Ugly cherries and market crisis: climate change reshapes the beauty of harvest

Quality

04 Sep 2025

An increasing number of deformed cherries are discarded due to strict aesthetic standards imposed by retailers. This phenomenon, linked to climate change, reduces farmers’ profitability and increases food waste, threatening the sustainability of the entire supply chain.

Record cherry crop in the Pacific Northwest, but farmers face a bitter season

Production

04 Sep 2025

Despite a high-quality and abundant harvest, cherry growers in the Pacific Northwest end the season with losses: labor shortages, high supermarket prices, and weak demand have strained producers in Oregon and Washington, two of the leading cherry regions in the US.

Sweet cherries: new genes discovered in China reveal color and stress secrets

Breeding

04 Sep 2025

A Chinese study on the sweet cherry Tieton genome reveals the key role of unique genes and flavonoids in plant development, stress resistance, and evolution. The analysis identified 85 specialized metabolites and 1100 genes crucial for fruit quality and adaptation.

First Asian wasps released in the Netherlands against Drosophila suzukii

Crop protection

03 Sep 2025

Asian parasitoid wasps Ganaspis kimorum have been released in the Netherlands to fight Drosophila suzukii, a pest damaging cherries, strawberries and raspberries. The WUR-led project aims to reduce crop losses through biological control and more sustainable farming.

Sweet cherry in Volgograd: irrigation and nutrition for stronger seedlings

Nurseries

03 Sep 2025

A five-year study in Southern Russia, Volgograd region, showed how targeted irrigation and balanced nutrition improve vigor, uniformity, and commercial quality of sweet cherry seedlings, while optimizing water use in arid agricultural environments with limited resources.

Spanish cherries 2025: extreme weather and new global markets define the season

Production

02 Sep 2025

The 2025 Spanish cherry season was marked by extreme weather, reduced volumes, and strong domestic demand. Despite initial quality issues, high prices and falling production in other countries helped Spain strengthen its role in Europe and look ahead to China.

How cherry trees react to climate: cultivar trial in northeastern Romania

Tech management

02 Sep 2025

A two-year study in Iași, Romania, evaluated the phenological, physiological, and productive responses of three cherry cultivars to climate stress. Results provide key insights for varietal selection and orchard management under water scarcity and global climate change.

Cherries turned into powder: Kent research opens new perspectives on Alzheimer’s

Health

02 Sep 2025

A study from the University of Kent transforms discarded cherries into a powder rich in anthocyanins, showing potential protection against Alzheimer’s disease. By combining agricultural sustainability with science, researchers open new perspectives in fighting cognitive decline.

New cherry varieties in Piedmont: yields, agritech and trials in Cuneo

Varieties

01 Sep 2025

New cherry varieties tested in Piedmont are reshaping orchards in Cuneo. Agrion trials and Sanifrutta projects increase yields and fruit quality with early and late cultivars, advanced protections and innovative agronomic strategies for sustainable cherry production in Italy.

Climate change and cherries: strategies from USA, China, Chile and Portugal

Events

01 Sep 2025

Climate change is testing cherry cultivation worldwide. In Washington, experts from 20 countries discussed resilient cultivars, winter nets, covers and predictive models. Focus on China, Chile, Portugal, Germany and California with innovative solutions shaping the future.

Focus On

Rebirth from bacterial cancer of the cherry tree

Crop protection

29 Mar 2024

Today's cherry growers are confronted with cherry blight, caused by the bacterium Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae. In recent years, the disease has appeared more frequently in high and very high density planting and dwarfing rootstocks.

The picture of the economic sustainability of fruit-growing sector

Tech management

25 Mar 2024

A recent study analyzed production costs and average margins of the main species in the Emilia-Romagna region. From the comparison it emerges that cherry trees confirm themselves as one of the few fruit species capable of achieving full economic sustainability.

Cherries: what future?

Events

25 Mar 2024

This was the title of the meeting held on 15 March at the operational headquarters of the OP Giuliano - PugliaFruit in Rutigliano, where the problems of a sector that shows alarming signs of little interest and from agricultural entrepreneurs were discussed.

Marysa®, a sweet cherry with a sour cherry flavour

Varieties

15 Mar 2024

In agronomic terms, Marysa® had attributes that were in some cases superior to the Sweet® varieties, in terms of rusticity and productivity, high harvest yields and fruit size. The variety spread not only in its area of origin, but also in the Verona area.

Portrait of a sweet cherry breeder: Gregorio Lopez-Ortega

Breeding

18 Jan 2024

n this article, José Quero García, member of the technical-scientific committee of Cherry Times, interviewed Gregorio Lopez-Ortega, breeder at the Chilean company Hortifrut.

Plant types for new cherry planting systems

Nurseries

12 Jan 2024

On the choice of planting material and the necessary cultivation practices to ensure the best initial development of cherry trees, Cherry Times interviewed Dr. Eduardo Madrid Pardo, Chilean agronomist consultant specialised in nursery techniques.

Despite a difficult situation, interest in cherry trees is growing in Romagna

Production Press review

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.

Cherry Times wishes you happy holidays and a happy New Year!

Events

25 Dec 2023

In this year's finale, the Cherry Times team would like to express its gratitude to all readers who have chosen us as their preferred source of information to understand and delve into the wonderful world revolving around the fruit of paradise: the cherry.

Congratulations from Cherry Times to Prof. Greg Lang for the prestigious MSHS DSA award

Events

14 Dec 2023

Meet Gregory Lang, a horticulture trailblazer with roots in Ohio and a passion for fruit production. part of Cherry Times Technical-Scientific Committee.

Companies

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