New kiwi plant entitled 'Hortgem Tahi'

Abstract

A new and distinct kiwi plant of the species Actinidia arguta (Sieb & Zucc.) Planch. ex Miq. var. arguta Li is described. The variety results from a controlled pollenation using a female A. arguta selection AA0213 01 of unknown parentage and a male A. arguta selection AA1313 01 of unknown parentage. Both named parents (AA02-01 and AA13-01) are unpatented. Its green hairless, edible skin, small fruit size and sweet aromatic taste distinguish the new variety.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Kiwi plants in cultivation are mainly varieties of A. deliciosa, a particularly ‘Hayward’ although some A. chimensis and A. arguta varieties are grown. A. deliciosa and A. chinensis are closely related, whereas A. arguta is classified in a separate section of the genus. A. deliciosa and A. chinensis varieties have large fruit (˜100 g) with hair on the skin. The main varieties in New Zealand are ‘Hayward’ (A. deliciosa) and ‘Hort16A’ (A. chinensis). Fruit are usually cut and eaten with a spoon. A arguta has small fruit (˜10 g) with no hair on the skin. The skin is edible so these fruit can be eaten whole, like a grape.

[0003] All Actinidia species are dioecious, so female varieties have to be inter-planted with male pollenizers to ensure fruit production.

[0004] A. arguta vines are deciduous and tend to grow vigorously in spring and summer when rapidly-growing shoots can intertwine and tangle if not managed. Vines do best in a mild temperate climate without late spring or early autumn frosts. They produce consistent heavy crops when grown in well-drained fertile soils and given regular irrigation in dry spells.

[0005] A. arguta flowers in spring (late October-early December) in New Zealand. Harvest of A. arguta fruit may occur between early February and late March in New Zealand depending on the selection and location of plantings. Compared to A. deliciosa and A. chinensis, A. arguta fruit require more careful handling during harvest and post-harvest procedures.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] The present invention is a new and distinctive kiwi plant having a small, generally spheroid shaped fruit with green hairless edible skin. This new variety is designated ‘HORTGEM TAHI’ and is derived from a controlled pollination of AA02-01, a female A. arguta selection of unknown parentage, with AA13-01, a male A. arguta selection of unknown parentage.

[0007] The female parent was introduced as a plant from England to New Zealand in 1955. The male parent was introduced as scionwood from Scotland to New Zealand in 1982. The provenance of both is unknown. Both parents are unpatented.

[0008] This new variety was created during the course of a plant breeding program, which was initiated during 1987 at HortResearch in Auckland, New Zealand. The cross was made in November 1987. Seeds were sown in autumn (March) 1988 and 129 seedlings from this cross were planted out in the field at Kumeu Research Orchard in spring (October) 1988. The seedlings first fruited in approximately February to March 1991. 20 promising female seedlings were clonally propagated into a two-site replicated trial in 1995 and ‘HORTGEM TAHI’ (breeding code K2D4) was selected after storage and sensory evaluation in 1998.

[0009] The new variety can be asexually reproduced as cuttings or by grafting or budding on to seedling or cutting-grown rootstocks of A. arguta. Trial plantings as cuttings established in 1995 at Te Puke and Nelson Research Centres and on seedling rootstocks established in 1998 at these sites have shown that the unique combination of characters come true to form and are established and transmitted through succeeding asexual propagation.

[0010] ‘HORTGEM TAHI’ is a different species to both the unpatented ‘Hayward’ variety and the patented ‘Hort16A’ variety, so their pollenizers cannot be used. Three new and unpatented A. arguta male pollenizers known currently by their breeding codes as B4G4, E4H4 and K1J6, have been selected as males for use in new plantings of ‘HORTGEM TAHI’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIONS

[0011] FIG. 1 shows typical fruit of the new variety in the orchard.

[0012] FIG. 2 shows typical fruit of the new variety in the studio.

[0013] FIG. 3 shows fruit of the new variety in profile.

[0014] FIG. 4 shows fruit of the new variety in cross-section.

[0015] FIG. 5 shows fruit of the new variety in longitudinal section.

[0016] FIG. 6 shows the stem end and stem end cavity of the fruit from the new variety.

[0017] FIG. 7 shows flowers of the new variety.

[0018] Photographs of fruit from the new variety were taken after the normal harvest date. Fruit skin color may vary depending upon extent of exposure to direct sunlight.

