News about Italy

INSTINCT project: artificial intelligence and traps to combat Drosophila suzukii

Crop protection

01 Oct 2024

“A big step forward would be knowing the exact moment when an infestation is about to occur,” says Silvia Schmidt, an entomologist at the Laimburg Research Center. “That way, nets and pesticides could only be used when truly necessary.”

Cherry pomace can be valorised in a sustainable way

Quality

10 Sep 2024

Although sweet cherry pomace waste is obtained after juice production, it still contains significant amounts of dietary fibre and value-added compounds, including polyphenols. For this reason, it can be used as a renewable raw material to generate bioactive compounds.

The challenges of Italy’s sweet cherry season: a complex year amid rains and decreasing consumption

Production

02 Sep 2024

The sweet cherry supply for 2024 remained in line with the average of the last five seasons, which saw an average production of about 100,000 tons per year. However, 2023 stood out as a negative year, with a production of only 93,000 tons, the lowest value in the last five years.

How does fruit quality changes inside the tree?

Quality

23 Aug 2024

A study by Italian and Romanian universities evaluated the impact of cultivar and fruit position within the tree canopy during pre-ripening or full ripening on the quality parameters of organically grown cherries.

Sweet cherry in Apulia region: challenges and opportunities for future cultivation

Production

12 Aug 2024

There has been a drastic drop in production: hectares abandoned or replaced with other crops due to lack of profitability. Added to this are difficulties in protecting crops from new pests and the increasingly acute shortage of labour.

How Calcium and Potassium increase resistance to cracking and accelerate ripening

Crop protection

07 Aug 2024

The experiment was carried out in a commercial orchard of sweet cherry cv. 'Regina' in Lagnasco, Piedmont, grafted on 'Gisela 5', covered by rain and hail nets. Foliar applications were carried out on 15 plants with: Stimulant Plus®, Set® and Abundantia®.

The 2024 cherry campaign: the ISMEA report on the Italian production

Production

29 Jul 2024

Turning to information on retail sales, partial data (29 April-16 June) from source NielsenIQ indicate for 2024 compared to the previous campaign an increase in volumes (+12.3%) and a more substantial increase in household expenditure (+20.3%).

Trentino-Alto Adige (IT): an experimental cherry orchard indicates Bibaum® and spindle as the systems to rely on to anticipate harvesting

Planting systems

29 Jul 2024

During the first six years, the high-density Bibaum® and spindle systems showed higher cumulative per-hectare yields than other breeding systems, while the medium-density UFO and spindle systems showed less rapid entry into production.

VIP cherries: innovations and GlobalGap certification lead the season

Markets

15 Jul 2024

100% of Vip cherries have GlobalGap certification. Reinhard Ladurner, the Consortium's cherry sales manager, emphasises: 'GlobalGap has become a passport to the market by fulfilling the demand for sustainability and product safety certification.

South Tyrolean late cherries varieties enrich Sant'Orsola's season

Markets

15 Jul 2024

Nicola Leonardi, head of the commercial area of Sant'Orsola, provides an optimistic overview of the situation: 'We expect a very good season in terms of both quantity and quality, with at least 70 per cent of the cherries being 28 g and above.