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.
09 Dec 2025
Copefrut introduces RedBeats, a Chilean cherry brand tailored for Gen Z: music-driven identity, flexible packaging and smart formats for every moment. The goal is to turn cherries into a daily snack, moving beyond the traditional gifting-centered consumption model.
28 Feb 2025
Export volumes have already exceeded 5,000 tonnes, driven by high demand during the Chinese New Year period in East Asia. Taiwan remains the largest market, followed by China, Vietnam and Hong Kong.
10 Sep 2026
In stone fruit, auxins, gibberellins, cytokinins and ABA regulate fruit set, cell division and early fruit growth. The Prunus review explains how hormonal balance influences yield, fruit size, early fruit drop and harvest quality, highlighting its value for orchards.
10 Sep 2026
Drought and high temperatures cut the cherry harvest in the Czech Republic: at Mendel University in Brno, production fell by 16% and some fruit was up to half its usual size, making irrigation increasingly crucial for maintaining stable cherry production in coming year.
