The first experiences with cherry breeding at the VSUO in Holouvosy in the Czech Republic date back to the late 1960s. The main variety selected from this programme is Kordia, which in recent years has become one of the world's leading varieties in the medium-late ripening period, mainly due to its high fruit quality standards.
The primary objectives of the WSUO programme are cherry quality (size, texture and colour), resistance to cracking and rot, shelf life and plant productivity. MAS technologies are used in the breeding programme for the early selection of genotypes on several traits: self-fertility, spring frost resistance, drought and climate change tolerance and low chilling requirements.
WSUO, besides Kordia, has commercially propagated 28 cherry varieties. The best known are Early Korvik, Christiana, Felicita, Irena, Justyna, Kasandra, Tamara, Techlovan, Tim and Vanda.
Below is the report of Lubor Zelený, cherry breeding project manager at WSUO in Holouvosy, presented at the workshop on cherry variety innovation at Macfrut 2023.
21 May 2024
The weather factors mainly affected the first cherries of the year. The harvest will not reach its maximum production potential and will be around 8,700 tonnes out of a possible 9,500 tonnes, which is slightly above the average of the last five years.
31 Jul 2025
The Pacific Northwest cherry season is threatened by a severe labor shortage. Fears of deportations and the lack of pickers risk compromising the harvest, especially affecting small growers in Washington, Oregon, and California during a crucial period.
13 May 2026
A Serbian study on eight sweet cherry genotypes shows how temperature, pollen germination and pollen tube growth affect fertility and fruit set. ‘Lapins’, ‘Canetova’ and ‘G-2’ stand out as more stable, resilient cultivars under changing climate trends in orchards.
13 May 2026
Chile’s cherry industry is facing increasing financial pressure after seasons marked by oversupply, lower returns and strong reliance on China. Legal, contractual and corporate risks are now growing across the export chain, affecting growers, exporters and trade stability.
