"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.
04 Jun 2024
‘It is crucial to implement water management measures and promote sustainable practices to ensure long-term sustainability,’ says Víctor Muñoz, ‘actions that will strengthen water security and agricultural productivity and solid support for economic development.
04 Apr 2024
Cherry Growers Australia partnered with Agriculture Victoria in 2022-23 on an innovative project to develop on-farm traceability and build, diversify and protect exports by developing traceability from producer to consumer.
23 Apr 2026
Corette® rootstocks by Agromillora show strong adaptability to Mediterranean soils in Spain. Trials highlight good yields, early production and suitability for intensive orchards, improving efficiency, fruit quality and long-term sustainability.
23 Apr 2026
A Tasmanian research project examines how rain covers alter orchard microclimates, analysing impacts on cherry quality, yield and tree growth. Findings will help growers manage hotter summers, extreme rainfall events and the increasing challenges of climate change.
