Patent Grant
PP28995
Latin name of the family, genus, and species: Family—Ericaceae. Genus—Vaccinium. Species—corymbosum hybrid.
Variety denomination: The new blueberry plant claimed is of the variety denominated ‘FF03-178’.
None.
The present invention relates to the discovery of a new and distinct cultivar of southern highbush blueberry known as ‘DivinaBlue’ a Vaccinium corymbosum hybrid referred to as ‘FF03-178’ selection as herein described and illustrated.
The new blueberry selection ‘FF03-178’ resulted from the cross between the selections ‘FL00-62’ and the selection ‘FL96-24’ (unpatented selections). ‘FF03-178’ is a commercial variety intended for the hand harvest fresh market. The variety is medium vigorous, medium branched and leafy and produces a high yield of large fruit. ‘FF03-178’ has an estimated chilling requirement of 200 hours or less, but also produces high fruit yields in an evergreen production system with zero chill hours when the plants are not allowed to enter dormancy.
The new cultivar ‘FF03-178’ was selected in Lowell, Oreg. in 2003 from a seedling population resulted from a controlled cross between the parents, ‘FL00-62’ as female source and ‘FL96-24’ as male source.
The new variety ‘FF03-178’ has maintained its distinguishing characteristics throughout successive asexual propagations in Lowell, Oreg., as herein described, sweet and good flavor, firm berries, and vigorous plants that are very leafy and highly productive under primocane conditions.
The seedling family that produced ‘FF03-178’ was initially grown in 50 cell propagation trays and planted in Lowell, Oreg., USA in 2001. ‘FF03-178’ was selected in 2003 because it produced high quality fruit early in the season. After being selected in Oregon, ‘FF03-178’ was propagated by softwood cuttings and nine plant plots were established in Delano, Calif., USA and Oxnard, Calif., USA. The nine plant plots in California, USA were observed until they were removed in 2012. The performance of ‘FF03-178’ in California was considered good but not sufficiently good to justify commercialization. In 2012 and 2013, plants of ‘FF03-178’ were sent to trial sites in Colima, Mexico and Seville, Spain. In Mexico, ‘FF03-178’ possessed excellent fruit quality but the plant did not appear sufficiently vigorous to commercialize. In Seville, Spain however, ‘FF03-178’ did possess sufficient vigor to have good yields, and due to the extremely early ripening time of the ‘FF03-178’ in comparison to the varieties commercially available there, it was considered to have strong commercial potential. ‘FF03-178’ was selected for presenting an early concentrate production with high fruit quality under low chilling requirements. Fruit harvest can be medium-hard to pick. The fruit is fairly firm, sweet and present good flavor with medium-dried scar with good postharvest storage.
The new blueberry plant ‘FF03-178’ as it grows in Seville, Spain and elsewhere is distinguished by a moderately branched growth habit resulting in a rounded plant shape, low to moderate vigor, moderately spaced internodes, urceolate flowers with pink coloration before opening, very early flowering and fruiting, and firm, flavorful fruit with a moderately dark color and flattened shape. The following characteristics of the new cultivar have been repeatedly observed and can be used to distinguish ‘FF03-178’ as a unique Vaccinium corymbosum hybrid plant:
The new variety ‘FF03-178’ has been stable in plant characteristic through multiple vegetative propagations. The parents ‘FL00-62’ and ‘FL96-24’ have not been evaluated side by side with ‘FF03-178’ in the same environment. However, in Florida, USA ‘FL00-62’ had fruit with a picking scar that was larger than that of FF03-178 in other locations. In Florida, USA ‘FL00-62’ also tended to have poor fruit coloration resulting in greenish portions of the ripe berry, whereas ‘FF03-178’ lacks this trait. The fruit of ‘FL96-24’ grown in Florida, USA were larger than typical fruit of ‘FF03-178’ grown elsewhere.
The accompanying photographic illustration shows typical specimens in full color of the foliage and fruit of the new variety ‘FF03-178’ The colors are as nearly true as is reasonably possible in a color representation of this type.
The colors in the photographs are as close as possible with the photographic and printing technology utilized. The color values cited in the detailed botanical description accurately describe the colors of the new blueberry.
The following detailed description sets forth the distinctive characteristics of ‘FF03-178’. 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. The plant history was taken on plants approximately 3 years of age, and the descriptions relate to plants grown in the field in Tala, Jalisco Mexico. Descriptions of fruit characteristics were made on fruit grown in Tala, Jalisco Mexico. Color designations are from Pantone.
The new variety ‘FF03-178’ have not been evaluated under the same environment as the parents, as contrasting characteristics, ‘FL00-62’ had fruit with a picking scar stronger than in ‘FF03-178’ in other locations, also it usually presents a poor fruit coloration of ripe berries, but it has not been observed in ‘FF03-178’. The fruit of ‘FL96-24’ was observed as bigger than the typical fruit of ‘FF03-178’ evaluated in different locations.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/285,130 filed on Oct. 19, 2015, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety as though fully set forth.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20170112032 P1 | Apr 2017 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62285130 | Oct 2015 | US |
