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.
16 Feb 2026
Drosophila suzukii threatens soft fruit production in Africa. Research on Metarhizium anisopliae highlights the strong performance of isolate ICIPE 78, showing rapid mortality, horizontal transmission and fly attraction, offering sustainable pest control strategies.
06 Jan 2026
The high production of cherries in Chile requires new storage strategies. A study evaluates the use of controlled atmosphere on different varieties, analysing the impact on quality, physiological disorders and post-harvest damage while awaiting the packaging process.
10 Nov 2026
The brown marmorated stink bug has spread across Germany and threatens numerous crops. A research project has developed a natural method combining odor-based repellents and attractants with pyrethrum extract to lure and kill the pest without pesticides.
09 Nov 2026
When sourcing processed cherries from Chile, set specifications, size, Brix, microbiological requirements, packaging, Incoterms and shipping dates before harvest. Terms reduce the risk of an unsuitable lot and give processors time to prepare production for the season.
