Development of cultivars with fast fruit development suited for growing in Northern Europe

For the first time breeding of grapes for a growing region as cold as in Northern Europe/Scandinavia has been initiated. The breeding is established in a cooperation between a small private breeding company ‘FastGrapes’ established by Toldam- Andersen, T. B. and the Julius Kühn Insitute. From almost 8000 seedlings in the fields at Geilweilerhof 29 early ripening breeding lines has been identified and the goal is in a few years to have 40 lines identified when new fields with breeding lines can be screened. A fast track testing system has been designed with the goal to have the first new cultivars released in 10 years from now.