Black Cherry Research Articles

Invasive shrub removal may be more effective at reducing granivory than coating tree seeds with capsaicin

The utility of seed addition to promote tree regeneration can be greatly limited by animals that consume seeds. Moreover, given that restoration often occurs in forests where invasive shrubs are abundant, and evidence that invasive shrubs can increase granivory, it is important to explore whether methods for reducing granivory work equally well in invaded and uninvaded habitats. We used a multi-site field experiment spanning 160 days to explore whether coating seeds of Prunus serotina with capsaicin extract leads to reduced granivory in habitats with or without invasive shrubs (Rhamnus cathartica). Capsaicin-coated seeds were removed at a similar rate to uncoated seeds, but seeds in invaded plots had a 78.8% higher rate of removal compared to plots without invasive shrubs. Our findings suggest that managers seeking to encourage regeneration of native trees using direct seeding should consider invasive shrub removal as a top priority to limit the loss of seeds once sown.

Activated carbons prepared from stump wood of various tree species by chemical activation and their application for water purification

AbstractActivated carbons (ACs) were produced from stump wood of different tree species, such as pine, bearded birch, and American black cherry using chemical activation with KOH and NaOH. The activated carbons were characterized and evaluated as adsorbents for eliminating bisphenol A (BPA) from aqueous solutions. The kinetics of adsorption and equilibrium adsorption, as well as the impact of solution pH and ionic strength, were examined. The kinetics were analyzed using the pseudo-first-order, pseudo-second-order, intra-particle diffusion, and Boyd kinetic models. The findings suggest that the adsorption kinetics followed the pseudo-second-order model. Additionally, the film diffusion was found to be the rate-determining step for the adsorption of BPA on all of the activated carbons. The data for adsorption equilibrium were tested using the Langmuir, Freundlich, and Sips equations, with results indicating that the Langmuir model was the most applicable. The capacity of activated carbons to adsorb BPA was dependent on their surface area. Higher BET surface areas resulted in increased adsorption. The birch-derived AC activated by NaOH had a monolayer adsorption capacity of 1.980 mmol/g, while the AC from black cherry activated with KOH had 2.195 mmol/g. The adsorption of BPA was pH-dependent, and no effect of ionic strength was observed. The activated carbons had very high adsorption capacities, indicating that stump wood is an excellent precursor for the production of highly effective adsorbents.

Preparation of Tung Oil-Modified Raw Lacquer Films and Application for Mechanical Carving Technique

Raw lacquer, known for its superior performance as a natural liquid coating, boasts excellent physical and mechanical properties as well as durability, making it widely used in manufacturing. However, the high hardness of the lacquer film upon complete curing poses challenges for carving and mechanical engraving. Therefore, it is necessary to study the curing process of lacquer films to obtain films suitable for carving or mechanical engraving. This study involves the preparation of raw lacquer with varying amounts of tung oil added, followed by the measurement of film drying time, surface roughness, glossiness, hardness, and adhesion on substrates to determine the optimal drying conditions. Additionally, SEM analysis of the carved surfaces and FT-IR analysis were used to investigate the impact of tung oil addition on lacquer carving performance and its variation. The results indicate that tung oil, to a certain extent, contributes to a smoother lacquer film but adversely affects film hardness and adhesion to Prunus serotina. However, with an increase in the amount of refined tung oil to 15%, the film exhibits improved glossiness, smoother carving tool marks, and reduced debris, thereby validating the feasibility of mechanical carving of tung oil-modified raw lacquer to some extent.

In search of per capita effects of Prunus serotina Ehrh. invasion on temperate forest understory alpha diversity

Prunus serotina is one of the most widespread alien tree species in temperate European forests. Although numerous studies revealed both negative and positive impacts on native ecosystems, only a few assessed the quantitative impacts along a species abundance gradient, based on aboveground biomass of per capita effects. Here we studied how alpha diversity of forest understory changes with increasing aboveground biomass of P. serotina. In Wielkopolska National Park (W Poland) we established 92 plots in both nutrient-rich and poor Pinus sylvestris stands. We assessed the effects of P. serotina proportion on understory species composition using non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS). We also assessed the effects of P. serotina proportion on alpha diversity metrics using generalized mixed-effects linear models, accounting also for stand age, soil C:N ratio, and light availability. P. serotina biomass ranged from 0.0 to 34.29 Mg ha−1 (with an average of 5.70 ± 0.83 Mg ha−1), comprising 0% to 17.26% (with an average of 2.93 ± 0.43%) of total woody species biomass. NMDS revealed a lack of P. serotina proportion effects on understory species composition. We found small positive impacts of P. serotina proportion on total species richness (+ 8.8 species along a gradient with a 10% increase of P. serotina biomass proportion) and functional richness (+ 0.08). The positive impacts of P. serotina were mostly related to the confounding effect of two factors: an increase in light availability facilitates both the development of understory plants as well as the growth of P. serotina.

