Climate resilience took center stage as scientists from all over the world began their presentations June 2 at the 10th International Cherry Symposium in Richland, Washington.
The five-day event, hosted by the International Society for Horticultural Science, opened its research presentations with a theme of climate resilience, as researchers from Israel, Portugal, Spain, Chile, Germany and the United States discussed ways to adapt sweet cherry cultivation to changing world weather conditions.
Michal Ackerman-Lavert of Galilee Research Institute in Israel discussed the use of black netting during winter to boost chill hours. Her team’s trials showed the netting system increased chill 80 hours over the uncovered control blocks, lowered daytime air temperatures by 5 degrees Celsius and lowered daytime bud surface temperatures by 10 degrees Celsius.
“The effect is really dramatic,” she said.
Keynote speaker Berta Gonçalves of University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro in Portugal discussed everything from rootstock and cultivar selection to cherry nutritional benefits and the use of biostimulants, including those made from seaweed extract.
Eike Luedeling of the University of Bonn in Germany talked about a computer model that can run up to 100 climate scenarios per year. The models showed a future with early bloom dates and increasing spring frost risk.
Other talks dealt with heat mitigation strategies in Oregon and consumer preferences among Balkan countries.
The science-heavy symposium continued with more research presentations Tuesday and Thursday and orchard tours on Wednesday.
For more information, visit: xishscherrysymposium.com. •
