Genus and species: Fragaria×ananassa.
Variety denomination: ‘DrisStrawFour’.
BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT The present invention relates to a new and distinct strawberry cultivar designated ‘DrisStrawFour’ and botanically known as Fragaria×ananassa. This new strawberry cultivar was discovered in December, 2000 and originated from a cross between the female parent ‘6F364’, a proprietary strawberry plant (unpatented) and the male parent ‘Mirador’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,279). The original seedling of the new cultivar was asexually propagated at a nursery in Shasta County, California. ‘DrisStrawFour’ was subsequently asexually propagated and underwent further testing at a nursery in Hillsborough County, Florida for six years. The present invention has been found to retain its distinctive characteristics through successive asexual propagations.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS The accompanying color photographs show typical specimens of the new cultivar at various stages of development as nearly true as it is possible to make in color reproductions.
FIG. 1 shows overall plant habit including fruit at various stages of development.
FIG. 2 shows leaves of the plant with three leaflets.
FIG. 3 shows both the upperside and underside of several of the flowers.
FIG. 4 shows the whole fruit.
FIG. 5 shows the fruit in longitudinal cross-section.
DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW CULTIVAR The following description of ‘DrisStrawFour’ is based on observations taken from the 2000 to 2005 growing seasons in Hillsborough County, Florida. 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. ‘DrisStrawFour’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. Color terminology follows The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, London (R.H.S.) (2001).
DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION Table 1 shows plant characteristics of the new variety compared with plant characteristics of the male parent ‘Driscoll Mirador’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,279). Plant characteristics include plant height, terminal leaf length, petiole length, fruit length, fruit width and Botrytis fruit rot.
TABLE 1
‘Driscoll
Characteristic ‘DrisStrawFour’ Mirador’
Plant height (cm) 20.9 13.5
Terminal leaf 8.3 7.7
length (cm)
Petiole length 11.2 9.2
(cm)
Fruit length (cm) 4.5 3.4
Fruit width (cm) 4.2 2.4
Botrytis fruit rot Moderately resistant Moderately
susceptible
Table 2 shows plant characteristics of the new variety compared with plant characteristics of the commercial varieties, ‘Driscoll Malibu’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 16,070) and ‘Driscoll Osceola’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,752). Plant characteristics include plant height, diameter, number of crowns per plant, habit, density of individual plant and vigor.
TABLE 2
Characteristic ‘DrisStrawFour’ ‘Driscoll Malibu’ ‘Driscoll Osceola’
Plant height 20.9 17.9 18.5
(cm)
Plant diameter 40.7 39.8 38.2
(cm)
Number of 4 4 2
crowns/plant
Habit Between flat Globose Flat globose
globose and flat
Density of Between medium Medium Between open
individual plant and dense and medium
Vigor Strong Between weak Medium
and medium
Table 3 shows leaf characteristics of the new cultivar compared with leaf characteristics of ‘Driscoll Malibu’ and ‘Driscoll Osceola’. Leaf characteristics include terminal leaflet length and width in centimeters, length to width ratio, number of teeth per terminal leaflet, shape of teeth, color of upperside and underside of leaf, leaf shape in cross section, leaf blistering, leaf glossiness, number of leaflets, leaflet margin, and shape of leaf base.
TABLE 3
Leaf ‘Driscoll
Characteristic ‘DrisStrawFour’ ‘Driscoll Malibu’ Osceola’
Terminal 8.3 9.3 10.3
leaflet
length (cm)
Terminal 8.2 9.3 10.4
leaflet
width (cm)
Terminal 1.02 1.00 0.98
leaflet
length/width
ratio
No. 25 23 11
teeth/terminal
leaflet
Shape of teeth Rounded Between obtuse Obtuse
and rounded
Color of RHS 137A Dark RHS 141A Dark RHS 135B
upperside of green bright green Dark bright
leaf blue-green
Color of RHS 148C RHS 139C RHS 138B
underside of Medium Medium green Medium green
leaf yellow-green
Leaf shape in Concave Between slightly Between
cross section concave and flat concave and
slightly concave
Leaf blistering Strong Medium Medium
Leaf glossiness Medium Weak Medium
No. leaflets Three only Three only Three only
Terminal Flat Flat Flat
leaflet margin
Terminal As long as broad As long as broad As long as
leaflet: broad
length/width
ratio
Terminal Obtuse Rounded Rounded
leaflet
base shape
Table 4 shows information about the petiole, the petiolule, the bract, and the stipule of the new cultivar compared to ‘Driscoll Malibu’ and ‘Driscoll Osceola’. This includes petiole length in centimeters, petiole diameter in centimeters, petiolule length in centimeters, petiolule diameter in centimeters, bract frequency per petiole, stipule length in centimeters, stipule width in centimeters, stipule pubescence, petiole pubescence, pose of hairs on the petiole, color of the petiole and color of the petiolule.
