Patent Grant
PP34537
Latin name of the genus and species:
Genus—Vaccinium.
Species—corymbosum hybrid.
Variety denomination: The new blueberry plant claimed is of the variety denominated ‘FCM14-031’.
None.
The present invention relates to the discovery of a new and distinct cultivar of southern highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L. hybrid) plant, referred to as ‘FCM14-031’, as herein described and illustrated.
Pedigree and History:
The new blueberry plant originated from a cross of ‘FL00-180’ (female parent, not patented) and ‘FL01-06’ (pollen parent, not patented).
The cross that produced ‘FCM14-031’ (denominated by the cross code ‘X12-078’) was made in Lowell, Oreg. in 2012. The seeds were then germinated in Lowell, Oreg., and young seedlings were shipped and transplanted for evaluation to Tala, Jalisco Mexico.
The seedling family was planted in Tala, Jalisco Mexico in May 2013, then one plant was selected and propagated by softwood cuttings for further clonal evaluation for fruit production and quality in 2014. The growing region of Jalisco, Mexico where ‘FCM14-031’ was originally selected is located at 20° 39′40″ N, 103° 4′35″ O, 1310 meters above sea level. In this region, temperatures range from 43° F. to 92° F. and is rarely below 36° F. and day lengths only vary from between 10.8 hours in December to 13.2 hours in June. Under these conditions, many traditional low-chill blueberry varieties (developed in latitudes 25°-35°) do not produce flower buds or flowers. In the case of blueberry varieties that do flower under these conditions, the flowers are produced primarily on the current season's growth that is often referred to as a primocane in the blueberry industry. The primocane inflorescences tend to be very elongated in form compared to the inflorescence produced at higher latitudes from dormant buds, and the fruit often does not abscise well from the pedicel, resulting in a large picking scar which greatly limits shelf life. The blueberry industry in this area is dominated by the variety ‘Biloxi’. ‘Biloxi’ is one of the few traditional low chill varieties that grows well and produces fruit with a good picking scar in this growing environment. However, ‘Biloxi’ often produces an excessive proportion of small, unmarketable fruit.
After being selected in 2014, ‘FCM14-031’ was propagated by softwood cuttings and plots of 5 plant plot were established in Tala, Jalisco Mexico (near Guadalajara). The five plant plots were evaluated for fruit quality and yield in comparison to the standard varieties ‘Biloxi’ (not patented) and ‘FCM12-131’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 29,125) beginning in 2015. After five harvest seasons of evaluation, the yield and fruit quality of ‘FCM14-031’ were deemed sufficiently good to warrant launching it as a commercial variety.
‘FCM14-031’ was selected because of the high fruit quality, adaptability to storage, and a round medium vigor bush. ‘FCM14-031’ was also selected for use in an evergreen production system in areas where zero effective chilling hours may be accumulated.
‘FCM14-031’ has been found to undergo asexual propagation in Tala, Jalisco Mexico by in vitro propagation and soft wood cuttings. Asexual propagation techniques in Tala, Jalisco Mexico, such as in vitro propagation, have shown that the characteristics of the new variety are homogenous, stable, and strictly transmissible by such asexual propagation from one generation to another. Accordingly, the new variety undergoes asexual propagation in a true-to-type manner.
‘FCM14-031’ is a commercial variety intended for the hand harvest fresh market. ‘FCM14-031’ is distinguished by its high fruit quality and a round medium vigor bush. It was found that ‘FCM14-031’:
The new variety of the present invention can readily be distinguished from its ancestors. More specifically, the ‘FL00-180’ variety (i.e., seed parent) displays an upright bush habit, whereas the new variety displays a round bush shape habit that is more vigorous than the female parent. In addition, the new variety produces earlier and higher volumes of fruit compared to the ‘FL00-180’ variety. The ‘FL01-06’ variety (i.e., pollen parent) produces lighter, more acidic, and smaller fruit compared to the new variety and displays a low vigor bush, whereas the new variety displays a medium vigor bush.
The new variety can also be distinguished from other similar varieties. For instance, the new variety of the present invention can readily be distinguished from the ‘Biloxi’ variety as the new cultivar consistently produces firmer fruit than the ‘Biloxi’ variety.
The accompanying photographic illustrations show typical specimens in full color of the foliage and fruit of three-years old plants the new variety ‘FCM14-031’. The colors are as nearly true as is reasonably possible in a color representation of this type.
The following detailed description sets forth the distinctive characteristics of ‘FCM14-031’. The data which define these characteristics were collected from asexual reproductions of the original selection. Dimensions, sizes, colors, and other characteristics are approximations and averages set forth as accurately as possible. All measurements are the average of five observations. The plant history was taken on mature plants approximately 5 years of age, and the descriptions relate to plants grown in the field in Tala, state of Jalisco, Mexico unless otherwise noted. Descriptions of fruit characteristics were made on fruit grown in Tala, State of Jalisco, Mexico. Color designations are from “The Pantone Book of Color” (by Leatrice Eiseman and Lawrence Herbery, Harry N. Abrams, Inc., Publishers, New York 1990) unless noted otherwise. Where the Pantone color designations differ from the colors in the photographs, the Pantone colors are accurate.
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PP29125 | Brazelton | Mar 2018 | P3 |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20220117127 P1 | Apr 2022 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63090402 | Oct 2020 | US |
