• Topics: Horticultural Sciences  |  Breman, Jacque W  |  Andersen, Peter C  |  Grape 

Commercial Fresh Market, Wine, Juice, and Jelly Grape Cultivars for Florida, 2008¹

Commercial grape production requires cultivars that have high yield and quality and are also adapted to Florida's unique soils, weather, insects, and disease pressures. Other desired cultivar characteristics depend upon type of market and use. Fresh-fruit markets require a large-sized grape with high sugar content, a pleasing taste, an attractive, thin skin, and a dry scar-end, so the grapes will have a minimum of one week of shelf life (1). Wine, juice and jelly cultivars require consistently high yields. For muscadine cultivars to be economically viable, commercial yields should be close to eight tons/acre. Berries must have a minimum of 14º Brix at harvest and a favorable sugar:acid ratio (1). Color stability and the ability to maintain a good taste in the finished product are also requirements for grapes.

Figure 1. 

Muscadine grapes (assorted cultivars) after harvest at North Florida Research and Education Center, Suwannee Valley, Live Oak, FL, on Grape Field Day, August 2006.

Southern bunch grapes (Vitis sp. hybrids) tend to require a disease-control spray program (3), especially during wet growing seasons. The advantage of bunch grapes is that they are all self fruitful and do not require pollinator rows planted next to them.

Muscadine grapes (Vitis rotundifolia) may only need an occasional fungicidal spray, depending on the rainfall during the growing season and the disease problem (4). The disadvantage of muscadine grapes is that most of the large-fruited cultivars are pistillate, or female, and require self-fruitful companion rows in order to pollenize flowers sufficiently for commercial berry yields (1). Self-fruitful cultivars often yield 40 - 50 percent more berries than female ones. However, female cultivars tend to have larger berries, which is important for the commercial fresh-fruit market.

Grape root borer is the main insect pest for both bunch and muscadine grapes. Other minor insects might become problems, depending upon the season. Detailed insect-management information can be obtained from the reference EDIS publication (5).

Cultivars for processing are listed in Tables 1 and 2. All cultivars are self fruitful. Bunch weights are listed for bunch grapes only. A large bunch grape berry would be equivalent to a small muscadine grape berry.

Cultivars recommended by UF/IFAS for the fresh markets are listed in Table 3. The type of pollenation is identified for each cultivar to help the producer plan the vineyard rows. Rows of self-fruitful cultivars can be planted next to rows of female cultivars to increase berry yield.

Fresh-market muscadine cultivars recommended for trial plantings are listed in Table 4. Limited trial plantings are recommended before expanding acreage to determine whether those cultivars are adapted to the grower’s location. Additional cultivar information can be obtained from the reference EDIS publication (1).

A successful fresh-market cultivar also must have high consumer preference. 'Fry', the cultivar standard for the fresh-market industry, along with recommended cultivars, 'Tara' and 'Southern Home', were compared to berries from trial plantings of 'Ison' and 'Nesbitt' in a controlled consumer-panel test (2). The ratings ranged from 1, the lowest, to 9, the highest. Results of that test are presented in Table 3. 'Ison' and 'Nesbitt' were rated higher than 'Fry', but the difference was not statistically significant. 'Tara' and 'Southern Home' were rated significantly lower than 'Fry'. Consumer ratings of berry color, sweetness, and flavor were indicators of the overall cultivar-preference score.

Commercial producers for the fresh market might consider consumer preferences before expanding their plantings of any cultivar. Data in Table 5 show that two trial cultivars, 'Ison' and 'Nesbitt', were significantly preferred by consumers over 'Tara' and 'Southern Home'.

References:

1. Andersen P.C., T.E. Crocker, and J. Breman. 2007. EDIS Publication HS763, The muscadine grape, http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/HS100. Horticultural Sciences Department, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL.

2. Breman, J.W., A. Simonne, R.C. Hochmuth, L. Landrum, M. Taylor, K. Evans, C. Peavy, and D. Goode. 2007. Quality characteristics of selected muscadine grape cultivars grown in North Florida. Proceedings of the Florida State Horticulture Society. 120:8-10.

3. Crocker, T.E. and J.A. Mortensen. 2001. EDIS Publication HS174, The bunch grape, http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/mg105. Horticultural Sciences Department, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL.

4. Momol, T., L. Ritchie, and H. Dankers. 2007. EDIS Publication PDMG-V3-15, 2007 Florida plant disease management guide: Grape (Vitis spp.), http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/PG011, Plant Pathology Department, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL.

5. Webb, S. 2003. EDIS Publication ENY-802, Insect management in grapes, http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/IG071. Entomology and Nematology Department, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL.

The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) is an Equal Opportunity Institution authorized to provide research, educational information and other services only to individuals and institutions that function with non-discrimination with respect to race, creed, color, religion, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, political opinions or affiliations. For more information on obtaining other extension publications, contact your county Cooperative Extension service.

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Cooperative Extension Service, University of Florida, IFAS, Florida A. & M. University Cooperative Extension Program, and Boards of County Commissioners Cooperating. Millie Ferrer-Chancy, Interim Dean.

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