U.S. patent number PP17,997 [Application Number 11/244,987] was granted by the patent office on 2007-09-11 for fast-growing willow shrub named `otisco`.
This patent grant is currently assigned to The Research Foundation of State University of New York. Invention is credited to Lawrence P. Abrahamson, Richard F. Kopp, Lawrence B. Smart, Timothy A. Volk.
United States Patent |
PP17,997 |
Abrahamson , et al. |
September 11, 2007 |
Fast-growing willow shrub named `Otisco`
Abstract
A distinct female cultivar of Salix viminalis.times.S. miyabeana
named `Otisco`, characterized by rapid stem growth producing
greater than 42% more woody biomass than one of its parents
(`SX64`) and 33% more biomass than a current production cultivar
(`SV1`). `Otisco` produced greater than 2.5-fold more stem biomass
than two other current production cultivars, `SX67` and `SX61`.
`Otisco` can be planted from dormant stem cuttings, produces
multiple stems after coppice, and the stem biomass can be harvested
when the plant is dormant. In the spring following harvest, the
plant will re-sprout very vigorously, producing new stems that can
be harvested after two to four years of growth. This harvest cycle
can be repeated several times. The stem biomass can be chipped and
burned as a source of renewable energy, generating heat and/or
electricity. `Otisco` displays a low incidence of rust disease and
is not damaged by potato leafhoppers.
Inventors: |
Abrahamson; Lawrence P.
(Marcellus, NY), Kopp; Richard F. (Marietta, NY), Smart;
Lawrence B. (Geneva, NY), Volk; Timothy A. (Syracuse,
NY) |
Assignee: |
The Research Foundation of State
University of New York (Albany, NY)
|
Family
ID: |
37912310 |
Appl.
No.: |
11/244,987 |
Filed: |
October 6, 2005 |
Prior Publication Data
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Document
Identifier |
Publication Date |
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US 20070083963 P1 |
Apr 12, 2007 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
PLT/216 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A01H
5/04 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A01H
5/00 (20060101) |
Field of
Search: |
;PLT/216 |
Primary Examiner: Bell; Kent
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Wall Marjama & Bilinski LLP
Government Interests
STATEMENT AS TO RIGHTS TO INVENTIONS MADE UNDER FEDERALLY-SPONSORED
RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
The invention described herein was reduced to practice during the
funding period of Contract 4000003235 (SUNY Research Foundation
Award 011275) awarded by Oak Ridge National Laboratory, managed by
UT-Batelle for the United States Department of Energy under
contract DE-AC05-00OR22725, and of agreement number 6267 (SUNY
Research Foundation Award 011536) awarded by the New York State
Energy Research and Development Authority.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A new and distinct variety of a Salix viminalis.times.S.
miyabeana plant substantially as illustrated and described herein.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is related to the following plant patent
applications, all of which are subject to assignment to the
Research Foundation of the State University of New York, and each
of which is being filed on even date herewith: "Fast-Growing Shrub
Willow" Named `Fish Creek`, application Ser. No. 11/244,988,
"Fast-Growing Shrub Willow" Named `Canastota`, application Ser. No.
11/244,986, "Fast-Growing Shrub Willow" Named `Millbrook`,
application Ser. No. 11/244,636, "Fast-Growing Shrub Willow" Named
`Oneida`, application Ser. No. 11/244,975, "Fast-Growing Shrub
Willow" Named `Owasco`, application Ser. No. 11/244,842, and
"Fast-Growing Shrub Willow" Named `Tully Champion`, application
Ser. No. 11/244,635, The variety of fast-growing shrub willow named
`Otisco` was produced in the willow breeding program at the State
University of New York College of Environmental Science and
Forestry, as were other varieties, including: `Fish Creek`,
`Canastota`, `Millbrook`, `Oneida`, `Owasco`, and `Tully
Champion`.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention is a new and distinct cultivar known by the varietal
name `Otisco` resulting from the novel hybridization of Salix
viminalis with Salix miyabeana. The new variety was produced
through controlled willow breeding conducted by the inventors at
the State University of New York College of Environmental Science
and Forestry in Syracuse, N.Y. The objective of the breeding
program is to produce new willow cultivars that generate high
biomass yields on a variety of sites, are resistant to diseases and
pests, and possess agronomic traits suitable for mechanical
planting, harvesting, and post-harvest processing. Shrub willow is
being developed as an agricultural crop plant that will be grown
and harvested as a sustainable, renewable source of energy. Once a
field planting of shrub willows is established, the woody stems can
be harvested every three years, and new shoots will re-sprout the
following season. Repeated harvesting every two to four years can
be sustained for at least 15 years.
