Sweet Cherry for Brining, Freezing, and Canning in

EM 9056 • February 2013 Lynn Long and Jeff Olsen

Processing Cherry Production Terms and in Oregon Definitions Brix. A unit of measure History that represents the percentage by weight of Oregon has historically been one of the in solution. nation’s leading producers of processing cher- Cross-compatible. The ries. Through most of the 20th century, most pollen produced by either cherries produced in Oregon were for the pro- of a combination is cessing industry. In Wasco County, the largest able to function in the styles cherry production area in the state, two-thirds and fertilize the ovules of the other cultivar. of cherries grown between 1986 and 1991 were for processing. In the Willamette Valley, the Cross-incompatible. Two cultivars are unfruitful when pollinated by each other because the pollen, other large production area, nearly 100% of although viable, dies before the process cherries grown are for processing. is completed. Either cultivar may be an effective pollinizer for other cultivars. By 2000, brine cherries in Wasco County were returning less than $0.30 per pound, and Cross-pollination. The transfer of pollen from the male anthers of a of one cultivar to the female growers quickly shifted production to more stigma of a flower of a different cultivar. profitable fresh-market cultivars. This shift did Fertilization. The union of the male germ cell, not happen in the Willamette Valley, which contained in the pollen tube, with the female germ receives more rain, because many fresh-mar- cell, or egg. ket cultivars are susceptible to rain-induced Self-fertile (self-compatible). A cultivar that is able cracking. However, Willamette Valley grow- to set and mature with its own pollen. ers were under the same price constraints, Self-sterile (self-incompatible). A cultivar that is and overall cherry acreage in the Willamette unable to set and mature fruit with its own pollen. Valley declined. -fruit retention force. The amount of force needed to separate the stem (pedicel) of the cherry Cultivars and Markets from the fruit. In Oregon, processing cherries are sold as Pitting. Small indentations in the skin of a cherry freezers, canners, or briners. Freezers are used caused by impact during harvesting or processing that appear after a few days in cold storage. in ice cream and yogurt. Briners are made into maraschino, glace, or ingredient cherries. Pollination. The transfer of pollen to the female stigma. Pollinizer cultivars such as Van and Black Pollinator. The agent of pollen transfer, usually bees. Republican are typically harvested for the freezer market. Freezer cherries must be high Pollinizer. The plant cultivar used as a source of pollen. in sugar, so they are left on the tree until sugar levels increase to 21 ˚Brix.

Lynn Long, Extension horticulturist, Wasco County; and Jeff Olsen, Extension horticulturist, Yamhill County; both of Oregon State University. Bing, Rainier, and Processing Cherry Cultivars other fresh-market for Oregon cultivars are sold Most sweet cherry cultivars listed in this as canners when publication are self-sterile and require cross- fruit size is less pollination for satisfactory yields (table 1). than ideal or There are some self-fertile exceptions, namely other market Benton, Lapins, Skeena, and Sweetheart. conditions favor processing. The Royal Ann canning market Known in other regions of the world as has declined signif- Napoleon, Royal Ann is the principal cul- icantly in the last few tivar grown in Oregon for processing into decades as consumer maraschino cherries. The skin is thin and light preferences have changed yellow with a pink blush. The medium-long to favor fresh fruit. stem and moderately pointed fruit shape are For most of the 20th century, cultivars such associated with the highest quality cocktail- as Royal Ann were grown exclusively for the style cherry. Because the fruit has firm flesh, it brine market. Royal Ann is still the most desir- has superior quality in brine. able processing cultivar for brining, but fewer Royal Ann is more susceptible to rain Royal Ann cherries are being produced. Now, cracking than other cultivars. Harvesting early sort-outs from the higher fresh-market pro- helps reduce this risk. The light-colored skin duction in Pacific Coast states and inexpensive clearly shows brown discoloration from bruis- imports from Chile and other countries are ing, especially in hot weather. helping meet the needs of the brine market. Royal Ann is ideal for brining but can also Recent Changes be used for canning. To assure good pedicel- In recent years, processing cherry grow- fruit retention force and appropriate firmness, ers have survived only by reducing inputs cherries grown for brining are harvested prior and increasing per-acre yields. For example, to full maturity. If used for brining, the proper mature Royal Ann on Mazzard rootstock harvest window for Royal Ann is when total needs very little pruning. In fact, severe prun- sugar levels reach 14 to 18 ˚Brix. If used for ing substantially reduces yield. Also, because canning, the minimum sugar level at harvest is Royal Ann is harvested early in the season, it around 20 ˚Brix. doesn’t require as much protection from pests Royal Ann is relatively slow to come into and diseases such as cherry fruit fly, spotted production. This is especially true on Mazzard winged drosophila, and powdery mildew. rootstock but also on some of the more preco- Productive rootstocks can also increase cious (early bearing) rootstocks such as Gisela profitability. Sweetheart on Gisela 6 rootstock 6. It is not unusual for Royal Ann to take 5 or 6 is very productive and can yield 10 tons per years to produce on Mazzard and up to 4 years acre or more, which helps offset the lower on Gisela 6. returns for processing cherries. Royal Ann is a midseason bloomer, but fruit ripens early. It is typical to harvest Royal Ann for the brine market 10 to 12 days before harvesting Bing for the fresh market. Even when Royal Ann is used for canning, harvest is late midseason, before Lapins and other later- maturing fresh-market cultivars.

