Thomcord

Thomcord is a special kind of grape that does not have seeds. It was created by mixing two different grape types: the Thompson Seedless grape and the Concord grape. This happened in 1983 in California by scientists working for the United States Department of Agriculture.

Thomcord has a nice smell and taste, a bit like Concord grape but sweeter because of the Thompson Seedless grape. It grows best in places that are hot and dry, and it is ready to eat from late July to mid-August. This grape can produce a lot of fruit, usually about 15 kilograms from each plant, but sometimes even more.

The grapes are small, weighing just a little over two grams each, and they have a dark blue skin that stays on the fruit. Unlike some other grapes, Thomcord grapes have tiny bits where seeds would normally be, but they are much smaller than in other seedless grapes. After many years of testing, Thomcord became available in stores in 2003 and can be found in supermarkets today.

Description

Thomcord grape is a mix of two types of grapes: the Thompson Seedless grape, which is popular in summer, and the Concord grape, used for grape juice and jelly. This grape is juicy, has no seeds, and is a bit firmer than Concord. It has blue-black skin and a fruity taste that is lighter and sweeter than Concord because of the Thompson Seedless influence.

Thomcord grows best in hot, dry places, like in California's vineyards, especially the San Joaquin Valley. It ripens in summer, between late July and mid-August. While it can handle some powdery mildew, it is more affected by certain fungi than other grape types.

Production details

Thomcord grapes grow well and produce a good amount of fruit. When vines are trained on wires and pruned in the winter, they can produce about 15 kilograms per vine. The grape clusters are smaller than Thompson Seedless and do not need to be thinned. They weigh between 259 and 534 grams and have a medium shape.

The grapes themselves are larger than Thompson Seedless, with lengths and widths ranging from 18.2 to 18.3 millimetres and 16.7 to 17.2 millimetres, respectively. They weigh between 2.72 and 3.38 grams. Even though Thomcord grapes usually have small seeds that do not grow, in some years these seeds can become harder to notice inside the soft flesh. Typically, there are two small seeds per grape.

History

The Thomcord grape is a mix of the Thompson Seedless grape and the Concord grape. In 1983, researchers in California combined these two grapes to learn more about creating new seedless grapes. They wanted to show that the new plants came from fertilized eggs and not just from the mother plant.

After many tests, they planted the first Thomcord grape in 1984. It was tested for 17 years before being ready for gardeners and growers in 2003. Though it became popular at farmers' markets, it is not expected to be a major commercial grape because its flavor is different from more common types. However, it might become a special favorite, much like some other unique grape varieties.

Availability

The Foundation Plant Services at the University of California, Davis checked Thomcord and found it to be free of known viruses. They offer clean plants for growing. They also shared genetic material with the National Plant Germplasm System for research and new plant development. The Agricultural Research Service does not sell Thomcord plants.

Thomcord is a public variety and can be grown and shared by anyone.