Botanical designation: Petunia X hybrida.
Cultivar denomination: ‘DOPETPEPRO’.
STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY INVENTOR & APPLICANT/ASSIGNEE
An European Community Plant Breeder's Rights application for the instant plant was filed by the Applicant/Assignee, Dümmen Group B.V. of De Lier, The Netherlands on Sep. 28, 2023, application number 2023/2026. Foreign priority is not claimed to this application.
The Inventor and Applicant/Assignee assert that no publications nor advertisements relating to sales, offers for sale or public distribution occurred more than one year prior to the effective filing date of this application. Any information about the claimed plant would have been obtained from a direct or indirect disclosure from the Inventor and/or Applicant/Assignee. Inventor and Applicant/Assignee claim a prior art exemption under 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(1) for disclosure and/or sales prior to the filing date but less than one year prior to the effective filing date.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Petunia plant, botanically known as Petunia X hybrida and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Dopetpepro’.
The new Petunia plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Rheinberg, Germany. The objective of the breeding program is to create new compact, freely branching and early-flowering Petunia plants with numerous attractive flowers.
The new Petunia plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in July, 2020 in Rheinberg, Germany of a proprietary selection of Petunia X hybrida identified as code number TT20-K0749, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Petunia X hybrida identified as code number TT20-K0527, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Petunia plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Rheinberg, Germany in May, 2021.
Asexual reproduction of the new Petunia plant by terminal vegetative cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Rheinberg, Germany since May, 2021 has shown that the unique features of this new Petunia plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Plants of the new Petunia have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.
The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Dopetpepro’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Dopetpepro’ as a new and distinct Petunia plant:
- 1. Compact and uniformly mounding plant habit.
- 2. Moderately vigorous growth habit and moderate growth rate.
- 3. Freely branching habit.
- 4. Early and freely flowering habit.
- 5. Large purplish pink-colored flowers with a white-colored star pattern.
- 6. Good container and garden performance.
Plants of the new Petunia can be compared to plants of the female parent selection. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Petunia differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:
- 1. Plants of the new Petunia are denser than and not as open as plants of the female parent selection.
- 2. Flowers of plants of the new Petunia are purplish pink in color with a white-colored star pattern whereas plants of the female parent selection are purple in color with a white-colored star pattern.
- 3. Flowers of the new Petunia resist fading better than flowers of plants of the female parent selection.
- 4. Star pattern of flowers of the new Petunia is more stable than star pattern of flowers of the female parent selection.
Plants of the new Petunia can be compared to plants of the male parent selection. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Petunia differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:
- 1. Plants of the new Petunia are more freely branching than plants of the male parent selection.
- 2. Plants of the new Petunia are more freely flowering than plants of the male parent selection.
- 3. Flower petals of plants of the new Petunia have rounded apices whereas flower petals of plants of the male parent selection have acute apices.
Plants of the new Petunia can be compared to plants of Petunia sensu ‘Dpetampnk’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 32,210. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Petunia and ‘Dpetampnk’ differ primarily in the following characteristics:
- 1. Plants of the new Petunia are more compact than plants of ‘Dpetampnk’.
- 2. Plants of the new Petunia are more freely branching than plants of ‘Dpetampnk’.
- 3. Flowers of plants of the new Petunia are lighter purplish pink in color than flowers of plants of ‘Dpetampnk’.
- 4. Plants of the new Petunia are resistant to Tobacco Mosaic Virus whereas plants of ‘Dpetampnk’ are not resistant to Tobacco Mosaic Virus.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS
The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Petunia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Petunia plant.
The photograph on the first sheet (FIG. 1) is a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Dopetpepro’ grown in a container.
The photograph on the second sheet (FIG. 2) is a close-up view of a typical flower of ‘Dopetpepro’.
DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION
The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during the spring and summer in 22-cm containers in a glass-covered greenhouse in Rheinberg, Germany and under cultural practices typical of commercial Petunia production. During the production of the plants, day and night temperatures averaged 18C and light levels averaged 4,500 lux. Plants were twelve weeks old when the photographs were taken and 25 weeks old when the description was taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, Fifth Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.
- Botanical classification: Petunia X hybrida ‘Dopetpepro’.
- Parentage:
- Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Petunia X hybrida identified as code number TT20-K0749, not patented.
- Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Petunia X hybrida identified as code number TT20-K0527, not patented.
- Propagation:
- Type.—By terminal vegetative cuttings.
- Time to initiate roots, summer.—About five days at temperatures about 20C.
- Time to initiate roots, winter.—About seven days at temperatures about 20C.
- Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About three weeks at temperatures about 20C.
- Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About four weeks at temperatures about 20C.
- Root description.—Fine, fibrous; close to 155B in color, actual color of the roots is dependent on substrate composition, water quality, fertilizers, substrate temperature and age of roots.
- Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense.
- Plant description:
- Plant and growth habit.—Compact and uniformly mounding plant habit; freely branching habit with about six primary lateral branches each with about eight secondary branches developing after pinching; moderately vigorous growth habit and moderate growth rate.
