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 Jan 2026
Meda Swan (IVU 514®) is a new early two-coloured cherry variety, selected in California, tested and distributed in Chile. It ripens 10 days earlier than Rainier, has excellent Brix levels and good post-harvest keeping quality and tolerance to storage defects.
09 Jan 2026
Rising volumes and logistical pressure make postharvest management the key driver of Chilean cherry profitability. Anticipation, DPV control, humidification, hydrocooling and contingency planning define a new operational standard to protect fruit quality, size and value.
25 Aug 2026
A University of Belgrade study in Serbia examines pollen germination, pollen tube growth and flowering phenology in six sour cherry genotypes, highlighting the decisive role of genetics, environment and phenotypic stability in orchard pollination under field conditions.
25 Aug 2026
In Chile, artificial intelligence, drones and multispectral imaging are transforming cherry farming. New technologies improve yields, treatment precision, water efficiency and crop management, while accelerating the development of increasingly automated and data-driven orchards.
