Raspberry plant named `Gloria`

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of red raspberry plant named `Gloria`, botanically identified as Rubus idaeus L. The new cultivar is distinguished from other red fruited cultivars by its fruit of bright color, excellent fruit firmness, its very early primocane crop, and high primocane and floricane crop yield.

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Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The new cultivar `Gloria`, was developed from the hybridization of the selection `H374-2` (an unpatented variety) as the seed plant with the selection `Summit` (an unpatented variety) as the pollen plant. The parents were crossed in the Fall of 1992, whereafter fruit and seed were collected to produce seedlings for field planting in Watsonville, Calif. in 1992. The new cultivar was selected from these seedlings in July 1993 for its early primocane crop and firm, attractive fruit. The new cultivar was grown and asexually propagated by in vitro shoot tip culture, root sucker division, and root cuttings at the Cassin Ranch in Santa Cruz County, Calif., and has been shown to maintain the desired and distinguishing characteristics after propagation over several generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a new and distinct red raspberry plant named `Gloria`. The cultivar is botanically identified as Rubus idaeus L. The `Gloria` cultivar produces a primocane crop which begins in late June and continues until late October. The floricane crop begins in mid May and continues to mid July. This cultivar is distinguished by its very firm, bright fruit and its short cycle from planting to harvest of the primocane crop, its early primocane crop, and high primocane and floricane copy yield.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying photographs show typical specimens of the primocane fruit, leaves and shoot of the new variety, in color as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make in color illustrations of these characteristics.

FIG. 1 is a photograph of a primocane mature leaf and fruit.

FIG. 2 is a photograph of primocane shoot and leaf.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following detailed description of the new raspberry cultivar, `Gloria`, is based upon observations taken of plants and fruit grown in Watsonville, Calif. between 1994 and 1997, and is believed to aply to plants of the `Gloria` cultivar grown in similar conditions of soil and climate elsewhere.

Throughtout this specification, color names beginning with a small letter signifying that the name of the color, as used in common speech, is aptly descriptive. Color names beginning with a capital letter and followed by an alphanumeric code designating the color according to the R.H.S. Colour Chart published by The Royal Horticultural Society of London, England. 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.

Tables 1 and 2 provide information on the plant and fruit characteristics of the new cultivar `Gloria` compared with characteristics of the unpatented raspberry cultivars `Hertiage`, `Summit` and `Amity`. The cultivar closest to `Gloria` is `Summit` in fruit characteristics and production cycles. Observations of the cultivars were made under similar conditions.

The new variety is distinguished from other red raspberry cultivars by its fruit of bright color, excellent fruit firmness and its very early primocane crop.

The fruit color of `Gloria` is a medium bright red with little post harvest color change. Fruit of `Gloria` is very firm at harvest.

`Gloria` is characterized by a short cycle of days from planting to harvest. The primocane harvest begins in late June which is earlier compared to other varieties that begin primocane harvest in mid to late July. `Gloria` is also characterized by high primocane and floricane crop yields compared to `Amity` and `Heritage`.

`Gloria` is distinguished from its pollen parent, `Summit`, by having an earlier and longer primocane fruiting period, better flavor, and higher yields. The new cultivar is distinguished from its seed parent, `H374-2`, by having firmer fruit and an earlier primocane fruiting cycle.

ISOZYME CHARACTERISTICS

In addition to the morphological description above, the new `Gloria` cultivar has been analyzed to obtain an indication of its genetic makeup to provide further means for identifying the new variety and distinguishing it from some other somewhat similar and/or related raspberry varieties. Specifically, leaf samples of `Gloria` and the unpatented varieties of `Summit` and `Heritage` were analyzed by electrophoresis according to the procedures of J.C. Cousineau and D.J. Donnelly, "Use of isozyme analysis to characterize raspberry cultivars and detect cultivar mislabeling", Hort Science 27:1023-1025 (992). The results of the electrophoretic analysis for the cultivars are presented in Table 3, with the letters representing the banding patterns as described in the above-identified article.

DISEASE AND STRESS RESISTANCE

The cultivar is moderately susceptible to late leaf rust. Resistance is unknown to powdery mildew and root rots. Cold tolerance of the new cultivar has not been established. Post harvest fruit rot resistance is average in comparisons over many selections and varieties.

