U.S. patent number PP21,881 [Application Number 12/587,549] was granted by the patent office on 2011-04-26 for blueberry plant named `hortblue poppins`.
This patent grant is currently assigned to The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Limited. Invention is credited to Narandra Patel.
United States Patent |
PP21,881 |
Patel |
April 26, 2011 |
Blueberry plant named `Hortblue Poppins`
Abstract
A new and distinct variety of Northern Highbush blueberry plant
is described. The variety results from selection among a population
of seedlings derived from crossing the blueberry variety known as
`Nui` (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 6,699) and an unnamed seedling selection
called 1386 (not patented). The fruit of this new variety has an
attractive appearance characterised by outstanding fruit quality
with a good bloom and good firmness; the plant has a characteristic
upright habit, good architecture and attractive foliage. The new
variety has been named `Hortblue Poppins`.
Inventors: |
Patel; Narandra (Hamilton,
NZ) |
Assignee: |
The New Zealand Institute for Plant
and Food Research Limited (Auckland, NZ)
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Family
ID: |
42100131 |
Appl.
No.: |
12/587,549 |
Filed: |
October 8, 2009 |
Prior Publication Data
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Document
Identifier |
Publication Date |
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US 20100095414 P1 |
Apr 15, 2010 |
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Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
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61195636 |
Oct 9, 2008 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
PLT/157 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A01H
5/08 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A01H
5/00 (20060101) |
Field of
Search: |
;PLT/157 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Hwu; June
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Greenlee Sullivan P.C.
Claims
The invention claim is:
1. A new and distinct variety of Northern Highbush blueberry plant,
substantially as illustrated and described herein.
Description
Genus and species of plant named: Vaccinium corymbosum.
Variety denomination: Hortblue Poppins
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application
No. 61/195,636, filed Oct. 9, 2008.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The new variety was selected from a population of seedlings derived
from crossing the blueberry varieties known as `Nui` (seed parent)
(U.S. Plant Pat. No. 6,699) and an unnamed seedling selection
called 1386 (pollen parent) (not patented). The cross was made in
1988 and the new variety was selected in 1996 from among plants
located on land at Ruakura, Hamilton, New Zealand, and was assigned
the breeder code, B8.3.10. The new variety has since been named
`Hortblue Poppins`.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The fruit of this new variety has an attractive appearance
characterised by outstanding fruit quality with a good bloom and
good firmness; the plant has a characteristic upright habit, good
architecture and attractive foliage. The new variety has been named
`Hortblue Poppins`.
The new variety is characterised as follows:
Maturity period: mid-season, generally from mid December in
Ruakura, Hamilton, New Zealand, at a similar time to that of
`Bluecrop` (not patented). The new variety has also been tested in
Germany (Hannover) where production occurs mid-season, generally
during the third week of July, also similar to `Bluecrop`.
Plant form and vigour: the plant is generally a medium size bush,
with a characteristic upright habit, good architecture and
attractive foliage. The leaf shape and habit are distinctive with
the leaves turned inside and pointing upwards. The plant has medium
to good vigour, similar to `Bluecrop` and `Duke` (not
patented).
Yield: medium to low.
Berry size and shape: medium to small fruit, round to oblate
berries, with good bloom, and firmness.
Colour: medium to light blue; blue black with bloom removed.
Fruit bloom: good intensity; attractive.
Pedicel scar: small.
Plant health: the plant does not seem to be susceptible to
anthracnose (Colletotrichum acutatum).
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS
The accompanying photographs show typical specimens of the plant,
foliage and fruit of the new variety as depicted in colors as
nearly true as is reasonably possible to make the same in a color
illustration of this character.
FIG. 1 shows a young, four year old, plant of `Hortblue Poppins`
and its distinctive upright habit, with its leaves turned inside
and pointing upwards.
FIG. 2 shows typical adult, nine year old, plant of `Hortblue
Poppins` planted in the field.
FIG. 3 shows the leaves of `Hortblue Poppins` (grown in
Germany).
