FAMU has been granted patents for two new grape varieties, called the Floriana and the Florida Onyx. According to Violet Tsolova, director of FAMU’s Center for Viticulture and Small Fruit Research, the center will work to license the new grape plants, to generate royalties to support future research.

These patents are an important development for the Florida grape and wine industry. “The long-term sustainability of the state and national grape industry depends on new genetic resources that carry adaptive traits capable of overcoming the existing and future challenges in grape industry sustainability,” said Tsolova.

• Violeta Tsolova