- Plant height, soil level to top of foliar plane.—About 23 cm.
- Plant height, soil level to top of floral plane.—About 27 cm.
- Plant diameter.—About 58 cm.
- Lateral branch description:
- Length.—About 25 cm.
- Diameter.—About 4 mm.
- Internode length.—About 1.4 cm.
- Strength.—Moderately strong.
- Aspect.—Initially upright to somewhat outwardly spreading.
- Texture and luster.—Pubescent; semi-glossy.
- Color, developing.—Close to 144C.
- Color, developed.—Close to 144B.
- Leaf description:
- Arrangement.—Before flowering, alternate; after flowering, opposite; simple.
- Length.—About 3.5 cm.
- Width.—About 1.9 cm.
- Shape.—Spatulate.
- Apex.—Obtuse.
- Base.—Attenuate.
- Margin.—Entire.
- Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent; leathery; semi-glossy.
- Venation pattern.—Pinnate; arcuate.
- Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 137B. Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 137C. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 137A; venation, close to 144A. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 144A to 144B; venation, close to 144B.
- Petioles.—Length: About 4 mm. Diameter: About 2.8 mm. Strength: Moderately strong; firm. Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Color, upper surface: Close to 144A to 144B. Color, lower surface: Close to 144C.
- Flower description:
- Flower type and flowering habit.—Single salverform flowers arising from leaf axils; freely flowering habit with usually about 236 flowers and flower buds developing per plant during the flowering season; flowers face mostly upright to outwardly.
- Fragrance.—None detected.
- Natural flowering season.—Plants flower continuously during the spring and summer in Germany; early flowering habit, plants typically beginning flowering about nine weeks after planting.
- Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about two to three days on the plant; flowers persistent.
- Flower buds.—Length: About 3.9 cm. Diameter: About 9 mm. Shape: Ovoid. Texture and luster: Rippled; semi-glossy. Color: Close to N144C and 70A.
- Flower diameter.—About 5.4 cm by 5.6 cm.
- Flower depth (height).—About 5.7 cm.
- Flower throat diameter.—About 1.1 cm.
- Flower tube length.—About 2.75 cm.
- Flower tube diameter, proximally.—About 7.5 mm.
- Corolla.—Arrangement: Five petals fused at the base and opening into a flared trumpet. Petal lobe length (from throat): About 2.75 cm. Petal lobe width: About 2.7 cm. Petal shape: Roughly spatulate. Petal apex: Obtuse, rounded. Petal margin: Entire; slightly undulate. Petal texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces: Rippled, glabrous; semi-glossy. Throat texture and luster: Rippled; semi-glossy. Tube texture and luster: Rippled; semi-glossy. Color: Petal lobe, when opening, upper surface: Close to N74A; star pattern, close to 150D. Petal lobe, when opening, lower surface: Close to 70B; star pattern, close to 150C. Petal lobe, fully opened, upper surface: Close to 68A; star pattern, close to N155B; venation, close to 71B and N144B; main color becoming closer to N74C with subsequent development. Petal lobe, fully opened, lower surface: Close to 68B; star pattern, close to N155B; venation, close to 71C and N144C; main color becoming closer to 75C with subsequent development. Flower throat: Distally, close to N144B; proximally, close to 146A; venation, close to N144B and 146A. Flower tube: Close to 154C; venation, close to N79B and N144C.
- Sepals.—Arrangement: Five sepals fused at the base forming a tubular star-shaped calyx. Length: About 1.75 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm. Shape: Oblong. Apex: Rounded. Base: Decurrent. Margin: Entire. Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; semi-glossy. Color: When opening and fully opened, upper surface: Close to 137B. When opening and fully opened, lower surface: Close to 137D.
- Peduncles.—Length: About 2.4 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Strength: Moderately strong. Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous; semi-glossy. Color: Close to 143C.
- Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Five. Filament length: About 1.4 cm. Filament color: Close to 145D. Anther length: About 1.2 mm. Anther shape: Ovate. Anther color: Close to 158A. Pollen amount: Abundant. Pollen color: Close to 158B. Pistils: Quantity per flower: One. Pistil length: About 2.2 cm. Style length: About 1.7 cm. Style color: Close to 144D. Stigma diameter: About 1.5 mm. Stigma shape: Rounded. Stigma color: Close to 144A to 144D. Ovary color: Close to 143C. Fruits: Quantity produced per plant: About 104 during the flowering season. Length: About 7 mm. Diameter: About 4.5 mm. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 164B. Seeds: Quantity per flower: About 117. Length: About 0.4 mm. Diameter: About 0.6 mm. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 200B.
- Garden performance: Plants of the new Petunia have been observed to have good garden performance and tolerate wind, rain, temperatures ranging from about 5C to about 40C and to be hardy to USDA Hardiness Zone 11.
- Pathogen & pest resistance: Plants of the new Petunia have been observed to be resistant to Tobacco Mosaic Virus. To date, plants of the new Petunia have not been observed to be resistant to pests and other pathogens common to Petunia plants.
Patent Grant
PP36152
