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How are seedless grapes grown?

Seedless grapes cannot be grown in the conventional way, from seeds. Therefore, to produce a new plant, growers take cuttings from other seedless grape plants and root them.

Although the exact origin of seedless grapes is unknown, it's possible that they were first cultivated thousands of years ago in the regions presently defined as Iran and Afghanistan. The seedless grape originated by way of a genetic mutation (called stenospermoscarpy) in which the hard seed casing failed to develop.

One the most popular varieties of seedless grape today is the green Thompson seedless grape. Ninety percent of all raisins are made from this variety of grape.

Sources: Feldman, David. Why Do Clocks Run Clockwise? and Other Imponderables, pp. 218-19; Sutton, Caroline, and Duncan M. Anderson. How Do They Do That?, pp. 98-100.

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