                TABLE 1
     ______________________________________
     PLANT CHARACTERISITCS OF `GLORIA`
            Gloria  Heritage   Summit   Amity
     ______________________________________
     General
     Plant size
              medium    large     small-  medium
                                  medium
     Growth habit
              erect     erect     semi-   erect
                                  erect
     Productivity
              high      medium    high    low-
                                          medium
     Self-    self-      self-    self-   self-
     fruitfulness
               fruitful fruitful  fruitful
                                          fruitful
     Primocane
     fruiting
     percent of
              .about.50-70
                        .about.5-20
                                  .about.40-50
                                          .about.20-35
     cane flowering
     as primocane
     percent of
              .about.50-60
                        .about.40-60
                                  .about.50-70
                                          .about.40-50
     total yield
     Number of
              many      medium    few     many
     young shoots
     Primocanes
     number fruiting
              10-15     2-14      9-15    6-14
     laterals/cane
              (mean 13) (mean 8)  (mean 12)
                                          (mean 10)
     number of
              2-4       3-5       2-7     1-6
     canes/crown
              (mean 3)  (mean 4)  (mean 3)
                                          (mean 3)
     young shoot
              weak      medium    medium  medium
     pigmentation
              intensity intensity intensity
                                          intensity
              red       red        red     red
     length (cm)
              173-222   182-230   137-212 135-208
              (mean 197)
                        (mean 208)
                                  (mean 164)
                                          (mean 168)
     diameter (end
     of 1st year)
     cane base
              0.8-1.3   0.9-1.4   0.8-1.3 0.8-1.5
     (cm)     (mean 1.1)
                        (mean 1.2)
                                  (mean 1.1)
                                          (mean 1.1)
     central 1/3 of
              0.7-1.1   0.8-1.1   0.7-1.0 0.6-1.0
     cane (cm)
              (mean 0.9)
                        (mean 1.0)
                                  (mean 0.8)
                                          (mean 0.8)
     time of shoot
              medium    very late late    medium
     emergence
     prickles
     pigmentation
              green-    green-    brownish
                                          purple
              brownish  brownish  purple-
              green     green     purple
     density on
              dense     dense     sparse  sparse
     young shoots
     attitude of tip
              downward       downward
                                       downward
                                               horizontal
     size     medium    medium    medium  small
     texture  soft      rigid     heavy   heavy
     presence and
              regularly regularly regularly
                                          regularly
     distribution on
              distributed
                        distributed
                                  distributed
                                          distributed
     petioles
     pubescence on
              strong    absent or medium  medium
     canes              very weak
     internodal
     distance (cm)
     (at central 1/3
              3.0-6.0   3.0-6.0   3.2-7.5 3.0-6.5
     of cane) (mean 4.5)
                        (mean 4.7)
                                  (mean 4.8)
                                          (mean 5.0)
     lenticels
              not visible
                        not visible
                                  not visible
                                          not visible
     Floricanes
     number   11-17     10-14     10-15   12-19
     nodes/lateral
     branch
     number of
              1-2       1-4       2-6     1-2
     flowers/node
     Leaves
     Arrangement
              compound  compound   compound
                                           compound
     Relief between
              strong    very weak medium  medium
     veins
     Cross section
              flat      concave   flat    concave-
                                          flat
     Leaflet number
              3-5       3-5       usually 5
                                          usually 3
     Terminal
      leaflet
     length (cm)
              12.8      14.6      12.4    13.7
     width (cm)
              7.8       7.8       7.2     12.1
     shape    ovate     ovate     ovate   lobed
     tip      acuminate acuminate acuminate
                                          acuminate
     base     round-    acute     rounded cordate
              cordate
     margin   doubly    doubly    doubly  doubly
              serrate   serrate   serrate serrate
     Lateral leaflets
     (basal pair)
     overlap  overlapping
                        free      overlapping
                                          overlapping
     orientation
              opposite  opposite  opposite
                                          opposite
     shape    oblique   oblique   ovate-  ovate-
                                  lobed   lobed
     tip      acuminate acuminate acuminate
                                          acuminate
     base     oblique   oblique   oblique-
                                            oblique
                                  rounded
     margin   doubly    doubly    doubly  doubly
              serrate   serrate   serrate serrate
     length (cm)
              11.4      14.7      11.6    11.7
     width (cm)
              7.8       8.6       7.7     8.2
     Rachis length
              0.8-2.3   0.8-2.2   0.5-1.8 2.4-3.9
     between ter-
              (mean 1.4)
                        (mean 1.5)
                                  (mean 1.2)
                                          (mean 3.0)
     minal leaflet
     and adjacent
     lateral
     leaflets (cm)
     Glossiness
              medium     medium   medium  dull
     Color
     face     medium    medium    medium  medium
              147A      137A, 139A
