commercially in Florida only since
about 1968 with the availability of
proven PD-resistant varieties with
eating quality superior to the old
backyard cultivars. Muscadine vari-
ety trials began in 1959 at Leesburg,
and newer selections were tested
prior to naming under cooperative
agreements with breeders at N. C.
Agricultural Experiment Station in
Raleigh, Ga. Experimental Station
at Experiment, and U.S. Horticul-
tural Field Station at Meridian,
Mississippi. Outstanding cultivars
such as 'Fry', 'Summit', 'Triumph',
"Cowart', 'Southland', 'Jumbo',
'Chief', 'Tarheel', Dixie' (released
in 1976 jointly with N. C. State
Univ.), 'Welder' and 'Noble' have
been recommended as PD-resistant
commercial cultivars for Florida
growers based on tests at ARC's
in Ft. Pierce, Leesburg, Live Oak,
Jay, Monticello and in pivately
owned vineyards under cooperative
agreements.
 The Florida muscadine acreage
increased from about 50 acres in
1970 to over 400 acres in 1981.
Most of the increase is in pick-your-
own vineyards ranging from 1 to 10
acres in size, since gross income per
ton of fruit is 4 to 6 times what it
would be selling bulk fruit wholesale
for other purposes. (Two growers in
Florida now have about 40 acres in
vines). There are over 60 musca-
dine grape growers in Florida with
one or more acres.
 Another reason that few musca-
dine grapes have been successfully
channeled into bulk handling out-


Norris (1966)


Stover (1968)