Portrait of a sweet cherry breeder: Gregorio Lopez-Ortega
18 Jan 2024
n this article, José Quero García, member of the technical-scientific committee of Cherry Times, interviewed Gregorio Lopez-Ortega, breeder at the Chilean company Hortifrut.
Yesterday, October 22, ANA Chile®, along with growers, nurserymen, and exporters, visited several orchards in Ovalle, showcasing Nimba cv. and Nipama cherries in the field, among other early varieties under trial. As several participants commented, the cherry varieties Nimba cv. and Nipama pleasantly surprised with their excellent performance:


To the left, in the Tabalí area, Agrícola Polpaico Nipama stood out for its high productive potential. Even in this more advanced sector of Ovalle, we saw the fruits in an advanced stage of ripening, without the application of Dormex or coverings, demonstrating its adaptability and very early harvest potential.
In the photo on the right, yesterday, October 22, Lorena Pinto from ANA Chile® visited a more remote area in Huallillinga, Sotaquí, where we observed Nipama ripening 15 days earlier than in Tabalí. The fruits showed excellent size, flavor, and productivity. In this area, Nipama is ready to start the first bloom this week, without the application of Dormex.
We invite you to watch the full video to learn more about the characteristics of the Nipama cherry. For any questions, feel free to contact us: Lorena Pinto at lpinto@anachile.cl; Andrés Valdivieso at avaldivieso@anachile.cl, and Fernanda Álvarez at falvarez@anachile.cl.
CLICK HERE TO SEE VIDEO OF NIPAMA, 22 OCTOBER 2022 HUALLILLINGA, OVALLE
Source: A.N.A. Chile
Image: A.N.A. Chile
18 Jan 2024
n this article, José Quero García, member of the technical-scientific committee of Cherry Times, interviewed Gregorio Lopez-Ortega, breeder at the Chilean company Hortifrut.
03 Oct 2025
Rootstock selection in high-density cherry orchards affects tree vigour, fruit size, biochemical quality and postharvest resistance. A Turkish study on Krymsk 5, Gisela 6 and Piku 1 with 0900 Ziraat and Regina cultivars identifies ideal combinations for various markets.
21 Aug 2026
A genomic study identifies 17 HSP70 and HSP90 genes in sweet cherry and explains how they respond to heat and salinity. The results highlight key genes, including PavHSP90-5, that could support breeding of cultivars with resilience to climatic and environmental stress.
21 Aug 2026
A study in southern Chile shows how mineral nutrition, especially the balance between nitrogen and phosphorus, may influence internal browning in Regina sweet cherries, postharvest quality and the fruit’s ability to withstand long storage periods for export markets.