2 Royal Ann tends to have an upright growth Bing is excellent for canning and can also habit with little branching. Trees are tall unless be sold fresh. Sort-outs from the fresh pack- grafted onto dwarfing rootstocks or prop- ing lines are often used for the brine market, erly trained to a multi-leader system. Ladder but Bing is inferior for brining unless har- harvest and a very strong pedicel-to-tree vested before fully ripe, between 16 and 18 attachment force make hand harvest difficult ˚Brix. It is grown extensively in The Dalles and relatively slow. and Milton-Freewater as a fresh cherry, but The most common pollinizers for Royal it is rarely grown commercially west of the Ann are Corum or Bada in the Willamette Cascades because of its susceptibility to rain Valley and Black Republican or Van in east- cracking. Bing is also very susceptible to ern Oregon. Black Republican and Corum bacterial canker. typically bloom just before Royal Ann, but Bing is cross-incompatible with Royal the bloom periods overlap sufficiently for Ann but cross-compatible with Van, Black effective pollination. Republican, and Rainier. In some years, Royal Ann is highly susceptible to infection Black Republican blooms too early to be caused by the bacterium Pseudomonas syrin- a completely effective pollinizer for Bing. gae, which can cause bacterial canker and dead The full-bloom periods of Van and Rainier bud diseases in cold, rainy weather. This is of coincide well with Bing, making them particular concern in wetter parts of the state. excellent pollinizers. In central and eastern Oregon, bacterial canker Black Republican is rarely a problem on Royal Ann. The purplish-black fruit of Black Bada Republican is small, ranging from ⅝ to ¾ inch The University of introduced this in diameter. This cultivar is inferior for can- cultivar (pronounced bah-dah) in 1964. The ning and brining but regularly harvested for skin is cream colored with a red blush. It is the freezer market. Freezer cherries are har- similar to Royal Ann in texture but more resis- vested without stems, so even though the fruit tant to bruising and rain cracking. Compared is small, harvest is relatively fast because pick- with Royal Ann, the stem is slightly longer and ers can “milk” the cherries off of the tree. Black thicker, the flesh is equally firm, and the fruit Republican harvest occurs after Bing harvest is indistinguishable in appearance but ripens a when sugar levels reach 21 ˚Brix. few days earlier. Corum Bada is not very vigorous. At maturity, it is Corum fruit is light colored with a pro- only 50% to 60% as large as Royal Ann. Bada nounced red blush and ripens 4 to 5 days bears early, heavily, and consistently. It is more before Royal Ann. The stem is approximately resistant to bacterial canker than Royal Ann the same length as Royal Ann, but the fruit and equally cold hardy. itself is not pointed and the flesh is not quite Bing as firm. Although only moderately large, Bing is one Compared with Royal Ann, Corum of the most popular fresh-market cultivars in branches more freely and tends to spread more the world. The firm flesh is able to withstand and bear at an earlier age. Though considerably shipping to distant domestic and export mar- less susceptible to bacterial canker, Corum is kets. Bing fruit is nearly round, broader than much more susceptible to damage from some long, and uniform. Its dark red flesh is firm, viruses than Royal Ann and has fallen out of not very fibrous, juicy, sweet, and very good favor in recent years. Corum is not recom- quality. The stone is relatively small com- mended for eastern Oregon because Van is pared to the size of the fruit. Bing ripens 10 to more marketable there. 