April 12, 2023 | by Marieke Hemmes at Fresh Plaza

Fruit breeding has a long generation time as it takes years to develop a new table grape or cherry variety. As a result, global warming is a significant concern to factor in and one that impacts all regions in the world. “Due to the long propagation time, we need to predict 10 to 20 years in the future,” says Chris Owens, Lead Breeder at IFG. The company mainly breeds table grape and cherry varieties, but how to develop varieties that can withstand climate changes? It’s a much-talked-about subject that gets even more attention as Earth Day on April 22 is nearing.