Dr. Russell Sharp explores the story behind cotton candy grapes, explaining how they were created through patient, traditional plant breeding rather than artificial flavouring or genetic modification. He describes the selection process, the natural flavour compounds involved, and the decade-long effort by breeders to bring this unique-tasting fruit to market.
The episode also looks at research into breeding strawberries and other fruits for distinctive flavours, the role of modern genomic tools in speeding selection, and how these novel varieties could intersect with hydroponic and vertical farming systems.
https://eutrema.co.uk/shop/fertiliser/liquid-gold-unique-complete-fertiliser/
Sun World — John Harley
International Fruit Genetics — David Cain
SNFL — Jean-Luc Stalon
Bloom Fresh — Chris Davey
ARRA — Stefano Di Michele
Sheehan Genetics — David Sheehan
Grapa Varieties — Luca Fini
Great Growers Partnerships — Jim Beagle
Vine Genetics — Paul Boss
CSIRO — Anthony Borneman
USDA-ARS Parlier — David Ramming
USDA-ARS Geneva — Bruce Reisch
Cornell Grapes — Bruce Reisch
UC Davis Viticulture & Enology — Andy Walker
UC Riverside Grapes — Pat Brown
Washington State University Grapes — Markus Keller
Oregon State University Grapes — Patty Skinkis
Michigan State University Grapes — Paolo Sabbatini
University of Minnesota Fruit Breeding — James Luby
University of Arkansas Grapes — John Clark
University of Georgia Grapes — Patrick Conner
Texas A&M Viticulture — Lorenzo Rossi
North Carolina State Muscadine Breeding — Renee Threlfall
Florida A&M Grape Breeding — Jeff Wasielewski
Florida UF/IFAS Grapes — Peter Cousins
Agroscope Grapevine Breeding — Andreas Hund
INRAE Grapevine Breeding — Patrice This
IFV — Thierry Lacombe
University of Bordeaux Vine & Wine — Eric Boissenot
UTAD — Henrique Ribeiro
Instituto Superior de Agronomia — Antero Martins
CREA Viticulture — Stefano Poni
Fondazione Edmund Mach — Marco Stefanini
Geilweilerhof — Reinhard Töpfer
Hochschule Geisenheim — Hans Reiner Schultz
Wädenswil Viticulture — Jürg Linde
University of Milan Viticulture — Attilio Scienza
University of Turin Viticulture — Anna Schneider
University of Adelaide Viticulture — Paul Dry
AWRI — Rob Walker
University of Stellenbosch Viticulture — Gert Nieuwoudt
ARC Infruitec-Nietvoorbij — Danie Myburgh
Volcani Center Grapevine — Eyal Tanne
INIAV — Antero Martins
Embrapa Uva e Vinho — Murillo de Albuquerque Regina
INTA — Walter Biasi
Universidad Nacional de Cuyo Viticulture — Laura Catena
Catena Institute of Wine — Alejandro Vigil
University of Chile Viticulture — Patricio Hinrichsen
Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile Viticulture — José Bordeu
Driscoll’s — Steve Nelson
Plant Sciences — Doug Shaw
Berry Genetics — Kirk Larson
Lassen Canyon Nursery — Patrick Phillips
California Berry Cultivars — Doug Shaw
USDA-ARS Strawberry Corvallis — Kim Lewers
UC Davis Strawberry Breeding — Doug Shaw
UC ANR — Mark Bolda
UF Strawberry Breeding — Vance Whitaker
University of Arkansas Strawberry Breeding — John Clark
North Carolina State Strawberry Breeding — Gina Fernandez
Michigan State University Strawberry Breeding — Chad Finn
Cornell Strawberry Breeding — Marvin Pritts
Oregon State University Strawberry Breeding — Chad Finn
Washington State University Strawberry Breeding — Chuck Brun
University of Minnesota Strawberry Breeding — Jim Luby
University of Wisconsin Strawberry Breeding — Craig Chandler
Penn State Strawberry Breeding — Marvin Pritts
Rutgers Strawberry Breeding — James Polashock
University of Maryland Strawberry Breeding — Chris Walsh
University of Massachusetts Strawberry Breeding — Jaime Pinero
University of New Hampshire Strawberry Program — Becky Sideman
Agriculture Canada Kentville — Andrew Jamieson
University of Guelph Berry Breeding — Adam Dale
Summerland Research — Hugh Daubeny
NIAB EMR — David Simpson
East Malling Strawberry Breeding — David Simpson
James Hutton Institute — Louise Russell
Wageningen Berry Breeding — Arnaud Wybouw
Skierniewice Institute of Horticulture — Agnieszka Masny
IVIA — José Luis García-Baudín
CSIC Berries — Pedro Martínez-Gómez
INRAE Strawberry Breeding — Béatrice Denoyes
CIV Strawberry Breeding — Stefano Tartarini
CREA Fruit Research — Daniele Bassi
Mazzoni Group — Luca Mazzoni
New Fruits — Francesco Baruzzi
Sant’Orsola — Renzo Zighera
Fresh Forward — Geert de Weger
Hansabred — Hans-Peter Hansen
ABZ Seeds — Andreas Buitelaar
Limgroup — Theo de Ruiter
Flevo Berry — Jan van de Weg
Planasa — Emilio Marin
BerryWorld Varieties — Nick Marston
Eurosemillas — Javier Cano
Viveros California — José María López
Fresas Nuevos Materiales — Antonio López-Aranda
Ohalo Genetics — Nadav Cohen
Embrapa Strawberry Program — Fernando Antunes
