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.
05 Feb 2025
Chile has almost doubled its cherry exports to India in the 2024/25 season. With the recent arrival of several sea containers, the export volume increased from 367 tons in 2023/24 to 708 tons in 2024/25, according to the Chilean Cherry Committee of Frutas de Chile.
06 Jun 2023
Cherry growers are looking for solutions to improve the efficiency of their plants, guarantee the product quality demanded by the markets and reduce production costs. These include the mechanisation of certain cultivation operations such as pruning and harvesting.
28 Mar 2025
Find out how selenium enrichment of Burlat cherries improves fruit quality, increases soluble solids content and reduces the risk of cracking. A study in Poland analysed the best fertilisation techniques to obtain more nutritious and resistant cherries.
28 Mar 2025
The plummeting price of cherries in China is undermining the profitability of orchards. Excessive irrigation affects energy costs and fruit quality. Discover strategies to optimise water use and improve the sustainability of cultivation.
