PA7UNIBO* Sweet Stephany® is a very interesting variety for the medium-late harvest period thanks to the very early fruiting, the exceptional productivity and the excellent pomological and organoleptic characteristics of the fruit.
| Variety denomination | PA7UNIBO* Sweet Stephany™ |
|---|---|
| Thematic area | Plant varieties |
| Ownership | ALMA MATER STUDIORUM - UNIVERSITA' DI BOLOGNA |
| Breeders | Michelangelo Grandi, Stefano Lugli, Riccardo Correale |
| Species | Prunus avium (L.) L. |
PA7UNIBO* Sweet Stephany® is one of the 6 sweet cherry varieties belonging to the “Sweet” series. These varieties arise from a breeding program started in the early 2000s at the Department of Tree Crops (now Department of Agricultural Sciences) of the Alma Mater Studiorum, with a precise "target", i.e. that of obtaining six-seven varieties capable of cover a harvesting calendar of at least 30-40 days, all with a "maximum" common denominator: fruits with valuable aesthetic characteristics, excellent organoleptic qualities, easily recognizable, obtained from trees with high agronomic and productive performance.
- Tree: high vigor and intermediate habit, well branched; standard fruiting habitus. Production mainly on darts and flower buds placed at the base of one-year-old branches.
- Flowering: intermediate period, normally 1-2 days after Burlat. Self-compatible: allele profile S3S4'; incompatibility group SC/O (self-fertile and universal pollinator).
- Ripening period: late and uniform; start of harvest 27-28 days after Burlat depending on the year (between Lapins and Regina, Skeena period); excellent resistance to ripening of the fruits on the plant.
- Fruit: large size (prevailing caliber 30-32 mm; average weight 12-14 g), depressed heart-shaped, symmetrical, good looking. Medium-thin bright red skin (scale 4 CTIFL code) extended to the entire surface, tending to bright vermilion red when fully ripe (scale 5 CTIFL code). Superficial suture line. Red pulp, of good consistency, fleshy, juicy and very aromatic, of excellent quality, very sweet and with a high level of acidity. Peduncle of medium length, of intermediate thickness. Medium-large sized stone, stands out.
- Agronomic evaluation: it bears fruit very early on weak rootstocks (Gisela 6® Gi148/2*); productivity has always been high and constant. In rainy years the fruits show a medium-high susceptibility to cracking, with localization of the wounds mostly in the peduncular and apical area.
Licences:
- Italy: the variety is currently licensed on a co-exclusive basis to the following nurseries: Salvi Vivai, Top Plant Vivai, Vivai Fortunato, Vivai Giannoccaro and Vivai Spinelli.
- Greece: Exclusive licence to Vitro Hellas.
- Lugli S., Correale R., Grandi M., 2012. Serie Sweet: belle fuori, buone dentro. Sweet Series: beauties outside, delights inside. Frutticoltura - Supplement to no. 11-2012: 1-17.
- Lugli S., 2013. Sweet, delicious new cherries from Bologna University Sweet, la dolcezza delle ciliegie targate Unibo. Fresh Point Magazine. n. 4-2013: 50-55.
- Lugli S., Correale R., Grandi M., 2013. La nuova serie Sweet: primi risultati agronomici e qualitativi. Frutticoltura. n. 4-2013: 12-19.
- Lugli S., Correale R., Grandi M., 2014. Modificazioni nella qualità dei frutti in varietà della serie Sweet. Frutticoltura. n. 4-2014: 30-32