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...
Want to access the full interview? Sign up for our free Cherry Times newsletter! This is the only way to receive each new article from this column directly in your inbox and stay updated with high-quality advice and analysis. Don't miss this unique opportunity!
Sign up for the Cherry Times newsletter for free!
26 Aug 2025
Northwest sweet cherries, now in a longer and abundant season, are rich in vitamins, antioxidants and flavor. Perfect for back-to-school snacks and creative recipes, they can be enjoyed fresh or preserved to bring taste and health benefits all year round.
02 Jul 2024
Nicolás Zamorano, consultant for Asian markets, commented that in China, consumers 'were mainly trained on cherry varieties. Today the business is no longer global, but increasingly specific, along with the requirements customers have for each variety'.
23 Jan 2026
Two clinical studies confirm that daily intake of concentrated tart cherry extracts significantly reduces inflammatory markers such as CRP and blood urate levels, opening new perspectives for the functional role of tart cherry in supporting long-term metabolic health.
23 Jan 2026
A study from Chile proves that controlled atmosphere with 10-15% CO2 and 10% O2 extends Regina cherries' shelf life up to 40 days while preserving quality and flavor—an effective solution to improve logistics for long-distance exports, especially to Asia.
