"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.
08 Apr 2024
The SCRI project involved entomologists in 12 states in 2022 and 15 last year. Entomologist Xingeng Wang and his staff maintained a parental colony of G. brasiliensis (G1) and redistributed it to 17 laboratories in the US for breeding and release.
15 Oct 2024
Cherry Growers Australia, an association that gathers Australian producers from all six cherry-growing areas of the country, organized a webinar to discuss the season, as Queensland, New South Wales, and Australia in October, and soon after, Victoria, prepare to harvest.
18 Aug 2026
A study on 0900 Ziraat cherries evaluates indirect solar drying under different ventilation settings. Using one fan shortens drying time, preserves good color quality and provides the best technological balance between energy consumption, efficiency and sustainability.
18 Aug 2026
Mechanical harvesting of sour cherries is seeing very strong demand, driven by labor shortages. Stable service rates, fully booked schedules, storms, high temperatures and fears of an early halt to fruit purchases by processors are shaping the final stage of the season.
