Patent Grant
PP29634
Latin name of the genus and species of the plant claimed: Prunus dulcis.
Variety denomination: ‘RHEA’.
The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of almond varieties, botanically known as Prunus dulcis, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘RHEA’.
The disclosure provides a new and distinct variety of almond tree, botanically known as Prunus dulcis, synonymous with Prunus amygdalus Batsch., Amygdalus communis L., and Amygdalus dulcis Mill., which belongs to the Rosaceae family, and is hereinafter referred to by the variety denomination ‘RHEA’.
The new Prunus dulcis variety is a product of a controlled breeding program conducted by the inventors Michelle Wirthensohn and Andrew Granger in Adelaide, Australia. The objective of the breeding program was to develop new almond varieties with high production, self-fertility and good kernel characteristics.
The new Prunus dulcis ‘RHEA’ originated from a cross in 1998 in Adelaide, Australia. The female or seed parent is Prunus dulcis variety designated ‘Le Grand’ (unpatented) and the male or pollen parent is an Australian Prunus dulcis variety designated ‘Keane’ (unpatented). The new Prunus dulcis ‘RHEA’ was selected by the inventors from the progeny of the stated cross in field trials in 2009 in Lindsay Point, Australia. First observations occurred in 2005.
Asexual propagation of the new Prunus dulcis ‘RHEA’ by grafting onto Prunus persica (L.) Batsch rootstock designated ‘Nemaguard’ (unpatented) was first performed in 2005 in the orchard located in Lindsay Point, Australia. Asexual propagation of the new Prunus dulcis ‘RHEA’ has confirmed that the characteristics as herein disclosed for the new variety are stable and retained through successive generations of asexual propagation. The new variety propagates true-to-type.
Asexual reproduction of the new almond tree has shown that the unique features of this new almond tree are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.
The ‘RHEA’ variety of almond is of medium to large size, medium to strong vigor with slightly open growth and demonstrates very high and regular production of paper shell nuts with kernels having an excellent flavour with a light semibitter taste. The harvest maturity is slightly later than ‘Nonpareil’ (unpatented). Doubles are not produced under growing conditions in the Riverland area of South Australia. The tree is self-incompatible but cross-compatible with ‘Nonpareil’ (unpatented), ‘Peerless’ (unpatented), ‘Sonora’ (unpatented) and ‘Monterey’ (unpatented).
The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics which make the new variety ‘RHEA’ clearly distinguishable from its parents and the variety most similar of common knowledge which is ‘Somerton’ (unpatented):
The following characteristics listed in Table 1 have been repeatedly observed in combination and distinguish ‘RHEA’ as a new and distinct almond variety:
Distinguishing characteristics of ‘RHEA’ are set out in Table 1. Plants of the new ‘RHEA’ almond tree have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment, such as temperature, day length and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.
The primary difference between the new variety and the female parent ‘Le Grand’ (unpatented) is the new variety is self-sterile, whereas ‘Le Grand’ (unpatented) is self-fertile and does not require a pollinator tree planted near to fertilize the flowers and, thus, produce almonds. In comparison to its male parent ‘Keane’ (unpatented), the new variety has slightly open growth habit, whereas ‘Keane’ (unpatented) has upright growth habit.
The primary difference between the new variety and the most similar variety of common knowledge ‘Somerton’ (unpatented) is the new variety has ovate shaped dry fruit with light colored kernels, whereas ‘Somerton’ (unpatented) has elliptic shaped dry fruit with dark colored kernels.
The accompanying photographs (drawings) illustrate the overall appearance of the new Prunus dulcis ‘RHEA’ showing the colors, as true as is reasonably possible with digital reproduction. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description, which accurately describe the color of ‘RHEA’. The trees were grown on Nemaguard rootstock.
Plants used in the aforementioned photographs and in the following description were grown outside under natural season conditions and cultural practices which approximate those generally used in commercial almond production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from about 14.5° C. to 48.2° C., night ranged from about −5.7° C. to 14° C. and light levels ranged from about 126,905 to 564,729 foot-candles. Measurements and numerical values represent averages for typical flowering plants.
The following is a detailed description of the new ‘RHEA’ variety when observed during the growing seasons from 2010 to 2015 at Lindsay Point, Victoria, Australia. During 2015, the ‘RHEA’ trees were nine years of age. Quantified measurements are expressed as an average of measurements taken from a number of trees of ‘RHEA’. The measurements of any individual tree (or any group of trees) of ‘RHEA’ may vary from the stated average.
Color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart (R.H.S.)., sixth edition, (2015). Color values were taken under conditions of natural light.
All of the trees of ‘RHEA’, insofar as they have been observed, have been consistent in the characteristics described below.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20170347508 P1 | Nov 2017 | US |
