"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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Carlos Tapia, Chilean technical advisor, calls on the cherry industry to prioritize quality, condition and strict production standards. Staying competitive requires advanced techniques, efficiency and cost control—without ever compromising on fruit size or quality.
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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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