COMPARISON TO CLOSEST VARIETY

[0019] The distinctive characteristics of this new Kiwi variety, described in detail below, were observed in 2000 at Te Puke, New Zealand. The age of the plants was 5 years from planting cutting-grown plants. ‘HORTGEM TAHI’ is a new type of kiwi with no close varieties available in New Zealand. The A. deliciosa variety ‘Hayward’ and the A. chinensis variety ‘Hort16A’ are different in most characters and so do not provide a useful comparison. A. arguta varieties are grown in other countries, e.g. ‘Annanaskaya’ (unpatented) in U.S.A., but are unavailable in New Zealand.

[0020] The fruit of ‘HORTGEM TAHI’ is spheriod in shape with a rounded distal end. ‘HORTGEM TAHI’ fruit has a relatively large core proportionate to the surrounding pericarp. The flesh is green. The skin is without hairs and is a shiny green. ‘HORTGEM TAHI’ fruit have a high dry matter content at harvest and are sweet tasting when ripe. Fruit can be cool stored for 12 weeks and retain eating quality.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW VARIETY

[0021] The new variety ‘HORTGEM TAHI’ is pistallate, with morphologically perfect but functionally imperfect flowers, i.e. the flowers produce only sterile pollen and thus require a pollenizer for fruit production. Three specific unpatented A. arguta pollenizers, designated B4G4, E4H4, K1J6, have been developed for ‘HORTGEM TAHI’. Characteristics of the new variety include a short period (˜3 months) between flowering and harvest, early harvest, small spheroid fruit with green hairless edible skin, green flesh and a sweet aromatic flavor. The following description are features described as they appear at the Public Research Center, New Zealand

TABLE OF CHARACTERISTICS

[0022] Horticultural terminology is used in accordance with revised UPOV guidelines for kiwi.

[0023] All dimensions in millimeters, weights in grams (unless otherwise stated).

[0024] Color chart: RHS Color Chart, the Royal Horticultural Society, London (3rd ed. 1995).

