May 2022 - 18

GRAPES
Partnership yields new grape varieties' release
By Sarah Thompson
Cornell University
Two newly released grape varieties,
developed collaboratively between
Cornell AgriTech and Sun World
International, a global fruit genetics and
licensing company, offer new flavors
for consumers and better growing
characteristics for farmers.
Sugrafiftytwo, an ultra-early ripening
green seedless grape variety with a sweet
Muscat flavor and firm crisp texture, and
Sugrasixty, a midseason ripening red
variety with large berries and a tropical
aroma with overtones of mango, are the
fruit of a 13-year collaboration between
Cornell AgriTech and Sun World.
Following the release of these varieties,
Sun World enables growers around the
world to produce these Cornell-Sun
World varieties and introduces them
with consumer-friendly brand names to
be enjoyed by consumers worldwide.
Through the partnership, the
royalties from the commercialization
of the varieties developed by both
organizations will continue to flow
back to and support the Cornell Grape
Breeding and Genetics Program, which
Sugrafiftytwo is an ultra-early ripening
green seedless grape variety with a
sweet Muscat flavor and firm crisp
texture. Photos: Sun World
is led by Bruce Reisch, professor in
the School of Integrative Plant Science
in the College of Agriculture and Life
Sciences.
" With the right varieties, the Eastern
table grape industry might consider
expanding, " Reisch said. " That could
drive economic development through
tourism, farm markets and home
enthusiasts. Many home growers are
interested in doing something new. "
Reisch credits Cornell's partnership
Sugrasixty is a midseason ripening red
variety with large berries and a tropical
aroma with overtones of mango.
with Sun World for making the
development of these new varieties
possible.
Sugrafiftytwo and Sugrasixty are the
first grape varieties resulting from the
partnership, which began in 2009.
The new flavors were developed
through crossbreeding at Cornell that
took advantage of its collection of
germplasm, the genetic material in
grapes that controls the expression of
certain traits. Although all breeding
collections include germplasm,
Cornell's is special; since 1888,
scientists at Cornell AgriTech have
built expertise in breeding table and
wine grapes suited to New York state's
climate and grower needs.
For the past 42 years, Reisch has
focused on developing improved genetic
and trait-marker technology to mine
the genetic diversity of wild and native
American grape species; and speed the
release of new varieties with desirable
traits like powdery mildew resistance,
cold-hardiness and early ripening.
" Under Professor Bruce Reisch's
leadership, Cornell has pioneered
the development of new table and
wine grape varieties with unique
flavor profiles well-adapted to the
northeastern United States' colder
growing conditions, " said Sun World
CEO David Marguleas, a Cornell
graduate. " These advances, coupled
with our own California-based seedless
grape development work spanning
several decades, make for a distinctive
combination. "
Increased imports and the
proliferation of proprietary varieties
are creating challenges for retailers and
consumers, said Jennifer Petersen, Sun
World's chief science officer. Public
institutions are an important source for
innovation, especially as farmers and
society face more complex challenges
like climate change.
" AgriTech is focused on system
solutions, " Petersen said. " It goes beyond
the germplasm to find solutions for
plant breeders, growers and consumers.
It takes 10 years to develop a new
variety. It's amazingly complex to go fast
and be as precise as possible to deliver
what growers and consumers need. We
rely on the use of different technologies
and cross-institutional collaborations to
be successful. "
The Sun World partnership also
unlocks research efficiencies for Reisch's
program and its future. The steady
stream of funding for public specialty
crop research helps insulate it from
the vagaries of grant cycles. Cornell's
breeding program also has access to Sun
World germplasm with seedlessness,
storage and shipping traits. And when
the growing season is over in New York,
Reisch can use Sun World's West Coast
Center for Innovation to accelerate his
lab's pace of discovery while maintaining
Cornell's commitment to quality coldclimate
grapes.
" Several more product releases are
on the Cornell-Sun World horizon, "
Marguleas said. " By combining our
independent breeding efforts, we can
develop even better tasting and more
successful fruit varieties for growers
and consumers around the world to
enjoy. " FGN
18 | FruitGrowersNews.com
http://www.FruitGrowersNews.com
May 2022

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