"The super millionaire fruits of the Alma Mater": this is how Corriere della Sera headlined years ago when announcing the results obtained by researchers from the Department of Agri-food Sciences and Technologies of the University of Bologna on the cherry tree genetic improvement project: the seven Sweet® sisters, the new varieties named after the children or loved ones of their inventors.
A team led by Stefano Lugli who, starting from old indigenous varieties, the famous Duroni di Vignola, bearers of valuable traits such as sweetness, texture and aroma, has been able to combine these virtues with others, such as beauty, size and productivity, taking them from varieties of American origin.
Below, the report by Bettina Riedel, variety manager of UNIBO, presented at the seminar on cherry variety innovation at Macfrut 2023. Precisely at Macfrut, ten years ago, the Sweet® varieties made their debut winning, among others, the Oscar prize for innovation.
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The study conducted by C. Aubert and colleagues from the Centre Technique Interprofessionnel des Fruits et Légumes (France) investigates the impact of hot water treatments (HWT) on the quality and preservation of sweet cherries, focusing on two cultivars: Balrine and Regina.
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Cracking in sweet cherry fruits poses major challenges for growers. This article explores the physiological causes, effective mitigation strategies, and the most resistant cherry cultivars to improve fruit quality and commercial value in a sustainable way.
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Peru is betting on cherries as its next major export crop. After a decade of trials, six Andean regions are testing adaptable varieties. The long-term goal is to enter the Chinese market, currently dominated by Chile, leveraging the new Chancay megaport for faster delivery.
