Evaluation of Sweet Cherry Varieties and Selections in Oregon

Abstract

Sweet cherries are one of our most attractive and delicious fruit crops. Some of this appeal arises because this crop is the earliest tree fruit to ripen. To qualify as a successful commercial sweet cherry, a new variety must meet many exacting requirements in the orchard as well as produce an attractive and flavorsome canned or brined product. Commercial varieties must consistently produce well, attain desirable size, color and flavor, be firm fleshed, and resist or partially resist cracking. In the processed product these fruit quality factors are equally important and to a large extent determine ultimately the acceptance of a variety by the industry.