U.S. patent number PP13,661 [Application Number 09/716,984] was granted by the patent office on 2003-03-18 for citrus tree named `merav`.
This patent grant is currently assigned to State of Israel-Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. Invention is credited to Avraham Elchanati, Ahuva Frydman-Shani, Hana Neumann, Pinchas Spiegel-Roy, Aliza Vardi.
United States Patent |
PP13,661 |
Vardi , et al. |
March 18, 2003 |
Citrus tree named `Merav`
Abstract
A new variety of mandarin citrus is described that is
distinguished by fruit having few or no seeds and a mid late fruit
ripening period.
Inventors: |
Vardi; Aliza (Ramat Gan,
IL), Spiegel-Roy; Pinchas (Ramat-Gan, IL),
Frydman-Shani; Ahuva (Ramat-Gan, IL), Elchanati;
Avraham (Holon, IL), Neumann; Hana (Hemed,
IL) |
Assignee: |
State of Israel-Ministry of
Agriculture and Rural Development (Tel Aviv,
IL)
|
Family
ID: |
24880246 |
Appl.
No.: |
09/716,984 |
Filed: |
November 20, 2000 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
PLT/202 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A01H
5/08 (20130101); A01H 6/78 (20180501) |
Current International
Class: |
A01H 005/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;PLT/202 |
Other References
GTITM UPOVROM Citation for `Merav`as per IL PBR 02643; Feb. 26,
1999..
|
Primary Examiner: Bell; Kent L.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Akerman Senterfitt
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A new and distinct variety of Citrus reticulata hybrid tree
substantially as herein described and shown.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
A new mandarin citrus tree Citrus reticulata hybrid is described.
The new variety named `Merav` is desirable to the consumer because
of the orange color of its fruit and to the commercial grower
because of its mid-season fruit ripening at the end of December to
January.
BACKGROUND OF THE NEW TREE
The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of
mandarin citrus tree Citrus reticulata hybrid developed by
inventors Aliza Vardi, Pinchas Spiegel-Roy, Avraham Elchanati,
Ahuva Frydman-Shani and Hana Neumann in Bet Dagan, Israel from a
controlled pollination cross between `Wilking` mandarin as seed
parent and `Michal` as a pollen parent.
Asexual reproduction by conventional bud grafting of the new
variety at the Agriculture Research Organization Volcani Center in
Bet Dagan, Israel, has shown that the new characteristics are
stabilized and permanently fixed through successive
propagation.
The objective in breeding the present new tree variety, assigned
the denomination `Merav`, was to obtain high quality citrus
mandarins with few or no seeds. In the spring of 1978, the seed
parent `Wilking` (unpatented) mandarin from a cross of
`King`.times.`Willowleaf` (Mediterranean) reported by Frost in
Calif. Agr. Exp. Sta. Bull. 1935, pp.597-601, was crossed with
pollen parent `Michal` (unpatented), a cultivar of Israeli origin
believed to be a natural hybrid between two Citrus reticulata
Blanco cultivars. The fruits were collected in November 1978. Seeds
were extracted and germinated in January 1979. About 400 seedlings
were grown from the germinated seeds. The seedlings were grafted
onto Troyer orange nucellar rootstock and planted in 1980 in the
Agriculture Research Organization experimental grove, Bet Dagan,
Israel. The first fruits were observed in December 1984 and again
in 1985.
One of the 360 plants was designated observed to be fully ripe in
the last week of December and to the end of January. The fruit was
observed to be orange in color with several seeds.
Bud wood was taken from k/32/79 and top grafted in the spring of
1986 on 2 Troyer rootstock in the experimental grove of the
Agricultural Research Organization, Bet Dagan, Israel. The first
crop of these trees was obtained in 1989. The yield of the scion
grafted onto Troyer rootstock was good. The fruit was fully ripe
the last week in December. The color of the fruit when fully ripe
was dark orange, and the fruit was quite easy to peel. The fully
ripe fruit had excellent flavor and the juice had a sugar
concentration of about 17.3% and an acid content of about 1.34%
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
k/32/79, designated `Merav`, is characterized by fruit having
several seeds and flowers with anthers bearing semi fertile pollen.
It is similar in leaf canopy and leaf shape to `Michal` mandarin.
Table 1 shows some of the characteristics of the new tree compared
to the seed parent `Wilking` and pollen parent `Michal`. Color
designations have been determined from The R.H.S. Colour Chart
published by The Royal Horticultural Society, London.
TABLE 1 Chromosome Tree Fruit skin color number Seeds/fruit Pollen
fertility.sup.1 k/32/79 Orange 30B 2n = 18 0-9 55% `Merav`
`Wilking` Orange RHS 2n = 18 6-15 94% 25A `Michal` Orange-red 2n =
18 2-9 86% RHS 33A .sup.1 Estimated by Acetocarmine staining
The following is a detailed description of the new mandarin citrus
variety based on observations made under typical Israeli grove
conditions.
The tree shape, size and leaf canopy are similar to `Michal`
mandarin. Young shoots have no anthocyanin coloration at the tip.
The tree is very productive with a slight tendency to alternate
bearing (lower yield of fruit after a year of heavy bearing if
fruit is not harvested). The canopy is moderately dense. The bark
of the young shoots is initially smooth and green, gradually
turning into a smooth yellow-green.
The chromosome number of the tree is diploid (2n=18) as is the
chromosome number of the two parents.
The leaf blade is short to medium and the width is narrow. The leaf
shape in cross section is slightly concave. Foliar flushes, as
measured in Bet Dagan, Israel, occur between April and September
and the leaves have medium green color. The firmness of the leave
blade is weak. Petioles are short and wingless.
The characteristics of the flowering and the flower parts are short
and resemble both parents. Flowering as measured in Bet Dagan,
Israel, occurs between mid March and the beginning of April.
Terminal flower buds have no anthocyanin coloration. Anther color
is yellow with 55% stainable pollen grain as obtained by staining
with acetocarmine. All flowers of mandarin cultivars are very much
alike in color, anthers, pistil, etc. except that the flower size
can be somewhat different.
The fruit has few seeds, about 0-9 seeds per fruit. The fruit shape
is oblate and medium in size. When 50 fruits were measured, the
fruit had an average weight of 110 grams, an average height of 53
mm, and an average diameter 60.5 mm. The fruit surface is usually
smooth with a dark-orange color, 30B, on The Royal Horticultural
Society of London Colour Chart. Fruit ripening does not differ from
outside of the canopy to the inside, but the fruit color of the
outside canopy is a little brighter compared to the fruit color of
the inside canopy. There is no persistence of the style and the
areola is not completely developed. A navel is absent. The rind is
thin and relatively easy to peel.
The color of the albedo is white and the flesh is orange in color.
The fruit contains 10-11 segments and is juicy. The external color
of the seeds is yellowish. The color of the cotyledons is white.
The seed size is medium. The fruit reaches maturity in last week of
December-January in Israel. The ripening of the fruit on the tree
and within the fruit is uniform. Fruit remains on the tree does not
re-green and does begin to loose quality in mid February. The fruit
has attractive appearance and excellent flavor.
Although `Merav` and `Shani` (U.S. Plant patent application Ser.
No. 09/716,483) are sibling cultivars, they can be distinguished
from each other as shown in Table 2.
TABLE 2 Time of Ripening Fruit skin color Fruit flavor `Merav`
December-January orange RHS 30B excellent `Shani` February-mid
March orange-red RHS 34A excellent excellent aroma
DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS
The new citrus tree is illustrated in the accompanying color
photographs.
Sheet one depicts the whole tree and canopy shape of the new
variety.
Sheet two shows the exterior of the fruit as well as transverse
midsections in a plane substantially perpendicular to the axis,
illustrating one seed in the interior of the fruit.
DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW TREE
The following is a detailed description of the new mandarin citrus
variety `Merav` based on observations made under typical Israeli
grove conditions. Observations were made on 4-5 year old citrus.
Tree: Origin.--Cross between seed parent `Wilking` and pollen
parent `Michal`. Classification.--Botanical: Citrus reticulata
hybrid. Common: Mandarin citrus. Cultivar: `Merav`. Shape.--Medium
in size, somewhat round. Thorns.--Thorns 1-10 mm length.
Branching.--Upright. Canopy.--Moderately dense. Bark.--Immature:
Smooth, green, RHS 137A. Mature: Smooth, yellow-green, RHS 148A.
Leaf.--Size: Narrow width, 36 mm, length 78 mm. Leaf blade: Short
to medium, cross section slightly concave taper-pointed. Petioles:
Wingless 12 mm length, 1.5 mm in diameter, Green RHS 146B. Color:
Upper surface: Green RHS 146A; lower surface: Green RHS 146B.
Firmness: Weak. Foliar flushes: April-December. Habit.--Moderately
vigorous. Height.--2.5-3 m. Trunk diameter.--18 cm at 20 cm above
the ground. Spread.--Depends on proximity in grove and pruning.
Disease resistance.--No particular susceptibility or resistance
observed. Winter hardiness.--Winter temperature in Bet Dagan,
Israel averages 4-7 degrees Centigrade. Flower: Petals.--5. Petal
color.--White RHS 155C. Flowering period.--Mid March to early April
(Israel). Flower drop.--April. Stamens.--Approximately 20 with
complete style development. Anther color.--Yellow, RHS 12C. Pollen
fertility.--55% by acetocarmine staining. Anthocyanin
coloration.--No coloration. Fruit: Shape.--Oblate. Size.--Medium.
Weight.--110 g (average of 50 fruits). Height.--53 mm.
Diameter.--60.5 mm. Surface color.--Orange RHS 30B. Rind oil
gland.--About 40/cm.sup.2. Style.--About 6 mm length.
Navel.--Absent. Rind.--Thin (2 mm) and easy to peel.
Albedo.--Yellow-white RHS 158B. Areola.--Not completely developed.
Fruit segments.--10-11. Color of flesh.--Orange RHS 28A. Time to
maturity.--End of December, January (Israel); picking at end of
December through January. Productivity.--60 kg per tree each season
at age 6. Fruit extract.--(Quality tested Jan. 10, 1994). Total
soluble solids (TSS): 17.5%. Acid content: 1.34%. TSS/acid ratio:
13. Flavor: Pleasant. Seeds: Size.--Medium. Color.--External:
Yellow-white RHS 158A. Internal: Grey-brown RHS 199C.
Cotyledons.--Orange-white RHS 159C. Embryony.--Monoembryonic.
The tree and its fruit as described herein may vary somewhat in
certain characteristics due to climatic and/or soil conditions
under which the variety is grown.
* * * * *