Chile is betting on launching its own cherry varieties in the future thanks to the work done by the INIA-BioFrutales Cherry Genetic Improvement Program.

Among the achievements, a Rainier-type selection known as “Selection 21” stands out. The cultivar could strengthen the early cherry production zones in Chile and would expand the export offerings in China.

The project was started in 2010 by INIA Rayentué in O’Higgins and the BioFrutales Organization (to which Fedefruta belongs) with the support of Corfo.

It currently has 16 advanced options for cherries, all with the potential to transform into the first varieties 100 percent developed in Chile.

The program presented their progress to agricultural industry leaders, experts from the O’Higgins Region, as well as union leaders.

All of the options have promising characteristics, especially Selection 21, a bicolor variety, Rainier typology but firmer, with a good postharvest and less cold requirement, which would allow its production in areas as far north as Valparaíso and even Coquimbo.

“The INIA together with BioFrutales is working on this project and we are more than halfway to obtaining a new variety,” specialist in fruit growing of INIA Rayentué and director of the Cherry Genetic Improvement Program.

“We hope that within the next five years we have the first Chilean cherry varieties.”

Rodrigo Cruzat, manager of BioFrutales, delved into the importance of continuing with this research since only six varieties currently represent almost 90 percent of the Chilean exportable supply of cherries.

“With the level of development that the fruit industry has today, and of the cherry, in particular, it is not possible to be waiting for a gene or a technology to be developed in another country to adapt to our conditions,” he said.

Regarding the “Selection 21” cherry, Cruzat said that for this variety, “we need two or three more years for it to reach the market.”

“This potential variety can give the possibility of planting this species in regions further north than the traditional ones in the center, starting earlier with the export of cherries, and extending the harvest periods, decompressing the eight or ten weeks from the central zone,” president of Fedefruta, Jorge Valenzuela said.

Collaboration 

During the visit to learn about the program’s progress, Minister of Agriculture, Antonio Walker highlighted that the cherry already has about 50,000 hectares planted in Chile, about 330,000 metric tons will be exported this season and the fruit is generating an enormous amount of employment.

He also put pressure on the efforts of the public and private sectors to advance these types of programs.

“When we join with Corfo, with the private sector, with a service as important as INIA for research, the results that we are seeing here are achieved,” said the head of agriculture.

“I want to congratulate BioFrutales for this tremendous work it is doing, since we are seeing Chilean varieties, with crosses that have been made and with research that has been done under the weather conditions of our country. This will be a tremendous contribution to the national fruit industry.”

“For us, seeing the results of potential final varieties of cherries that meet market expectations is key. It is a proud moment and we congratulate all the teams of researchers that are promoting this so one day we will have our own varieties out in the world, said Emiliano Orueta, the regional director of Corfo.