PMGC the new Chilean cherry breeding project

19 May 2023
2172

For Macfrut 2023 it was an honour to host during the WS cherry tree Prof. Marlene Ayala of the Catholic University of Chile, the person in charge of the main genetic improvement project on the cherry tree, started in 2010 and carried out in the largest cherry exporting country in the world, as well as the third largest cherry producer in the world and, so far at least, among the first importers of technological and varietal innovations.

Thanks to PMGC, the breeding programme supported by ASOEX - Consorcio Tecnologico de la Fruta and CORFO, a group of Chilean fruit producers and exporters, by 2030 Chile will be able to grow its own varieties and, probably, start exporting not only cherries but also new plant patents!

Below is the video of the report presented at Macfrut 2023.


Cherry Times - All rights reserved

What to read next

China bets on cherries: from luxury fruit to agricultural strategy

Production

15 Jan 2026

China is investing in cherry production, turning what was once considered a luxury fruit into a key pillar of its agricultural strategy. Backed by strong local government support, provinces like Shandong and Yunnan are scaling up output and reducing import dependency.

Fruit fly and high volume: these are Chile's challenges for the 2024-25 campaign

Events

17 Oct 2024

This season has added another hurdle for producers and exporters, specifically the fruit fly. Given its importance for the sector, Frutas de Chile has organized the webinar “Preparing for the 2024-2025 cherry season with phytosanitary challenges.”

In evidenza

Precision irrigation and resilience: new strategies for sustainable agriculture

Tech management

01 Jul 2026

In Spain, across Valle del Jerte, Aragon and Extremadura, precision irrigation helps sweet cherry trees manage water stress, improving water use, fruit quality, yield per plant and resilience to climate change in Mediterranean mountain orchards and local productivity.

Cherries: with Unitec, artificial intelligence reaches the heart of quality.

Post-harvest​

01 Jul 2026

UNITEC CHERRY VISION and UNIQ CHERRY technologies support packing houses in Spain, from Aragon to Extremadura, in sorting cherries by quality, sugar level and defects, improving efficiency, profitability and commercial value across a demanding fresh fruit market today.

Tag Popolari