All commercial sweet cherry trees are either budded or grafted.
The part of the tree above the graft/bud union is known as the scion, and the part below the graft/bud union is known as the stock or rootstock.
Modern sweet cherry scion breeding programs have focused mainly on achieving improved characteristics such as yield, taste, fruit size, fruit firmness, fruit color, precocity, disease and fruit cracking resistance.
In contrast, modern rootstock breeding programs have largely focused on increasing precocity, reducing vigor or, in some cases, adaptation to certain soil and climatic conditions.
In recent years, there has been a substantial increase of available rootstocks that provide growers with a complete range of vigor from full vigor, full size to true dwarfing rootstocks that reduce vigor by 50% or more.
These dwarfing rootstocks facilitate the harvest of premium quality fruit from high-density, pedestrian orchards.
Furthermore, when matched with ultra-high-density training systems, such as slender spindle axis, dwarfing rootstocks may reach full production by fourth leaf.
[...]
Want to know more? The full article is reserved for subscribers to the Cherry Times newsletter! Sign up for free to receive each new exclusive in-depth article directly in your inbox and stay up-to-date with quality advice and analysis. Don't miss this unique opportunity!
Sign up for free to the Cherry Times newsletter
16 Mar 2026
From May 18 to 22, 2026, the University of Lleida in Spain will host an international course focused on innovations in cherry and hazelnut production. The program combines academic lectures with technical tours and meetings with leading farms and agribusiness companies.
26 Jun 2025
A US District Court has reinstated the Staccato Cherry patent, reigniting the legal conflict between Canada and the USA. This development raises crucial issues about plant variety protection, breeder rights, and the future of agricultural intellectual property.
31 Jul 2026
An open-source, low-cost dendrometer system tracks trunk growth, water stress and irrigation needs in apple, sour cherry and peach orchards. Built on Arduino, it supports precise, sustainable water management and makes plant monitoring more accessible at commercial scale.
31 Jul 2026
Poland’s cherry season is delivering barely 50% of the 2025 record crop. Frost, drought, extreme heat and heavy imports are squeezing prices and sales, while growers rely on cold storage, premium quality and pick-your-own events to protect margins in a brutal market.
