Gyeongbuk Agricultural Research Institute Completes New Grape Variety to Continue Shine Muscat's Legacy... Development of Seedless Fruit Production Technology

‘Rubisweet·Goldsweet’, Crisp Refreshing Texture and Acacia Aroma

New grape varieties developed using seedless fruit production technology. (Left: Ruby Sweet, Right: Gold Sweet)

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Gwiyeol] The Gyeongbuk Provincial Agricultural Research and Extension Services has developed seedless fruit production technology for new grape varieties, Rubysweet and Goldsweet, which consumers prefer for their edible skin and seedless nature.

The newly developed varieties are grapes that, like the popular Shine Muscat, have a crisp texture, are seedless, and can be eaten with the skin on.

With recent changes in consumer trends and issues regarding royalties for foreign varieties, the development and distribution of domestic new grape varieties have become increasingly important.

The Agricultural Research and Extension Services developed the Goldsweet and Rubysweet varieties in 2020 to meet consumer demand during summer and the Chuseok holiday, as well as to create new income sources for farmers, since the Shine Muscat variety grown outdoors is harvested late, from late September to early October.

The red grape variety Rubysweet has a harvest period in late August, with good coloration, high sugar content, and excellent texture. It is produced during periods when outdoor grapes are not available, receiving strong positive responses from farmers.

The greenish-yellow grape variety Goldsweet is harvested in mid-September, about two weeks earlier than the Shine Muscat variety, and is popular among young consumers for its refreshing apple-like texture and aroma similar to acacia.

For the new grape varieties to be stably distributed among farmers, it is necessary to develop field cultivation techniques tailored to the characteristics of each variety.

Accordingly, the Agricultural Technology Center in Sangju jointly conducted a two-year trial on growth regulator treatment methods for producing high-quality seedless fruits of the Rubysweet and Goldsweet varieties.

For the Rubysweet variety, high-quality production requires the fruit to be evenly and vividly red. The cluster thinning was done to 4 cm for flower clusters, and the number of berries per cluster was adjusted to about 50, weighing 500?600 g per cluster. Transparent bags were used to enhance coloration.

Similarly, for the Goldsweet variety, flower clusters and bunches were trimmed like Rubysweet, and cultivation using transparent and white bags to produce a golden hue resulted in fruits with high sugar content and good aroma.

Detailed cultivation techniques, including growth regulator treatment methods for seedless fruit production, are planned to be compiled into a manual and distributed by the end of the year.

Shin Yongseup, director of the Gyeongbuk Provincial Agricultural Research and Extension Services, stated, “We plan to develop high-quality domestic new varieties differentiated from the Shine Muscat variety to reduce royalties and secure sovereignty over grape seeds. We will do our best to establish high-quality cultivation techniques suitable for domestic growing environments to advance the grape industry and increase farmers’ incomes.”

The Agricultural Research and Extension Services has also developed other varieties following these two, including the red varieties Red Claret and Candy Claret with excellent texture and high sugar content, the labor-saving variety Happy Green to reduce farmers’ workload, and the wine grape variety Coco Seedless. They plan to continue developing outstanding varieties in the future.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.