Key Determinants of the Physiological and Fruit Quality Traits in Sweet Cherries and Their Importance in a Breeding Programme

Abstract

Australia produces high-quality sweet cherries and generates revenue from local and export markets. Due to increased demand in the markets, the area of sweet cherry production has increased in Australia. Sweet cherry breeding and production have challenges such as self-incompatibility genotypes and phenotyping of agronomic, physiological, and quality traits. Understanding these traits and their interaction with environmental factors would increase production and provide better economic returns for the industry. This review paper covered the challenges of current sweet cherry production, breeding efforts, the basis for understanding of plant traits, the influence of environmental factors on the traits, and opportunities for new sweet cherry breeding in the future. The period of flowering and maturity along with firmness of the fruit are key traits in cherry production. Breeding techniques such as haplotype breeding will contribute to improving breeding efficiency and deliver better cultivars of sweet cherry.