"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.
05 Nov 2024
In Osorno, cherry production is protected by covers due to the climatic conditions; this is one of the reasons why UdeC Agronomy experts will have to conduct studies to achieve improvements in production and marketing.
16 Oct 2025
Catalonia starts the release of Ganaspis kimorum, a parasitoid used for the biological control of Drosophila suzukii. The goal is to reduce pesticide use in cherry, strawberry and berry crops, supporting a more sustainable and environmentally friendly fruit production system.
12 Jun 2026
The Government of Aragón supports the Cereza de Calatayud y del Aranda PGI, covering around 1,500 hectares and about one hundred agricultural operators. Documents must be ready by 30 July, while the European recognition process could take up to two years for its approval.
12 Jun 2026
Viveros Ebro outlines its 2026 cherry strategy in Ribera d’Ebre, Spain, with Nipama, SPC-108, Royal Apache and SMS-416. High yields, large fruit size, low chill requirements, postharvest quality and full-cycle technical support shape the new season with climate resilience.
