Varietal trials conducted on new cherry cultivars by Agrion in Manta provide useful indications for new plantings. Also of interest are the results of the cherry tree investment project carried out by Op Sanifrutta in Costigliole Saluzzo
The marriage of research institutions and the agricultural world is driving the expansion of cherry orchards in the Cuneo area: a common thread links the experimentation of new self-fertile and self-sterile cherry varieties, in the Agrion Foundation's varietal fields in Manta, Saluzzo, with projects to revive the crop, undertaken by producer organizations in the Granda region.
The production context of the cherry tree in Piedmont
The agronomist Davide Nari, a technician at the research organization founded in 2014 by the Piedmont Region and Unioncamere, addresses the topic of new varieties starting with the “state of the art” of cultivation in the Cuneo area. «The province is home to 60 percent of the total 390 hectares cultivated in Piedmont; 20 percent is located, however, near Pecetto, in the Turin area. The expansion of the areas, which has taken place in the last decade, has been exclusively in the Granda region: the commercial groups active in our area have been the driving force behind the growth.».
Today, the province has «one hundred hectares of specialized plantings, made starting in 2014 with dwarfing rootstocks from the Gisela series, which make it possible to reduce the planting distances and increase the number of plants per unit area. In addition, 90 percent of the new plots are equipped with perimeter insect nets, anti-hail nets, and rain covers.» Solutions that have held back, along with technical difficulties in cultivation, more extensive plantings in the last 2-3 years, «Planting expenses can reach 100 thousand euros per hectare.».
Costs and difficulties are contrasted with the certainties in quality standards determined by the market. «The production base is made up of varieties with a low rejection rate and a fruit size ranging between 28 and 30 millimeters, which is a prerequisite for a good return to the producer. Agrion's varietal trials have focused on these aspects and others such as stalk length and fruit distribution on the plants.».
I varietal references, in the Cuneo area, are two self-sterile cultivars: Kordia, which matures between June 13 and 17, and Queen, later harvested between June 18 and June 25. «Both provide good yields, fruit of satisfactory quality and size, high average flesh hardness and low cracking,» the main problem of cherry trees.
Harvest stage evaluations have been central to the selection of varieties planted in the Manta experimental fields, which accommodate plants belonging to 75 cultivars, spread over a 2,500-square-meter plot, planted since 2006. Evaluation takes place in three-year cycles, with an annual rotation of about 15 varieties: «The most promising are recommended to farmers, those that have adapted poorly are weeded out.».
In Piedmont, the most important production «is in the intermediate stage, between June 10 and June 25.» Harvesting operations, however, begin, in the Cuneo area, between May 25 and June 4, with the extra-early stage; the early, immediately following, «is instead located between June 5 and 12.» The late period, between June 18 and 25 closed, until last decade, the yards in the ceraseti, «with the harvest of the Regina variety. Growing market spaces have prompted, in recent years, the development of cultivars that delay significantly, reaching maturity in early July. A difficult time because they increase the pressure of Drosophila suzukii and the technical difficulties».
Cherry tree varieties: guidance for new plantings
Data collected in 2024 in the test fields provided expendable insights for new plants. Among the Cherry tree varieties eligible for experimentation extended, in the extra-early stage, «Folfer and Sweet Aryana, as well as the French cultivars Nimba--self-sterile--and Pacific Red--self-fertile--have reached barely sufficient size for commercial purposes, a consequence of the limited number of days between flowering and ripening. In addition, cracking susceptibility is higher due to early season rains.».
Different is the landscape in the early stage: «There are some interesting varieties,» Nari resumes. These include the self-sterile cultivar Cerasin Prim 3.1: «It ripens 8-10 days earlier than Kordia and has yielded excellent results. Fruits have hard flesh-51 degrees on the Shore scale-a medium size up to 32 millimeters, sweetness reaches 16 degrees Brix, a high value for a cherry. Finally, cracking sensitivity is not so high.». Glen Blush, a self-sterile bicolor white-fleshed variety did not achieve noteworthy performance. The fruits have a size of 26 millimeters and hardness quantified as 32 degrees Shore: «They are sweeter than classic cherries but more susceptible to handling and cracking.».
In the’intermediate period, on the other hand, «Henriette, a self-sterile cherry variety, was found to be among the best performing cultivars: the long stem and good fruit distribution in bunches facilitate the containment of rot.» Positive data also emerged from M 2087 «a selection from the United States, not yet patented in Europe. The cherries reach a hardness of 68 degrees Shore, with very low acidity, around 5 meq/100 ml.» High gauges, 32 millimeters, also characterize the self-sterile variety Kir Volcano: «in 2024 it exceeded 17 degrees Brix with 44 Shore points of hardness.».
