Vineland Research and Innovation Centre (Vineland, Canada) is an independent, not-for-profit corporation. created in 2007 to drive growth and impact in the horticulture sector.
Funded in part by the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (Sustainable CAP), a five-year, federal-provincial-territorial initiative, Vineland coordinates applied research, innovation, and commercialization activities across Ontario’s horticulture value chain, aligning government, privatesector, and research partners to deliver measurable outcomes to the sector.
Among the key research programs at the Canadian experimental station, the sweet cherry breeding program has been active at the Horticultural Research Institute of Ontario since 1915 and has led to the commercial release of approximately twenty new sweet cherry varieties. The latest patented selections released are listed below.
Yellow, early-maturing, large-fruited, crack-resistant
Origin: University of Guelph, Vineland Station, Ontario, by G. Tehrani and J.W. Lay. ‘Van’ x ‘Stella’. Canadian PBR applied for. USPP applied for.
Fruit: very large, diameter 29 mm; reniform; skin yellow (RHS N45A); texture moderately firm; 17° Brix, TA 0.68%; ripens 10 d before ‘Rainier’; highly resistant to rain cracking.
Tree: vigor moderate, growth habit spreading; flowers midseason, 5-12 Apr. in British Columbia; self-fertile; moderately resistant to bacterial canker (Pseudomonas syringae).
Dark red, midseason, very large-fruited, crack-resistant
Origin: University of Guelph, Vineland Station, Ontario, by G. Tehrani and J.W. Lay. ‘Van’ x ‘Stella’; crossed 1969. Canadian PBR applied for. USPP applied for.
Fruit: very large, diameter 30 mm; flat round; skin dark purple (RHS N186A); texture firm; 18° Brix, TA 0.78%; ripens with ‘Bing’; highly resistant to rain cracking.
Tree: vigor moderate; growth habit spreading; flowers midseason, 5-12 Apr. in British Columbia; self-fertile; moderately resistant to bacterial canker.
Dark red, midseason, very large-fruited, crack-resistant
Origin: University of Guelph, Vineland Station, Ontario, by G. Tehrani, J.W. Lay, and F. Eady. ‘Van’ x ‘Stella’; crossed 1969. Canadian PBR applied for. USPP applied for.
Fruit: very large, diameter 30 mm; reniform to flat round; skin dark red-purple; texture firm; 18° Brix, TA 0.55%; ripens 3 d after ‘Bing’.
Tree: vigor moderate; growth habit spreading; flowers midseason, 5-12 Apr. in British Columbia; self-fertile; moderately resistant to bacterial canker.
Dark red, early-maturing, very large-fruited, firm and crack-resistant
Origin: University of Guelph, Vineland Station, Ontario, by G. Tehrani, J.W. Lay, and F. Eady. ‘Van’ x ‘Stella’; crossed 1969. Canadian PBR applied for. USPP applied for.
Fruit: very large, diameter 29 mm; reniform to flat round; skin dark redpurple (RHS N186A); very firm; 18° Brix, TA 0.80%; ripens 10 d before ‘Bing’; less susceptible to rain cracking.
Tree: vigor moderate; growth habit spreading; flowers midseason, 5-12 Apr. in British Columbia; self-fertile; moderately resistant to bacterial canker.
Dark red, midseason, large-fruited, crack-resistant
Origin: University of Guelph, Vineland Station, Ontario, by G. Tehrani and J.W. Lay. ‘Van’ x ‘Stella’; crossed 1969. Canadian PBR applied for. USPP applied for.
Fruit: large, diameter 27 mm; flat round; skin dark red-purple (RHS N186A); moderately firm; 18 _Brix, TA 0.78%; ripens 3 d after ‘Bing’; less susceptible to rain cracking.
Tree: vigor moderate; growth habit spreading; flowers midseason, 5-12 Apr. in British Columbia; self-fertile; moderately resistant to bacterial canker.
Source: Per McCord, Dept. of Horticulture,Washington State University Irrigated Agriculture Research and Extension Center, Prosser,WA
Image source: Stefano Lugli
Register of New Fruit and Nut Cultivars List 53
David Karp and Ksenija Gasic, Co-editors
HORTSCIENCE VOL. 61(8) AUGUST 2026
20 May 2025
Chilean growers embrace the Humic strategy to enhance cherry color, size, and uniformity. Results from the 2023 and 2024 seasons confirm higher quality, productive yield and profitability using Revital®, Potaliq® and Humic Kolour®, successfully tested across Europe.
13 Jan 2026
The 2025 cherry season in the Pacific Northwest saw high prices and excess volumes. At Yakima's Cherry Institute 2026, the industry gathers to discuss strategies, market dynamics, export challenges and future crop timing. A turning point for U.S. cherry growers.
04 Nov 2026
YOLO-CY detects sweet cherry cracks with high accuracy and speed. Tested on 3,662 images, the model achieved 94.88% mAP50 and processed 125 frames per second. Further validation across varieties, sorting lines and operating conditions is still needed before rollout.
04 Nov 2026
Chilean cherries in China are shifting from Lunar New Year gifts to everyday fruit. With prices falling and consumers focused on value, Ipsos outlines four strategies to reach new audiences, highlight quality and wellbeing, and build year-round demand in China and retail.
