Cowiche™ (‘PC 7903-2’) Sweet Cherry

Additional index words.fruit breeding, fruit quality, Prunus avium 'PC 7903-2', more commonly known under the trademarked name, Cowicheä, is a sweet cherry variety released in 2007 by the Washington State University Sweet Cherry Breeding Program for fresh market production.In Pacific Northwest production areas of North America, Cowicheä blooms moderately late, generally 4 to 7 d after 'Bing' (midseason industry standard), whereas harvest timing is usually 3 to 7 d later than 'Bing'.Cowicheä is vigorous and has an open canopy with a more pendant growth habit and slightly higher precocity than 'Bing'.Its productivity on Gisela Ò 5 rootstock is similar to Chelanä's but higher than that of 'PC 7417-9'.Cowicheä produces very large red-purple fruit that are firm and have excellent eating quality characterized by high soluble solids and acidity.Consumer taste panels have described its flavor as ''intense.''Cowicheä is not self-fertile, but its uncommon S-allele combination, S 5 S 9, currently places it in the same incompatibility group with only one cultivar, Krupnoplodnaya, making it cross-compatible with any moderately late-blooming commercial cultivar.