Grape Expectations: Breeding a new fruit

“We’re introducing a new fruit,” said Dr. Renee Threlfall. In this episode of Food, Farms & Forests, Dr. Renee Threlfall shares her work on a USDA-funded project to develop a new generation of muscadine grapes. Known for their resilience and unique flavor, muscadines are being hybridized with bunch grapes to combine each species' best qualities. Threlfall, who leads the quality team, explains the science behind creating a grape that balances durability with consumer appeal.Threlfall discusses how consumer preferences, from packaging to taste, guide decisions about sweetness, texture, and appearance. She explains how advanced testing methods are helping the research team with the breeding process to meet these demands and create a grape that’s both flavorful and resilient.The Vitis x Muscadinia project is supported by the Specialty Crop Research Initiative, USDA-NIFA project award no. 2024-51181-43236. Related Links: LISTEN: A Berry Big Deal — Merging Traits for Taste and Toughness Vitis Vinifera and Muscadines: Grape Breeders Seek the Best of Both Grapes USDA-Agricultural Research Service’s Plant Disease Action Plan for 2022-2026 USDA Invests Nearly $121M in Specialty Crops Research and Organic Agriculture Production Arkansas Agricultural Experiment StationArkansas Cooperative Extension Service U of A System Division of Agriculture