Cherry Prof. Dr. Tahani Jawad Mohammed There are two main types: 1. Sweet cherry (Prunus avium) 2. Sour cherry (Prunus cerasus) Family: Rosaceae Trees: Large in size, vigorous in growth, and long-lived (up to 200 years). Leaves: Simple, with long petioles, and stipules present in most cultivars. Fruits: Vary in color (red and yellow) and have long stems. Origin: It is believed that the region between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea, along with parts of Iran, is the original habitat. From there, it spread to Europe, and it is said that birds contributed to its distribution to other regions. ⸻ Cherry Groups Sweet Cherry Groups: Include: A. Heart-shaped group: Fruits are heart-shaped, fleshy, soft, dark red in color, with reddish juice, e.g., Early Purple. B. Bigarreau group: Fruits are round, firm-fleshed, and juicy. They may be either dark-colored or light-colored cultivars such as Bing and Lambert. ⸻ Sour Cherry Groups: Include: A. Amarelle group: Fruits are light red in color, e.g., Early Richmond. B. Morello group: Example: English Morello. ⸻ Other Types Third: Duke cherry A hybrid between sweet and sour cherry, e.g., Royal Duke. Fourth: Mahaleb cherry Used as a rootstock; trees are medium-sized, fruits are small, bitter, and black in color. Fifth: Chinese cherry Used in hybridization. Sixth: Japanese cherry Used for ornamental purposes due to its beautiful flowers. Suitable Environment 1. Requires high chilling requirements ranging from 900–1400 hours. 2. Needs a moderate growing season with an average temperature of about 16°C and low humidity. 3. Rainfall causes fruit cracking due to water entering the fruit, which has a high السكر concentration, leading to swelling and cracking. 4. Planting time: early spring or late autumn Flowering and Bearing Habit Flower buds open in clusters containing 2–5 flowers, borne laterally on perennial spurs and also on one-year-old shoots (in sweet cherry). In sour cherry, the situation is reversed. The lifespan of a spur is 10–12 years and remains productive, whereas in sour cherry it is 4–5 years. * Flowers contain one pistil, but some cultivars such as Napoleon, and Bing may contain two pistils, leading to the formation of double fruits. * All sweet cherry cultivars are self-sterile, and there is also cross-incompatibility among some cultivars. Most sour cherry cultivars are self-fertile. Thinning of Fruits and Flowers Q: Why is thinning not performed on cherry trees? A: Because the fruits are small and do not respond to size increase, and most cultivars do not show alternate bearing despite heavy cropping. Winter pruning (flower thinning) is usually sufficient. * Planting distances: 6–10 meters. Maturity Indicators Fruits are harvested with stems attached, which increases their market value and prevents fungal infection. The following indicators are used to determine maturity: 1. Fruit color (varies by cultivar: yellow, red, or dark red). 2. Fruit firmness. Harvesting Methods 1. Manual harvesting: Preferred for sweet cherries, with stems attached. 2. Mechanical harvesting: Used for sweet and sour cherries intended for processing, using tree-shaking machines that cause fruits to fall without stems. Al-Mustaqbal University is ranked first among private universities in Iraq.