New varieties of Chilean grape will soon be appearing on export markets, following the release of plant material to growers, Chilean researchers report.
The Andean country’s institute of agriculture and fisheries research, Inia, has launched its Isela and Ilusión white grape varieties to growers; the result of 18 years research and development work.
Ilusión, pictured, is likely to appeal strongly to UK consumers, Inia researcher Nicole Hewstone told FPJ. “It has a Muscat-type flavour and is almost completely seedless, with about 10 per cent of berries having a very small seed,” she said. The berries themselves average 22mm in diameter, and it is an early variety.
Isela, meanwhile, has very high yields at 40 bunches per plant and its fruit is more elongated in shape.
A further four varieties are also in development but are not yet ready to be released commercially, and names for them are still being sought.
One, so far dubbed Selection 23, is a cross between Centennial and Ruby Seedless. It is a semi-late, seedless variety with loose bunches and a very long post-harvest life of 60 days.
Black grape Selection 5.56 is a Flame Seedless and Black Seedless cross with large berries and good post-harvest handling. And Selection 5 also shows potential for the European market. It is a white grape, the result of a Red Seedless and Dawn Seedless cross with good post-harvest life and large berries, although flavour is milder than selection 5.56.
Another Red Seedless cross, this time with Flame Seedless, has produced NN170, which is a white seedless fruit with large sizes and good storage capability.
“Of the six types, there are at least four which have good post-harvest handling and storage capability that should perform well on the UK market,” said Hewstone. “The first Isela and Ilusión fruit should be on the market in two to three seasons’ time, as growers are able to acquire plant material now.”
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