Sonaka
A grower-selected golden mutant of Thompson Seedless with larger, crunchy berries, widely grown for the fresh and export market.
Quick facts
- Crop
- Grapes
- Type
- Planting material
- Season
- All seasons
- Starts bearing
- ~140 days
- Expected yield
- Very high
- Suitable soil
- Loam
- Disease resistance
- Mildew-susceptible
- Release
- Released in 1977. A grower-selected clonal mutant of Thompson Seedless, not an ICAR or university release.
Actual yield depends on sowing time, soil, irrigation, weather, seed quality and crop management.
About this variety
Sonaka is a golden clonal mutant of Thompson Seedless. Grape farmers selected it and it was released in 1977, not through a formal ICAR or university breeding programme. The berries are larger, elongated and crunchy, with a little more tartness than the parent. It is one of the most widely exported Indian table grapes and is also used extensively for raisins.
Should you pick this variety?
Choose Sonaka if you sell fresh or export grapes and want a golden, crunchy seedless berry that is larger and more elongated than Thompson Seedless, with a touch more tartness. It is one of the most exported Indian table grapes and is also used for raisins. It is a grower-selected mutant of Thompson Seedless, identified by Nanasaheb Kale at Nanaj, Solapur, and released in 1977. The catch is that it is mildew-susceptible like its parent. Choose Thompson Seedless for the standard green grape. Choose Manik Chaman if raisins are your main product.
Sowing & cultivation
Advantages & considerations
Things to consider
- There is no ICAR or university release record. Like Manik Chaman, Sonaka is a grower-selected clonal mutant of Thompson Seedless, so do not describe it as an institute-bred variety.
- As a direct clone of Thompson Seedless it probably shares that parent's disease weaknesses, which fits the "Mildew-susceptible" rating. No source tests Sonaka's disease response on its own.
Suitable regions
States this variety is recommended for — check locally, since a state can have more than one recommended zone.
- Maharashtra
Export is a buyer's decision: ask before you plant
Sonaka is widely exported, but a variety does not export itself. The exporter decides what size, colour and sweetness they take.
Write down five questions for the exporter: what berry size, what sugar level, what bunch weight, from which weeks, and what price per kilo. Ask for the answers in writing.
If the exporter's size band is narrow, grow a few rows first and see how much of your crop falls inside it. The rest goes to the local market or to raisins, so know that price too.
Can you keep your own planting material?
This crop is raised from cuttings, not from seed, so you can take your own planting material. Take cuttings only from healthy, well-grown plants that are true to the variety, and never from one that showed disease — a cutting carries its mother plant with it. Where a nursery or a government farm sells clean planting material, that is the safer start.
How it compares with other varieties
Every Grapes variety with a page on this site, side by side. The row for this page is highlighted.
| Variety | Best for | Starts bearing | Yield | States |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anab-e-Shahi | A seeded, amber heritage table grape for Andhra Pradesh and Telangana buyers who still ask for it | Bearing from year 2–3 (rooted-cutting-raised vine) | 300–350 q/ha at full bearing | Andhra Pradesh, Telangana |
| Bangalore Blue | A fox-grape (Vitis labrusca) for juice, jam, jelly and wine, grown only in the Nandi Valley zone of Karnataka | Mid | High | Karnataka |
| Flame Seedless | An early, red, firm seedless table grape for the coloured fresh market, grown around Nashik | Early | High | Maharashtra, Karnataka |
| Manik Chaman | A sweet, elongated-berry Thompson Seedless mutant grown mainly for raisins in Maharashtra | ~140 days | Very high | Maharashtra |
| Sharad Seedless | A black, thick-skinned seedless grape that ripens later than Thompson, for the October–February market | Bearing from year 2–3 (rooted-cutting-raised vine) | 200–250 q/ha at full bearing | Maharashtra |
| Sonakathis page | A golden, large-berry Thompson Seedless mutant for the fresh and export market, also used for raisins | ~140 days | Very high | Maharashtra |
| Thompson Seedless | The base green seedless grape for table and raisins in Maharashtra and Karnataka, for farmers who run a monsoon spray programme | Bearing from year 2–3 (rooted-cutting-raised vine) | 250–300 q/ha at full bearing | Maharashtra, Karnataka |
Tools for this crop
The numbers you need next: how much seed to buy, whether the lot germinates, what the fertilizer bill looks like and what Grapes is selling for.
- Seed Rate CalculatorHow much seed your Grapes plot needs, corrected for the germination of the lot you bought.
- Seed Variety FinderFilter every Grapes variety on this site by state, season, duration and soil.
- Fertilizer CalculatorTurn the NPK recommendation for Grapes into bags of urea, DAP and MOP for your field size.
- Crop Profit CalculatorPut your seed, labour and input costs against the yield you expect from this variety.
- Mandi Price CheckerToday's Grapes rate in your nearest mandi, before you fix a price with a trader.
Subsidy and government support
Schemes that help with the cost of Grapes seed or planting material. Rules and the application route are on each scheme page.
Frequently asked questions
Is Sonaka a distinct breed or a version of another grape?
It is a clonal mutant of Thompson Seedless, released in 1977 — not an independently bred variety.
What is Sonaka mainly used for?
Fresh table consumption and export, plus significant use in raisin production.
How does Sonaka differ from Manik Chaman, the other Thompson mutant on this crop page?
Both are grower-selected clonal mutants of Thompson Seedless. Sonaka was released earlier (1977, against about 1982 for Manik Chaman). It is mainly a fresh and export grape with a strong yield record. Manik Chaman is used mainly for raisins, and the sources disagree on its yield.
Is Sonaka disease-resistant?
It is likely to be mildew-susceptible, like its Thompson Seedless parent, so plan sprays for wet spells. No source tests Sonaka's disease response on its own.
What does the berry look like?
Golden-hued, larger and more elongated than typical round Thompson Seedless berries, crunchy with a slightly tart edge to the sweetness.
Sonaka or Thompson Seedless for my vineyard?
Sonaka is golden, larger, more elongated, crunchy and a little more tart, and it is one of India's most exported table grapes. Thompson Seedless is the green base grape for table and raisins. They share the same mildew weakness, so the spray programme is the same. Choose Sonaka if your buyer pays for larger, crunchy berries.
Who found Sonaka and when?
Nanasaheb Kale identified it at Nanaj, Solapur district, as a bud-sport mutant of Thompson Seedless in 1977, which is the year it was released. He is also credited with developing Sharad Seedless. It came from a farmer's vine, not from an institute breeding programme.
What should I check with an exporter before planting Sonaka?
Ask which berry size, colour and sugar they accept, what they pay per kilo, and from which weeks. Sonaka is widely exported, but whether you can export depends on your buyer, packhouse and paperwork. Get these answers in writing before you plant a block.
Can Sonaka be dried into raisins as well?
Yes, it is also used extensively for raisins. No raisin recovery figure is published, so dry a small lot first. If raisins are your main aim, Manik Chaman with its 20–22°Brix juice is the mutant built for that.
Does Sonaka need a mildew spray programme?
Yes. It is rated mildew-susceptible, like Thompson Seedless, so plan sprays for wet spells and the monsoon. Follow your state horticulture department's schedule.
Sourced from: Grapes, TNAU Agritech Portal (lists Sonaka among the grape varieties normally cultivated). editorial policy.