What’s ahead for table grape, cherry breeding

Changing consumer expectations and tastes, climate change necessitating “low-chill” fruit, and the need to digitize and harness data for breeding purposes are all issues that may have been present in 2022 but will increase intensity in 2023, says International Fruit Genetics LLC (IFG).

The Bakersfield, Calif.-based table grape breeder with more than 48 patented table grape varieties and 10 patented sweet cherry varieties has released the following predictions in the table grape and cherry space for 2023. 

1. More unique flavors gain traction and appeal

In 2023, expect the table grape section of many retail outlets to offer some rather exotic and distinctive flavored grape varieties to appeal to more eclectic palates, says IFG. As consumers have become more sophisticated, retailers and shoppers alike have shown favor to fruit that surprise and delight — and table grapes are very much a part of that trend. 

“Not too long ago, table grapes had a relatively uniform taste. When shoppers put grapes in their baskets, they knew what they were getting,” Jennifer Maguire, IFG international commercial table grape manager, said in a release. “That all started to change about 10 years ago with new and exciting varieties that had flavors which were not so traditional and grape-like, such as Cotton Candy.  

“Today table grapes can be spicy, minty or have a tropical taste and aroma,” Maguire continued. “Some taste a bit like toffee or strawberries — and imagine grapes that contain a slight floral or papaya accent.”

This trend for more exotic and eclectic flavors not only pleases fruit-lovers, but also offers creative ways for retailers to market table grapes, IFG says, which suggests cross-merchandising these grapes in the wine, deli or cheese section of a store, as well as featuring them in the produce department.

Related: A new breed: IFG invests $14M to become world leader in fruit varieties

2. Low-chill cherries will be crucial to the 2023 cherry harvest

In 2023, low chill cherries will take on an even more important role than ever before as growing regions continue to present warmer conditions, IFG predicts.

With climate change heavily impacting crops, cherries, which usually thrive in much cooler temperatures, have taken the brunt of wildly fluctuating weather patterns, IFG says. This means more heat than cold in critical geographies around the world. As such, IFG says low-chill cherries were developed to meet these challenges head on, allowing the fruit to become more heat-resistant.

IFG sees this trend opening doors for cherry breeders and growers, including paving the way for the fruit to be grown in traditionally warm climates such as Southern California, Israel and Egypt.  

“The aim of a low-chill cherry program is to go early and low chill, which means the fruit will require fewer chill hours during the course of a winter,” Alwyn van Jaarsveld, IFG international commercial cherry manager, said in a release. 

Additionally, van Jaarsveld says that low chill fruit has unlocked more opportunities, including the ability for consumers to get cherries earlier. 

“Now, low-chill cherries are the first of the cherries that consumers will taste, and these varietals will provide a make-or-break experience for the cherry season,” van Jaarsveld said. “We see these low chill cherries being planted in more locations than ever, allowing better maintenance of supply to retail.

“It is frustrating to the modern consumer to have a now-you-see-me, now-you-don’t availability of fruit. We want the first experience of the season to be early and amazing,” he added.

Today, breeders are seeing the results of the low-chill program and cherries that normally would have crumbled under such warm conditions are thriving, IFG says.

In 2023, with no let up with climate change, more varietals of cherries will be slated for low-chill breeding. 

3. Harnessing data for fruit breeding will be critical

New genomic technologies mean today’s major fruit breeders can literally generate terabytes (1TB equals 1 million megabytes) of genetic data at very low cost, compared to historical standards, IFG says. Linking this genetic data with important plant breeding data that can go back decades allows scientists to unlock what works and what does not work in terms of creating fruit consumers crave or the ability to produce new and exciting flavors.

IFG says this data can unveil information such as the color or taste of a berry.

“We have tens of thousands of new seedlings every year,” Dr. Chris Owens, IFG lead plant breeder, said. “The ability to sequence the genome of virtually all individuals of our breeding populations has helped create amazing new opportunities in breeding, [but] it also has its challenges. The volume of data is so large that it can be difficult to analyze and process, but fortunately, new methodologies and constantly improving software allow us to analyze and utilize the treasure-trove of information.”

While IFG says the ability to harness data strategically will ultimately enable breeders and growers to become more innovative, it adds that data overload is a problem that most organizations will face in 2023.

“Companies will need to prioritize digital transformation” to foster innovation, which will benefit growers, retailers and consumers, the company said.