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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17 Apr 2025
Spain and China have signed a long-awaited protocol allowing Spanish cherries into the Chinese market. The deal could boost non-EU exports. FEPEX welcomes the move, highlighting the importance of diversifying markets for the fruit sector's growth.
29 Jul 2025
A study from Dalian Minzu University in China shows how pre-harvest application of alginate oligosaccharides can effectively reduce sweet cherry cracking, enhancing fruit resistance during water stress and storage phases. Promising results for cherry growers.
07 Jan 2026
A study from Miguel Hernández University in Alicante investigates the effect of melatonin applied before and after harvest on 'Sunburst' cherries. Results show a 29% rise in anthocyanins and a 5x increase in endogenous melatonin after 21 days at 2 °C in cold storage.
07 Jan 2026
In Quincy, Washington, cherry growers Dale and Brandon Goldy bring orchards into production by the third leaf through precise pruning, scoring and plant growth regulators. Their system turns vigor into fruiting wood, reducing blind wood and improving yield and canopy light.