2. Description of Relevant Prior Art Including Information
Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97-1.99
This new variety of Salix viminalis.times.Salix miyabeana was the
seedling progeny of the controlled pollination of the female clone
S. viminalis `SV2` by the male clone S. miyabeana `SX64` performed
in February 1999 in Syracuse, N.Y. The plant has been propagated
repeatedly by stem cuttings and has been found to retain its
distinctive characteristics through successive propagations and
field trials. More specifically, the plant has been asexually
reproduced by collecting dormant stems during the winter months
from a plant growing in Syracuse, N.Y.; cutting them into either
5'' to 10'' pieces (cuttings); then planting those cuttings in the
field in Tully, N.Y. in the spring or in potting mix in the
greenhouse, then transplanting the rooted cuttings to the field in
Tully, N.Y. Both parents were originally transferred from Toronto,
Ontario, Canada to Syracuse, N.Y. and were vegetatively propagated
from stem cuttings. The female parent (S. viminalis `SV2`) was
transferred in 1990, while the male parent (Salix miyabeana `SX64`)
was transferred in 1994. The female parent (Salix viminalis `SV2`)
has leaves that are narrowly lanceolate and with acute apex. They
are pubescent underneath with raised veins and margins are entire.
Mature leaves of variety `Otisco` are lanceolate with acuminate
apex, upper and lower surfaces are glabrous and margins are
serrulate. The growth of the parent plants was characterized in
nursery plantings in Tully, N.Y. The male clone Salix miyabeana
`SX64` displayed rapid stem growth and low incidence of rust
disease, so was chosen to serve as a parent in a cross with S.
viminalis `SV2`, which suffered from susceptibilty to the potato
leafhopper (Empoasca fabae). The seedlings produced by this cross
(identification #99201) were first established in a greenhouse, and
then were transplanted to Syracuse, N.Y. This particular individual
(identification #99201-007) was selected from the family due to its
exceptional stem height growth.
The new cultivar has been grown in Syracuse, N.Y. and Tully, N.Y.,
which have a normal yearly average daily temperature of 47.degree.
F., normal daily maximum temperature in July of 82.degree. F.,
normal daily minimum temperature in January of 14.degree. F., and
average precipitation of 40 inches. The new cultivar grows from a
rooted cutting to a fully mature plant ready for harvest in
approximately three years.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The Salix viminalis.times.S. miyabeana cultivar `Otisco` has not
been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The
phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environments such as
temperature, light intensity and length of illumination, without,
however, any variation in genotype. The new and distinct cultivar
presents the following traits that have been repeatedly observed
and are determined to be the unique characteristics of `Otisco`.
These characteristics in combination distinguish `Otisco` as a new
and distinct cultivar: 1. Rapid growth rate, producing greater than
42% more woody biomass than one of its parents (Salix miyabeana
`SX64`), 33% more biomass than one current production cultivar
(Salix dasyclados, `SV1`), and more than 2.5-fold more biomass that
two other production cultivars (Salix miyabeana `SX67` and Salix
sachalinensis `SX61`) when grown in the same field for the same
length of time (two growing seasons after coppice) in Tully, N.Y.
2. Resistance to potato leafhopper, which causes severe stunting of
growth, curling of the leaves, and overall decline in vigor (all
characteristic of hopper burn) on the female parent, S. viminalis
`SV2`. 3. Low incidence of rust disease assessed in experimental
trials in Syracuse, N.Y. in 2000.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
The accompanying color photographs show the features of the claimed
cultivar in a manner as true as is reasonably possible. The
illustrations include:
FIG. 1.1 illustrates two-year-old portion of stem collected while
dormant;
FIG. 1.2 illustrates one-year-old portion of stem collected while
dormant;
FIG. 1.3 illustrates a vegetative bud in dormancy;
FIG. 1.4 illustrates a floral bud in dormancy;
FIG. 1.5 illustrates new shoot growth from a stem cutting rooted in
soil:sand in a greenhouse;
FIG. 1.6 illustrates upper leaf surface;
FIG. 1.7 illustrates lower leaf surface;
FIG. 1.8 illustrates mature catkin;
FIG. 1.9 illustrates pistil and densely pubescent floral bract;
and
FIG. 2.1 illustrates biomass yield two years after coppice for the
claimed cultivar as compared to other shrub willows.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW PLANT
The following detailed description sets forth characteristics of
the new plant. The following observations and measurements describe
plants grown by asexual reproduction in Syracuse, N.Y. or Tully,
N.Y. under conditions as described hereinabove. Color references
are made using The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart
(hereinafter The R.H.S. Colour Chart) of The Royal Horticultural
Society of London, England, except where general terms of ordinary
dictionary significance are used.
BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT
The following detailed description of the `Otisco` variety is based
on observations from 10 inch cuttings grown in a greenhouse in
Syracuse, N.Y. Cuttings were grown in 7 inch tubes in a (1:1)
ProMix.RTM./sand (v/v) substrate under natural light from December
2004 to March 2005. Plants were irrigated with automatic misting
for 6 minutes every 2 hours five times each day. Latin name: Salix
viminalis.times.S. miyabeana. Varietal denomination: `Otisco`.
Parentage: Female or seed parent.--S. viminalis `SV2`. Male or
pollen parent.--S. miyabeana `SX64`. Propagation: Type.--Stem
cutting. Time to rooting.--Approximately 10 days in water at
21.degree. C. Precocity: Subprecocious -- Catkins mature as leaves
begin to break bud. Plant description: The color of one-year-old
stem cuttings observed when dormant are grey orange (RHS 167B),
while two to three-year-old stems are yellow-green (RHS 153B) to
cracking pale green (RHS 195B) bark. Vegetative buds are red-orange
(RHS 179A), obtuse, linear, pubescent, and typically 3.5-4 mm in
length. Lenticels are red, large, wart-like, and numerous. The
leaves are simple and alternate with pinnate venation. The upper
surface of field-grown leaves in early October is glabrous and
glossy with distinct pinnate venation. The lower surface is
glabrous and slightly glaucous. Stipules are lanceolate, serrulate,
slightly curved, and typically 4 mm in length. Immature leaves are
pubescent. Mature leaves are lanceolate, acuminate apex, acute
base, typically 8.5-9.6 cm in length, 1.1-1.8 cm in width,
serrulate margin, adaxial (upper) surface green (RHS 144A), abaxial
(lower) surface pale green (RHS 143D), and stem light pale green
(RHS 145B) at 6 weeks of growth. Typical petioles on mature leaves
grown under field conditions in early October are yellow-green
(#N144D) and are 1.0-2.0 mm in diameter. The petiole depicted FIGS.
1.6 and 1.7 from a greenhouse-grow plant is green (#138D) and 1 mm
in diameter. The typical diameter of two-year old stems at a height
of 1 m is 1.3 cm. The bark color of field-grown stems determined in
early October after two growing seasons is greyed-green (#194B).
The surface is textured with thin longitudinal furrows and raised
reddish lenticels. The average plant height of a mature plant after
three seasons of growth is 5-6 m with a typical spread at the crown
of 1.0-1.5 m when grown in the typical planting spacing of 0.6
m.times.0.7 m. Flowering description: Dormant floral buds are
elongated, ovoid, acute, typically 9 mm in length, appressed, and
red-orange (RHS 171A). Peduncle of catkin is typically 3.5 mm in
length and bears 4 leafy bracts. Catkins are erect, typically 2.8
cm in length, narrowly cylindrical, and densely flowered. Flowers
have a long, narrow, densely hairy, and sessile ovary, with a long
style and 2 stigmas one larger than the other. Floral bract is
densely pubescent and has a pink acute apex. Field growth
characteristics: Determined through surveys of plants growing at
the LaFayette Road Experiment Station in Syracuse, N.Y. Disease
resistance: Displays a low incidence of rust disease. Temperature
tolerance: Stems typically do not suffer frost damage at
temperatures as low as 10.degree. F. and may suffer only minor tip
dieback at lower temperatures. Seed production: `Otisco` produces
only female flowers, so viable seeds will only be produced after
pollination by a compatible male variety. This has not yet been
observed in field trials. Biomass yield: Mean dry stem biomass
yield produced through two growing seasons after coppice in each of
eight four-plant plots (`Otisco`, 14.78 oven dry tons ha.sup.-1
yr.sup.-1) measured in a yield trial growing at the Tully Genetics
Field Station in Tully, N.Y. in February 2005 was 42% greater than
the mean stem biomass yield of one of its parents (`SX64`, 10.35
oven dry tons ha.sup.-1 yr.sup.-1) and was 33% greater than a
current production cultivar (`SV1`, 11.04 oven dry tons ha.sup.-1
yr.sup.-1) growing in the same trial (FIG. 2.1). `Otisco` produced
greater than 2.5-fold more stem biomass than two other current
production cultivars (`SX67`, 5.52 oven dry tons ha.sup.-1
yr.sup.-1; `SX61`, 4.83 oven dry tons ha.sup.-1 yr.sup.-1) growing
in the same trial (FIG. 2.1).
* * * * *