PLANT
(Measurements from samples of 20, unless otherwise stated)
MATURE PLANT
Sex expression               female (flowers imperfect)
Ploidy                       tetraploid (2n = 2x = 116)
Vigour                       strong
YOUNG SHOOT:
Hairs                        present
Density of hairs             medium
Type of hairs                tomentose
Anthocyanin coloration       absent or very weak
of growing tip
Anthocyanin coloration       absent or very weak
of leaf axil
STEM
Coloration of leaf axil      absent or very weak
Diameter                     thin; between about 7 to 8
                             mm.; Range: between about 4.2
                             to 12.2
Dormant bud diameter         small; about 2.2 mm. (between
                             about 0.7 and 4.0)
Color on upper side of shoot near red brown
Character of bark            smooth
hairs                        Absent
Consicuousness of lenticels  Conspicuous
Number of lenticels          Many
Color of lenticels           Near light red brown
Size of bud support          Medium
Visibility of bud (dormant   visible
canes)
Number of hairs visible on   absent
bud (dormant canes)
Leaf scar                    deep
Stem color on exposed side   Between 166B and 176A
LEAF (MATURE)
General shape of blade       broad; ovate
Length                       about 102.3 mm. (Between 82
                             and 126)
Width                        about 75.1 mm. (Between 62
                             and 89)
Petiole length               about 57.7 mm. (Between 38
                             and 93)
Shape of tip of blade        Caudate
Shape of base of blade       rounded
Arrangement of leaf bases    far apart
Puckering/blistering on      absent or very weak
upper side of blade
Margin                       ciliate
Color of upper side of blade between 137A and 139A
(in mature leaf after petal
fall)
Glossiness of upper surface  medium
of blade
Color of lower side of blade light green between 138B and
(in mature leaf after petal  146B
fall)
Glaucosity (lower side of    absent
blade)
Hans on petiole              absent or very weak
Density of hairs on petiole  absent or very sparse
Anthocyanin coloration on    medium
upper side of petiole
FLOWER
Inflorescence                Predominant number of flowers -
                             usually one
PEDICEL
length                       short; about 29.8 mm (between
                             24.9 and 33.8)
Hairs                        sparse
length of hairs              very short
number of sepals             About 5.1 (between 5 and 6)
diameter (terminal or        small, about 28.2 mm.
king flower when fully       (Between 23.2 and 31.2)
open)
Petal length                 about 14.5 mm. (Between 12.7
                             and 15.7)
Petal width                  about 13.0 mm. (Between 11.0
                             and 14.6)
petal length/width ratio     about 1.12 (Between 1.02 and
                             1.33)
Mean number of petals        About 5.4 (Between 5 and 7)
per flower
Number of flowers with       About 1 out of 20 (13 with 5,
more than six petals         6 with 6)
Arrangement of petals        apart
Petal shoulder               absent
Color of main body of        near 157A
petals (when fully open)
Type of coloration of        uniform color over whole
petals                       petal
REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS
Number of stamens            about 44.4 (Between 40 and
                             50)
Length of stamen,            about 4.2 mm (Between 3.6-
filaments                    5.0)
Length of anthers            about 3.7 mm (Between 3.2-
                             4.2)
Filament color               near light green
Anther color                 Near grey black
Style number                 about 20.7 (Between 18 and
                             24)
Length of styles             about 4.4 mm. (Between 4.1
                             and 5.2)
Attitude of styles           horizontal
Curvature of styles          weak
Length of ovary              about 6.8 mm. (Between 6.0
                             and 7.4)
Amount of hair on ovary      absent
Color of ovary               near 145A
FRUIT
Overall size                 small, about 11.1 g.
                             (Between 9.5 and 12.8)
Length                       about 26.5 mm. (Between 23.6
                             and 29.4)
Width
Maximum                      about 26.8 mm. (Between 24.3
                             and 30.3)
Minimum                      about 24.3 mm. (Between 21.8
                             and 28.0)
CORE DIAMETER
Maximum                      about 9.3 mm. (Between 6.9
                             and 11.4)
Minimum                      about 5.0 mm. (Between 3.3
                             and 6.6)
Locule number                about 20.7 (Between 18 and
                             26)
Peduncle length              about 29.5 mm. (Between 23.6
                             and 34.0)
Peduncle width               about 2.0 mm. (Between 1.5
                             and 2.5)
General shape                spheroid
Cross section at median      oblate
General shape of stylar end  rounded
Shape of shoulder on stalk   square
end
Skin color at harvest (fruit near medium green
still hard)
Skin color change during     absent
ripening
Skin color at maturity for   between 141c and 143c
consumption
Fruit hairs                  absent
FRUIT CORE
Diameter (at largest         large
diameter)
Shape (in cross-section)     oblate
woody spike                  absent
Outer pericarp color at      between 139B and 141B
maturity for consumption
Inner pericarp col.          between 139B and 141B
(locules) at mature for
consumption
Color at maturity            near green white
Color at harvest             between near 150D and 157B
Sweetness (Brix level) at    about 20.2% (Between 17.2 and
maturity for consumption     22.0)
Vitamin C content (45 fruit  about 51 mg./100 g. fresh
sample)                      weight (Between 37 and 67)
Seed color at maturity (in   between 172B and 175C
flesh)
seed color when dry          Between 172B and 175C
EVENTS
Time of vegetative budbreak  about late August
Time of beginning of         about mid-November
flowering
Time of maturity for harvest between about late February
(at nominated Brix level)    and early March

HORTICULTURAL CHARACTERISTICS

[0025] Details below relate to observations made on plants growing at Te Puke Research Centre, New Zealand. These plants were cutting-grown.

CROPPING

[0026] Young vines of the new variety are precocious, beginning to bear in their second year and are expected to reach full capacity at about 7 years. The storage life of the fruit of the new variety is about 10 to 12 weeks at 0° C., if stored in unventilated containers.

FRUIT SIZE

[0027] Data from harvesting all fruit from 6 vines in late February 1999 is as follows:

[0028] Mean fruit weight: 10.8 g

[0029] Maximum: 12.6 g

[0030] Minimum: 9.7 g

[0031] Mean fruit number: 2087

[0032] Maximum: 3610

[0033] Minimum: 802

[0034] Mean yield: 21.96 kg

[0035] Maximum: 35.14 kg

[0036] Minimum: 8.42 kg

[0037] These vines were about 3 years old. It is expected that for mature, well-managed vines mean fruit weight will be about 10 g., mean fruit number about 5000 fruit, and mean yield per vine about 50 kg.

Claims

1. A new and distinct kiwi plant of the species A. arguta substantially as described and illustrated, characterized by small spheroid fruit with green hairless edible skin and green flesh with a sweet aromatic flavor.