The self-sterile variety Fertard, on the other hand, is placed in the late stage: ripens 8 days after Kordia, at the same time as Regina. «It is a cherry capable of productions with sizes over 30 millimeters, 52 Shore points of pulp hardness and a Brix index reaching 17 degrees.».
Growing market interests accompany the field evaluation of extra-late varieties, with a ripening period extended to the first decade of July. This is the case with the self-fertile cultivars of the German Cerasina series: Final 11.3, 12.1 and 13.1. «They guarantee excellent yields, pieces between 28 and 30 millimeters and a hardness index ranging between 36 and 48 degrees Shore.». Kir red, finally, an extra-late self-fertile variety-ripens 25 days after Kordia-produces fruit with gauges between 26 and 28 millimeters, a flesh hardness index of 48 degrees Shore, and a sweetness that reaches 17 degrees Brix.
The analysis of the yields per hectare, finally, is a further food for thought for the agricultural world: «Self-sterile varieties such as Kordia and Regina are around 120-130 quintals per hectare. Self-fertile cultivars aim for higher levels, with production increases of 30-40 percent: 150-160 quintals per unit area.».
Sanifrutta's plan for the cherry tree.
Sanifrutta, an Op active in Costigliole Saluzzo since 1989 and associated with the Joinfruit producer organization in Verzuolo, began investing in cherry trees in 2014. «Today our members cultivate about 80 hectares of cherry orchards,» explains technical manager Alex Tallone. The consortium entity, originally formed by the union of kiwifruit and peach producers, has nearly 200 member companies, a total area of 2,000 hectares, and moves about 70,000 tons of fruit each year to markets ranging from Northern Europe to South America to the Middle and Far East.
«With a harvest of 400 tons, cherry accounts for just one percent of the group's turnover, but with a Plv of up to 60 thousand euros gross per hectare, almost three times as much as the apple tree, arouses growing enthusiasm in the social base. The product is mainly destined for the domestic market; a 30-percentage of the tonnage is sold, however, in Germany and Northern Europe.» The early harvest also «generates liquidity for our factories and affiliated companies, with advances in July and balances by September. Remunerations are proportionate to the size of the fruit: the optimal product for the market is that which exceeds 28 millimeters in diameter.».
The launch of the project, «at the national forefront of plant solutions, with protections against hail, rain and insects; optimal irrigation management; nutritional strategies for combating rot and peduncular cracking and the pest defense», was preceded by a long study phase. «We visited the most important cerasicultural areas in the world in search of technical solutions to propose to our members: we went to Chile, the world's leading producer, Canada, British Columbia, the West Coast of the United States, Holland and Greece. The dialogue with Agrion, in cultivar matters, has also been crucial,» Tallone continues.
La varietal choice is the key of the initiative: the base are Kordia and Regina: «Reference cultivars highly valued for the hardness of the pulp and the shelf life of the fruit. The plants are also very well adapted to our area, with yields up to 130 quintals per hectare in the best years.» Optimizing production costs also prompted Sanifrutta to extend the harvest calendar, with early varieties such as Frisco, Giant Red, Rocket and Cerasina Prim 3.1 being grown and harvested from the end of May.
Le late cultivars, however, are the spearhead of Sanifrutta's cherry plan: «in 2021, after three years of study, we acquired, exclusively for the Northwest, the Final series of the Cerasina project.» Four varieties, named 10.4, 11.3, 12.1 and 13.1 developed by a German breeder, who operates near Lake Constance: «Harvesting starts in early July and ends with Final 13.1 around the middle of the same month. This year we processed the first 1,000 quintals of cherries,» Tallone points out.
I early results are definitely encouraging, both in terms of yields per hectare-«between 170 and 180 quintals, with peaks up to 200, against a 20-30 percent reduction in production, recorded, in the 2025 campaign, on Kordia and Regina»-and in terms of quality: «Eighty percent of the cherries conferred reached 30 millimeters in size, compared to 60 percent for the Kordia cultivar. With proper plant management there is further room for improvement.’.
The focus of field operations is on nutrition and defense: «We carry out a specific biostimulant strategy based on the use of foliar and biostimulant fertilizers with anticracking action, sometimes combined with the phytosanitary treatments required by the production specification. Rot and Drosophila suzukii do not require more than 8-10 total interventions from late winter to harvest, half of them after veraison.».
