Ag Sciences Center Celebrates 100 Years of Helping the Grape Industry Grow
USDA’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS) San Joaquin Valley Agricultural Sciences Center (SJVASC) recently marked 100 years of cooperative research with the grape industry that has positively impacted the way the world grows, cultivates and consumes grapes.
This historic grapevine breeding research program develops and introduces new, high-quality, disease-resistant table grapes and raisins cultivars. The first table grape cultivar was developed in 1923 in Fresno, CA, at the USDA Experiment Vineyard, part of the USDA Bureau of Plant Industry. In 1972, the program became part of ARS, the chief in-house research agency of the USDA.
Since then, ARS scientists have developed more than half of the top 10 to 15 seedless grape varieties. The red seedless ‘Flame’ cultivar grape was grown by ARS scientists in 1973. The green seedless ‘Autum King’ grape was developed and released in 2006, and in 1983, ARS scientists invented seedless black grapes.
“The phenomenal research conducted by our scientists over the past 100 years created a billion-dollar industry and has defined how the world grows and consumes table grapes,” says ARS Administrator Dr. Simon Liu. “As we move into the next 100 years, our collaboration with the San Joaquin Valley Agricultural Sciences Center will continue to deliver innovative research that will produce high-quality, nutritious fruits for future generations.”
For more, continue reading at ars.usda.gov.
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