Sour cherry breeding in Poland: insights from an ongoing evolution

01 Nov 2023
2325

An important challenge encountered in the cultivation of sour cherries in Poland is the detrimental impact of spring frosts on the flowers and flower blossoms. Additionally, certain diseases, including brown rot (Monilia spp.), cherry leaf spot (caused by Blumeriella jaapi), and bacterial cancer (Pseudomonas syringae), have a substantial impact on both the fruit's yield and quality.

Considering the issues associated with a shortage of fieldworkers, particularly during harvest season, the necessity to adjust to these numerous challenges becomes evident. This is most effectively accomplished by a beeding programme and a selection of new cultivars with features adapted to those required.

Firstly, it is essential a high acclimatation ability to the polish environmental conditions; this also entails a lower vulnerability to the main sour cherry diseases. Secondly, plants need to be adapted to mechanical harvesting and intensive cultivation systems. Finally, the introduction of new cultivars should prolong the harvesting season.

To date, the production of cultivated cherries is relatively conservative, as the highly productive and spring frost resistant Schattenmorelle accounts for more than 75% of the total production. The Agricultural University in Lublin developed cv. Nefris in 1997, while the Agricultural University in Poznan produced Agat, Ametyst, Dradem, and Diament as a result of the breeding programme implemented in Poland.

 Among the cultivars produced by the Institute of Horticultural and Breeding were Wilen, Wilga, Lucyna, Wanda, Koral, and Kolia. These new selections demonstrate the commitment of Polish research institutes to new solutions that can guarantee quality sour cherry production, even in challenging scenarios such as the one we are currently facing.

Fonte: http://2021.cherries.org.cn/replayEn.html

Melissa Venturi
University of Bologna (IT)


Cherry Times - All rights reserved

What to read next

The use of bioproducts for an effective and more sustainable cherry cultivation

Crop protection

16 Sep 2024

Recently, researchers at the University of Conceptiòn (Chile) evaluated the phytosanitary impact of bio-based defence programmes for the control of bacterial canker and fruit rots in pre- and post-harvest using bioproduct-based treatments (BPP1 and BPP2).

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.

In evidenza

Nuova tecnologia per valutare durezza e texture delle ciliegie

Quality

16 Dec 2025

Una ricerca guidata dalla Washington State University propone un nuovo metodo scientifico per misurare la consistenza delle ciliegie, superando i limiti della compressione tradizionale. Obiettivo: offrire all’industria cerasicola strumenti tecnici e predittivi più efficaci.

Cherry Express: the first shipment of Chilean cherries has arrived in China

Markets

16 Dec 2025

On December 5, the first Cherry Express shipment of the 2025/26 season arrived at Nansha Port: 8,000 tonnes of fresh Chilean cherries were distributed within two hours thanks to an optimized cold logistics chain. China officially enters peak cherry season.

Tag Popolari