FIG. 4 shows the beginning of the flower opening of `Hortblue
Poppins` in Germany.
FIG. 5 shows the characteristic small, oblate to round fruit with
good bloom of `Hortblue Poppins`.
FIG. 6 shows the characteristic fruit cluster of `Hortblue
Poppins`.
FIG. 7 shows the fruit sections of `Hortblue Poppins`, grown in
Germany.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
The observations, unless otherwise specified, were made in the
2007-2009 seasons on nine year old plants grown at Ruakura,
Hamilton, New Zealand and additional information were collected
from plants 12 year old growing in Germany during the summers 2008
and 2009. All dimensions in millimetres, weights in grams (unless
otherwise stated). Colour terminology is in accordance with The
Royal Horticultural Society Colour Charts 2001 edition. Plant and
foliage:
This tetraploid plant is generally upright, and of medium vigour,
similar to `Bluecrop` and `Duke`. The average height of a mature
plant ranges from between 1.0 to 1.5 m with an average spread of
between 0.8 and 1.2 m. These measurements are, however, dependent
on a range of factors such as pruning practices and planting
distances. The mature leaf is ovate in shape and typically averages
57 mm in length and approximately 28 mm in width, similar to the
leaf size of plants of the variety `Reka` (U.S. Plant Pat. No.
6,700) (63 mm in length and 36 mm in width) and smaller than those
of `Duke` (70 mm in length, 42 mm in width) and `Nui` (80 mm in
length, 50 mm in width). Generally the leaf margin has no
serration, low glossiness on the upper surface, and no glaucescence
on the upper surface.The base shape of the leaf ranges between
acute and very shortly attenuate while the apex is typically best
described as acuminate. Typically the petiole length averages 2.9
mm. The colour of the leaf is similar to `Bluecrop`. The
colouration of the upper leaf surface of `Hortblue Poppins` is near
Green 137A, while the lower leaf surface is near Green 138A. The
vein and petiole colouration are near Yellow-green 152D, and the
main vein and petiole also had a small amount of Red-purple 60B.
The arrangement of leaves across the plant with individual leaves
orientated with the upper surface turned towards the interior of
the plant, and in a generally erect, upward, attitude contributes
to the distinctive habit of the plant. This distinctive arrangement
is visible in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2. The colour of mature wood is near
Grey 201C while the colour of one year old wood is near
Greyed-orange 166D
This new variety has been asexually reproduced at Ruakura,
Hamilton, New Zealand by soft wood cuttings. Inflorescence:
The average number of flower buds per shoot is 10, with an observed
range of 8-15. The estimation of number of buds per shoot was made
on the fruiting (terminal) sections of shoots; this section
typically averaging 19 cm in length.
Flowers are generally clustered and the width of the typical flower
averages 7.7 mm, similar to `Reka` and smaller than the parental
plant `Nui` averaging 10.3 mm. The corolla is urceolate in shape
and has an average length of 9.3 mm, this is similar to `Bluecrop`
which as an average length of 9.1 mm but shorter than that of `Nui`
which has an average length of 11.3 mm. The colour of the petals on
fully open mature flowers is near White 155A.
The flowers of `Hortblue Poppins` consisted of ten stamens, this is
consistent with other Northern Highbush blueberries such as
`Bluecrop` and `Nui`, along with one pistil. The average length of
the stamens was 7.9 mm, and the average length of the pistil
(including the style, stigma, and ovary) was, on average, 10.8 mm.
There was insufficient pollen available for collection to gauge an
accurate colour at this time.
The average length of the peduncle was 6.4 mm.
Self fertility of `Hortblue Poppins` has not been tested.
Recommended pollinators, based on alignment of flowering times,
included `Brigitta`(unpatented), `Bluecrop`, and `Nui`. Fruit:
`Hortblue Poppins` can be said to fruit on one year shoots only.
