Patent Grant
PP35090
Latin name of the genus and species of the plant claimed: ‘FINNBERRY’ is a red raspberry plant that is Rubus idaeus L.
Variety denomination: The new red raspberry plant claimed is of the variety denominated ‘Finnberry’ Rubus idaeus L.
The present invention relates to a new and distinct red raspberry cultivar designated ‘Finnberry’ and botanically known as Rubus idaeus L. This new primocane-fruiting (fall-bearing) red raspberry cultivar was discovered in Corvallis, Oreg. in August 2014, and is the result of a 2012 cross between the maternal red raspberry plant ‘Caroline’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,412) and the paternal red raspberry plant ORUS 4099-1 (unpatented). ‘Caroline’ was a primocane-fruiting type of red raspberry derived from a cross of the female red raspberry parent ‘GEO-1’ (unpatented) and male red raspberry parent ‘Heritage’ (unpatented). ORUS 4099-1 was a selection from a cross of the primocane-fruiting red raspberry plant ‘Vintage’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 24,198) and the red raspberry ORUS 1173-2 (unpatented) and is a sibling of red raspberry cultivar ‘Kokanee’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 28,666). ‘Finnberry’ shows superior yields and fruit quality to both its parents, combining increased firmness, drupelet coherence, and internal texture for a high-yielding, mid-to-late season variety of red raspberry. ‘Finnberry’ was recognized and selected for its ability to produce fruit with low defects that can be picked early, even when still pink or light-colored, with excellent flavor and sweetness for the fresh market. The original seedling of the new cultivar was established in vitro from a root cutting and microcuttings have been taken and rooted from this sort of culture. The present invention has been found to be stable and reproduce true to type through successive asexual propagations.
The following are the most outstanding and distinguishing characteristics of this new cultivar when grown under normal horticultural practices in Oregon. The new cultivar possesses a primocane-fruiting habit, also known as fall bearing, with fruit ripening from mid-to-late August through Fall on first year canes. The new cultivar ripens one to two weeks later than ‘Kokanee’, one week later than ‘Vintage’, and at a similar time as ‘Heritage’. The new cultivar produces canes that are more vigorous than ‘Vintage’, and at least as vigorous as ‘Heritage’, but are slightly less erect and more spreading than ‘Heritage’. The new cultivar produces light-colored fruit of medium size with lower defects from UV or heat damage when compared to ‘Kokanee’, ‘Heritage’, or ‘Vintage’, and better firmness and coherence. The fruit can be picked at pre-ripe stages of development, even when light pink, with good flavor and still accumulate color in post-harvest storage. The new cultivar has shown fruit yields that are superior to other primocane-fruiting raspberry cultivars including ‘Kokanee’, ‘Vintage’, ‘Heritage’, and ‘Polka’ (unpatented) across multiple years and trial plantings. Thus, the cultivar appears to fit a different production window from recent primocane-fruiting cultivar standards while offering improvements in fruit yields as well as fresh market quality and potential.
This new red raspberry plant is illustrated by the accompanying photographs that show the plants, ripening fruit morphology, and harvested fruit; the colors shown are as true as can be reasonably obtained by conventional photographic procedures.
The following description of ‘Finnberry’ is based on observations taken from 2015 to 2021 growing seasons in trials in Corvallis and Aurora, Oreg. This description is in accordance with UPOV terminology. Color designations, color descriptions and other phenotypical descriptions may deviate from the stated values and descriptions depending upon variation in environmental, seasonal, climatic, and cultural conditions. ‘Finnberry’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. Color terminology follows The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart. London (R.H.S.) (5th edition, 2007).
Table 1 shows plant characteristics of the new cultivar compared with plant characteristics of the red raspberry plant ‘Kokanee’. Characteristics include plant size, plant height at first fruit (cm), plant diameter/density/vigor, and number of canes per hill.
Table 2 shows primocane characteristics of the new cultivar compared with primocane characteristics of the red raspberry plant ‘Kokanee’. Characteristics include new cane habit, timing of young shoots emergence from soil, number of young shoots, very young shoots intensity of anthocyanin coloration, diameter at 1.2 m from base, cane cross-section, length at time of fruit formation, number of nodes, internode length—node 2 to 3 from base, internode length—midpoint, internode length—node 5 to 6 from terminus, cane color, pubescence on canes, percent of cane length flowering as primocane, primocane strength: full-grown after picking, and glaucosity of primocane full-grown after picking.