12 days after Royal Ann. 3 Rainier Although Van has excellent , it is Rainier fruit has prone to postharvest pitting and cannot be a very attractive grown as a fresh cherry. When Van is grown red blush over as a pollinizer, the fruit set on mature trees a yellow base. is usually so great that are smaller than High sensitivity Bing. This does not limit its use for the brine to rain crack- and canning markets. Fruit should be har- ing limits its vested for brining at 21 ˚Brix and for canning potential in the at around 20 ˚Brix. Willamette Valley Diverting Fresh-Market Cherries and, in some years, to the Processing Industry can cause significant losses even in central There are many reasons growers might and eastern Oregon. divert cherries originally intended for the fresh market to the processing industry. As a fresh cherry, Rainer often receives a premium price. When grown as When grown as pollinizers, Rainier a pollinizer for Bing, it frequently oversets, and other cultivars often overset, produc- producing fruit that is too small for the fresh ing smaller cherries of inferior quality that market. When used for processing, it is har- cannot be sold fresh but can be processed. In vested before its normal ripening window for some years, entire blocks, portions of blocks, the brine market or when high in sugar for the or individual trees in a fresh block overset. canning market. Also, fresh-market cherries with rain crack- ing damage may be considered low-grade Sweetheart brine fruit and processed as pieces. Finally, a Sweetheart is a self-fertile cultivar from congested fresh market may make processing . The medium-red fruit is more attractive than other options. moderately large and very firm with a strong It is important to decide market direction but agreeable flavor. Sweetheart ripens very early because brine cherries must be harvested late and can be brined or sold fresh. at an early stage, between 16 and 18 ˚Brix. The tree form is open, very precocious, Number and Placement and very productive. Without proper prun- of Pollinizers ing, including heading all new shoots each year, Sweetheart can overset and produce The number and placement of pollinizers small fruit. Because large fruit is not required required for the most effective pollination is for processing, such oversetting may not be largely determined by foraging habits of hon- a problem. Sweetheart makes a high-quality eybees that carry the pollen. Wind plays little brine product if harvested before fully ripe, or no part in sweet cherry pollination. between 16 and 18 ˚Brix. A system in which every third tree in every third row is a pollinizer places a pollinizer next Van to every tree of the main cultivar at least on the In central and eastern Oregon, the full- diagonal and allows for a minimum number bloom period of Van coincides well with Royal of pollinizers. Ann and Bing, making it an excellent pol- linizer for both cultivars. Because Van is very susceptible to bacterial canker, it is not suitable for the Willamette Valley.

