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.
28 May 2024
‘This year we have heard that there will be an overlap again,’ says Dan Davis of Washington Fruit Growers. ‘If this is the case, it will favour a transition to Washington, as we will have plenty of volume and good-sized fruit to satisfy the retailers.
27 May 2025
Following 2024’s production collapse, the 2025 cherry season in British Columbia is expected to be historic: 5 million cartons forecast, outstanding fruit quality, rising domestic support, and strong international demand from Asia, Europe, and the Middle East.
20 Mar 2026
A study in Spain examines an evergrowing sweet cherry genotype unable to enter dormancy. The research highlights altered expression of DAM genes and offers new insights for genetic improvement and adaptation to climate change in temperate fruit crops.
20 Mar 2026
The CrackSense project investigates sweet cherry cracking in Lithuania and France, highlighting the impact of extreme weather events, sensor-based monitoring, and varietal differences to improve prevention, resilience, and advanced orchard management strategies.
