Patent Application
20050081270
The Latin name is Asparagus officinalis.
The varietal denomination is ‘NJ 854’.
For an asparagus plant to be commercially viable and profitable, good yield is essential. It is well known that asparagus is susceptible to a number of diseases. Among the most devastating are rust caused by Puccinia asparagi d.c., (Kahn et al. 1952), crown and root rot caused by Fusarium oxysporum and crown rot caused by Fusarium moniliforme (Johnston et al., 1979; Guerrero et al., 1999). Of course, the presence of these diseases aversely impacts the yields and therefore the profitability of the product. Accordingly, resistance to these diseases is essential.
The invention herein described relates to a new and distinct male asparagus hybrid, which we have developed as an elite hybrid with many characteristics desired by growers and consumers. It is distinguished particularly as to its highly desirable traits of vigorous growth habit, high yield, resistance to rust (Puccinia asparagi), and good field tolerance to root and crown rot caused by Fusarium oxysporum and Fusarium mondiforme respectively, as compared to its progenies.
Yield of asparagus may vary significantly among genotypes. In tests carried out in New Jersey, hybrid ‘NJ 854’ has produced high yield comparable to Jersey Giant (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 5,551) and Jersey Knight (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 6,624), two of the leading asparagus cultivars grown throughout the world. Resistance of rust and tolerance to crown and root rot found in ‘NJ 854’ will allow growers to plant ‘NJ 854’ where rust and Fusarium now prevent profitable culture of susceptible varieties. The following table shows that in yield the progenies of ‘NJ 854’ compare very favorably to Jersey Giant and Jersey Knight.
The color notations in our Data Summary have been selected by us from observations as compared with the Munsell Limit Color Cascade. It should be mentioned that foliage color of asparagus could be affected by many factors including plant nutrition, temperature, humidity and the density of growth. Furthermore, the coloration is not considered to be a distinguishing feature of this new variety.
An extensive program of asparagus plant improvement, carried out by us in the vicinity of Bridgeton, N.J. and New Brunswick, N.J., has resulted in the development of the asparagus hybrid ‘NJ 854’ with many desirable traits.
Asparagus (Asparagus officinalis linn.) is a dioecious species with individual plants being either male or female in sex. In addition to differences in morphology, “cultivars” may also differ in local adaptation, yield, disease resistance, and longevity. Desirable cultivars are developed by the crossing of appropriate elite male and female asparagus plants. Both male and female parents transmit traits such as disease resistance, yield, and spear morphology to their progenies. This invention relates to a new and distinct asparagus hybrid and its clones designated as ‘NJ 854’. Plant ‘NJ 854’ possesses several desirable traits including vigorous growth habit, higher yield, resistance to rust (Puccinia asparagi) good field tolerance to root and crown rot (Fusarium oxysporum) and (Fusarium mondiforme). ‘NJ 854’ is produced by crossing female asparagus plant ‘NJ56’ U.S. Plant Pat. No. 5,652 and homozygous male asparagus plant ‘NJ 22-34’ (Unpatented). The asparagus hybrid ‘NJ 854’ is male.
Asparagus can be clonally propagated by crown division. The crown is the structure where shoots and roots join together. Division or separation at the crown area will allow the propagation of asparagus. We have shown that ‘NJ 854’ hybrid plants propagated by crown division have similar morphological appearance and possess the same desirable characteristics as the original ‘NJ 854’ The instant plant reproduces true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction. Asexual reproduction was carried out at New Brunswick, N.J.
Asparagus can also be clonally propagated by tissue culture. An asparagus shoot tip or meristem when cultured on appropriate nutrient medium and appropriate conditions can grow, develop, and regenerate into a plant. Also, an asparagus plant part such as a spear segment when cultured on appropriate nutrient medium and appropriate conditions can grow, develop, and regenerate into an asparagus plant. Such a plant can be efficiently divided and multiplied in appropriate nutrient medium. When propagated by such tissue culture, the ‘NJ 854’ progeny retains the same desirable characteristics as the original ‘NJ 854’.
When crossed with different female plants, asparagus ‘NJ 854’ can transmit many of its desirable traits including vigorous growth habit, higher yield, resistance to rust (Puccinia asparagi) good field tolerance to root and crown rot (Fusarium oxysporum and Fusarium mondiforme) to its progenies.
Morphological data has been accumulated that distinguishes asparagus plant ‘NJ 854’ from other asparagus varieties that has been internally developed, as well as asparagus plants that are known and available commercially in the markets.
The data (averages from 3 clones) are assembled from five year old plants located at Rutgers Research and Extension Center in Bridgeton, N.J. The plants are described in the following table:
