How mineral fertiliser affects the quality of cherries

Tech management

25 Sep 2026

Sweet cherry nutrition and fruit quality: studies from Chile, USA, Spain and other countries show how nitrogen, potassium, calcium, boron, phosphorus and magnesium affect fruit size, firmness, soluble solids, color, cracking and postharvest storage performance.

A wood-boring beetle of Asian origin is threatening American cherry orchards

Crop protection

25 Sep 2026

The velvet longhorned beetle, Trichoferus campestris, is an invasive wood-boring beetle detected in Utah, Illinois, Minnesota and other US states. It can infest dry wood and many tree hosts, including apple, cherry and peach, while its long-term impact remains uncertain.

Flower thinning in cherry trees and other fruit trees: fundamental principles, methods and management recommendations

Tech management

24 Sep 2026

Flower thinning helps regulate crop load in apple, peach, pear, cherry and plum trees. Manual, mechanical and chemical methods can improve fruit size, quality and production consistency, but timing, intensity, cultivar and local conditions must be assessed carefully.

If the cherries are not harvested, the price issue turns into a supply risk

Tech management

24 Sep 2026

In Germany, Alten Land cherries are left on trees as rising costs, imports and climate pressure strain the fresh produce chain. Retailers face a key challenge: balancing prices, regional sourcing, supply security and long-term resilience across fruit and vegetable supply.

Technology transfer is essential for improving the yields and quality of cherry orchards

Tech management

24 Sep 2026

In Coltauco, a one-hectare Santina cherry orchard supported by the INDAP-AFIPA project produced nearly 8,000 kilos last season, with 95% destined for export. The program focuses on crop protection, irrigation, technology, farmer training and good agricultural practices.

A BBCH scale for precisely describing and coding the phenological stages of sweet cherry

Varieties

23 Sep 2026

A study conducted in Kashmir, India, defines an extended BBCH scale for five sweet cherry cultivars. The 50 phenological stages described support more precise orchard management, from flowering and ripening to crop protection and climate monitoring across seasons now.

Promising results from Switzerland’s first commercial agro-photovoltaic cereal field

Tech management

23 Sep 2026

In Aargau, Switzerland, an agri-photovoltaic system covers more than one hectare of cherry trees, combining power generation, rain protection and shading. Research is assessing its effects on yield, water management, soil conditions, disease pressure and fruit quality.

The challenge of ‘lizard skin’ in cherries: can melatonin protect the quality of the fruit?

Post-harvest​

22 Sep 2026

A Chilean study on Lapins and Regina cherries tests melatonin before and after harvest: greener stems and delayed ripening, but no improvement in firmness and a higher incidence of orange peel disorder, limiting its technical and commercial use for long-distance shipping.

Bacterial canker doesn’t take a break in the autumn

Crop protection

22 Sep 2026

Bacterial canker in sweet cherry, caused by Pseudomonas syringae, is becoming more frequent in Washington. Learn the key symptoms, susceptible cultivars, predisposing conditions and management practices that can help reduce infection, tree decline and orchard losses.

The receptor determines the response: sweet cherry immunity is modulated by the elicitor

Crop protection

22 Sep 2026

In sweet cherry, flg22 and xyn11/EIX activate distinct PTI responses, reshaping gene expression, hormone signaling and pathogen resistance. The Lapins study shows how receptors and elicitors steer specific defenses against bacterial and fungal pathogens in sweet cherry.

Focus On

Cherry Times welcomes Jesús Alonso as a member of the technical scientific committee

Post-harvest​

08 Apr 2025

Dr. Jesús Alonso, postharvest scientist at CSIC, joins the Cherry Times technical scientific commitee. With deep expertise in cherry quality, storage technologies, and sustainable solutions, he supports innovation and technical development across the entire cherry supply chain.

Varietal innovation, patents and brand strategies, the winning trio for the modern cherry industry

Varieties

30 Jan 2025

For an in-depth look at the topics of varietal innovation and modern commercial development strategies for new cherry varieties, Stefano Lugli of Cherry Times interviewed James Calissi, owner of Calissi Farm, a company specialising in nursery and management of new varieties.

All the best of Cherry Times: highlights of 2024

Events

31 Dec 2024

The numbers speak for themselves: thanks to your interest, our analyses and in-depth articles have achieved extraordinary results. This article is dedicated to the content you loved the most: from the most thorough analyses to thematic insights.

CS Laimburg: the new cherry orchards will be 2D systems and mechanised

Events

24 Jun 2024

On Thursday, 20 June, a training meeting was held for farmers and technicians during which experts from CS Laimburg presented the results of the latest ongoing trials focusing on planting systems and techniques for managing cerasites.

Costs and profitability of cherry growing at different planting densities

Tech management

11 Jun 2024

The study compared 3 Grace Star plants with increasing density (low, medium and high), without cover, between the provinces of Modena and Forlì-Cesena. As the data show, the cherry tree in Emilia-Romagna is still a profitable investment.

Problems and prospects for cherry growing in northern Italy: -15% of production in 15 years

Quality

15 May 2024

Italy continues to lose positions in the ranking of the largest cherry producers in the world. Currently, the beautiful country is in seventh place, surpassed by Spain and chased by Greece. In just three five-year periods, national production has dropped by 15%.

How to produce quality cherries? The answer from the International Congress at Macfrut 2024

Quality

14 May 2024

Biosolutions can become a fundamental "pivot" for setting innovative technical lines worldwide. May 9th within Macfrut 2024 the International Congress titled: "Which biosolutions for quality cherries?" took place. Summaries of the presentations will be published on Cherry Times.

Growth in world trade over the last ten years shows over 900,000 tonnes and +266% growth

Markets

24 Apr 2024

From 2013 to 2022, world production increased from 2.3 to 2.75 million tonnes, while trade flows rose from 350,000 to 940,000 tonnes, an increase of 266%. The value of traded goods reached a record 4.3 billion euro.

The evolution of cherry production over the last 15 years

Production

15 Apr 2024

World supply rose from 1.85 to 2.75 million tonnes from 2008 to 2022, an increase of about 50%. The geography of world supply has not changed substantially over the past 15 years, although a concentration in a few countries can be observed.

Companies

Valente Pali: support and protection to guarantee a generous, high-quality harvest

Covers

07 Nov 2025

ValenteProtect© systems provide protection from rain, hail and insects, helping cherry growers secure abundant, healthy and market-ready harvests. Rain, Multishield and Insect Net systems ensure complete seasonal protection for top-quality yields.

Meda™: new early and intermediate cherry varieties in Europe

Varieties

04 Feb 2025

Meda™ varieties have been evaluated in Europe for three seasons now. All have been selected with a minimum of 35-40 days post-harvest. Meda™'s is the only breeding programme that has used postharvest as a selection filter.

Salvi Vivai: new intensive cherry orchards with excellent production

Varieties

02 Oct 2024

Significant data have been obtained in intensive French cherry orchards using cherry trees produced by Salvi Vivai (some of them from the Sweet series and the Marysa variety, all coming from the research program of University of Bologna).

Giacovelli: new varieties and zero residue cherries

Markets Production

27 Apr 2023

With a turnover of over 60 million euro, Giacovelli srl is one of the leading producers and marketers of fruit and vegetables in Apulia. Its passion and specialisation for cherries makes it one of Italy's leading producers of the red summer fruit.