The future of sweet cherry in Australia
Predicted variations in global climates have fruit producers trying to determine which crops are best suited to weathering future temperature changes. Extreme high-temperature events are expected to become more frequent, and predictive models suggest that the global mean surface air temperature will rise by as much as two degrees by the middle of the 21st century. Higher temperatures could have an impact on the duration of critical "winter chill" periods needed for successful fruit production, potentially altering growing strategies. According to the authors of a study published in the March 2014 issue of HortScience, the future of sweet cherry crops may be at risk in Australia. If climate change models are correct, the scientists say that these high-value crops could suffer. Sweet cherry needs adequate periods of winter chill to flourish: insufficient chill can result in poor bud development, sporadic and uneven budbreak, prolonged flowering and fruit development, and non-uniform...