Grape Variety: Pixie

Variety Name	Pixie
Countries of Origin	United States
Species	Vitis vinifera
Institution	USDA-ARS
Year Released	2006
Berry Color	Black
Comments	In 2006, the USDA Agricultural Research Service released Pixie, a dwarf grapevine for research. Pixie has a natural mutation that shortens the internodes and causes the vine to produce flowers instead of tendrils. As a result, Pixie vines are quite small and are easy to cultivate in a greenhouse or growth chamber. The vines constantly produce flowers and many vines have fruit at all stages of development on the plant simultaneously. Because of the small size and continuous flowering habit, Pixie vines may be useful in viticulture and grapevine biology research and teaching.

Pixie PhotosClick photo to enlarge

	Pixie [01]
Registration Status	Registered
Source	Peter Cousins, USDA-ARS Plant Genetics Research Unit, NYSAES, Cornell University, Geneva, New York
Comments	Pixie was donated to the FPS public collection in 2008 by Dr. Peter Cousins, Cornell University and USDA-ARS Plant Genetics Research Unit, New York State Agricultural Experiment Station at Geneva, New York. Dr. Cousins is a geneticist who helped develop Pixie with UC Davis scientist David Tricoli. Pixie is used for research and breeding. The cultivar is a dwarf grapevine regenerated from embryogenic cells of the Pinot Meunier variety. A natural mutation causes shortening of internodes and causes the vine to produce flowers instead of tendrils. Mature Pixie clusters measure slightly less than four inches long, and the cultivar can be grown to maturity in a greenhouse. The cultivar is unusual in its ability to initiate fruit all year round, which allows for accelerating research. The original material for Pixie 01 successfully qualified for the FPS foundation vineyard in 2011. Pixie 01 underwent microshoot tip tissue culture therapy at FPS in 2012 and successfully completed testing to qualify for the Russell Ranch Foundation Vineyard in 2013.