Patent Application
20090229027
The Latin name is Asparagus officinalis.
The varietal denomination is ‘NJ953’.
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) and crown rot caused by Fusarium oxysporum, root rot caused by Fusarium proliferatum (syn=Fusarium moniliforme) (Johnston et al., 1979; Guerrero et al., 1999). Of course, the presence of these diseases adversely impacts the yields and therefore the profitability of the product. Accordingly, resistance to these diseases is important to commercial success.
This invention herein described relates to a new and distinct asparagus hybrid, which was developed through extensive culture and selection from a field of the variety Mary Washington (Unpatented) as an elite hybrid with many characteristics desired by growers and consumers. The hybrid was reproduced at a cultivated area located near Bridgeton and New Brunswick, New Jersey. This invention is distinguished particularly as to its desirable traits of vigorous growth habit, higher yield, good field resistance to rust (Puccinia asparagi) and good field tolerance to root and crown rot (Fusarium oxysporum) and (Fusarium moniliforme).
The color notations have been selected from observations as compared with the Munsell Limit Color Cascade. Colors are approximate as color depends on density of growth, horticultural practices, such as light level, fertilization rate, print resolution and other conditions and, therefore, the color characteristics of this new variety should be determined with reference to the observations described herein, rather than from this illustration alone. Furthermore, the coloration is not considered to be a distinguishing feature of this new variety.
An extensive program of asparagus plant development, carried out in a cultivated area in the vicinity of Bridgeton, and New Brunswick, N.J., has resulted in the development of the asparagus hybrid ‘NJ953’ 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 crossing of elite male and female parents. Both male and female parents transmit traits such as disease resistance, yield, and spear morphology to their progenies. This invention relates to new and distinct asparagus hybrid and its clone designated as ‘NJ953’. Disease resistance of the kind found in the ‘NJ953’ plant and its clone will allow growers to plant the hybrid in areas where rust, and Fusarium crown and root rot now prevent profitable culture of susceptible varieties.
Asparagus can be clonally propagated by crown division. Crown is the structure where shoots and roots join together. Division or separation at the crown area will allow the propagation of asparagus. When propagated by crown division, successive generations of ‘NJ953’ have similar morphological appearance and possess the same desirable characteristics as the original ‘NJ953’ plant.
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, asparagus plant parts such as a spear segment when cultured on appropriate nutrient medium and appropriate conditions can grow, develop, and regenerate into an asparagus plant. Such plant can be efficiently divided and multiplied in appropriate nutrient medium. A ‘NJ953’ plant propagated by such tissue culture has been found to retain the same desirable characteristics as the original ‘NJ953’ plant.
The ‘NJ953’ plant is a male plant. When crossed with different female plants, asparagus ‘NJ953’ can transmit many of its desirable traits including vigorous growth habit, higher yield, desirable spear morphology, good levels of resistance to rust (Puccinia asparagi), stem blight (Phomopsis asparagi) and field tolerance to root and crown rot (Fusarium oxysporum) and (Fusarium moniliforme) to its progenies.
Tables 1 and 2 show that in yield and disease resistance the progenies of ‘NJ953’ compare very favorably to Jersey Giant (Plant Patent #6624) and Jersey Knight (Plant patent #5551) two of most popular asparagus varieties in the world today.
Data that distinguishes asparagus plant ‘NJ953’ from other asparagus varieties that have been internally developed, as well as asparagus plants that are known and available commercially in the markets have been accumulated and are presented below.
The data (averages from 3 clones) is assembled in Table 3:
