"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.
01 Jun 2023
The cultivation of the Moretta di Vignola cherry has ancient and well-established origins in the Emilia (Italy) region. This cherry has phenolic substance contents that are absolutely comparable to those of fruits that are better known for their beneficial properties, such as ber
09 Feb 2026
In 2026, cherry emerges as a leading beverage flavor driven by nostalgia, natural colors and functionality. From dark sweet cherry to functional sodas, brands and consumers embrace an iconic, versatile and visually striking taste worldwide across global markets.
27 May 2026
A field study in China’s Zhejiang province assesses heat tolerance in five sweet cherry rootstocks. Lanting and Colt stand out for leaf resilience, antioxidant defense and hormonal balance, providing practical guidance for orchards facing longer, hotter and more extreme summers.
27 May 2026
Uzbekistan and FAO strengthen sustainable sweet cherry value chain through OCOP and FAO-China South-South Cooperation, focusing on innovation, traceability, logistics, lower post-harvest losses and international market access to support rural incomes and export growth now.