La pruning is done in two stages to maintain the spindle-shaped training form of the plants: «The first, mechanical, in late September, when the plants still have leaves to avoid, thanks to the healing action of the sap, problems with Pseudomonas bacteriosis, which causes branch desiccation, and copper cancers. Manual trimming is done in the spring, between February and March.» The effect of climate change has forced some corrections along the way regarding the rootstocks: «In the last five years we have made functional choices by abandoning overly dwarfing ones, such as Gisela 5, in favor of more vigorous selections such as Gisela 6 or even Maxma.».
Two experiences with new cherry tree plantings
Alessio Giorgis leads the family farm, 11 hectares of orchards, in Dronero, in the lower Maira Valley, Cuneo. Apple trees are the predominant production, along with 1.5 hectares of cherry trees, planted in two rounds, in 2019 and 2022. «In the first plot, just under half an acre, I had opted for a mix between Kordia and Regina. In the most recent one, I have reduced the areas allocated to these varieties by focusing on Final 10.4 and 12.1, planted with 3.90 x 1.20 sized beds.».
The cherry orchard is equipped with perimeter insect and hail netting; «the rainscreen, in addition to its high cost, 2.5 euros per square meter, required much thicker anchors and cable systems to avoid the sail effect.» Expenses that would have added to the cost per hectare, about 45,000 euros invested. «The installations allow us to ensure continuity of work for the labor we employ, filling the “hole” in July, the month in which operations in the apple orchard are at a standstill.».
After a 2024 heavily affected by cracking-attributable to the June rains-that totally nullified the harvest, the campaign that just ended recorded good results «between 90 and 100 quintals per hectare: the Final varieties performed better than Kordia and Regina. In 2023, the best year, I exceeded 130: the plants, however, will reach full production only around the sixth year.».
Pruning moves from the specificity of the cherry tree, «which fructifies on the two-year-old branch: more time is needed to have production from the lateral stages.» Operations begin in the fall, with a topper: «I cut branches 40 centimeters from the trunk, so that light can penetrate the canopy and prepare the wood for budding again. Trimming takes place in the spring.».
Treatments contemplate a cupric product to disinfect cuts, an insecticide for mealybug at bud break and an intervention against monilia, on the flower, in case of protracted rains. Fertilizations, on the other hand, make the difference: «Up to 7 passes with foliar products based on Ecklonia maxima, an alga that prolongs flower life and facilitates pollination, then formulated with boron, zinc and magnesium, as well as 2 quintals of potassium sulfate per hectare.».
Once flowering is over-which in the Dronero foothills area begins on April 10 with Kordia, followed a few days later by Final and Regina-«between May 10 and 15 we move on to manually thinning the fruit: in some years we cut up to 40 percent of the cherries. In 2025, problems with fruit set, a consequence of the rains, have simplified operations.».
Dario Cuniberti planted the plants, one hectare out of the total 12 on a farm devoted to apple trees in the municipality of Dronero, after joining a study tour, sponsored by Sanifrutta in Chile. «For cherry varieties I opted for Kordia and Final 10.4 and 12.1. In our area we are 10 to 15 days later than in the lowlands-an advantage for the warehouse that extends the marketing period. The production cycle is also very short, does not overlap with that of the apple tree, and the crop is an excellent economic opportunity.».
The 2025 harvest, the second since the planting of the cherry orchards, is promising: «Sixty quintals, under optimal conditions I should be able to double production.» The conditional is a must, «harvesting is the least of the problems: 10 workers allow operations to be completed in a few days. The problem is getting marketable fruit.» Rain occupies the first position in the list of adversities, «especially if the rainfall occurs at the ripening stage. The cherry tree is much more sensitive to weather than the apple tree.» Rain guards are not always effective: «In 2024 even those who had them installed harvested little and poorly.».
Drosophila suzukii is the second major issue: «The insect net alone is not enough: a few pairs of phytophages in a plot are enough to start an infestation. Until Kordia was harvested, around June 20, confusoria and two insecticide treatments, infused with passes every 9 days, were enough to protect the Finals from the “bacterium” until the first cut-off, completed between July 5 and 7.».
Liquidated prices to producers are the last great unknown. «Quotations for good-sized product should exceed 3.5-4 euros a kilo this year: cherries are sought after because the harvest was poor in Puglia and Emilia Romagna. The problems with fruit set encountered in the spring also favored us, containing thinning costs and increasing the margin.».
The same had happened in 2024: «Product shortages had inflated prices to 3 euros and the industry even withdrew cracked batches.» Conversely, in 2023, «with optimal production, prices plummeted to 1 euro per kilo, below production costs.» These are effects related to the peculiarity of the cherry market, «very short compared to that of apples because long handling cold storage of the product is not possible.».
