* Ancient Origins: Evidence suggests that seedless grapes were cultivated in the ancient world, possibly as early as 2,000 years ago. These were likely naturally occurring mutations in grapevines that produced seedless fruit.
* Modern Breeding: In the 19th century, scientists began intensifying the breeding process to create new varieties of grapes, including those with desirable characteristics like seedlessness. This involved crossing different varieties and selecting for offspring with the desired traits.
* Key Developments:
* Early 1900s: The development of Thompson Seedless in California was a major breakthrough, as it was a highly productive and commercially successful seedless variety.
* 1960s-1970s: The use of irradiation in the 1960s led to a dramatic increase in seedless grape varieties by inducing mutations in existing cultivars.
Therefore, pinpointing a single "discovery" date for seedless grapes is difficult. Instead, it's a story of centuries of cultivation, breeding, and innovation that led to the diverse and abundant seedless grapes we enjoy today.