A Chilean research consortium has developed Thompson Seedless table grapes that are resistant to fungal disease. Biofrutales claims its transgenic grape varieties are the first to have in-built resistance to fungi such as botrytis and powdery mildew, eliminating the need for chemical spraying.
Manager Rodrigo Cruzat said the breakthrough gives Chile a clear commercial advantage over producers in other markets such as the US and Europe, where there has been less investment into transgenic crops due to the controversy they generate. He claimed it would have a major impact on the future of global grape production. However, Cruzat warned that growers should proceed with caution, as there was still a high level of resistance amongst consumers to these types of products.
Biofrutales is a biotechnology research consortium made up of several institutions including Fundación Chile, Inia, Fedefruta, Univiveros as well as a number of Chilean universities. The consortium is also working on developing fungi-resistant peaches and nectarines.
