Strawberry plant named ‘ZARINA’

Abstract

The present invention provides a new and distinct strawberry variety designated as ‘Zarina’ (105218).

Description

Latin name of the genus and species: Fragaria×ananassa.

Varietal denomination: ‘ZARINA’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct early day-neutral strawberry variety designated as ‘ZARINA’ (a.k.a. ‘105218’). This new variety is the result of a controlled-cross between a female parent cultivar designated ‘1007’ and a male parent cultivar designated ‘880’ (both unpatented, proprietary cultivars) made by the inventor and first fruited in Watsonville, Calif. growing fields.

Following selection and during testing, the plant was originally designated ‘105218’ and subsequently named ‘ZARINA’. The new variety of ‘ZARINA’ was asexually reproduced via runners (stolons) by the inventor at Watsonville, Calif. Asexual propagules from the original source have been tested in Watsonville growing fields and to a limited extent, growing fields in low and high elevation. The properties of this variety were found to be transmissible by such asexual reproduction. The cultivar is stable and reproduces true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a new and distinctive day-neutral type cultivar designated as ‘ZARINA’, but may be considered a weak day-neutral in that it is somewhat similar to a short day. It is primarily adapted to the climate and growing conditions of the central coast of California. This region provides the necessary temperatures required for it to produce a strong vigorous plant and to remain in fruit production from April through October. The nearby Pacific Ocean provides the needed humidity and moderate day temperatures and evening chilling to maintain fruit quality for the production months.

The following traits in combination distinguish strawberry variety ‘Ginza’ from the known strawberry varieties. Plants for the botanical measurements in the present application were grown as annuals. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

The following are the most outstanding and distinguishing characteristics of this new variety when grown under normal conditions in Watsonville, Calif.

• • High-yield, and
  • Large Fruit

The produced fruit is attractive and of excellent quality. Produced fruit is pink-red to light-red at maturity, medium to large in size, firm, conical to cylindrical in shape with a smooth surface lacking creases. Seeds may be slightly sunken below the surface.

‘ZARINA’ is primarily adapted to the growing conditions of the central coast of California, characterized by foliage small to medium in size and medium green in color. Production generally begins in April and produces continually into October with 40% to 50% of its production in the months of August through September.

‘ZARINA’ is different from strawberry variety ‘BOB’, a.k.a. ‘105626’ and strawberry variety ‘GINZA’, a.k.a. ‘102011’ disclosed in the co-pending applications. The table below shows differences among these varieties.

	‘BOB’	‘GINZA’
	(U.S. patent	(U.S. patent
	application No.	application No.
Variety	13/373,617)	13/373,615)	‘ZARINA’
Fruit Size	medium to large	uniformly	medium to large
	length: 4.2 cm	medium in size	length: 4.4 cm
	width: 4.0 cm	length: 3.7 cm	width: 4.0 cm
		width: 3.6 cm
Weight/Fruit	20.7 g	16.8 g	25.6 g
Average	153.4 g	91.7 g	87.5 g
weight/plant
Average	251	220	271
achenes/fruit
Fruit shape	mostly conical	conical	Predominately
	with some wedge		conical
Surface Texture	smooth, lacking	smooth, lacking	smooth, lacking
	creases	creases	creases
Seed/Surface	Seeds are slightly	Seeds are well	Seeds may be
Position	sunken below the	above the	slightly sunken
	surface	surface	below the surface

When ‘ZARINA’ is compared to the proprietary female parent ‘1007’, it is similar in size. ‘ZARINA’ produces much more fruit and with seeds less indented.

When ‘ZARINA’ is compared to the proprietary male parent ‘880’, it is shorter and produces a higher yield with a later harvest interval.

When ‘ZARINA’ is compared to ‘Albion’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 16,228), ‘ZARINA’ is a smaller plant but produces a similar yield with comparable fruit size.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying color photographs depict various characteristics of the ‘ZARINA’ cultivar at various stages of development as nearly true as possible to make color reproductions.

FIG. 1 shows the plant in production stage, bearing fruit.

FIG. 2 shows the plant with flower and runners.

FIG. 3 shows typical leaves in the production cycle.

FIG. 4 shows ripe ‘ZARINA’ fruit (June).

FIG. 5 shows ripe and near-ripe fruits.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

This invention relates to a new and distinctive early producing day-neutral (ever-bearing) type cultivar designated as ‘ZARINA’. ‘ZARINA’ is typical of day-neutral strawberry cultivars and produces fruit regardless of the day length when treated appropriately in moderate, coastal climates. ‘ZARINA's’ fruit is medium to large in size, that is relatively firm to very firm with its shape conical to cylindrical with seeds slightly sunken; color is light orange to medium red at maturity.

