Minnesota 78

Minnesota 78 is an old selection of grapevine, developed at the University of Minnesota. It was extensively used in breeding by Elmer Swenson, with its Vitis riparia background providing a degree of adaptation to the harsh climate of the upper Midwest.

Although recorded as a cross of Beta by Witt, many have doubted this pedigree, and Swenson suggested that the male parent may be Jessica, a cross of Vitis labrusca by a variety of Vitis aestivalis. Because Witt appears to have been lost, precluding genetic testing, the truth may be known.