2006 Annual Report 4d.Progress report. This report serves to document research conducted under a grant agreement between ARS and University of Idaho. Additional details of research can be found in the report for the parent project 5358-21000-034-00D, Production Systems to Promote Yield and Quality of Grapes in the Pacific Northwest. Dr. Essie Fallahi and collaborators conducted the following research towards the agreements objectives: Table grapes will fit perfectly in the operation of any wine grape or small fruit grower and will have excellent local market and export potential. Pome and stone fruit markets fluctuate widely due to the competitive nature of the global fruit market and the use of controlled atmosphere storage, which has resulted in extending fruit availability in the market and reducing or eliminating the window for the Pacific Northwest market. Therefore, a large number of growers are seeking an alternative fruit crop, and table grapes are an excellent alternative for growers in Washington, Idaho, and Oregon. In the first phase of this project, we experimented with 38 varieties and found some that can be successfully grown under the climate conditions of southern Idaho. For the second phase of this project, we are evaluating adaptation, vine growth, maturity, quality, berry size, and consumer preference of 22 new selections and cultivars from the University of Arkansas Table Grape Breeding Program and other institutions. Several new cultivars were planted during the first year of this proposed project. Selections and cultivars were chosen based on characteristics such as seedlessness, color, flavor and texture. We have been studying the effects of cluster removal (thinning), cluster cutting, gibberellic acid application, and girdling on quality factors such as berry size in cultivars that show promising performance in our conditions in the first and second phases of the project. Our research indicates that with practices such as girdling, cluster removal and cutting, we can produce table grapes with excellent cluster and berry size. The results also indicate that many of tested cultivars not only mature after California grape production has slowed or finished, but also have superior berry color without the addition of growth regulators.