Patent Application
20140109268
Blueberries are a well-known fruit enjoyed by many throughout the world. One example of an existing, patented blueberry variety is Star, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,675. Another example of an existing, patented blueberry variety is Rebel, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 18,138.
Compared to Star, the present cultivar, BB05-185GA, has a fruit color that is much lighter in color. The chill requirement for BB05-185GA is slightly more (500 hrs vs. 400 hrs). Fruit maturity is about 7 days later than Star. Fruit size is much larger and consistent in sizing. New leaf growth is reddish in color.
Compared to Rebel, BB05-185GA has a more upright bush shape. The chill requirement for BB05-185GA is more than Rebel (500 vs. 300). Fruit maturity is later than Rebel by 10-14 days. Fruit is lighter blue color, firmer and with very high sweetness as compared to Rebel. New leaf growth is reddish in color.
The present cultivar, BB05-185GA, provides one or more advantages compared to these and/or other blueberry varieties.
Note: statements of characteristics herein represent exemplary observations of the cultivar herein and will vary depending on time of year, location, annual weather, etc. Where dimensions, sizes, colors, and other characteristics are given, it is to be understood that such characteristics are approximations and averages. The descriptions reported herein are largely from specimen plants grown near Manor, Ga. Data were obtained on a plant that was 3 years old.
Cultivar Name: BB05-185GA.
Classification:
Botanical name: Vaccinium corymbosum
Common name: Blueberry
Parentage:
Cooper (unpatented) (G180 unpatented×US75 unpatented).
U.S. Plant Pat. No.: none.
Compared to Cooper, BB05-185GA has a higher chill requirement (400 vs. 500). Cooper has much smaller and darker blue colored berries and Cooper ripens 10 days before BB05-185GA. Cooper has medium upright habit while the habit for BB05-185GA is upright. Cooper blooms 5-10 days later than BB05-185GA.
Name: Draper (Duke unpatented×G751 unpatented).
U.S. Plant Pat. No. : 15,103.
Compared to Draper, BB05-185GA has a much lower chill requirement (800 vs. 500); BB05-185GA is adapted to a lower chill production area, while Draper is not. The bush shape of BB05-185GA is more upright than Draper, the fruit is rounder in shape and lighter blue color. New leaf growth of BB05-185GA is reddish in color and fruit maturation is 6 weeks earlier than Draper.
BB05-185GA was created from a cross made in 2005 in a South Haven, Mich. greenhouse. Bushes were grown for one year in Grand Junction, Mich. and then planted in an observation trial near Manor, Ga. in 2006. The plant exhibited fruit and morphological characteristics that are desirable—maturity date, bush habit and vigor, and outstanding fruit quality. Additional plants have been propagated by softwood cuttings and tissue culture, and several multi-bush trials were established in 2011 throughout southeastern Georgia.
BB05-185GA was first asexually propagated by softwood cuttings that have been taken several times, the first in 2006. The propagated plants have retained the original characteristics. The variety roots readily from softwood cuttings or tissue culture microshoots.
All field observations were made in Spring 2012 on a 3-year old plant located in a trial near Manor, Ga., propagated from the original bush selection. Laboratory analysis of fruit characteristics were done in Grand Junction, Mich.
General comments: BB05-185GA is a new and distinct low chill tetraploid Southern highbush blueberry (Vaccinium) variety of complex ancestry, based largely on V. corymbosum and with over 13% V. darrowii and small contributions of V. angustifolium, V. tenellum, and V. ashei. It is a productive mid-late season variety that ripens between Star, a widely planted mid-season highbush variety, and Climax, an early season rabbiteye variety. It is characterized as having a very large fruit with a very small and dry picking scar, light blue color, very firm with outstanding fruit quality and flavor for fresh market. The variety appears to be a good candidate for mechanical harvest due to a concentrated ripening period, upright bush habit, and easy detachment of firm fruit. It is intended for areas which successfully grow lower chill Southern highbush varieties. The fruit are large, typically 2 grams or more per berry, well exposed on a very upright bush with a small crown. The mean date of 50% flowering is March 1 in Southeast Georgia. Winter chill requirement for successful flowering and leafing is approximately 500 hours (<7° C.). Flowering and leafing are synchronous and during milder winters this variety tends to be evergreen. The fruit are large in size. The 50% ripening date is normally May 8. Fruit shape is oblate in shape with medium high amounts of waxy bloom that is mostly persistent after handling. This variety has outstanding flavor with very high levels of sweetness balanced with medium acidity and is also very firm and juicy. Storage ability in refrigeration can be 2 to 3 weeks. Thus, in part BB05-185GA provides outstanding fruit quality and flavor, its harvest season fills a void between highbush and rabbiteye seasons and it has good machine harvest potential.
References to color refer to The Pantone Book of Color, Eisemann and Herbert, Harry N. Abrams, Inc. Publishers, New York, ISBN 0-8109-3711-5, 1990.
No spectrographic device was used to take color readings.
Morphological characteristics reference: Plant Systematics, Jones and Luchsinger, 2 Ed., McGraw Hill, New York, ISBN 0-07-032796-3, 1986.