Table 3 shows prickle characteristics of the new cultivar compared with prickle characteristics of the red raspberry plant ‘Kokanee’. Prickly characteristics include presence of prickles on young shoots, prickle size, prickle length, prickle density, prickle texture, attitude of spine tips, and prickle color.
aPrickle length (cm)
bPrickle density
aLength of prickles 1 m from ground at end of growing season
bNumber of prickles on 10 cm section of mature primocane taken at midpoint of cane (dense/medium/sparse/absent)
Table 4 shows primocane leaf characteristics of the new cultivar compared with primocane leaf characteristics of the red raspberry plant ‘Kokanee’. Primocane leaf characteristics include: time of budbreak, petiole length (range), petiole length, petiole diameter, petiole color—upper surface, petiole color—lower surface, prickle distribution on petioles, rachis length, rachis color, stipule length, stipule orientation, leaf arrangement, number of leaves per node, entire leaf length, entire leaf width, number of leaflets per leaf, terminal leaflet length, terminal leaflet width, terminal leaflet shape, terminal leaflet tip/apex, terminal leaflet base, terminal leaflet cross section—plane, terminal leaflet shape of teeth, terminal leaflet margin, terminal leaflet petiolule length, terminal leaflet margin, terminal leaflet petiolule length, terminal leaflet petiolule width, distal lateral leaflet length, distal lateral leaflet width, distal lateral leaflet petiolule length, basal lateral leaflet length, basal lateral leaflet width, basal lateral leaflet petiolule length, leaflet color—upper surface, leaflet color—lower surface, and glossiness. In addition to the information in the table, rugosity of the leaf for ‘Finnberry’ is strong.
Table 5 shows flower characteristics of the new cultivar compared with flower characteristics of the red raspberry plant ‘Kokanee’. Flower characteristics include timing of primocane flower bud burst, bud shape—top view, bud shape—side view, bud length, bud diameter, bud color, flower diameter—sepal, flower diameter—petal, diameter of calyx relative to corolla, flower depth (base to top of stigmas), number of nodes/lateral (all nodes are flowering nodes), number of nodes/lateral with >1 flower, number of buds, flowers, fruit per lateral, number of buds, flowers, fruits per node of lateral, petal number, petal length, petal width, petal shape, petal apex, petal base, petal margin, color petals, sepal number, sepal length, sepal width, sepal shape, sepal apex, sepal margin, color sepals—inner surface, color sepals—outer surface, pedicel length, pedicel diameter, pedicel texture, color pedicels, stamen number, filament color, anther length, anther width, anther color—fresh, anther color—dry, pollen color, amount of pollen produced, pistil number, stigma color, stigma shape, style length, style color, and ovary color, as well as measurements related to flowering laterals including peduncle length, peduncle diameter, peduncle texture, and peduncle color.
Table 6 shows fruit characteristics of the new cultivar compared with fruit characteristics of the red raspberry plant ‘Kokanee’. Fruit characteristics include length, width, length/width ratio, receptacle length, receptacle diameter, drupelet length, drupelet width, number of drupelets per fruit, fruit weight, drupelet weight, individual seed weight, total seed weight per fruit, seed length, seed width, seed color, fruit glossiness, separation from receptacle, drupelet cohesion, firmness, flavor, fruit color, fruit color—immature, fruit color—maturing, fruit color—mature, titratable acidity, soluble solids, pH, harvest season, length of season, yield, and productivity. Fruit chemistry measurements were collected during the 2021 field season. In addition to the information in the table, the shape of ‘Finnberry’ fruit is blunt-conical/rounded.
No particular resistance or susceptibility to pests or disease have been observed in ‘Finnberry’ to date. ‘Finnberry’ has been shown to grow in plant hardiness zone 8a-8b and has not been thoroughly evaluated outside of that zone.
‘Finnberry’ differs from the female parent red raspberry plant ‘Caroline’ in that it produces significantly higher yields of fruit with superior fresh market quality including firmness and drupelet coherence. The ‘Finnberry’ fruit are larger than ‘Caroline’ and show easier separation for ease of picking. In trials in Aurora, Oreg., ‘Caroline’ was observed to produce fruit that were flavorful but more susceptible to crumbling, and weaker plants that showed some susceptibility to root rot (a symptom typically associated with the disease-causing pathogen Phytophthora rubi).
‘Finnberry’ differs from the male parent red raspberry plant ORUS 4099-1 in that it produces greater yields of fruit with improved quality for the fresh market. The fruit of ORUS 4099-1 were noted for becoming a bit dark and soft after picking, while ‘Finnberry’ fruit were lighter colored and less glossy but retained better firmness and quality after picking.
‘Finnberry’ differs from the primocane-fruiting red raspberry varieties ‘Kokanee’, ‘Heritage’, ‘Vintage’, and ‘Polka’ in that it has been consistently as high or higher yielding in trials in Aurora, Oreg., and is later-ripening than each variety except for ‘Heritage’, which ripens at a similar time in the mid-to-late season. ‘Finnberry’ produces bright colored fruit that retained a more favorable appearance and quality than ‘Kokanee’ and ‘Polka’ after 14 days in refrigerated storage in plastic clamshell packaging at 4° C. The ‘Finnberry’ fruit are larger than ‘Kokanee’, ‘Vintage’, and ‘Heritage’ and similar in size to ‘Polka’. The fruit flavor is described as tangy and slightly acidic, with a mild sweetness and good aroma, and ranked higher than ‘Kokanee’, ‘Heritage’, ‘Vintage’, and ‘Polka’ in a 2019 stakeholder survey of fruit samples conducted by Oregon State University's department of Food Science. The fruit appear to have higher firmness and lower defects from heat and UV compared to ‘Kokanee’, ‘Heritage’ and ‘Vintage’.