However, there have been observations of flowering on current year
shoots, this phenomenon should be considered an exception and is
suggested to be due to environmental conditions. The fruit are of
medium to small size, similar to `Duke` under New Zealand growing
conditions, averaging approximately 1.2 g. Observations indicate
fruit size to be smaller than that of fruit of the parent `Nui`
(averaging 3.2g) and to comparative varieties such as `Reka` (2.1g)
and `Bluecrop` (1.5g). Relatively similar comparative fruiting
performance was observed under the growing conditions in Germany;
`Hortblue Poppins` having medium to small fruit (averaging 1.5 g),
smaller than the parent `Nui` (averaging 2.1g) and to the
comparative varieties `Reka` (1.7g) and `Bluecrop` (1.9g).
Generally, fruit is round to oblate in shape. Fruit diameter
averages approximately 12.6 mm (observed range 10.7-14.4 mm) under
New Zealand growing conditions and was slightly larger, the fruit
diameter averaging 14.3 mm (within the range of 12.9-15.6), under
the growing conditions in a different environment (Germany). Unripe
fruit is green, within the range near Yellow--Green 144A to 144C.
Ripe fruit has an attractive bloom. Fruit colour is light blue with
the bloom intact, near Violet-Blue 98B, and skin colour when bloom
is completely removed is near Blue 103A. The pedicel scar is very
small, approximately 1.6 mm in diameter, similar to `Duke` and
`Reka`, and smaller than `Bluecrop` (averaging 2.1 mm). The scar is
generally dry. The fruit sweetness (Brix level) averages 12.4%,
(observed range 11-14%) similar to `Bluecrop` and `Reka`, and
typically higher than `Nui`. The fruit acidity measured as
titratable acidity (%) averaged 0.36, similar to `Duke` and less
than `Nui` (0.8%). Fruit is generally firm, giving a distinctive
"crispness" when bitten. Fruit firmness averaged 240 g/mm (observed
range 230-260 g/mm), firmer compared with fruit of the varieties
`Duke` (averaged 175 g/mm), `Bluecrop` (averaged 166 g/mm), `Reka`
(averaged 168 g/mm) and `Nui` (averaged 150 g/mm). Yield is medium
to low, averaging approximately 1.2 kg (observed range 1-1.4 kg)
per plant under German growing conditions. Seed size is
approximately 2.5 mm with an average number of seeds per fruit of
17 (observed range approximately 14-22). Events:
The time of vegetative bud burst observed in 2008 was the 11.sup.th
September (New Zealand).
Time of beginning flowering recorded in New Zealand was similar to
the vegetative bud burst around mid September and 50% of flowering
occurred the 3.sup.rd October, about a week later than for `Nui`
and `Duke` under the same growing conditions.
In Germany `Hortblue Poppins` vegetative bud burst was observed as
the 10.sup.th April in 2009; 50% of flowering occurred 7.sup.th
May, similar to `Nui` and about a week later than `Bluecrop` and
`Duke`.
The fruit maturity period occurs in mid season and observations
made in the 2007-2009 seasons indicated the fruit typically
commenced ripening in the second week of December, at Ruakura
(Hamilton), New Zealand, similar to `Bluecrop`. In Germany fruit of
`Hortblue Poppins` commenced ripening in a similar period to
`Bluecrop`, typically from the third week of July.
The main harvest period is generally mid season compared to other
northern highbush varieties under the New Zealand and German
growing conditions. Disease and pests:
The plant does not seem to be susceptible to leaf rust
(Pucciniastrum vaccinii) and to anthracnose fruit rot
(Collettotricum acutatum). `Hortblue Poppins` has no particular
resistance or susceptibility to any common blueberry pests or
insects. Geographical adaptation:
Observations indicate that the variety performs well in the cool
temperate climates of the Waikato region, New Zealand, and
Hannover, Germany, under standard management practices for
commercial blueberry production. The plant cold hardiness according
to the American zone classification has not been determined. Market
use:
The market use for this plant and the fruit produced from this
plant is for the home garden. However, the use of this plant for
commercial plantings and its suitability for machine harvest is
under investigation and once complete the market for fruit produced
from this plant may be expanded dependent on the outcome.
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