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