TABLE 4
‘Driscoll
Characteristic ‘DrisStrawFour’ ‘Driscoll Malibu’ Osceola’
Petiole length 11.2 10.5 9.1
(cm)
Petiole diameter 0.417 0.402 0.406
(cm)
Petiole Between sparse Dense Dense
pubescence and medium
Petiole pose of Upwards Downwards Between
hairs outwards and
downwards
Petiole color RHS 145A Light RHS 144B Bright RHS 141C
yellow-green yellow-green Bright medium
green
Petiolule color RHS 145C Light
yellow-green
Petiolule length 1.096 1.424 1.205
(cm)
Petiolule diameter 0.232 0.260 0.251
(cm)
Bract frequency 1 1 0
Stipule length 3.8 4.0 4.5
(cm)
Stipule width 1.047 1.162 1.091
(cm)
Stipule Medium Medium Medium
pubescence
Table 5 shows stolon characteristics of the new cultivar compared to ‘Driscoll Malibu’ and ‘Driscoll Osceola’. These characteristics include the number of stolons, the anthocyanin coloration of the stolons, the thickness of the stolons, and the pubescence of the stolons.
TABLE 5
‘Driscoll
Characteristic ‘DrisStrawFour’ ‘Driscoll Malibu’ Osceola’
Stolon Number Few Few Few
Stolon Very strong Between medium Between
Anthocyanin and strong medium and
strong
Stolon Thickness Thick Between medium Between
and thick medium and
thick
Stolon Sparse Medium Dense
Pubescence
Table 6 shows inflorescence characteristics of the new cultivar compared to ‘Driscoll Malibu’ and ‘Driscoll Osceola’. These characteristics include inflorescence position relative to foliage, relative flower size, flower diameter in centimeters (measured from petal tip to petal tip), relative spacing of petals, petal length in centimeters, petal width in centimeters, petal length to width ratio, petal color, calyx diameter in centimeters (measured on back of flower from sepal tip to sepal tip), diameter of calyx relative to corolla, diameter of inner calyx relative to outer, sepal length in centimeters (measured from sepal tip to point of attachment to receptacle), sepal width in centimeters, receptacle color and anther color.
TABLE 6
‘Driscoll
Characteristic ‘DrisStrawFour’ ‘Driscoll Malibu’ Osceola’
Inflorescence Between level Between level Between level
position relative with and above with and above with and above
to foliage
Flower size Medium Medium Medium
Flower diameter 3.014 2.525 3.045
(cm)
Petal spacing Overlapping Overlapping Overlapping
Petal length (cm) 1.278 1.290 1.623
Petal width (cm) 1.463 1.429 1.698
Petal length/width 0.87 0.90 0.96
ratio
Petal length/width Broader than long Between much Between as
ratio broader than long as broad
long and and longer
broader than than broad
long
Petal color RHS 155C White RHS 155C RHS 155C
White White
Calyx diameter 3.776 4.021 5.659
(cm)
Calyx diameter Larger Larger Larger
relative to corolla
Inner calyx Same size Larger Between
diameter relative smaller and
to outer same size
Sepal length (cm) 1.252 1.396 2.147
Sepal width (cm) 0.718 0.796 1.182
Receptacle color RHS 9A Bright
golden yellow
Anther color RHS 12A Golden
yellow
Table 7 shows fruit characteristics of the new cultivar compared to ‘Driscoll Malibu’ and ‘Driscoll Osceola’.
