"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.
19 Sep 2024
According to Mike and Rebecca Casey of Forest Lodge Orchard in central Otago, farmers installing their own solar systems could save New Zealand from an energy crisis if the government allowed them to enter the energy market.
25 Oct 2024
As a result of projected climate changes, several areas in the world have experienced colder winters than usual. This has sparked interest in applying models based on the concept of cold/heat interaction to explain the effect of these changes.
21 May 2026
A study in China clarifies how ethylene and PavSPL7 regulate sweet cherry softening. This transcription factor limits cell wall degradation, improving fruit firmness, postharvest quality and potential shelf life for more efficient cherry supply chains worldwide.
21 May 2026
Chilean cherries are entering a new phase shaped by quality, agronomic precision and the demands of the Chinese market. From orchard management to post-harvest, Chile is focusing on uniform, large, competitive fruit with strong commercial value in the global market.
