The Volcani Center table grape breeding program, as a public breeding initiative for table grapes, is among the largest, if not the largest, of its kind worldwide, and is also one of the most commercially successful. Over the years, the program has developed dozens of cultivars, several of which have achieved major commercial success.
Cultivars developed by the program are grown on five continents, including in leading table grape-exporting countries that market these varieties primarily in the American and European markets. In the domestic market, Volcani cultivars are planted on approximately one-third of Israel’s table grape acreage. In recent years, our leading white cultivar, Big Pearl, has emerged as a particularly prominent variety in the Israeli market.
The program maintains a broad genetic collection derived from crosses among diverse grape species, accumulated over several decades and sourced from around the world. This collection includes approximately 600 breeding lines that are used as parents for crosses or evaluated for their potential as commercial cultivars. Each line is maintained in multiple replicates and grafted onto rootstocks.
In addition, the program produces and evaluates several thousand seedlings each year from new crosses, which are screened to identify promising new lines with commercial potential. All cultivars are seedless. Consequently, each cross produces fruit containing a rudimentary seed that carries the combined DNA of the female and male parents. The program operates a dedicated laboratory responsible for rescuing these embryos and regenerating complete plants from the undeveloped seeds, ensuring that the resulting fruit remains seedless.
In parallel, we operate a research laboratory focused on developing advanced genetic tools, such as molecular markers, to enable rapid selection and early elimination of seedlings carrying undesirable traits. The laboratory also conducts in-depth phenotypic and genetic characterization of the breeding collection to support data-driven breeding strategies. All information is integrated into a computerized breeding management system developed at the Volcani Center, which allows us to combine field and laboratory data and efficiently identify problematic or promising parental combinations within the collection.
The core objectives of the breeding program are:
-
Improving fruit quality and nutritional value – developing cultivars rich in polyphenols, antioxidants, and unique aromatic profiles.
-
Incorporating resistance to diseases and other biotic stresses – which are major causes of yield loss and reliance on chemical crop protection.
-
Extending the harvest season – the program is internationally recognized for developing some of the earliest table grape cultivars and is also working on late-ripening varieties to enable continuous local production from April through December.
-
Addressing climate change and its impact on yield and fruit quality – our cultivars are tested in some of the hottest growing regions in the world, including the Jordan Valley, northern Mexico, and Egypt. We identify varieties that maintain yield, normal growth, uniform color, and adequate acidity under extreme climatic conditions. In parallel, we conduct fundamental research to identify genes that are critical for preserving fruit quality under heat stress.