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.
02 Oct 2024
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Today cherry cultivation involves densities of up to a few thousand plants/ha. Intensification tends to result in earlier entry into production and improved fruit quality, but this is counterbalanced by higher planting costs and a shorter productive life of the plants.
27 Jan 2026
The 3rd Cherry Postharvest Course, led by advisor Patricio Morales, gathered over 250 industry experts to enhance the postharvest quality of Chilean cherries. Focus on plant diseases, biological strategies, and goals for an increasingly competitive global export market.
27 Jan 2026
Innovar launches a project to test and develop new IP cherry varieties from renowned European programmes like Gräb, JKI and Schwitzky. The initiative spans key Australian regions, focusing on premium quality, extended seasonality and long export-grade shelf life.