Among the characteristics that distinguish the new variety from the other closely related varieties are the timing of fruiting, plant vigor, position of the inflorescences, leaf morphology, leaf size, leaf density, leaf color, and disease and pest resistance.

‘ZARINA’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions, and the phenotype may vary significantly with variations in environment. The following observations, measurements, and comparisons describe this plant as grown at California, when grown in the field, unless otherwise noted. As stated above, the color determination is in accordance with The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general color terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. Plants for the botanical measurements in the present application are annual plants.

• Botanical classification: ‘ZARINA’ is a fertile hybrid derived from a cross.
• Common name: Garden strawberry.
• General Description:
  • • Plant habit.—Moderate, coastal climates.

The following description is applied to our plants that are 5 months old as of the time of the measurements.

• Classification:
  • • Species.—Fragaria×ananassa.
    • Common name.—Garden Strawberry.
    • Denomination.—‘ZARINA’.
• Parentage:
  • • Female parent.—‘1007’.
    • Male parent.—‘880’.
• Plant:
  • • Height.—9.3 cm.
    • Diameter.—16.8 cm.
    • Habit.—Globose, upright.
    • Density.—Low.
    • Vigor.—Medium.
• Terminal leaflet:
  • • Length.—4.8 cm.
    • Width.—5.8 cm.
    • Length/width ratio.—0.8.
    • Shape in cross-section.—Concave.
    • Blistering.—Low.
    • Glossiness.—Low.
    • Average number of leaflets.—Exactly 3.
    • Color above.—Dark Green (RHS 137A).
    • Color below.—Green (RHS 139C).
    • Shape.—Orbicular.
    • Margin.—Crenate to Serrate.
    • Venation pattern.—Reticulate. The shape of the base is obtuse and light to medium in density. No bract leaves were observed in samples. The leaves are moderately to highly glossy. The shapes of the leaves are slightly concave to almost flat. There is minimal tertiary fruit grown from the variety.
• Petiole:
  • • Length.—4.4 cm.
    • Width.—5.8 mm.
    • Color.—Yellow Green (RHS 145A).
• Petiolule:
  • • Length.—5 mm.
    • Width.—2 mm.
    • Color.—Yellow Green (RHS 145A).
• Stolon:
  • • Average daughters/plant.—2.
    • Diameter.—3.3 mm.
    • Color.—Dark Purple Red (RHS 53A).
• Inflorescence:
  • • Position relative to foliage.—At same level.
    • Average petals/flower.—5.
    • Petal length.—11.0 mm.
    • Petal width.—12.0 mm.
    • Petal length/width ratio.—About 1.
    • Petal shape/base.—Orbicular.
    • Petal apex.—Round.
    • Petal margin.—Entire.
    • Petal spacing.—Slightly overlapping.
    • Petal color.—White (RHS 157B).
    • Corolla.—25 mm.
    • Sepal length.—14.8 mm.
    • Sepal width.—8.3 mm.
    • Sepal length/width ratio.—1.8.
    • Sepal color.—Dark Green (RHS 137A).
    • Calyx.—38 (Diameter relative to corolla: Larger).
    • Peduncle.—9.5 cm.
    • Bract frequency.—Zero. The positioning of the inflorescence is even with or above foliage.
• Fruit:
  • • Fruit truss attitude.—Prostrate.
    • Relative size.—Large.
    • Fruit length.—4.4 cm.
    • Fruit width.—4.0 cm.
    • Surface color.—Red (RHS 45A).
    • Flesh color.—Orange Red (RHS 41B).
    • Core color.—White (RHS 155C).
    • Shape.—Predominately conical.
    • Average weight/fruit.—25.6 g.
    • Average weight/plant.—87.5 g.
    • Hollow core length.—15. mm.
    • Hollow core width.—10. mm.
    • Hollow core length/width ratio.—1.5.
    • Insertion of achenes.—Slightly indented.
    • Average achenes/fruit.—271.
    • Firmness of flesh.—Firm.
    • Glossiness.—Medium.
    • Sweetness.—Medium. The plant produces mostly conical fruit with some long cones as well as long wedges and the fruit color is dull to light gloss. Seed position on fruit is somewhat indented. The fruit hardness was measured with a force dial and averaged 7.4 N to pierce the fruit 7.5 mm. The fruit's flavor is consistently good or better than good throughout the season.
• Variety identification testing for ‘ZARINA’: No matches to existing cultivars were found using SSR marker testing in a commercial database search.

Claims

1. A new and distinct cultivar of strawberry plant named ‘Zarina’ substantially as shown and described herein.