4 Table 1. Suitability of sweet cherry cultivars for brining

Cultivar Suitability for brining Potential pollinizers Comments

Used for brining. Harvest between 16 and Bada Moderate Royal Ann 18 ˚Brix. Susceptible to bacterial canker and rain cracking.

Useful for brining if 10½ row or smaller in Benton Moderate Self-fertile size. Harvest below 16 ˚Brix.

Useful for brining if overset and 10½ row or smaller in size. If rain cracked, made into Low, unless harvested Van, Black Republican, Bing low-grade brine as pieces and used in ice between 16 and 18 ˚Brix Rainier cream, yogurt, and baking. With high Brix, also used for canning.

Too small for brine at proper brining stage. Black Republican Low Bing Normally marketed as a freezer.

Aborted cherries on tree tend not to drop Chelan Low Bing until crop is fully mature. Pits in aborted cherries tend to shatter.

Harvest between 16 and 18 ˚Brix. Susceptible to bacterial canker and rain Corum Moderate Royal Ann cracking. Normally harvested as a briner in western Oregon.

When overset, fruit can be soft and Lapins Low Self-fertile cherries can exhibit low pedicel-fruit retention force.

Useful for brining if overset and 10½ row or Rainier High Bing smaller in size. Also used for canning.

Useful for brining if 10½ row or smaller in Regina Moderate Attika, Sam, Starks Gold size. Harvest between 16 and 18 ˚Brix.

Most common brining cherry grown in Bada, Corum, Van, Oregon. Harvest between 14 and 18 ˚Brix. Royal Ann High Black Republican Susceptible to bacterial canker. Also used for canning.

Useful for brining if overset and 10½ row Skeena Moderate Self-fertile or smaller in size. Harvest between 16 and 18 ˚Brix.

Harvest for brining between 16 and Sweetheart High Self-fertile 18 ˚Brix.

Useful for brining if 10½ row or smaller in Van Moderate Bing size. Normally marketed as a freezer.

5 Strategies for Profitability For More Information Prices for processing fruit have historically Sweet Cherry Cultivars for the Fresh been significantly lower than those for fresh Market. PNW 604. (Includes a fruit. However, processing is often a useful compatibility and bloom timing outlet for fruit that cannot be sold fresh (e.g., chart.) http://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog small fruit from overset pollinizers). Growers Annual Wasco County Sweet Cherry should carefully analyze all options before Production Results. http://extension.oregonstate.edu/wasco/orchard-economics-0 deciding to plant a block of cherries specifi- cally for the processing market. In central and eastern Oregon, planting Increase Precocity and Mature Yields processing cherries may allow growers to hire a Using precocious, productive rootstocks workforce early in the season that will remain such as Gisela 6 and Gisela 12 can provide available for harvest of later-maturing fresh- early, high yields into maturity. Grafting such market cultivars. In western Oregon, growers rootstocks to precocious, productive cultivars may find processing cherry production attrac- such as Sweetheart can provide very high tive if they can keep costs to a minimum. Some yields. Training systems with little establish- western Oregon growers mechanically harvest ment pruning, such as the Vogel Central processing cherries to keep costs low; how- Leader, can also increase tree precocity. ever, mechanically harvested cherries can have lower stem counts and, therefore, return less Summary than hand-harvested cherries. In either situa- Although the processing cherry industry tion, growers must carefully manage yield and has changed in recent years, it continues to production strategies to be profitable. Several be important for Oregon growers. The brin- approaches can reduce costs and increase the ing, freezing, and canning markets provide an potential for profit. important outlet for pollinizers, sort-outs, and fruit raised specifically for processing. Keeping Limit Inputs the processing cherry industry profitable so It is often possible to limit the amount of Oregon growers can continue to take advan- inputs in a processing block. Depending on tage of these markets is a challenge today and the cultivar and harvest timing, pruning, fer- for the future. tilizing, and pest and disease control may be minimal compared with a fresh block. Photos: page 1 and 6, Jeff Olsen and EESC, respectively, © Oregon Harvest labor is always the highest cost State University; page 2, courtesy Van Well Nursery; page 4, in any operation. Many Willamette Corianne Denby. This publicaiton replaces OSU Extension publication FS 57, Sweet Cherry Varieties in Oregon. Valley growers harvest cherries mechanically. Although this significantly reduces labor costs, Trade-name products and services are mentioned as illustrations mechanically harvested cherries are worth less only. This does not mean that the Oregon State University Extension Service either endorses these products and services than hand-harvested cherries because they or intends to discriminate against products and services often have fewer stems. not mentioned.

© 2013 Oregon State University. Extension work is a cooperative Establish a Pedestrian Orchard program of Oregon State University, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and Oregon counties. Oregon State University Another method to reduce labor costs is to Extension Service offers educational programs, activities, and train trees to a pedestrian orchard system, such materials without discrimination based on age, color, disability, as a modified multi-leader system (e.g., Kym gender identity or expression, genetic information, marital status, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or veteran’s Green Bush; KGB). Pickers can increase their status. Oregon State University Extension Service is an Equal productivity by up to 70% when they harvest Opportunity Employer.

from the ground without using ladders. Published February 2013.

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