"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.
30 Sep 2024
The cherry harvest has been deemed a failure and similar conditions have affected sour cherries. Cherry growers are estimated to have lost 30 to 75 per cent of their crop this year. Governor Gretchen Whitmer asked for federal assistance to the growers.
31 Jul 2025
During the Late Cherry Varieties Tour, ANA Chile® and LFP introduced in Germany new late cherry varieties — red and bicolour — featuring excellent quality, high resistance, and extended harvest time, opening new opportunities for export and the European market.
02 Oct 2026
In Coquimbo, Chile, the cherry harvest could begin between October 10 and 15, one of the earliest dates ever recorded in the region. Production is expected to fall by 50%, while larger fruit, higher sugar levels and access to new markets could support growers this season.
02 Oct 2026
In New Zealand, real-time monitoring with IoT sensors helps cherry growers track temperature and humidity during transport, prevent spoilage, reduce food waste and preserve quality and freshness from the orchard to the market throughout the entire cold-chain journey.
