Latin name of the genus and species of the plant claimed: Vaccinium corymbosum.
Variety denomination: BLUEBERRY PLANT NAMED ‘BB06-126VC-4’.
Blueberries are a well-known fruit enjoyed by many throughout the world. One example of an existing commercial blueberry variety is ‘Duke’, unpatented. Another example of an existing, patented blueberry variety is ‘Emerald’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 12,165.
Comparing ‘BB06-126VC-4’ to ‘Duke’, the immature summer cane color of ‘BB06-126VC-4’ is olive green compared to red for ‘Duke’; the fruit of ‘BB06-126VC-4’ is appreciably larger in size and more rounded than ‘Duke’.
Comparing ‘BB06-126VC-4’ to ‘Emerald’, ‘BB06-126VC-4’ ripens about 7 days later and has a more concentrated ripening season than ‘Emerald’; the bush shape of ‘BB06-126VC-4’ is more vigorous and upright than ‘Emerald’; ‘BB06-126VC-4’ has fewer but more vigorous upright capes compared to ‘Emerald’.
The present cultivar, ‘BB06-126VC-4’, 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 based on 5 bush replications in advanced trials located near Nancagua, Chile and Los Angeles, Chile. Laboratory analysis of fruit characteristics were done in Santiago, Chile. The bushes in the advanced trials were propagated from the original mother bush selected near Los Angeles, Chile and have retained the characteristics of the original selection.
Cultivar Name: ‘BB06-126VC-4’.
Classification:
Parentage:
Female Parent
Name: ‘Camellia’
U.S. Plant Pat. No. 18,151
Compared to Camellia, for ‘BB06-126VC-4’ the date of 50% ripening is 10 to 12 days earlier in Nancagua, Chile. ‘BB06-126VC-4’ has a much larger and firmer fruit than ‘Camellia’. The fruit firmness and the postharvest life for ‘BB06-126VC-4’ is much higher than for ‘Camellia’. Plant productivity is moderate; in a field in Nancagua, Chile at 3 years old the average yield per plant was 2.8 Kg.
Male Parent
Name: ‘Rebel’
U.S. Plant Pat. No. 18,138.
Compared to ‘Rebel’, ‘BB06-126VC-4’ is larger in size, firmer and has a darker blue color. Plant vigor for ‘BB06-126VC-4’ is higher than for ‘Rebel’. The flavor of ‘BB06-126VC-4’ is more intense than ‘Rebel’, although both are low acid varieties.
‘BB06-126VC-4’ originated from the cross of ‘Camellia’ x ‘Rebel’ made in a greenhouse in Grand Junction, Mich. in 2006. Seeds of this cross were collected, sent to Chile, were germinated, and grown as seedlings near Hijuelas, Chile. The seedlings were grown for a period of 15 months and then planted in an observational trial site in Los Angeles, Chile (37° 27′84′S; 72° 30′70′W) in spring 2009. ‘BB06-126VC-4’ was selected in December 2011 for its interesting morphological characteristics of large firm fruit and a vigorous plant. During the summer (February) of 2012, ‘BB06-126VC-4’ was asexually propagated by tissue culture in Hijuelas, Chile, and in November 2013 was planted in a multi-bush advanced selection trials in Nancagua, Chile (34° 43′58′S; 71° 10′21′W). As a part of this process, actively growing nodal vegetative but explants were harvested from greenhouse potted stock, sterilized, and placed in culture vessels with WPM medium (see, Commercially-feasible micropropagation of Mountain Laurel, Kalmia latifolia, by shoot tip culture. Lloyd, G., and McCown, B. H. Proc. Int. Plant Prop. Soc. 30, 421-427, (1981)) supplemented with agar/gelrite and 5 μM Zeatin. Cultures were grown under 20 hours of LED white light at 20° to 24° C. After multiple subcultures to generate shoot cultures, 2 to 4 cm microcuttings were rooted and acclimated under in a peat/perlite rooting mix under high humidity. The evaluations of ‘BB06-126VC-4’ were made in each of years 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017 both under plastic tunnel and open field cultures. ‘BB06-126VC-4’ was also planted in Los Angeles, Chile in a multi-bush advanced trial in May 2015, and fruit of this planting was evaluated for the first time in 2016. All propagated plants have retained the original characteristics.
‘BB06-126VC-4’ is a new and distinct medium-chill highbush blueberry variety. ‘BB06-126VC-4’ is a productive early ripening variety. ‘BB06-126VC-4’ provides a very good yield potential, very good plant vigor, fruit quality, flavor, texture, and firmness.
Botanical/classification: Vaccinium corymbosum interspecific hybrid
The desirable features of ‘BB06-126VC-4’ include a combination of attributes that are outstanding in a new variety, including for example:
‘BB06-126VC-4’ flowers and produces fruit and appears to be well adapted for areas having between 500 to 750 chilling hours below 7° C. (counted from May 1st to July 31st in the temperate zone of Chile, southern hemisphere where it was selected and tested). It produces early to mid-season ripe fruit. ‘BB06-126VC-4’ is a highly vigorous plant, semi-erect with high yield potential if managed well. Fruit is very large, of round shape, very firm, medium dark blue in color, with a small pedicel scar, and low acid flavor. Blueberry flavor is only moderate at harvest time and it can be intensified in cold (0° C.) storage. 73% of the total harvested fruit is very large in size, greater than 18 mm.
References to color refer to R.H.S Colour Chart, by Royal Horticultural Society, 2007, 5th Edition, London.
Morphological characteristics reference: Plant Systematics, Jones and Usinger, 2 Ed., McGraw Hill, New York, ISBN 0-07-032796-3, 1986.
Fruit firmness measurements: Baxlo Precision, Pso.Sanllehy, Bloque 6, Nave 2—Polígono Industrial SUDESTE, 08213 POLINYÀ (Barcelona)—Spain.
Device used to measure Soluble Solids (SS-Brix°), Titratable acidity (TA), pH: PAL-BX/Acid 7, Atago USA, Inc., Bellevue, Wash.