Ama-cherry asudu (Prunusavium) ngokwendabuko avela e-Europe, Turkey, Africa, kanye ne-Asia. Ukwaziwa kwawo kokuthoma kwaba ngeminyaka yabo-372 ukuya kibo 272 BC; okutjengisa bona ama-cherry wokuthoma atjalwa enarheni ye-Greece yakade.
Ama-cherry anombala obomvu khulu apheze abenzima, ama-cherry aswiri nanyana ama-tart cherry, Prunuscerasus, amila emithini emincani atjalelwe khulu ukupheka kanye nokubhaga. Ama-cherry aswiri kuthiwa anezakhimzimba kunasudu begodu asleep i-melatonin.
I-Sewula Africa, ikhiqiza ama-cherry asudu kwaphela, lapha amanengi wawo abuya emfundeni ezimakhaza ezizombeleze i-Ceres. Nanyana kunjalo, idorobha le-Free State i-Ficksburg, gade lidume ngokukhiqiza ama-cherry aphazimako, nekulidorobha elenza i-Festival yama-Cherry yaqobe nyaka ngoSinyikhaba.
Ukutjala ama-Cherry eSewula Africa
Ngokuya ngokomlando, isimu yokuthoma encani yama-cherry eSewula Africa yatjalwa e-Gydo Pass ngaphandle kwesifunda se-Western Cape e-Ceres, ngonyaka ka-1890. Nanyana kunjalo, ukukhiqizwa kwama-cherry ngomngcopho wokwenza inzuzo kokuthoma eSewula Africa kwathoma ngonyaka ka-1904, eduze kwe-Clocolan esifundeni sange-Free State. Endaweni le, kwatjala amahekuthara ayi-5 wama-cherry atjalwa ngu-Harry Pickstone, arhelejwa mamitjhinari weJalimani.
Ukutjala ama-cherry kuyakhula sukela lokho. Ngonyaka munye kwaphela, hlangana konyaka ka-2017 kanye newaka-2018 ukutjalwa kwama-cherry kwangezeleleka nge-25% emahekuthareni ayi-388. Kunandawo ezima-unit ayi-30 lapha kukhiqizwa khona ama-cherry adlula amatani ayi-1000, ngeskhathi sawo ngonyaka ka-2018/19 sokutjala.
Sele kunengezeleleko yokukhiqizwa kwama-cherry okuyi-76% kusukela hlangana konyaka ka-2013 kanye no-2018, lokhu kubangelwa khulu kuthola irhelebho lemmali sikhwama sentjalo ezijamiselelelako sesifunda sezolimo sange-Western Cape. Ukusekelwa ngokwemmali lokhu, sele kurhelebhe kwangezelela ukuba khona kwemithi yama-cherry, kanye nokutloliswa kwamakhemikhali asetjenziswa emithini yama-cherry, kanye nokubuthelelwa kwelazi lama-cherry eSewula Africa. Irhubhululo elinziwe khulu yihlangano ye-South African Cherry Growers Association (SACGA) kanye ne-Hortgro. Irhubhululweli lifaka hlangana iimfundo zokobana ama-cherry angarhona ukumila na eemfundeni ezahlukahlukeneko.
Ukutjalwa kwama-cherry kuphelela eendaweni ezithize ngebanga lentlhogeko zetlayimedi, ngombana asitjalo esizwelako. Ama-cherry atlhoga ihlobo elihlangana nendawo kanye nobusika obude obumakhaza ubujamo babo bube yi-7°C. Intwezo zenza bona ukutjalwa kwama-cherry kuphelele eemfundeni ezilele phezulu ezizombeleze i-Ceres esifundeni sange-Western Cape, Northwest kanye ne-Free State, nendaweni ezincani ezisemfundeni ze-Limpopo, Gauteng, kanye ne-Mpumalanga.
Ama-cherry sitjalo esivuthwa msinya, athatha isikhathi esingaba malangana ayi-55 ukuya kwayi-70 kwaphela ukusuka nakapholinethiwako ukufikela nakavunwako, okuya ngokobana mhlobo bani. Ukuwavuna kumsebenzi obudisi; ama-cherry atlhoga ukukhiwa ngezandla ukwenzela bona angonakali. Kutlhogeka godu bona apholiswe emazingeni ayi-0.5°C ukuqiniseka kobana akonakali, nokobana angathunyelwa ngenarhani ye-UK-iimaraga zawo ezikhamba phambi, yi-Middle East, Europe, kanye ne-Russia.
Imihlobo yama-Cherry
Ukutjala ama-cherry asudu eSewula Africa, kwathoma ngokobana kutjalwe imihlobo yama-cherry efana ne-Early River, Early Red Five, Giant Heidelfinger, kanye ne-Bing. Kiwo, ama-cherry amakhulu abomvu khulu womhlobo we-bing kanye nama-red Giant Heidelfinger asatjaliwe. Kunemihlobo eminengi etjalwe eSewula Africa, kiwo kubalwa i-Royal Hazel, Royal Dawn, Royal Lynn, Royal Edie kanye ne-Royal Helen. Imihlobo le efana ne-Van kanye ne-Sweet Ann zisetjenziswa njengamapholineyitha. Umhlobo owatjalwa kokuthoma wama-cherry ubizwa bona yi-Royal Tioga, iskhathi sokuvuna ama-cherry kokugcina siphela ngokuvuna ama-cherry womhlobo we-Staccato.
Umhlobo we-tart cherry othandwa khulu enarheni ye-(USA) yi-Montmorency.
Njengokobana kutjhejiwe eripotini ye-Hortgro’s July 2019 Cherry Industry Overview report, umhlobo wama-cherry otjalwa khulu yiSewula Africa yi-Royal Hazel esudu enambithekako esandukufika. Umhlobo lo awonakali msinya, uthunyelwa lula kwezinye iinarha, begodu sele wenza i-10% yentjalo zeSewula-Africa ezitjalwako, ngamahekuthara angaphasi kwe-390 ngonyaka ka-2019. Eminye imihlobo yama-cherry itjalwa eendaweni ezikulu kubalwa i-Royal Edie kanye ne-Royal Helen.
Translated by Busisiwe Prudance Skhosana