La Crescent

Grapevine

Variety Description

Variety used for comparison: 'Seyval Blanc'

Summary: The mature leaf of 'La Crescent' is a medium green colour while it is dark green for 'Seyval Blanc'. 'La Crescent' has a more open petiole sinus than 'Seyval Blanc'. The petiole of 'La Crescent' is medium length while it is short in 'Seyval Blanc'. 'La Crescent' has a loose to medium density fruit cluster while it is a dense to very dense fruit cluster for 'Seyval Blanc'. The berry number per cluster for 'La Crescent' is few while it is medium for 'Seyval Blanc'. 'La Crescent' has a very short to short berry while they are short to medium in length for 'Seyval Blanc'. The berry of 'La Crescent' is a yellow-amber colour with a medium bloom while it is a green-yellow colour with a weak bloom in 'Seyval Blanc'. 'La Crescent' matures earlier than 'Seyval Blanc'. The winter hardiness of 'La Crescent' is better than in 'Seyval Blanc'.

Description:

YOUNG SHOOT TIP: opened tip with small leaves clearly seperate, very weak to weak anthocyanin in stripes, none or very sparse prostrate or erect hairs present
SHOOT: dorsal and ventral side of internodes and nodes are green, absent or very weak anthocyanin colouration of buds, erect to semi-erect attitude
WOODY SHOOTS: circular to elliptic in cross section, striate surface, yellowish brown, no lenticels, absent or very sparse erect hairs on nodes and internodes
TENDRILS: discontinuous, short

YOUNG LEAF: green upper side, absent or very weak anthocyanin colouration, absent or very sparse erect hairs between the veins, very sparse to sparse prostrate and erect hairs on main veins
MATURE LEAF: medium length, pentagonal to circular, 3 lobes, medium green upper side, flat to striate in profile, very weak to weak blistering on upper side, no undulation of leaf blade near the petiole, short to medium length teeth compared to their width at the base, rectilinear to convex shaped teeth, very open to opened petiole sinus, u-shaped base of petiole sinus, upper leaf sinuses open, v-shaped upper leaf sinuses, absent or very weak anthocyanin colouration of the main veins on upper and lower sides, very sparse to sparse prostrate hairs between the veins and on the main veins on lower side, very sparse to sparse erect hairs on the main veins on the upper side, sparse erect hairs between the veins on the lower side, very sparse to sparse erect hairs on main veins on the lower side, medium length petiole, none or very sparse prostrate and erect hairs on petiole

FLOWER: hermaphrodite

FRUIT CLUSTER: medium length, loose to medium density, very low to low weight, small number of berries, medium length peduncle, weak to medium ignification of peduncle
BERRY: very short to short, very low to low weight, uniform size, roundish, circular in cross-section, uniform yellow-amber skin colour, medium bloom, thin skin, clear flesh, juicy, neutral flavour, medium firmness of flesh, very short pedicel, easy seperation from pedicel, seed hilum colour visible, seeds present

AGRONOMY: early to medium ripening, hardy winter survival, high sugar content of berry, very high total acid content of berry

Origin & Breeding History: 'La Crescent' arose from a controlled cross as part of a grape breeding program at the University of Minnesota Horticultural Research Centre in Carver County, Minnesota. The cross occurred in 1988 between 'St. Pepin' and the unnamed selection 'E.S. 6-8-25', where 'E.S. 6-8-25' is the result of a V. riparia X 'Muscat Hamburg' cross. The initial seedling of 'La Crescent' was selected in 1992 based on the selection criteria: well-branched habit, large flowers, flowering under short days, vigor and reliable cutting propagation and cutting stability. Observations occurred thru 2002.

Tests & Trials: The test and trials of 'La Crescent' were conducted in production vineyards in St. Paul d'Abbotsford, Quebec in 2010 and 2011. Plants were grown in 100 meter rows with spacing within the row of 1.2 meters and spacing between the rows of 2.5 meters.

Click on image for larger view

Grapevine: 'La Crescent' (left) with reference variety 'Seyval Blanc' (right)