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.
12 May 2025
The government of British Columbia invests $5 million to help cherry, apple, pear, and other fruit growers tackle climate change, with 69 approved projects and innovative, ambitious measures scheduled through 2027 across the Okanagan and Kootenays regions.
30 Oct 2024
One of the restrictions imposed by the Chinese authorities concerns the packaging warehouse, which has to establish how to apply differentiated fruit handling throughout the process, from receipt to packaging and storage of the cherries.
05 Mar 2026
Climate variability in high-elevation areas of Utah is affecting sour cherry production, raising double fruit risk and challenging phenological models. The study defines the critical post-harvest window and assesses the reliability of leading bloom prediction systems.
05 Mar 2026
British Columbia produces over 90% of Canada’s cherries and is investing in genomics to tackle extreme weather and global market pressures. New technologies aim to shorten breeding cycles, improve climate resilience, and strengthen competitiveness and the regional economy.
