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
28 Apr 2025
Protect cherry trees from bacterial canker caused by Pseudomonas syringae in Chile: discover chemical, biological, and preventive strategies for integrated and effective control. Boost yield, plant health, and fruit quality with sustainable, innovative solutions.
10 Jan 2025
The main objective of the work conducted in Chile in collaboration with the German research center for artificial intelligence was to predict the daily spatial variation of plant water potentials through the use of machine learning models.
04 Jun 2026
Chile’s cherry sector must reduce its dependence on China and shift 30% of exports toward new markets. Agronomy, varieties, quality, packaging and commercial strategy are becoming decisive to protect value, competitiveness and the long-term future of the industry.
04 Jun 2026
Study on sweet cherry and pedunculate oak in Austria and Croatia shows how growth, SLA and phenology depend on site, soil and local climate. Phenotypic plasticity and individual variation reveal key pathways for adaptation and resilience of European forests to climate change.
