We are pleased to publish in our magazine the interview of Dr. PhD José Quero Garcia (JQG), esteemed French researcher from INRAE and authoritative member of the scientific committee of Cherry Times, with the Chilean researcher Dr. José Manuel Donoso (JMD) of INIA Rayantué.
JQG. For how long have you been a sweet cherry breeder?
JMD. I initiated as assistant breeder this work in 2009, then I was for four years, between 2010 and 2014, in the Pere Arús's team doing my PhD. After that I become the program manager until now.
What are the main goals of your program?
Mostly similar to the majority of sweet cherry breeding programs: size, firmness, taste, color, post-harvest life, stalk characteristics, cracking tolerance, fruit maturity, production precocity (or length of juvenility period), productivity and self-fertility (in particular in the extremely early flowering hybrids) but the Chilean program has the particularity additionally of low chill genetics and ultra-early maturity time. At the same time, we are starting research activities on the sensitivity to bacterial canker, in collaboration with Dr. Boris Sagredo...
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11 Jul 2024
Currently, the drought continues in some areas of northern China, including the main producing province, Shandong. However, according to growers in Yantai, the adverse weather will only affect late-ripening cherries.
21 Jan 2026
A study in Chile tested ultrasound and nanobubble treatments on “Regina” sweet cherries to improve postharvest quality. The results reveal promising sustainable alternatives to fungicides, preserving freshness during long-distance shipping and storage.
02 Feb 2026
Chile’s cherry rootstock genetic program ends its final stage with field trials of ten clonal selections, tested against climate and pathogen stress. The project aims to improve productivity and sustainability in the central-southern region of the country.
02 Feb 2026
Tasmanian cherry production is set to grow by 15% in the 2025/26 season, with larger and sweeter fruit. With no fruit fly and fast air freight, exports are aimed at Asian markets, targeting strong sales around the Chinese New Year celebrations in mid-February.
