Patent Application
20110277196
Vitis vinifera L.
‘BIG PEARL’
The present invention relates to a new and distinct grapevine variety, botanically known as Vitis vinifera L., and hereinafter referred to by its variety denomination ‘BIG PEARL’.
The new grapevine ‘BIG PEARL’ is a product of a controlled breeding program conducted by the inventors, Avichai Perl, Nachman Sahar, Oded Degani, Tatiana Okun, Arie Sarfian, Hanan Bazak, Refael Eliassi and Ahuva Daos at the Agricultural Research Organization, The Volcani Center, located in Bet Dagan, Israel. The objective of the breeding program was to develop a new early ripening, very fertile grapevine variety particularly characterized by an attractive berry color, a very uniform bunch and a firm berry with tender crunchy skin.
The new grapevine ‘BIG PEARL’ originated from a cross made by the inventors in 2004 at the Agricultural Research Organization, The Volcani Center. The female or seed parent is the grapevine variety, Vitis vinifera L indicated as ‘ARO 2117’ (unpatented), in the inventor's collection located in Bet Dagan, Israel, and the male or pollen parent is the grapevine variety, Vitis vinifera L. indicated as ‘ARO 1717’ (unpatented) , in the inventor's collection located in Bet Dagan, Israel.
The new grapevine ‘BIG PEARL’ was observed and selected by the inventors within the progeny of the stated cross in a controlled environment in 2007 at the Agricultural Research Organization, The Volcani Center.
Asexual propagation of the new grapevine variety by bud grafting was first performed in January 2008 at the Agricultural Research Organization, The Volcani Center, and has demonstrated that the combination of characteristics as herein disclosed for the new cultivar are firmly fixed and retained through successive generations of asexual propagation. The new cultivar propagates true to type.
‘BIG PEARL’ can be grown in various climates and growing conditions. The variety produces and maintains a strong vigorous plant and consistent fruit production from end of June through end of July in Bet Dagan, Israel.
The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be characteristics of ‘BIG PEARL’, which in combination distinguish this grapevine as a new, unique and distinct variety.
1. Very fertile;
2. Early ripening;
3. Firm berry with tender crunchy skin;
4. Attractive berry color; and
5. A very uniform bunch.
Plants of the new grapevine ‘BIG PEARL’ differ from plants of the parents, Vitis vinifera L. ‘ARO 2117’ (unpatented) and Vitis vinifera L. ‘ARO 1717’ (unpatented), in the following characteristics described in Table 1.
Of the many commercial varieties known to the present inventors, the most similar to the new grapevine ‘BIG PEARL’ are Vitis vinifera L. ‘SUGRAONE’ (patented) and Vitis vinifera L. ‘PRIME’ (patented) which differ from the new grapevine ‘BIG PEARL’ in the characteristics described in Table 2:
The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new grapevine ‘BIG PEARL’ showing the colors as true as is reasonably possible with colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed morphological description, which accurately describe the color of ‘BIG PEARL’.
The new Vitis vinifera L. ‘BIG PEARL’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotypical descriptions and color designations stated for the new variety may vary, depending on variations in environmental factors, including weather (temperature, humidity and light intensity), day length, soil type, location and cultural conditions, without any change in the genotype of the grapevine.
The following description of ‘BIG PEARL’ unless otherwise noted, is based on observations and measurements taken during 2010 and 2011 at the Agricultural Research Organization, The Volcani Center, on plants grown in the vineyard located in Bet Dagan, Israel under conditions which closely approximate those generally used in commercial practice. The described plants were grafted on ‘Richter110’ (unpatented) and planted at a distance of 1.5 m in sandy red loam soil at an elevation of about 30 meters above sea level, with drip-irrigation up to 40 m3 per hectare in the peak season in the summer and Shefer 737+microelements 1.5 ltr. fertilizers in each 5 m3 of water. Average annual rainfall is about 550 mm, with an average of 350 mm rainfall in winter (December through February). Mean diurnal minimum temperature in January is 7.2° C., and mean diurnal maximum temperature in July is 30.8° C.
Unless otherwise stated, the detailed morphological description includes observations, measurements and values based on three-year-old ‘BIG PEARL’ plants grown in the vineyard at the Agricultural Research Organization, The Volcani Center, located in Bet Dagan, Israel from 2010 to 2011. Quantified measurements are expressed as an average of measurements taken from a number of plants of ‘BIG PEARL’. The measurements of any individual plant, or any group of plants, of the new variety may vary from the stated average.
Color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart (R.H.S.), 1986 edition, except where general colors of ordinary significance are used. Color values were taken under daylight conditions in full sunlight in Bet Dagan, Israel.
All of the plants of ‘BIG PEARL’, insofar as they have been observed, have been consistent in all the characteristics described below.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4233 | Jan 2010 | IL | national |
This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(f) of the Israeli Plant Breeders' Rights Application No. 4233 filed Jan. 4, 2010.
