From the cherry breeding conducted by Amy Iezzoni, professor emeritus at Michigan State University, five new dwarfing and early rootstocks have recently been commercially released: the Corette® series. All five rootstocks significantly reduce the size of the tree compared to standard rootstocks and entry into production occurs within the third year, two years earlier than traditional planting systems. These rootstocks have completed the experimentation phase in the USA both for sweet cherry, in very high density wall planting systems, and for sour cherries, using a high density production system and mechanized harvesting above the row.
The main characteristics of the Corette® series rootstocks are reported below (Iezzoni, 2022).
Dwarfing, precocity-inducing, clonal rootstock for cherry.
Origin: Michigan State University, East Lansing, by A. Iezzoni. Hybrid of unknown complexity involving Prunus avium, P. cerasus, and P. fruticosa. USPP 30,553; 4 June 2019.
Plant: vigor weak; branching habit spreading.
Rootstock performance: induces reduced vigor and increased precocity compared to trees budded on mazzard seedling rootstocks; vigor lower than Gisela® 5; grafted plants tend to produce root suckers; exhibits moderate sensitivity to high soil pH.
Dwarfing, precocity-inducing, clonal rootstock for cherry.
Origin: Michigan State University, East Lansing, by A. Iezzoni. Hybrid of unknown complexity involving P. avium, P. cerasus, and P. fruticosa. USPP 32,852; 2 Mar. 2021.
Plant: vigor weak; branching habit spreading.
Rootstock performance: induces reduced vigor and increased precocity compared to trees budded on mazzard seedling rootstocks; vigor lower than Gisela® 5; grafted plants tend to produce root suckers.
Dwarfing, precocity-inducing, clonal rootstock for cherry.
Origin: Michigan State University, East Lansing, by A. Iezzoni. (P. cerasus × P. canescens) O.P. USPP 30,538; 28 May 2019.
Plant: vigor weak; branching habit spreading.
Rootstock performance: induces reduced vigor and increased precocity compared to trees budded on mazzard seedling rootstocks; vigor similar to Gisela® 5; grafted plants produce no root suckers.
Dwarfing, precocity-inducing, clonal rootstock for cherry.
Origin: Michigan State University, East Lansing, by A. Iezzoni. P. cerasus × (P. cerasus × P. canescens). USPP 30,473; 7 May 2019.
Plant: vigor weak; branching habit spreading.
Rootstock performance: induces reduced vigor and increased precocity compared to trees budded on mazzard seedling rootstocks; vigor similar to Gisela® 5; grafted plants produce no root suckers.
Clonal rootstock for cherry.
Origin: Michigan State University, East Lansing, by A. Iezzoni. Hybrid of unknown complexity including P. avium and P. fruticosa. USPP 32,813; 16 Feb. 2021.
Plant: vigor weak; branching habit spreading.
Rootstock performance: induces reduced vigor and increased precocity compared to trees budded on mazzard seedling rootstocks; vigor lower than Gisela® 5; grafted plants tend to produce root suckers; exhibits tolerance to water stress compared to Gisela® 5.
L. Long, G. Lang, C. Kaiser (2020). Sweet Cherry. CABI Books
A. Iezzoni (2022). Cherry Rootstocks. Register of New Fruit and Nut Cultivars List 51. HORTSCIENCE
18 Mar 2024
In response to the changing communication habits of organic farmers, FiBL has made variety information available interactively on the webpage recherche-varietes.bioactualites.ch, where it is possible to search for varieties with specific characteristics.
04 Nov 2024
The Somercotes farm was founded in 1823 and currently produces around 20 varieties of cherries on 50 hectares, With the Tasmanian cherry harvest season now imminent, the Somercotes team is very excited about this year's prospects.
30 May 2025
In South Africa, sweet cherries are expanding thanks to low-chill varieties and innovative growing systems. Dutoit leads development with high-efficiency orchards, varietal research, and farming techniques tailored to the country's diverse microclimates.
30 May 2025
The opening of the Chinese market to Jerte cherries marks a new chapter for Spain's cherry sector, but brings complex export protocols. José Antonio Tierno stresses the need for caution, as past experiences with other fruits haven’t always delivered sustainable outcomes.
