Arkansas wine and juice lovers are about to have a new reason to raise a glass. The state's fruit breeders have unveiled fresh varieties that stretch the harvest season by withstanding colder temperatures.

The two muscadine varieties, profiled here by FoodPrint, are a nod to the past. Known as Mighty Fine and Altus, the muscadines have been grown in Arkansas before. But the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station developed versions that survive cold snaps, which often damage legacy varieties, the University of Arkansas reported.

In fact, past cold seasons had nearly obliterated muscadine crops. In April 2021, an overnight freeze in Arkansas resulted in "total crop loss for the season and possibly next season in many northern parts of the state," said Amanda McWhirt, extension horticultural crop specialist for the UA System Division of Agriculture, per Fruit Growers News.

Such freezes prompted researchers to find ways to give crops like these, which are important to the Arkansas agricultural economy, some defense against extreme weather events. Muscadine grapes are native to Arkansas and are popular to grow because they resist insects and disease well. People use them to make everything from jam to wine, according to UA.

Researchers are also excited about what the discovery could spark.

"I think it's an opportunity for Arkansas producers to expand what they're doing with different fruit crops," said Margaret Worthington, director of the Fruit Breeding Program for the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station, per UA. It's possible that what worked to bring these new, stronger varieties to life could work on other crops to extend their harvesting seasons.

That could lead to more fresh food for all with less food waste — a major benefit since waste is a top threat to global food security. By helping growers keep crops alive, these efforts could also reduce the need for repeated planting and reliance on imports, which creates pollution.

Fortunately, numerous research teams around the world are collaborating to protect crops. For instance, one team developed pathogen-fighting sprays that target fungal diseases. Another combined crop farms with solar farms to regulate sunlight and weather.

The new Altus and Mighty Fine crops will be released this fall. They're "a testament to the hard work and dedication of our Fruit Breeding Program team to deliver new varieties for producers," according to Parker Cole, associate director of technology commercialization for UA's System Division of Agriculture, as quoted by UA.

Program researchers will also continue to work on other varieties to expand the muscadine industry in Arkansas.

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