ISHS Acta Horticulturae 603: VIII International Conference on Grape Genetics and Breeding
GRAPE BREEDING AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS: APPROACHING FORTY YEARS OF PROGRESS |
| Author: | J.R. Clark |
| Keywords: | Vitis sp., fruit quality, table grapes. |
| Abstract:
Dr. James N. Moore began the grape breeding program at the University of Arkansas in 1964 and he directed this program until his retirement in 1996. His primary goal was to develop adapted table grape cultivars for Arkansas and other areas of the Midwest, South, and eastern United States. Since this beginning, approximately 300,000 seedlings have been grown resulting in over 1800 selections. Released from the program are the seedless table grape cultivars Venus, Reliance, Mars, Saturn, Jupiter, and Neptune and the juice grape cultivar Sunbelt. The program continues and major traits selected for include fruit quality, seedlessness, large berry size, skin cracking resistance, adaptation to the upper South and Midwest U.S., non-slip fruit textures, an array of fruit flavors, and a range of fruit shapes. A much smaller effort continues in the area of wine-grape cultivar development and several advanced selections are under evaluation for enological potential. The germplasm used in this program originally included many eastern U.S. cultivars and selections from the New York State Agricultural Experiment Station, other eastern U.S. grape breeding programs, and several Vitis vinifera L. cultivars and selections. Recurrent mass selection has been used as the breeding approach, and advances in fruit size, shapes, flavor, and texture have been substantial. This program should continue to release new cultivars for consideration for production by eastern U.S. table grape growers and other regions of the world with similar climate for years to come. | |
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