Phenological gap in fruiting period and dispersal of seeds from alien fleshy-fruited plants by medium-sized carnivores in temperate forests of Central Europe

Some biological differences between native and alien plants are relevant to their dispersal mechanisms. One of them is the fruiting period: it is shifted in time, peaking later than in natives. Here we report the case study showing the temporal distance in fruiting phenology between native and alien plants and their seed dispersal via carnivorous mammals. From 2009 to 2011, scats of badgers Meles meles, foxes Vulpes vulpes, martens Martes spp. (M. martes and M. foina) and possibly also raccoon dogs Nyctereutes procyonoides (N = 820) were collected along transects totaling 30.4 km in length each month from June to November. We analyzed the frequency of occurrence of seeds (FO%) and the seed load in sampled scats; 61.7% of the sampled feces contained seeds of 18 fleshy-fruited native and alien plant taxa, and the most abundant seeds were from species with multi-seeded fruits such as Vaccinium myrtillus (94.6%), Rubus sp. (2.0%), and drupes of Prunus serotina (1.0%). The structure of dominance was characterized by seeds of Vaccinium myrtillus (15.0%), Pyrus sp. (14.8%) and Prunus serotina (13.0%) with aliens reaching high frequency of occurrence (FO%). The shares of seed FO% in the samples differed between alien and native plants. For seed load there were also significant interactions between the status of the seeds (alien or native) and the month of the vegetation period. Our data show the coincidence of two factors – the late fruiting period of alien plants and the decreasing availability of native fruits during the vegetation period. Such a set of factors may promote the dispersal of alien plant seeds by carnivorous mammals, which, unlike migrating birds, are constantly present in autumn. The limited availability of native fruits after their fruiting period, creating a phenological gap, makes alien plants the main source of fleshy-fruits at the end of vegetation period in forest ecosystems; this is expressed in high proportion of alien plants in seed FO%, and in significant interactions in the seed load in carnivore scats.

Effect of Herbivory on the Nutritional Value of Six Hardwood Species for White-Tailed Deer in the Allegheny Forest

Abstract Herbivores alter plant quantity and quality through direct tissue consumption and indirectly via the structural and chemical allocational strategies plants deploy in response to herbivory. Herein, we examine how browsing by white-tailed deer Odocoileus virginianus alters nutritional quality of six regenerating hardwood species: red maple Acer rubrum, black cherry Prunus serotina, birch Betula spp., pin cherry Prunus pennsylvanica, white ash Fraxinus americana, and American beech Fagus grandifolia. Using an established, large-scale experiment that manipulated deer access to fenced plots, we tested whether browsing altered the nutritional quality and biomass as well as nutritional capacity to support deer of six hardwood species in an early successional hardwood forest of Pennsylvania, USA. Pin cherry was the most nutritious of the six species, with greater dry matter digestibility and digestible protein and lesser neutral detergent fiber. Areas exposed to browsing had less browse biomass of stems and leaves yet greater digestible protein, an effect driven by digestible protein of pin cherry. We found no effect of browsing on neutral detergent fiber or dry matter digestibility. Although deer browsing reduced biomass of the six hardwood species, it did not alter the nutritional capacity to support lactating females in the summer. Our results confirm that browsing limits tree regeneration and available browse and provides conservative conclusions on how deer can alter their diet quality.

