Autumn Royal

Autumn Royal is a seedless table grape variety first produced in California, and released in 1996. Its parentage includes many types of grapes, including Black rose, Calmeria, Flame Seedless and Ribier.

Autumn Royal
Grape (Vitis)
Autumn royal table grapes
Color of berry skin	Black
Species	Vitis vinifera
Also called	A 97-68
Origin	California
Original pedigree	Autumn Black × C74-1
Breeder	David Ramming and Ron Tarailo
Breeding institute	USDA ARS Hort. Crops Research Lab (Parlier, CA)[1]
VIVC number	17651

Description

The berries of the Autumn Royal are larger than most other grape varieties produce. The berries naturally weigh at least 8 grams, compared with the berries of the Thompson seedless, which weigh 6-7 grams even when girdled and treated with gibberellin.^[2] It is currently the largest natural berry size among seedless cultivars. The berries are in an ovaloid shape and purple to black in color.

Commercial appeal

The main commercial appeal to Autumn Royal grapes is their large natural size and late maturity. Because of their large natural size, it is not necessary for growth treatments to be used. Relatively few inputs are required to produce high-quality fruit.^[2] According to a 2010-11 report to the California Table Grape Commission, Autumn Royal is among the fourteen top-selling California-grown grapes in the state.^[3]