Patent Grant
PP26367
Latin name: Prunus persica.
Varietal denomination: ‘Amoore Sweet’.
A new cultivar of nectarine tree called ‘Amoore Sweet’ is described herein. The new cultivar originated from a hand-pollinated cross of Ark. 699N (non-patented, unreleased genotype) (female parent)×Ark. 663CN (non-patented, unreleased genotype) (male parent) made in 2001. The seeds resulting from this controlled hybridization were germinated in a greenhouse in the late winter 2001/early spring of 2002 and planted in a field near Clarksville, Ark. The seedlings fruited during the summer of 2004 and one seedling, designated Ark. 765, was selected for its very firm, non-melting yellow flesh, early-mid season ripening, medium-sized fruits, excellent fruit quality with distinct low-acid nectarine flavor, and resistance to bacterial spot disease.
The new and distinct cultivar of nectarine originated from a hand-pollinated cross of Ark. 699N (non-patented; female)×Ark. 663N (non-patented; male) made in 2001 near Clarksville, Ark. (West-Central Arkansas).
The seeds resulting from this controlled hybridization were germinated in a greenhouse in the late winter 2001/early spring of 2002 and planted in a field near Clarksville, Ark. The seedlings fruited during the summer of 2004 and one seedling, designated Ark. 765, was selected for its very firm, non-melting yellow flesh, early-mid season ripening, medium-sized fruits, excellent fruit quality with distinct low-acid nectarine flavor, and resistance to bacterial spot disease.
During 2004, the original plant selection was propagated asexually, at the above-noted location, by budding onto standard peach rootstock cultivar ‘Lovell’ (non-patented) and a test plot of two plants was established. Subsequently, larger test plantings have been established with asexually multiplied plants at two additional locations in Arkansas (near Clarksville and Hope, Ark.) and at each location propagation was by budding from buds collected at the Clarksville, Ark. test plot. No incompatibility with ‘Lovell’ peach rootstock has occurred following budding. During all asexual multiplication, the characteristics of the original plant have been maintained and no aberrant phenotypes have appeared.
The new cultivar has been named the ‘Amoore Sweet’ cultivar.
The accompanying photographs show typical specimens of the new cultivar in color as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make in a color illustration of this character.
Trees and fruit of this new cultivar differ phenotypically from its parents. The new cultivar is earlier ripening, firmer, higher in flavor, has low acidity, and has yellow, non-melting flesh compared to the female patent plant used in this hybridization, Ark. 669N, which is a low-acid, white nectarine selection with melting flesh or the ‘Bowden’ cultivar disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/998,198, which is a white nectarine selection with non-melting flesh and standard acid levels. The new cultivar is later ripening, with distinctly different low-acid flavor and flesh color compared to the male parent Ark. 663CN which has yellow flesh and flavor similar to a yellow nectarine. Both the parents and the instant variety are the genus and species Prunus persica.
Trees of the new cultivar are vigorous and productive, and trees are standard in size, well-branched and symmetrical with an upright to semi-spreading growth habit, comparable to other peach and nectarine trees. Trees express a high level of resistance to both foliar and fruit infection of bacterial spot [Xanthomonas campestris pv. pruni (Smith) Dye] but in some years do not show complete immunity to this disease. The new cultivar blooms in the spring on average 1 day earlier than ‘Arrington’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 12,641) and 2 days before ‘Bradley’. (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 12,620). No winter cold injury has been observed on wood or buds of the new cultivar in Arkansas tests where minimum temperatures have reached 5° F. (15° C.) during evaluation. Chilling requirement to break dormancy is estimated to be 800 hours below 45° F. (7° C.).
Fruit of the new cultivar ripens early-midseason, averaging 5 days after ‘Bradley’ and 6 days after ‘Arrington’ reference nectarine cultivars. Average first ripening date is July 6 in west-central Arkansas (Clarksville). Fruit of the new cultivar has not been observed to have split pits, a serious fruit disorder of some peach and nectarine cultivars. Fruit yields have been good and comparable to those of the nectarine cultivars ‘Arrington’ and ‘Bradley’.
The fruit is round in shape, and symmetrical. Fruits are attractive with an average 78% bright red blush. Fruit finish is good but, better than many nectarines grown at this test site due to reduced blemishes. The fruit skin has no pubescence, a major difference between peaches and nectarines. The flesh of the fruit is yellow in color and has no red pigment in the flesh. Flesh is of the non-melting type and is very firm at maturity. The fruit is a clingstone, in that the flesh adheres to the pit. Fruit size is medium-large averaging 145 g, slightly less than ‘Bradley’ (154 g) but larger than ‘Arrington’ (113 g).
The fresh fruit rates excellent in flavor and was rated highly in evaluations. Fruits average 17.3% soluble solids, higher than ‘Bradley’ with 14.8%. The flavor is sweet and low-acid with a distinct “mango-like” flavor. The acidity level of ‘Amoore Sweet’ of 0.29% malic acid compared to the standard acid ‘Bradley’ with 0.95% supports this flavor profile.
The following is a detailed description of the botanical and pomological characteristics of the subject nectarine. Color data are presented in Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart designations (1986 2nd edition). Where dimensions, sizes, colon and other characteristics are given, it is to be understood that such characteristics are approximations of averages set forth as accurately as practical.
Plants used for botanical data were six years old and grown on a fine sandy loam soil with trickle irrigation near Clarksville, Ark. Trees were trained to an open-center training system and dormant pruned annually. The exception to this is that yield data was collected on trees four years old and trained to perpendicular V training system. Fruits on all trees were thinned to approximately 6-8 inches between fruits 4-5 weeks after full bloom. The trees were fertilized near budbreak (late March on average) with complete or nitrogen fertilizer. Weeds were controlled with pre- and postemergence herbicides. Routine commercial fungicide and insecticide applications were made to the trees, but no bactericides (for control of bacterial diseases such as bacterial spot disease) were applied. The descriptions reported herein are from specimens grown near Clarksville, Ark.
The most distinctive features of the new cultivar are its very firm, non-melting yellow flesh, early-mid season ripening, medium-sized fruits, excellent fruit quality with distinct low-acid nectarine flavor, and resistance to bacterial spot disease.
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PP12620 | Clark et al. | May 2002 | P2 |
| PP12641 | Clark et al. | May 2002 | P2 |
| Entry |
|---|
| Fresh Fruit Portal. Nov. 9, 2012. |
| Clark, J.R. et al., “‘Bowden’ and ‘Amoore Sweet’ nectarines,” (2013) HortScience 48(6):804-807. |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20150106982 P1 | Apr 2015 | US |
