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
14 Aug 2023
The study conducted in experimental orchards in Zaragoza (Spain) aimed to evaluate the impact of temperature on pollen kinetics in cherry trees comparing two cultivars with different levels of adaptation to temperature as pollen donors.
17 Jul 2024
Since the 1990s, the growth of the Canadian industry has focused mainly on working with foreign countries to conclude agreements for the purchase of our fruit. Canadian cherries are exported to more than 20 countries, including Japan and South Korea.
01 Sep 2026
In the United States, a low-cost mobile system using RGB-D cameras, deep learning and digital odometry automatically measures sour cherry trunk diameter, geolocates individual trees and creates spatial maps to support precision orchard management at commercial scale.
01 Sep 2026
ExpoCerezos 2026 makes its Curicó, Chile, presentations available online, covering new cherry varieties, orchard management, productivity, quality and markets. Five technical reports examine field results, current challenges and future prospects for the cherry industry.