The quality and flavour effects of robusta coffee cultivated at various altitudes in Aceh Tengah District - Gayo Highlands were investigated

Abstract Gayo Highland (GH) is known for its arabica GH also planted robusta in lower altitude areas, but its quality is rarely reported. In Indonesia, robusta is mostly planted in Lampung and Java and thus is well-examined and reported. This study explores the quality of the Gayo-robusta-picked coffee cherries and its green bean and the effect of post-harvest practices farmers apply towards the quality of Gayo robusta. This research used RBF Design with two factors and four repetitions. Factor A is altitude levels, which are 600-800 m.a.s.l, 801-1.000 m.a.s.l and 1.001-1.200 m.a.s.l. Factor B is post-harvest practices, which have two levels with and without post-harvest practices. The result shows that 800-1.000 m.a.s.l altitude showed better quality of red cherries (75.25% ± 3.30) as the black and green cherries percentages are lower than other levels. As the altitude increases, green beans tend to have higher moisture, defect value, and bigger size. The average moisture of the green bean was 12.44%, the defect value was 12.51%, and the green bean size that passed the 6.5 mm sieve was 86.84%. For the cupping test, the average score was 67.33. The best treatment was robusta was planted on 600-800 m.a.s.l and, with post-harvest practices, had a cup test value of 80.25 and was considered a quality of fine Robusta.

The effect of commercial thinning in Scots pine stands on the growth of black cherry

The effect of commercial thinning in Scots pine stands on the growth of black cherry

CHECKLIST OF VASCULAR PLANTS FLORA OF THE “ZALISSIA” NATIONAL NATURE PARK

The aims of the study. To determine the species composition of the vascular plants flora of the «Zalissya» National Nature Park (Kyiv and Chernihiv Oblasts). Methodology. The research is based on the results of the authors' original research, which was carried out by route on the territory of the «Zalissia» NPP during 2021–2023. In the work also used literature the herbarium material from the National herbarium of Ukraine of the M.G. Kholodny Institute of Botany, NAS of Ukraine (KW), including the A. Rogovich personal collection, herbariums of the M.M. Gryshko National Botanical Garden, NAS of Ukraine (KWHA) and acad. O.V. Fomin Botanical Garden of Taras Shevchenko National University in Kyiv (KWHU), as well as data’s from the iNaturalist database (https://www.inaturalist.org/). Classification of alien species is given by J. Kornaś (1968). The species names are given according to POWO (2024).Scientific novelty. The species composition of the flora of vascular plants of the «Zalissya» National Nature Park, which includes 778 species and subspecies, was established, and an its annotated checklist was complied. Conclusions. It was established that most taxa of the studied flora, namely 612 species and subspecies (78.7%) belong to the natural component. A rather high percentage is a group of alien taxa - 166 species and subspecies (21.3%). In modern flora, its adventitization is increasing due to the high percentage of non-native species. Current tasks include: a) monitoring of the state of the flora, b) search and confirmation of rare species, which were previously mentioned for the territory of the Park (e.g. Astragalus arenarius, Dactylorhiza sambucina, Echium russicum, Lycopodium annotinum, Orchis sambucina, Thesium ebracteatum), c) research on the distribution of alien species, including invasive (e.g. Acer negundo, Amelanchier spicata, Amorpha fruticosa, Cytisus scoparius, Phragmites altissimus, Prunus serotina, Solidago canadensis) and pose a threat to phytodiversity.

CentralBark Image Dataset and Tree Species Classification Using Deep Learning

The task of tree species classification through deep learning has been challenging for the forestry community, and the lack of standardized datasets has hindered further progress. Our work presents a solution in the form of a large bark image dataset called CentralBark, which enhances the deep learning-based tree species classification. Additionally, we have laid out an efficient and repeatable data collection protocol to assist future works in an organized manner. The dataset contains images of 25 central hardwood and Appalachian region tree species, with over 19,000 images of varying diameters, light, and moisture conditions. We tested 25 species: elm, oak, American basswood, American beech, American elm, American sycamore, bitternut hickory, black cherry, black locust, black oak, black walnut, eastern cottonwood, hackberry, honey locust, northern red oak, Ohio buckeye, Osage-orange, pignut hickory, sassafras, shagbark hickory silver maple, slippery elm, sugar maple, sweetgum, white ash, white oak, and yellow poplar. Our experiment involved testing three different models to assess the feasibility of species classification using unaltered and uncropped images during the species-classification training process. We achieved an overall accuracy of 83.21% using the EfficientNet-b3 model, which was the best of the three models (EfficientNet-b3, ResNet-50, and MobileNet-V3-small), and an average accuracy of 80.23%.

Trapping strategy and diel periodicity affect capture rate of Halyomorpha halys (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) in agroecosystems.

The polyphagous pest, Halyomorpha halys (Stål) (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae), damages fruit in orchards and field crops and is often found within nearby woodlands. Pheromone-baited traps can be used to monitor H. halys. However, the efficiency of trapping H. halys may vary depending on trapping strategy (live vs. dead capture), location (ground or canopy), and diel periodicity of captures. We compared H. halys capture within fruiting hosts for: (i) live and kill traps on the ground vs. traps in the canopy of black cherry (Prunus serotina Ehrh.) (Rosales: Rosaceae), sugarberry (Celtis laevigata Willdenow) (Rosales: Cannabaceae), and pecan (Carya illinoinensis (Wangenh.) K. Koch) (Fagales: Juglandaceae) trees, (ii) ground and canopy-live traps in sassafras (Sassafras albidum (Nutt.) Nees) (Laurales: Lauraceae), and (iii) whether diel periodicity was detected for live capture in sassafras and cotton. More H. halys adults and nymphs were captured in kill traps than in live traps. More nymphs were captured in kill traps in black cherry and sugarberry on the ground than in the canopy. Live adult capture was significantly greater in sassafras and pecan canopies than on the ground. In cotton and sassafras, more live adults were captured from 8 PM-noon, with the fewest captured from noon-6 PM. A better understanding of stink bug activity in the field allows for improved trapping and, possibly, improved timing of treatment applications.

A Century of Change in a Mature Urban Forest: the Thain Family Forest of the New York Botanical Garden, Bronx, New York

Abstract Urban forests have long been understudied, resulting in a scarcity of long-term data to guide future management. The New York Botanical Garden in New York City has been stewarding the 20 ha Thain Family Forest since 1895. Using inventory data between 1937 and 2021, we document how structure, diversity, and composition of the forest have changed over the past century. Our results show an increase in the proportion and diversity of hardwood species, including oaks, hickories, red maple, black cherry, and American beech, following the loss of a dominant species, eastern hemlock. Despite changes in composition, we find no significant differences in the mean basal area, density, and tree diameter of canopy trees (diameter at breast height [DBH] ≥ 15 cm) from 1937 to 2021. Assessments of small diameter stems (DBH ≥ 2.54 cm) show increasing density, decreasing diameter, and increasing richness from 1985 to 2021, suggesting a period of understory recruitment/regeneration. During this time, native species have been dominant in both overstory and understory strata. These observations mirror trends recorded in hemlock–hardwood and oak–hickory forests region-wide, indicating that, with continued conservation and active management, urban and rural forests may develop in similar patterns and encouraging regional approaches to forest management. Study Implications: Urban forests have long been understudied, resulting in a scarcity of long-term data to guide future management. Over the past century, the 20 ha Thain Family Forest in New York City has experienced a significant change in species composition, with an increase in the proportion and diversity of hardwood species following the loss of eastern hemlock. Despite these changes, forest canopy structure has remained stable. These observations mirror those observed in hemlock–hardwood and oak–hickory forests regionwide, suggesting that with continued conservation and active management, urban and rural forests may develop in similar patterns. The results of this study support continued investment in the research and management of urban forests as a comprehensive part of regional forest management efforts.

Enhancing Sustainability and Antifungal Properties of Biodegradable Composites: Caffeine-Treated Wood as a Filler for Polylactide.

This study investigates the suitability of using caffeine-treated and untreated black cherry (Prunus serotina Ehrh.) wood as a polylactide filler. Composites containing 10%, 20%, and 30% filler were investigated in terms of increasing the nucleating ability of polylactide, as well as enhancing its resistance to microorganisms. Differential scanning calorimetry studies showed that the addition of caffeine-treated wood significantly altered the crystallization behavior of the polymer matrix, increasing its crystallization temperature and degree of crystallinity. Polarized light microscopic observations revealed that only the caffeine-treated wood induced the formation of transcrystalline structures in the polylactide. Incorporation of the modified filler into the matrix was also responsible for changes in the thermal stability and decreased hydrophilicity of the material. Most importantly, the use of black cherry wood treated with caffeine imparted antifungal properties to the polylactide-based composite, effectively reducing growth of Fusarium oxysporum, Fusarium culmorum, Alternaria alternata, and Trichoderma viride. For the first time, it was reported that treatment of wood with a caffeine compound of natural origin alters the supermolecular structure, nucleating abilities, and imparts antifungal properties of polylactide/wood composites, providing promising insights into the structure-properties relationship of such composites.