TABLE 7
‘Driscoll
Characteristic ‘DrisStrawFour’ ‘Driscoll Malibu’ Osceola’
Fruiting truss 19.1 17.4 19.9
length (cm)
Fruiting truss Prostrate Prostrate Prostrate
attitude
Fruiting truss Between short Short Between short
length and medium and medium
Fruit length (cm) 4.517 4.921 4.223
Fruit width (cm) 4.183 3.960 3.968
Fruit length/width 1.08 1.24 1.06
ratio
Fruit length/width As long as broad Between as As long as
ratio long as broad broad
and longer than
broad
Fruit weight (g) 28 28 30
Relative fruit size Medium Between Between small
medium and and medium
large
Predominant fruit Cordate Conical Cordate
shape
Difference in Slight Slight Slight
shape between
primary &
secondary fruits
Band without Medium Between Between
achenes absent and absent and
very narrow very narrow to
narrow
Unevenness of Between absent Medium Weak
fruit surface and very weak
Fruit skin color RHS 46A Dark RHS 46B Dark RHS 46A
red bright red Dark red
Evenness of fruit Even Slightly uneven Slightly uneven
color
Fruit glossiness Between medium Strong Strong
and strong
Insertion of Level with Between below Below surface
achenes surface surface and
level with
surface
Achene RHS 181A Dark
coloration- greyed-red
sunward side of
berry
Achene RHS 13A Golden
coloration-shaded yellow
side of berry
Achenes per berry 356
Achene weight 0.0014
Insertion of calyx Level Level Level
Pose of calyx Between Reflexed Between
segments spreading and spreading and
reflexed reflexed
Size of calyx in Between same Between same Between same
relation to fruit size and larger size and larger size and larger
Adherence of Strong Strong Strong
calyx
Firmness of flesh Medium Between soft Between soft
and medium and medium
Color of the flesh RHS 44B Bright RHS 48C RHS 48D Light
red and RHS Medium pink pink
155C White
Evenness of flesh Slightly uneven Slightly uneven Slightly uneven
color
Distribution of Marginal and Marginal and Marginal and
flesh color central central central
Hollow center Large Small Medium
Sweetness Strong Medium Medium
Acidity Medium Medium Medium
Texture when Medium Medium Fine
tasted
Time of flowering Very early Very early Very early
Harvest maturity Early-Mid Late Late
(50% of plants November to
with ripe fruit) early April
Type of bearing Fully everbearing Partially Partially
everbearing everbearing
Grams of 443 287 422
fruit/plant
Table 8 shows the resistance to different forms of stress of the new cultivar compared to ‘Driscoll Malibu’ and ‘Driscoll Osceola’. These forms of stress include high temperatures and pesticides.
TABLE 8
Reaction to ‘Driscoll
Stress ‘DrisStrawFour’ ‘Driscoll Malibu’ Osceola’
High Moderately resistant
temperatures
Table 9 shows pest and disease characteristics of the new cultivar compared to ‘Driscoll Malibu’ and ‘Driscoll Osceola’.
TABLE 9
‘Driscoll
Pest or Disease ‘DrisStrawFour’ ‘Driscoll Malibu’ Osceola’
Tetranychus urticae Moderately Susceptible Susceptible
(2-spotted spider susceptible
mite)
Tarsonemus pallidus Moderately
resistant
Aphelencoides Moderately
fragariae resistant
Pratylenchus Moderately
penetrans susceptible
Aphis spp. (Aphids) Moderately
susceptible
Lygus hesperus Moderately Susceptible Susceptible
(Lygus bug) resistant
Botrytis fruit rot Moderately Susceptible Susceptible
resistant
Powdery mildew Moderately Moderately Moderately
resistant susceptible susceptible
Verticillium wilt Resistant Highly Susceptible
susceptible
Leather rot Resistant
Red stele Moderately
Phytophthora resistant
fragariae
Ramularia tulasnei- Moderately
Leaf spots resistant
Leaf scorch Resistant
Leaf blight Resistant
Black root rot Resistant
Viral diseases- Moderately Susceptible Susceptible
Strawberry Mottle resistant
Virus
Xanthomonas Moderately Moderately Moderately
fragariae susceptible susceptible susceptible
