New variety of grape cultivated at Jiao Tong
Professor Lu Jiang from Shanghai Jiao Tong University and grapes developed by him and his team
A new grape variety Vitis rotundifolia (muscadine) has been cultivated by Shanghai Jiao Tong University.
Introduced from the southeast United States in 2016, various muscadine varieties such as Carlos, Noble, Alachua, and GV, whose single fruit can weigh up to 9 grams, have been planted in Shanghai since 2017.
Lu Jiang, director of the university's center for viniculture and enology said he and his team had worked hard for 10 years to cultivate the grape in China.
“In the past, growing grapes in the south of China was considered impossible because of the climate,” said he. “But now muscadines have been widely planted here."
Muscadine is known as the most disease-resistant grape variety, and can grow almost without pesticides. It is also praised for its fragrance and high nutritional value.
