Genus and species plant claimed: Vaccinium corymbosum hybrid.
Variety denomination: ‘ZZ04062’.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The variety resulted from selection among a population of seedlings derived from a controlled cross carried out in 2004 between ‘O'Neal’ (seed parent) (not patented) and ‘Duke’ (pollen parent) (not patented) located at Ruakura, Hamilton, New Zealand. ‘ZZ04062’ was identified in 2006 as having potential as a new variety due to its attractive, large, medium blue fruit with good flavour. It was asexually propagated by cuttings in 2007 and the resulting plants were subsequently found to be true to type demonstrating that the characteristics of the new variety are stable and transmitted without change through succeeding generations. Since the initial propagation in vitro propagation has also been carried out successfully.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
‘ZZ04062’ is characterised by an upright bush habit and attractive, large fruit with good flavour which harvests mid-season. ‘ZZ04062’ is distinguished from a number of other varieties and by its parents by the following characteristics:
The fruit of ‘ZZ04062’ are larger than fruit of its paternal parent, ‘Duke’.
‘ZZ04062’ flowers later than its maternal parent, ‘O'Neal’. In Motueka, New Zealand, ‘O'Neal’ flowers early August while ‘ZZ04062’ flowers mid-September.
‘Misty’ begins flowering earlier than ‘ZZ04062’ and ‘Nui’ has a flat fruit shape while ‘ZZ04062’ has an oblate fruit shape.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The accompanying photographs show typical specimens of the plant, flower and fruit of the new variety as depicted in colours as nearly true as is reasonably possible to make the same in a colour illustration of this character. Unless otherwise specified, the photographs depict mature (6 year old) plant grown at, Motueka, New Zealand.
FIG. 1 shows 6 year old plants of ‘ZZ04062’.
FIG. 2 shows ‘ZZ04062’ flowers.
FIG. 3 shows fruit of ‘ZZ04062’ on the plant.
FIG. 4 shows fruit of ‘ZZ04062’ removed from the plant.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
The observations, unless otherwise specified, were made in the 2015-2016, 2016-17 seasons on 5-6 year old plants grown at, Motueka, New Zealand. All dimensions in millimetres, weights in grams (unless otherwise stated). Colour terminology is in accordance with The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Charts (R.H.S.C.C.) fifth edition.
- Plant and foliage: This plant is generally upright in growth habit. The surface texture of one year old canes are slightly rough while the surface texture of mature canes (of three year old wood) is rough and peeling; the colour of immature canes is near brown N200C. The colour of the bark of mature canes is near greyed-green 197C. The mature leaf is lanceolate in shape with an acute shaped leaf tip and typically averages 57 mm in length and approximately 28 mm in width. The margins are generally entire, and the leaf has slight glossiness on the upper surface. Pubescence is absent from the leaf upper and lower surface. The upper surface of the leaf is near green 137A and the lower surface near green 138B in colour. The petiole typically averages 4.4 mm in length.
- Inflorescence: The typical flower has an average flower length of 12.2 mm and the diameter of the corolla aperture averages 4 mm. The average diameter of the corolla tube is 7.5 mm. The style length is approximately 8.5 mm. The main colour of the petals on fully open mature flowers is near white N155B. The pedicel length averages 6 mm, with peduncle average length 10 mm.
- Fruit: The fruit are of large size, averaging approximately 2.9 g (observed range 2.2-3.0 g) and clustered with an average of 11 berries/cluster. Fruiting occurs on one year old shoots only; flowers do not occur on current season's shoots. The time of beginning of fruit ripening on one year old shoots is early-mid season, similar to that on ‘Nui’. Generally fruit is oblate with an average diameter of approximately 17 mm (observed range 16-19 mm). Ripe fruit generally has a skin colour of near violet-blue 97C with bloom intact and near black 202A with bloom removed. The bloom is moderately strong. Internal flesh colour of ripe fruit is near greyed-green 188C. The calyx aperture is recessed on a ripe berry and has an average diameter of 5 mm. The depth of the calyx basin is medium. The attitude of the incurving sepals tends to be semi erect. The pedicel scar is very small and generally dry. The fruit is moderately firm and the fruit sweetness (Brix level) averaged 10.5. Yield is high, averaging approximately 7-8 Kg per plant. The self-compatibility of the new variety has not been tested by self-crossing the variety. However, it is recommended to associate the plant with other varieties with similar flowering timing to maximise pollination and fruit set.
- Events: Vegetative bud burst occurred around the second week of September under New Zealand growing conditions. Time of beginning flowering mid-September, about 5 days earlier than ‘Nui’.
- Maturity period.—Mid-season; fruit commenced ripening on trial plants at Motueka, New Zealand in the first week of December through until first week of January. Harvest season is similar to ‘Nui’.
- Pest and disease: The plant does not seem to be susceptible to rust (Pucciniastrum vaccinii). No symptoms of anthracnose or Botryosphaeria have been observed under New Zealand growing conditions.
- Additional description: The variety has been observed to be suited to production of blueberries for fresh consumption. The plant cold hardiness according to the American zone classification has not been determined. However, the chilling requirement of ‘ZZ04062’ has been estimated to be between 700 and 1000 hours.
Patent Grant
PP32416
