Hungary's impressive cherry breeding programme recently celebrated its 70th anniversary. Started in the early post-war period by the late S. Brózik, one of the most prolific researchers and breeders in the world, the programme was continued by J. Apostol and, more recently, by Z. Békefi.
From the very beginning, the project was turned over to the Fruit Research Institute, then passed into the hands of NARIC - National Agricultural Research and Innovation Centre at the turn of the century and, from 2021, to the Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Science in Budapest. All in all, more than 30 cherry varieties have been released.
In chronological order: the first clones (1, 3 and 45) from the selection of the local variety Germersdorfer (1980s); the varieties Margit, Linda, Katalin and Kavics (1990s); Aida, Anita, Axel, Carmen, Paulus, Petrus, Sandor, Tunde and Vera; Elvira (Edit), Magdolna, Kira, Pillangó (Papillon) and the new late selection 16/77 (2020s).
Read the full presented at Macfrut 2023 by Zsuzsanna Békefi, the current Hungarian project leader.
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The re-use of these by-products thus seems a better alternative to the disposal or annual incineration of millions of tonnes of cherry pits, which not only mitigates environmental pollution, but also adheres to the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals set by the United Nations.
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A recent study tested the effectiveness of biopesticides and native microbial strains against brown rot caused by Monilinia laxa on cherry and plum. Promising results in pre-harvest phase, but limitations emerged during post-harvest at room temperature.
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2025 is a disastrous year for Oregon’s sweet cherries: top-quality harvests remain unsold, labor shortages tied to immigration fears, and a market paying less than production costs. Small family farms face an uncertain future amid ongoing economic strain.
