Patent Grant
PP35387
Classification: The present invention relates to a new Vitis vinifera Grapevine.
Variety denomination: The new Grapevine plant has a varietal denomination ‘ARD44’.
A breeding program was initiated during the late 1990's near Bakersfield in San Joaquin Valley of Central California. In 2016, during this breeding program, a new variety of Vitis vinifera was created by deliberate cross breeding of two parent plants by emasculation of the pollen bearing organ of the female and introducing pollen from another male origin. The female parent of the new variety was 81E-39+5, which is an early and crispy seedless white table grape variety (non-patented in the United States). The male parent (i.e. the pollen parent) of the new variety was 8A-35+1, a very fertile and juicy seedless red variety (non-patented in the United States).
The parentage of the new variety can be summarized as follows:
81E-39+5 X 8A-35+1
An artificial pollination was created, and the result was an embryo which possessed unique genetic qualities. The rudiments resulting from the above pollination were embryo rescued.
In 2017 the plant was transplanted to Bakersfield in San Joaquin Valley of Central California.
It was found that the new grapevine of the present invention possesses the following combination of characteristics:
The new variety during observation to date has displayed no visible disease, and has displayed an ability to well resist cold, drought, heat; but sensitive to direct exposure to sun and wind. The fruit of the new variety has been found to display excellent handling and shipping qualities combined with desirable dessert eating qualities.
The new variety of the present invention has been found to undergo asexual propagation beginning in 2018 near Bakersfield in the San Joaquin Valley of Central California, U.S.A. by bud grafting on mature Thompson seedless rootstock (non-patented in the United States). Such asexual propagation has been conducted thereafter in successive years to date and has shown that the characteristics of the new variety are strictly transmissible from one generation to another. Accordingly, the new variety undergoes asexual propagation in a true to type manner.
The new variety ‘ARD44’ is a green seedless table grape with high production, e.g., about 44 bunches per vine, and an average of about 1 bunch per shoot.
Asexual reproduction by micro propagation of the new variety as performed near Bakersfield, Calif., U.S.A., shows that the forgoing and other distinguishing characteristics come true to form and are established and transmitted through succeeding propagations.
The accompanying photographic illustration shows typical six-year-old specimens of the new variety, vegetatively propagated, in color as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make in a color illustration of this character. Colors in the photograph may differ from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description below, which accurately describes the colors of the new Grapevine.
The chart used in the identification of colors is The R.H.S. Colour Chart of The ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY (3rd Edition). The description is based on the observation of plants growing on Thompson Seedless' rootstock outdoors near San Joaquin Valley of Central California, U.S.A.
The ‘ARD44’ variety has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions to date. Accordingly, it is possible that the phenotypic expression may vary somewhat with changes in light intensity and duration, cultural practices, and other environmental conditions.
Additional information relating to plant and fruit disease and pest resistance or susceptibility has not been observed to date. Specification of the plant hardiness zone and the heat/cold resistance has not been observed to date.