                                  137A    147A
     underside
              138B      148C, 191B
                                  191B    191A
     Petiole
     length (cm)
              4.9-7.8   6.6-8.5   5.8-8.9 4.0-8.2
              (mean 6.3)
                        (mean 7.6)
                                  (mean 7.4)
                                          (mean 6.0)
     pigmentation of
              unpigmented
                        lightly   lightly lightly
     upper surface
     pigmentation
              unpigmented
                         unpigmented
                                   lightly
                                          unpigmented
     underside
     Petiolule length
              very short
                        very short
                                  short   very short
     Stipule  erect-    erect     erect-  erect-
     orientation
              relfexed            clasping
                                          clasping
     Flowers
     Flower color
              white     white     white   white
     Flowering
     period
     primocane
              early June-
                        mid June- early June-
                                          early June-
              mid       early     mid     early
              September October   September
                                          October
     floricane
              early April-
                        early April-
                                  early April-
                                          early to
              mid June  early June
                                  early June
                                          mid March-
                                          early June
     Flower size
              large     small     medium  large
     Petal
     length (cm)
              0.8-1.0   0.7-0.8   0.7-0.9 0.7-1.0
     width (cm)
              0.3-0.4   0.3       0.3-0.4 0.3-0.5
     Pedicel
     coloration
              present,  present,  present,
                                          present,
              medium    strong    strong  medium
              intensity intensity intensity
                                          intensity
              red       red       red     red
     length   medium    medium    medium  long
     Productivity
     Primocane
              .about.8.8 t/acre
                        .about.5.1 t/acre
                                  .about.7.3 t/acre
                                          .about.6.4 t/acre
     Floricane
              .about.6.8 t/acre
                        .about.4.1 t/acre
                                  .about.2.9 t/acre
                                          .about.5.1 t/acre
     ______________________________________
                TABLE 2
     ______________________________________
     FRUIT CHARACTERISITCS OF `GLORIA`
     Fruit    Gloria    Heritage   Summit Amity
     ______________________________________
     Harvest season
     primocane
              late June-
                        late July-
                                  mid July-
                                          mid July-
              late      mid       late    mid
              October   November  October November
     floricane
              mid May-  mid May-  mid May-
                                          late April-
              mid July  mid July  mid July
                                          mid July
     Color    Medium Red
                         Medium Red
                                   Medium Red
                                           Medium Red
     immature 41B       53A       46A     46A
     maturing 47A, 47B  45A, 46D  45A     47A
     mature   46A       44C       42B     42B
     Glossiness
              strong    medium    medium  medium
     Dimensions
     weight (g/fruit)
     primocane
              3.0-3.7   2.7-2.9   2.5-3.3 2.7-3.7
              (mean 3.3)
                        (mean 2.8)
                                  (mean 2.8)
                                          (mean 3.2)
     floricane
              2.7-3.2   2.3-2.7   2.5-2.8 3.0-3.4
              (mean 3.0)
                        (mean 2.6)
                                  (mean 2.6)
                                          (mean 3.2)
     length (primo-
              17.5-24.6 --        17.5-25.4
                                          17.5-22.2
     cane) (mm)
              (mean 21.1)         (mean 20.2)
                                          (mean 20.1)
     width (primo-
              18.3-23.8 --        18.3-23.0
                                          15.9-23.0
     cane) (mm)
              (mean 21.0)         (mean 20.4)
                                          (mean 20.2)
     Soluble solids
              9.5       --        9.4     9.7
     (%)
     Titratable
               12.7     --        14.5    11.2
     acidity
     (% as citric
     acid)
     Seeds
     weight (mg)
              1.5       --        1.8     1.5
     Number   49-127    45-102    73-119  62-108
     druplets/fruit
              (mean 102)
                        (mean 72) (mean 98)
                                          (mean 88)
     Firmness firm      firm      firm    firm
     Yield    high      medium    high    medium
     ______________________________________
                TABLE 3
     ______________________________________
     ISOZYME BANDING PATTERNS OF `GLORIA` COMPARED
     WITH `HERITAGE` AND `SUMMIT`
     Isozyme and Pattern
     Cultivar   PGI          MDH    PGM
     ______________________________________
     Gloria     D            C      A
     Heritage   A            D      C
     Summit     A            C      A
     ______________________________________

Claims

1. A new and distinctive cultivar of raspberry plant, as illustrated and described herein.

Referenced Cited
U.S. Patent Documents
PP9340 October 24, 1995 Wilhelm et al.
Patent History
Patent number: PP11067
Type: Grant
Filed: Feb 5, 1998
Date of Patent: Sep 28, 1999
Assignee: Sweetbriar Development, Inc. (Watsonville, CA)
Inventors: Carlos D. Fear (Aptos, CA), Mella-Dee M. Mayberry (Georgetown, DE)
Primary Examiner: Howard J. Locker
Assistant Examiner: Wendy A Baker
Law Firm: Pennie & Edmonds LLP
Application Number: 9/19,176
Classifications
Current U.S. Class: Raspberry (Plt/204)
International Classification: A01H 500;