The genetic improvement programme on the cherry tree at the Julius Kühn-Institut (JKI) has an almost century-long tradition. The first activities were started by M. Schmidt in Müncheberg in the 1930s. Later, M. Zwitzscher continued the project at the Max Planck Institut in Cologne by propagating the varieties Primavera and Sekunda, while E.L. Loewel in Jork selected and propagated a dozen varieties, including Regina.
More recently, in Dresden, M. Fischer started a new breeding programme aimed at self-fertility and resistance to bacterial cancer by Pseudomonas spp, leading to the release of the NA series varieties Namosa, Nadina, Namare and Namati.
Since 2001, the project has been in the hands of M. Schuster at the JKI in Pillnitz. The cherry varieties Narana (ripens with Burlat), Swing® PiSue 192* (+8 Burlat), Polka (+10 Burlat), Aria® PiSue 161 (+14 Burlat), Areko (+17 Burlat), PiSue 177 (+19 Burlat) and Habunt, a two-coloured cherry ripens 20 days after Burlat.
Below the report of Mirko Schuster presented at the workshop on cherry variety innovation at Macfrut 2023.
01 Jul 2025
Researchers from Clemson University and Spain’s CITA discovered the genetic basis of sweetness and acidity in sweet cherries. With QTL mapping and haplotype analysis, breeders can now develop better-tasting, more stable varieties tailored to consumer preferences in Europe.
15 May 2024
Over 1,400 participants from various national and international industry sectors gathered for the fifth Global Cherry Summit, which was attended by a large Chinese delegation, including the Chinese Ambassador to Chile, Niu Qingbao.
04 Sep 2025
An increasing number of deformed cherries are discarded due to strict aesthetic standards imposed by retailers. This phenomenon, linked to climate change, reduces farmers’ profitability and increases food waste, threatening the sustainability of the entire supply chain.
04 Sep 2025
Despite a high-quality and abundant harvest, cherry growers in the Pacific Northwest end the season with losses: labor shortages, high supermarket prices, and weak demand have strained producers in Oregon and Washington, two of the leading cherry regions in the US.
