Are Table Grapes The Next Big Commodity In Missouri?
November 13, 2013 
(Photo credit: University of Missouri)
Researchers at the University of Missouri (MU) hope to discover which grape varieties work best in the state. Although German immigrants established some of the first wineries near Herman, MO, table grapes are relatively new to Missouri.
“While wine grape production is well-established in Missouri, the production of seedless pop-in-your-mouth table grapes is just beginning,” said Andrew Thomas, horticulturist at the Southwest Research Center in Mount Vernon, MO. “Very few people are growing table grapes in the state; therefore, a huge untapped market is available for producers.”
A two-acre vineyard was established in 2008, for research on winegrape varieties and rootstocks. In the vineyard, a row of table grapes was also planted. This year was the second harvest of the table grapes.
“We planted several table grape varieties including Mars, a seedless Arkansas variety that is the standard grown in some parts of the Midwest,” Thomas said. “The rest are experimental selections from Cornell University. We planted yellow, purple, and pink grapes and are evaluating their performance under southwest Missouri conditions.”
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Source: University of Missouri news release
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