Cherry Times hosts the presentations displayed on Saturday 10 June in Palombara, Rome, during the National Cherry Symposium, a scientific and academic event at the service of farmers and lovers of the Sabina cherries.
The event took place within the framework of the 95th Historical Edition of the Sagra delle Cerase, the oldest in Europe of this crop, based on a centuries-old tradition, due to the Cerase del Papa variety, dating back to Honorius IV (around 1200).
The aim of the Symposium was to foster cherry production, drawing attention to a product of Italian excellence that can represent the crop of attraction and valorisation, taking stock of the latest developments in agrifood research, focusing on the Sabina area.
Another objective was to connect national and local administrations, public opinion, and the scientific and academic world with operators in the agri-food sector, who invest energy and time on the excellence and uniqueness to which cherries are an undisputed witness of flavour and beauty.
Here the Symposium programme in pdf (Italian).
Symposium reports (Italian):
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05 Jun 2024
‘Stemilt has the longest season in the industry, with a continuous daily supply that starts with the California cherry harvest in late April and goes all the way up to the high altitude cherries in Washington in August,’ said Brianna Shales, marketing director.
05 Jan 2026
On 24 December, a local fruit grower explained that this year the trees were subjected to forced dormancy and heating earlier than usual, resulting in the cherries ripening about 10 days earlier than in previous years.
26 Mar 2026
A study in Puglia explores how grafting affects Prunus mahaleb metabolism, revealing differences in sugars, acids, and bioactive compounds between grafted and ungrafted plants, with key implications for fruit quality, nutraceutical value, and rootstock use.
26 Mar 2026
USDA proposes new marketing rules for Washington sweet cherries: higher minimum size requirements, exceptions for Rainier and Royal Anne, updated packaging categories, and more aligned standards to support grower profitability and access to crop insurance.
