Cherry Variety: PA6UNIBO* Marysa™

PA6UNIBO* Marysa^TM was obtained and selected at the Department of Tree Crops of the University of Bologna by S. Lugli, R. Correale and Mi. Large. Unknown parentals. The original seedling, DCA BO B5BD23, was selected in Vignola in 2004-05 and subsequently assessed from 2008 to 2013 in level III experimental fields in Vignola (Mo) and Savignano sul Panaro (Mo) on two rootstocks, Gisela 6® Gi148/2* (dwarfing) and Colt (vigorous).

• Tree: high vigour with intermediate canopy, good branching, standard bearing habit. Production mainly on the shoots and flowering buds at the base of the one-year old branches.
• Flowering: early, usually 3-4 days before Burlat. Self-compatible; allelic profile: S3S4’; incompatibility group SC/O (self-fertile and universal pollinator).
• Time of maturity: medium early and uniform; harvesting starts 10 to 12 days after Burlat depending on the year in the Vignola area (intermediate period between Celeste® Sumpaca* and Giorgia); the good ripening resistance of the fruits on the plant ensures a harvesting window of around 10 days.
• Fruit: large size (dominant calibre: 28mm; average weight 11-12g), cordiform, symmetrical, attractive. Medium-thin skin, purple-red shiny colour (scale 4 CTIFL code) covering the whole surface, tending to dark red and shiny when fully ripe (scale 6 CTIFL code). Surface suture line. Pink flesh with an excellent consistency, fleshy, juicy and very aromatic, good quality, sweet with a high acidity content. Long stalk, intermediate thickness. Medium sized freestone pit.
• Agronomic evaluation: very early fruiting, both on weak (II-III year after planting out) and vigorous rootstocks (III-IV year); constantly high cropping. In years with heavy rainfall, the fruits have medium-low susceptibility to splitting, with localised damage mostly at the bottom. With the large sized fruits and particularly long stalk, along with the tendency to not produce "in bunches” (typical of self-fertile varieties, e.g. Lapins and Sweetheart® Sumtare*), Marysa has given particularly high yields during harvesting, above 20/kg/hour per person. The variety has also shown considerable rusticity even in years with consistent cold spells during the flowering period.

Patents and Trade Marks:

• Community plant variety right application (EU plant variety rights, c/o CPVO) no. (not yet received) held by Alma Mater Studiorum-University of Bologna. Varietal denomination PA6UNIBO*.
• EU trade mark Marysa^TM being filed by the University of Bologna.