The physical, mechanical, and chemical properties of black cherry tree wood (Prunus serotina Ehrh.) and its susceptibility to fungal decomposition in areas where it is secondary and invasive: a case study in the Kampinos National Park (Poland)

The properties of black cherry mature wood (Prunus serotina Ehrh.) and its susceptibility to fungal decay were studied in the invaded range of the species on six trees aged between 39 and 47 years old growing in poor, acidic soils with varying levels of moisture and organic carbon and nitrogen content. Wood from trees that grew in wetter and richer soil had better physical properties. Of the 95 parameters analyzed, 80 showed significant differences in favor of this wood. These differences included wider rings that averaged 3.25 mm, a higher density of 662.71 kg/m3 at 12% humidity, and 1.5 times higher content of extractives. Gas chromatography with mass spectrometry revealed the presence of 44 extractives. Out of these, six had antifungal properties and were found in the wood of trees grown in richer soil, corresponding to 62.93% of the peaks area of all identified substances. Only three were found in trees grown in poorer soil, corresponding to 8.68% of the peaks area respectively. The wood of trees grown in more fertile soil was also less prone to fungal decay, which was generally low. Only Trametes versicolor caused a mass loss of more than 10% of the wood in both sites out of the four basidiomycete species tested. The results indicate that even slight variations in soil fertility and moisture can benefit black cherry, leading to differences in wood features and properties in its exotic range.

Invasive Pest and Invasive Host: Where Might Spotted-Wing Drosophila (Drosophila suzukii) and American Black Cherry (Prunus serotina) Cross Paths in Europe?

Both spotted-wing drosophila (SWD, Drosophila suzukii) and American black cherry (ABC, Prunus serotina) are invasive species with major deleterious effects on forest ecosystems in Europe. ABC, a host of SWD, can sustain large populations of SWD, and SWD in turn can constrain the regeneration of its host. Here, we examined the range shifts of SWD, ABC, and their range overlap under future scenarios using range shift models. In the current–future scenarios, both SWD and ABC were predicted to undergo potential range expansions in Europe, suggesting that their invasion risks might increase in the future. Climate change might be the major driver of range shifts of both the pest and host, followed by land-use and host availability changes; therefore, mitigating future climate change might be key for controlling their future invasions in Europe. The relative contribution of climate and host availability to shaping the potential ranges of invasive species might not only vary with their feeding habitats (polyphagy/oligophagy) but also with the relative abundance of hosts among available host reservoirs. Range overlap under current and future scenarios was mainly observed in the UK, Germany, France, Switzerland, Italy, and Eastern Europe; this area is of high and low priority for the control of SWD and ABC, respectively.

Dye stability of black cherry plum anthocyanins in the interaction with co-pigments and sucrose sweetener.

In this research, the co-pigmentation reactions between black cherry plum (Prunus cerasifera Ehrh. cv. Pissardii Nigra) anthocyanins and caffeic, gallic, 4-hydroxybenzoic, malic, and tannic acids with different concentrations (0, 120, 240, 480, and 960 mg L-1) at various temperatures (20, 40, 60, 80, and 100°C) were investigated at pH 3.5. The strongest immediate co-pigmentations resulted at 960 mg L-1, being significantly highest using tannic acid at all temperatures. In addition, the anthocyanin stability and the brown polymeric color formation were investigated in the presence of different concentrations of sucrose sweetener (0, 30, and 60%) and different pHs (2 and 3) in the range of 0-60 h. Also, the amount of furfural was measured in the presence of 0% and 30% sucrose concentrations at pH 2 after 20 h at 90°C by HPLC (high-performance liquid chromatography), and the most polymeric color formation was observed in the concentration of 60% sucrose at pH 2 after 60 h.

Dimensional stability and equilibrium moisture content of thermally modified hardwoods

The dimensional stability and equilibrium moisture content (EMC) of thermally modified hardwoods were studied. Lumber of yellow-poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera); red oak (Quercus borealis); white ash (Fraxinus americana), red maple (Acer rubrum); hickory (Carya glabra), and black cherry (Prunus serotina) were modified in industrial thermo-vacuum system. The water absorption rate, EMC, swelling, anti-swelling efficiency, shrinkage, anti-shrinkage efficiency, and anisotropy of the specimens were measured and compared to unmodified wood. The results show that thermal modification significantly decreased water absorption of wood which leads to improved dimensional stability. Specifically, thermally modified wood showed reduced EMC (22% in hickory to 59% in red maple), increased water absorption repellent (14.9% in black cherry to 29.6% in yellow-poplar), increased anti-swelling efficiency (14.2% in hickory to 71.4% in ash), increased anti-shrinkage efficiency (23.5% in red maple to 65.6% in ash), and reduced anisotropy coefficient (4.7% in red oak to 31.9% in black cherry).

