Cherry fruit quality: from sugar content to genetics
05 Mar 2025
The study conducted by Spanish and US researchers explored the genetic factors behind key factors influencing the taste of sweet cherries, including sugar and acid content.
The management and the technical scientific committee of Cherry Times welcomes Dr. Jesús Alonso, a Spanish expert researcher specialized in studies on cherries post-harvest.
Jesús Alonso is a postharvest research scientist at the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), with extensive experience in the quality and postharvest preservation of sweet cherries and other fruit crops.
His expertise includes cell wall disassembly and the enzymatic regulation of texture, with a strong focus on the physiological and biochemical processes that determine postharvest and processing performance.
Building on this scientific foundation, he has conducted in-depth research on storage technologies using controlled and modified atmospheres, as well as sustainable packaging, edible coatings, biological control, and other innovative postharvest treatments aimed at controlling biological processes, extending shelf life, reducing mechanical damage, and optimizing sensory attributes.
Dr. Jesús Alonso
Alongside his academic research, Dr. Alonso collaborates actively with cherry producers, cooperatives, and companies, providing specialized technical consulting to improve postharvest strategies across the value chain.
He has also held high-level science policy positions, including serving as Secretary General for Science, Technology and Innovation in the regional government of Extremadura (Spain), where he led strategic initiatives to promote scientific development and launched programs for breeding new cherry cultivars adapted to commercial and local agroclimatic conditions.
He is currently exploring the application of non-invasive technologies—such as X-ray CT, hyperspectral imaging, and NIR spectroscopy—to better understand internal quality and varietal behavior in cherries.
In 2012, he founded elmundodelacereza.com, a reference platform for the dissemination of scientific and technical knowledge for professionals in the cherry sector.
We wish Dr. Jesús Alonso continued success in his work, confident that his valuable contributions will further enhance the quality of our magazine and be greatly appreciated by our readers.
Thomas Drahorad
Stefano Lugli
