Thomcord is a seedless table grape variety and a hybrid of the popular Thompson Seedless or Sultanina grape (a Vitis vinifera variety) and Concord grape (a Vitis labrusca variety). Thomcord was developed in 1983 by Californian grape breeders working for the Agricultural Research Service (ARS), an agency of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), as part of a test to better understand a new seedless grape breeding procedure. Its aromatic, "labrusca" flavor is similar to that of Concord, but mellowed by the mild, sweet taste from Thompson Seedless. Thomcord grows well in hot, dry climates, ripens between late July and mid-August, and is tolerant to powdery mildew. It is a productive variety, yielding an average of 15.1 kg (33 lb) of grapes per vine. The plant is not restricted for propagation and distribution. Virus-free propagation material is available from the Foundation Plant Services (FPS) at the University of California, Davis, and its genetic material is archived at the National Plant Germplasm System. After 17 years of testing, it was declared ready for use in 2003. It is expected to appear in supermarkets, possibly as a specialty item.

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_______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries:

1080:

On the death of his brother Harald III, Canute IV, who later would be the first Dane to be canonized, became King of Denmark. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canute_IV_of_Denmark

1907:

Construction started on the first ship in the Minas Geraes class, making Brazil the third country in the world to build a dreadnought battleship and sparking a South American naval arms race. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minas_Geraes-class_battleship

1961:

Armed Cuban exiles backed by the CIA invaded Cuba, landing in the Bay of Pigs, with the aim of overthrowing the Cuban government under Fidel Castro. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bay_of_Pigs_Invasion

1975:

The Khmer Rouge under Pol Pot captured Phnom Penh, ending the Cambodian Civil War, and established Democratic Kampuchea. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cambodian_Civil_War

1984:

British police officer Yvonne Fletcher was shot and killed while on duty during a protest outside the Libyan embassy in London's St James's Square, resulting in an eleven-day police siege of the building, and causing a breakdown of diplomatic relations between the United Kingdom and Libya. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_Yvonne_Fletcher

_____________________________ Wiktionary's word of the day:

Paphian (adj): Pertaining to love or sexual desire, especially when illicit http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Paphian

___________________________ Wikiquote quote of the day:

The Anarchists never have claimed that liberty will bring perfection; they simply say that its results are vastly preferable to those that follow authority. --Benjamin Tucker http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Benjamin_Tucker