Scientists in the US have developed a new seedless grape variety. Thomcord - a cross between Thompson Seedless and US favourite Concord - is plump and juicy with Thompson’s firmness and the blue-black skin of Concord. It has the darker grape’s whitish bloom and bold purple flesh colour but its taste is reminiscent of both parents: Concord-like but lifted by the sweet, mild flavour of Thompson.
Thomcord has been bred by David Ramming, a research horticulturist at the Agricultural Research Service of the US department of agriculture’s research station in San Joaquin Valley, California.
The grape came as the unexpected result of research into scientific procedure for breeding seedless grapes during the 1980s. One was purple with Concord flavor and no seeds. Dr Ramming believed that this one - A29-67 - showed commercial potential and made more of the type.
Trials in California vineyards for 17 years have served to ensure the fruit is firm, that there are enough grapes on a cluster to make them economical to grow and that it is packed closely enough in the cluster to be easy to harvest, but not so closely packed as to encourage disease.
Thomcord has been appearing at local farmers markets in the state, but now there are high hopes it is ready to go commercial and should be on supermarket shelves “in a few years,” Dr Ramming said.
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