Consumer-assisted selection: the preference for new tablegrape cultivars in China

Background and Aims: Many new grape breeding lines with diverse quality attributes are becoming available every year. The search for specific markets is both time-consuming and labour-intensive. Consumer-assisted selection could help improve breeding and marketing efficiency. Methods and Results: Three hundred and fifteen Chinese consumers were surveyed in Beijing; 69 of them further taste-tested ten grape samples to understand consumer preferences for tablegrape cultivars and the key attributes influencing their choice. The participants mostly preferred medium size, completely closed bunches with a tight shoulder and bunches of red to dark-coloured round or oval berries with an intense sweet-sour flavour. Intense juiciness, a crunchy texture, seedlessness and 'Muscat' aroma were supportive attributes. Conclusions: Specific preferences for extrinsic and intrinsic attributes of tablegrapes were found in Chinese consumers. Consumer-assisted selection could help improve the efficiency of breeding and targeted marketing. Significance of the Study: This study provides the first set of consumer-assisted tablegrape-selection data in China, which can be used as a reference in the breeding of new grape cultivars and in enhancing grape competitiveness in the Chinese market.