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T.V. Munson
T.V. Munson
In 1876, Thomas Volney Munson moved to Denison, TX, USA where he started The Munson Nurseries.
Through his breeding efforts, he selected and delivered over 300 new grapevine cultivars to the world. Along the way, he became a world expert in grapevine biodiversity, anatomy, and breeding for resistance to the diseases, pests, and environmental stresses of Texas.
His passion for botany and grapevines was essential in identification and distribution of plant material resistant to grape phylloxera, an introduced pest devastating the roots of European grapevines which threatened to make European vineyards extinct.
From his years of studies, breeding, and observations, Munson published the seminal work "Foundations of American Grape Culture" in 1909. To this day, his book is used as a reference by students, growers, and researchers in the field and classroom.
In 1913, Munson passed away leaving behind a viticultural legacy larger than the trunk of any grapevine.
Foundations of American Grape Culture driving the Future of American Viticulture
Foundations of American Grape Culture driving the Future of American Viticulture
In 2025, with the founding of new grapevine breeding efforts by the Horticultural Crop Breeding group at Texas A&M University, we seek to continue learning from the past to shape a better future.
Munson's breeding efforts still serve as the foundations of American grape culture as we seek to incorporate his adapted plant material into the development of new grapevine cultivars for the 21st century. The grapevines of T.V. Munson are adapted to pests, pathogens, and environmental challenges; they have variation needed for traits our growers demand. These cultivars are a wealth of genetic resources critical to creating healthy grapes that can survive the local elements and deliver nutritious fruit to families and fermenters.
Modern grapevine breeding will merge the historical cultivars of Munson with contemporary tools for characterizing genetics, disease resistance, fruit chemistry, and phenology to create new cultivars that reshape viticulture. Our work aims to share Munson's efforts and a fruit forward taste of Texas' grapevine diversity with the world, just as he once did many moons ago.
Goal#1:
Goal#1:
Search for Munson's Lost Grapevines
Search for Munson's Lost Grapevines
Identify existing sources of plant material from the work of T.V. Munson.
Goal#2:
Goal#2:
Develop a Foundational Understanding of Munson's Many Grapevines
Develop a Foundational Understanding of Munson's Many Grapevines
Determine the genetic diversity retained in the catalog of existing T.V. Munson produced plant material.
Determine the phenotypic performance of T.V. Munson produced plant material.
Goal#3:
Goal#3:
Continue Munson's Legacy
Continue Munson's Legacy
Incorporate T.V. Munson bred grapevines into the grapevine breeding efforts of the new Texas A&M University Horticultural Crop Breeding group.
Use these historic plants to parent modern cultivars, forming rugged grapevines built for Texas and beyond.
How Can You Help?
How Can You Help?
Goal #1: Let us know if you have any unique T.V. Munson grapevines at your home or vineyard!
Goal #2: Share with us how your grapevines are performing!
Goal #3: Stay tuned for future opportunities to trial new plant material which incorporates T.V. Munson's breeding legacy!
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