The article-interview deals mainly with the problems related to the poscosecha (post-harvest) of cherries, particularly the Regina variety, in the context of the Chilean cherry industry.
The interviewee, Juan Pablo Zoffoli, an expert in poscosecha and academic at the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, identifies the main problem with poscosecha as the 'internal pardeamiento' of Regina, which negatively affects the flavour and quality of the cherries. This is a critical problem because Regina is an important variety for Chilean cherry production.
Zoffoli explains that internal pardeamiento is due to the senescence of the fruit and its degree of ripeness at harvest time. Therefore, he emphasises the importance of managing fruit maturity during the growing process to avoid this problem. Furthermore, he talks about the problems related to the size of the cherry, emphasising that larger calibre cherries tend to resist mechanical damage better.
He also mentions the problem of 'piel de lagarto' (lizard skin), which affects the appearance of cherries without affecting their flavour or flesh, but can make the fruit less attractive to consumers.
Finally, Zoffoli discusses the challenges of climate change, pointing out that rain during the harvest season is particularly problematic as it can cause micro-fractures in the fruit that negatively affect the poscosecha. He proposes the use of plastic covers and fungicide treatments to mitigate the effects of rain.
In summary, the interview focuses on specific problems related to cherry poscosecha, such as browning and shriveling, and discusses the climatic challenges faced by the Chilean cherry industry.
Read the full article: RedagrÍcola
15 May 2024
Italy continues to lose positions in the ranking of the largest cherry producers in the world. Currently, the beautiful country is in seventh place, surpassed by Spain and chased by Greece. In just three five-year periods, national production has dropped by 15%.
04 Apr 2023
Battistini Vivai is a 'historical' company with more than 70 years of activity and composed of a young and motivated team, a combination of solid experience with strong roots in the agricultural tradition of Romagna and an ambitious and innovative approach.
15 Sep 2026
Australian cherry production is forecast to fall 15% in 2026/27, to 17,000 metric tons after a winter with fewer chill hours. Exports are expected at 4,000 MT, while dry conditions and high irrigation costs could add pressure for growers in Victoria and New South Wales.
15 Sep 2026
A three-year survey of 222 orchards in O’Higgins, Chile, validates a rapid Leaf Disc Assay to identify sweet cherry cultivars with lower susceptibility to bacterial canker caused by Pseudomonas syringae, supporting faster and more sustainable breeding decisions today.
