Patent Grant
PP31605
Latin name of the genus and species:
Genus—Vaccinium.
Species—corymbosum.
Variety denomination: The new blueberry plant claimed is of the variety denominated ‘RIDLEY 1602’.
None.
The present invention relates to a new and distinct perennial variety of Vaccinium hybrid (Southern Highbush Blueberry), which has been given the variety denomination of ‘Ridley 1602’. Its market class is that of a fruiting plant. ‘Ridley 1602’ is intended for use as fresh fruit for shipping, customer pick and processing markets and as a home garden plant.
The new Vaccinium hybrid cultivar is a selection resulting from seedlings produced in a breeding programme of Vaccinium at Lindendale, NSW, Australia in 2011 from the controlled pollination of seed parent ‘Ridley 1403’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 25,432) with pollen parent ‘Ridley 4609’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 29,469). The new cultivar was discovered and selected as a single plant within a population of 100 resulting Vaccinium hybrid plants from this controlled pollination in 2014 in a commercial field plantation environment at Lindendale, New South Wales, Australia. Selection criteria were a combination of strong plant growth vigor, upright to semi-upright plant growth habit, low chilling requirement, very early to early time of flowering and fruit ripening, large to very large, sweet, firm, crisp fruit suited to handling, desirable tasting berries and small picking scar.
The selection was subsequently evaluated for a number of years at the commercial farms at Lindendale, New South Wales, Australia and Tabulam, New South Wales, Australia.
Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by cutting propagation since 2014 at Lindendale, New South Wales, Australia has demonstrated that the new cultivar reproduces true to type with all of the characteristics, as herein described, firmly fixed and retained through successive generations of such asexual propagation.
Plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of the seed parent ‘Ridley 1403’ primarily in more spreading plant growth habit needing more pruning and shaping, smaller sized and more highly flavored fruit whereas the seed parent has a more upright plant growth habit, larger fruit. Plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of the pollen parent ‘Ridley 4609’ primarily in much earlier flowering and ripening timing and also sweeter fruit whereas the pollen parent has late flowering and ripening timing and less sweet fruit.
The new blueberry variety was designated M14-16-02, and has been planted in replicated trials since 2014.
The new Vaccinium hybrid cultivar is a selection resulting from seedlings produced in a breeding programme of Vaccinium at Lindendale, NSW, Australia in 2011 from the controlled pollination of seed parent ‘Ridley 1403’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 25,432) with pollen parent ‘Ridley 4609’. The new cultivar was discovered and selected as a single plant within a population of 100 resulting Vaccinium hybrid plants from this controlled pollination in 2014 in a commercial field plantation environment at Lindendale, New South Wales, Australia. Selection criteria was a combination of strong plant growth vigor, upright to semi-upright plant growth habit, low chilling requirement, very early to early time of flowering and fruit ripening, large to very large, sweet, firm, crisp fruit suited to handling, desirable tasting berries and small picking scar.
The following characteristics of the new cultivar have been repeatedly observed and can be used to distinguish M14-16-02 (‘Ridley 1602’) as a new and distinct cultivar of Vaccinium hybrid plant:
The accompanying photographic illustration shows typical specimens in full color of the foliage and fruit of the new variety ‘Ridley 1602’ in plants that are approximately 2 years old. 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 ‘Ridley 1602’. The data which defines these characteristics was 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 Tabulam, New South Wales, Australia. Descriptions of fruit characteristics were made on fruit grown in Tabulam, New South Wales, Australia. Color designations are from Tabulam, New South Wales, Australia.
Color notations are based on The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, 2015 edition.
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PP20806 | Abad Alamo et al. | Mar 2010 | P3 |
| PP22778 | Wright et al. | Jun 2012 | P3 |
| PP25432 | Bell | Apr 2015 | P3 |
| PP27163 | Bell | Sep 2016 | P3 |
| 20170027092 | Bell | Jan 2017 | P1 |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20180288914 P1 | Oct 2018 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62601836 | Mar 2017 | US |
