cover but with herbicide applications in the row area with the same width as the polypropylene ground cover (herbicide strip) – standard industry practice. This article reports the plant nutrition and soil fertility results of 2006 and 2007 and profitability and feasibility results of 2000 to 2007. Tree leaf nitrogen (N) concentrations were significantly higher with 9 to 14% increases using woven fabric compared with herbicide strip in 2006 and 2007. However, leaf sulfur (S) concentrations were significantly lowered with woven fabric in the two seasons. Woven fabric resulted in fruit with comparable quality and possible greater storability under enhanced fruit yields than herbicide strip in both years. Woven fabric was more profitable than herbicide strip based on an additional net present value of $2,606 ha-1 by the end of this study. Woven fabric had annual gross returns greater than annual costs in the fourth year after planting by $8,181 ha-1 relative to herbicide strip, and had cumulative net returns greater than total costs of all previous years in the sixth year after planting by $17,796 ha-1 over herbicide strip. However, to establish a sweet cherry orchard with woven fabric, the grower would spend an additional $4,332 ha-1 over herbicide strip. In conclusion, woven fabric is a profitable and sustainable in-row ground management alternative to herbicide strip for orchards from a long-term perspective.

Transcript and Sequence Analysis of S-RNases in Self-Compatible Tetraploid Chinese Cherry (Prunus pseudocerasus L.)

Chinese cherry （Prunus pseudocerasus L.） is an allotetraploid species and exhibits natural self-compatibility.However,the full-length cDNA sequences,functional analysis and the transcripts of S-RNase alleles in Chinese cherry cultivars are not known.In the two cultivars Taixiaohongying and Laiyang Short Cherry with S1S2S3S4 genotypes,two S-RNases were transcribed in Northern blotting,and the two full-length cDNAs of S-RNase were cloned and analyzed.As the result,the transcribed S-RNases were S1-RNase and S2-RNase.The two complete cDNA sequences of S1-RNase and S2-RNase were registered as EU073938 and EU073939,respectively,and had characteristic structure of rosaceous S-RNases based on their sequences indicating that they had normal function for S-RNase in the style.The S3-RNase and S4-RNase were not transcribed in the style and were nonfunctional for S-RNase,so S3m and S4m could be used to represent the nonfunctional S3-RNase and S4-RNase.The phylogenetic analysis implied that the S-RNases of Prunus,including Chinese cherry,had lower intra-specific similarity and diverged earlier than the divergence of species in Prunus.

Investigation of N Deficiency in Cherry Trees Using Visible and Near-Infrared Spectra Part of the Spectrum in Field Condition

This objective of the study was to develop a model for the determination of N deficiency in cherry trees using a combination of visible near infrared methods and spectro-radiometric measurement.In our experimental design,cherry seedlings were grown under various N deficiency conditions in nutrient-controlled containers.The reflectance values of plant leaves were measured using a spectro-radiometer.Plant leaves samples were simultaneously collected.Their nutrient contents were determined in the laboratory.Afterwards,we performed a statistical comparison of the reflectance values.Sample analysis results established the significant wavelengths.Moreover,we received accurate regression models for predicting N deficiency in cherry leaves that were grown in nutrient solutions.Next,we verified the model validity by measuring the reflectance of the leaves collected from cherry orchards at various locations using a spectroradiometer.Nutrient deficiencies were calculated using the developed model,and then,the predicted and measured data were compared to evaluate model validity.From these results,we determined the wavelengths that yielded the most accurate results for N prediction,selected from the blue and green regions of the spectrum.We established that for N prediction in cherry trees,the simplest model can be created using 560and 570nm wavelengths.However,the evaluated model can be applicable only under certain conditions.We concluded that in order to develop aprediction method with sufficient application capacity,as well as the ability to assess nutritional and physiological characteristics,the ecology condition of the plant should be properly considered based on the model.

Determining the Zn Content of Cherry in Field Using VNIR Spectroscopy

Visible and near-infrared(VNIR)spectroscopy is an eco-friendly method used for estimating plant nutrient deficiencies.The aim of this study was to investigate the possibility of using VNIR method for estimating Zn content in cherry orchard leaves under field conditions.The study was conducted in 3different locations in Isparta region of Turkey.Fifteen cherry orchards containing normal and Zn deficient plants were chosen,and 60 leaf samples were collected from each location.The reflectance spectra of the leaves were measured with an ASD FieldSpec HandHeld spectroradiometer and a plant probe.The Zn contents of leaf samples were predicted through laboratory analysis.The spectral reflectance measurements were used to estimate the Zn levels using stepwise multiple linear regression analysis method.Prediction models were created using the highest coefficient of determination value.The results show that Zn content of cherry trees can be estimated using the VNIR spectroscopic method(87.5<r2<96.79).Moreover,plant nutrient contents can be estimated without using chemicals.However,further research is necessary to develop a standard method for field conditions.Because spectral reflectance is affected by ecological conditions,agricultural applications and nutrient interactions,more effective models must be developed depending on the geographical location,period and plant type.

Genetic differentiation in functional traits among wild cherry (Prunus avium L.) half-sib lines

Understanding intra-specific variation in leaf functional traits is one of the key requirements for the evaluation of species adaptive capacity to ongoing climate change, as well as for designing long-term breeding and conservation strategies. Hence, data of 19 functional traits describing plant physiology, antioxidant properties, anatomy and morphology were determined on 1-year-old seedlings of wild cherry (Prunus avium L.) half-sib lines. The variability within and among half-sib lines, as well as the estimation of multi-trait association, were examined using analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by Tukey's honestly significant difference test and multivariate analyses: principal component analysis (PCA), canonical discriminant analysis (CDA) and stepwise discriminant analysis (SDA). Pearson’s correlation coefficient was used to evaluate linear correlation between the study parameters. The results of the ANOVA showed the presence of statistically significant differences (P < 0.01) among half-sib lines for all study traits. The differences within half-sib lines, observed through the contribution of the examined sources of variation to the total variance (%), had higher impact on total variation in the majority of the examined traits. Pearson’s correlation analysis and PCA showed strong relationships between gas exchange in plants and leaf size and stomatal density, as well as between leaf biomass accumulation, intercellular CO_(2) concentration and parameters related to antioxidant capacity of plants. Likewise, the results of SDA indicate that transpiration and stomatal conductance contributed to the largest extent, to the discrimination of the wild cherry half-sib lines. In addition, PCA and CDA showed separation of the wild cherry half-sib lines along the first principal component and first canonical variable with regards to humidity of their original sites. Multiple adaptive differences between the wild cherry half-sib lines indicate high potential of the species to adapt rapidly to climate change. The existence of substantial genetic variability among the wild cherry half-sib lines highlights their potential as genetic resources for reforestation purposes and breeding programmes.