"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.
28 Dec 2023
Thanks to the investments made by Apofruit and Agrintesa, according to the latest CIA report, Romagna has almost doubled its cherry tree areas in just 10 years, bucking the national trend and that of its cousins from Vignola.
13 May 2024
One of the unique traditions is the art of ‘bagging’ the cherries, arranged in a pyramid shape to prolong their freshness. The cherry harvest runs from the end of May to July and culminates in the annual festival in Borgo di Castello, scheduled from 14 to 16 June.
24 Nov 2025
A field trial in Piedmont (Italy) confirms that Prohexadione-Ca reduces vegetative growth in Tip Top cherry trees and significantly increases fruit set, commercial yield, red skin coloration, and antioxidant content, improving orchard efficiency with Gisela 6 rootstock.
24 Nov 2025
In Vignola, cherries are a cultural emblem and IGP-certified excellence. While Puglia struggles with outdated methods, the Emilia region leads the way. This comparison reveals strengths and gaps in Italy’s cherry sector, aiming for growth and recognition abroad.