No effect of invasive tree species on aboveground biomass increments of oaks and pines in temperate forests

Prunus serotina and Robinia pseudoacacia are the most widespread invasive trees in Central Europe. In addition, according to climate models, decreased growth of many economically and ecologically important native trees will likely be observed in the future. We aimed to assess the impact of these two neophytes, which differ in the biomass range and nitrogen-fixing abilities observed in Central European conditions, on the relative aboveground biomass increments of native oaks Quercus robur and Q. petraea and Scots pine Pinus sylvestris. We aimed to increase our understanding of the relationship between facilitation and competition between woody alien species and overstory native trees. We established 72 circular plots (0.05 ​ha) in two different forest habitat types and stands varying in age in western Poland. We chose plots with different abundances of the studied neophytes to determine how effects scaled along the quantitative invasion gradient. Furthermore, we collected growth cores of the studied native species, and we calculated aboveground biomass increments at the tree and stand levels. Then, we used generalized linear mixed-effects models to assess the impact of invasive species abundances on relative aboveground biomass increments of native tree species. We did not find a biologically or statistically significant impact of invasive R. pseudoacacia or P. serotina on the relative aboveground biomass increments of native oaks and pines along the quantitative gradient of invader biomass or on the proportion of total stand biomass accounted for by invaders. The neophytes did not act as native tree growth stimulators but also did not compete with them for resources, which would escalate the negative impact of climate change on pines and oaks. The neophytes should not significantly modify the carbon sequestration capacity of the native species. Our work combines elements of the per capita effect of invasion with research on mixed forest management.

Sound absorption and thermal insulation performance of sustainable fruit stone panels

The sound absorption and thermal insulation behavior of panels made of different fruit stones, including peach, apricot, plum, date, and black cherry, were investigated. To this end, samples in the crushed and uncrushed forms were fabricated with thicknesses of 30 and 50 mm. The FE-SEM (Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy) and Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) images showed that the studied stones have different morphological and topological surfaces, which in turn lead to different sound absorption coefficients (SACs) and effective thermal conductivities (Keff). It was found that smaller fruit stones with higher surface roughness generally have higher noise reduction coefficients, and this was more pronounced for samples of 50 mm thickness. In addition, samples in the crushed form enjoyed superior sound absorption performance compared with their uncrushed counterparts. The SAC peak in the crushed form appeared at lower frequencies and its value was higher than that of the uncrushed stones. Moreover, when the air gap was introduced, all samples showed excellent sound absorption at frequencies of 400–600 Hz. It was found that, while an increase in sample thickness led to an enhancement in SAC at low and middle frequencies, the Keff values did not significantly change. Uncrushed samples demonstrated enhanced thermal insulation properties compared to their crushed counterparts. The Keff values of the specimens were found to be in the range of 0.087–0.204 W.m−1 K−1, indicating the good thermal insulation performance of the panels. The frequency-dependent SACs of fruit stone panels were predicted using the Johnson-Champox-Allard and Attenborough models, and acceptable consistency was observed.

High hydrostatic pressure processing of fresh juice and a fermented beverage of black cherry (Prunus serotina)

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of high hydrostatic pressures (HHP) (200 MPa for 10 min, 400 MPa for 10 min, and 600 MPa for 5 min) and VAT pasteurization (60 °C for 30 min) on the microbiological, antioxidant and sensory characteristics of fresh juice and a fermented beverage of black cherry (Prunus serotina) stored for 49 days at 4 ± 1 °C. The HHP processing was effective to reduce the microbial load before storage and during the storage of the fermented beverages; however, for the reduction of the microbial load in fresh juice, a minimum pressure of 600 MPa for 5 min was necessary. At day 0, a reduction of 4.10 logarithmic cycles was achieved in samples processed by HHP and VAT pasteurization. The processed samples showed significant changes (p ≤ 0.05) in their color characteristics. All fermented beverages of black cherry had lower quantities of antioxidant activity, total phenols, flavonoids and anthocyanins. The highest antioxidant characteristics were observed in sample of black cherry processed at 600 MPa for 5 min. The black cherry VAT processed samples were the least sensorially accepted. A treatment of 600 MPa for 5 min could be enough to obtain a microbiologically safe fermented black cherry beverage stable for 49 days having similar antioxidant characteristics as those of fresh juice.