Cherry grown in Italy dubbed the world's heaviest by Guinness

March 19 (UPI) -- A cherry cross-bred by the University of Bologna in Italy was dubbed the heaviest in the world by Guinness World Records after weighing in at 0.93 ounces.

The "Sweet Stephany" cherry, grown in agricultural firm Salvi Vivai's experimental cherry garden in Runco di Portomaggiore as part of a partnership with the University of Bologna, stood out due to its large size after the harvest in June 2020.

Officials quickly began the process of seeking a Guinness World Record for the cherry, and it weighed 0.93 ounces, beating the previous record of 0.84 ounces.

The university said the cherry they had to rush to get the cherry weighed and prepare paperwork for Guinness because the cherry was not expected to have a long shelf-life.

"We have devoted more than ten years to the research and development of this family of cherries. This great achievement makes us very proud, as it shows the relevance of the work we did," said Stefano Tartarini, supervisor of the Sweet-family cherry project and a professor at the University of Bologna's Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences.