Recently, the Chilean Agricultural Innovation Foundation (FIA) and the Agricultural College of the University of Chile jointly launched a rapid detection system "Check Fast Cherry" for cherries fungal diseases, which can simultaneously identify the potential infection levels of Alternaria (Alternaria) and Botrytis cinerea (Botrytis) fungal diseases within up to 48 hours, aiming to help improve the planting income.

The Chilean website "ExtraNoticias" reported on the 4th that the research pointed out that the occurrence of these two types of diseases is closely related to climate change caused by high humidity environment and El Niño phenomenon. The "Check Fast Cherry" system is currently being presented at a project closing seminar at the Hotel Casa Silva in San Fernando, O'Higgins.

Project leader Marcela Esterio (Marcela Esterio) said at the seminar that the losses caused by these fungal diseases can reach 30%; if not managed well, the losses can even exceed 50%, depending on the planting scale and cultivation methods.

Carlos Valdés Errázuriz, head of agriculture in the region of O'Higgins, pointed out that early detection of plant pathogenic fungi is essential for the development of the industry. Every innovation means an opportunity for the industry to progress, so the government attaches great importance to these challenges.

Adriana Adriana Bastías, representative of the Agricultural Innovation Foundation O'Higgins Region, stressed that this detection tool can provide valuable information to producers at critical stages such as the flowering stage of cherries or before harvest, helping them to make timely decisions, such as identifying target markets or adopting corresponding management measures.

Carolina Fuentes, the Foundation's head of innovation, Carolina Fuentes, said the inspection system optimizes field management decisions, reduces health risks and supports quality assurance in a highly competitive market environment.