I am really into the 'Fuzzy leaf' rhodies, like Yaku/Bureauvii hybrids. Is anyone out there growing them from seed and , if so, would you be interested in trading for grape hybrids?

These abstracts may be informative. CYTOGENETIC STUDY OF INTERSPECIFIC HYBRIDS BETWEEN VIRIS ROTUNDIFOLIA AND VITIS VINIFERA Authors: X. Xu, J. Lu Muscadine grape (Vitis rotundifolia Michx.) has a chromosome number of 2n = 40. European bunch grape (Vitis vinifera L.) has a chromosome number 2n = 38. With few exceptions, the chromosome number of hybrids between V. rotundifolia and V. vinifera is 2n = 39. As a result, the hybrids are either completely sterile or highly sterile with some fertility. To understand the variation of hybrid fertility, a study was conducted to investigate the chromosome number and pairings of the interspecific hybrids Jumbo (V. rotundifolia) x ÂThompson Seedless (V. vinifera) in mitosis and meiosis. Interspecific hybrids were obtained from crosses of muscadine grape (female) x V. vinifera (male) and from reciprocal crosses. Chromosome numbers of the hybrids used for this investigation were first confirmed by root tip cells (RTC) in mitosis. Most of them had a chromosome number 2n = 39. Several morphological characteristics also clearly indicated that they are true hybrids of V. rotundifolia x V. vinifera. Microscopy studies at meiosis of pollen mother cells (PMCs) showed a certain degree of chromosome pairing (bivalent) with some multivalent and monovalents. For those hybrids with 2n = 39, chromosome pairs ranged from 13 to 19. The result indicated that the low fertility of the hybrids is mainly due to the lack of chromosome pairings in their meiosis. A GENETIC MAP OF VITIS RUPESTRIS X MUSCADINIA ROTUNDIFOLIA LOCATING RESISTANCE TO XIPHINEMA INDEX, THE DAGGER NEMATODE Michaeleen Callahan , Yimin Jin , Fangyou Gao , Andrew Walker Muscadinia rotundifolia has very strong resistance to a wide range of grape pests. Although this species is generally incompatible with Vitis species, it does make fertile hybrids with V. rupestris. These hybrids form a unique genetic bridge allowing introgression of resistance genes into cultivated grape. Genetic linkage maps of two V. rupestris "A. de Serres" (2n=38) X M. rotundifolia "Cowart" (2n=40) hybrids were constructed using the pseudotestcross strategy. Four hundred eighteen AFLP markers, 32 ISSR markers, 23 RAPD markers, and 18 microsatellites were used in the maps. Markers segregating 1:1 (316) were used to construct framework maps by comparing results from PGRI, MAPMAKER 3.0, and JoinMap 3.0. Each map contained 19 linkage groups (LOD > 4.0) covering 806 cM and 902 cM for the paternal and maternal parents respectively. One hundred seventy-three markers segregating 3:1 were used to align homeologous linkage groups between the maps. Genome length and map coverage will be presented. A locus associated with resistance to Xiphinema index, the dagger nematode vector of grapevine fanleaf virus, was also positioned on the map. "Muscadine grapes (Vitis rotundifolia) Subgenus Muscadinia has 2n=40 chromosomes compared to 2n=38 for bunch grapes Very resistant to common grape diseases Do not cross readily with bunch grapes Unique flavor and texture" from http://www.hort.purdue.edu/hort/courses/HORT414/Grapelecture.html "Dunstan developed a number of Vitis x Muscadinia hybrids that were backcrossed to interspecific Vitis hybrids. The offspring from these difficult to accomplish crosses have many characteristics of both parents and restored fertility (often lost in Vitis x Muscadinia hybrids). " from http://www.ars-grin.gov/npgs/cgc_reports/grapecgc2001.htm These references: Lu, J., Prins, B. Interspecific hybridization between Euvitis and Muscadinia grape species. (2000). Hortscience 35: 501. Lu, J., Schell, L. Intersubgeneric hybridization between Muscadinia and Euvitis species. (1998). Hortscience 33: 516. Lu, J., Schell, L. Introgressing seedlessness from Vitis vinifera into Vitis rotundifolia. (1999). Hortscience, pp. 523-524. Lu, J., Schell, L., Ramming, D. W. Interspecific hybridization between Vitis rotundifolia and Vitis vinifera and evaluation of the hybrids. (2000). Acta Horticulturae 528: 479-486.

I have an interest in breeding hybrid grapes. I'm from England, we get a lot of hybrids here but too many American ones with labrusca in. I do not consider labrusca much better for cool summers than vinifera. I believe the key to making cool summer tolerant grapes is to cross amurensis with vinifera. Amurensis ripens early and the area has cool to warmish summers and unbeatable cold hardiness. It comes from the Russian far east, not too far from Vitis coignetiae actually. Ivan Michurin's institute developed a lot of grapes from amurensis crosses and they all perform well in Scandinavia, the Baltic states and British Isles. We don't have to worry so much about winter cold here, ripening is the issue but amurensis is very hardy anyway. Amurensis x (labrusca x vinifera) is another potential one Why have you chosen Vitis coignetiae may I ask? It's not usually used to make hybrids (not sure if it just hasn't been tested for such or doesn't make good crosses). Good luck anyway, I hope to start my own project this year.

This is a cluster of Richard Walden A hybrid of Flame x ES 5-17, an Elmer Swenson cross.