Japanese haskap plant named ‘Taka’

Abstract

A new cultivar of Japanese haskap plant, ‘Taka’, that is characterized by its upright and spreading plant habit, its moderately vigorous growth habit, its high fruit yields, its frost tolerant flowers, its fruits that are produced in mid June and medium large in size, cylindrical in shape, medium in firmness, produce little juice, good sweet tasting, and maintain their appearance, firmness and taste for 3 to 4 weeks in cold storage at 33° F. to 35° F., and its little or no disease or pest problems requiring no chemicals for desirable fruit production.

Description

Botanical classification: Lonicera caerulea ssp. emphyllocalyx.

Variety denomination: ‘Taka’.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is co-pending with U.S. Plant Patent Applications filed for 3 plants derived from the same breeding program that are entitled Japanese haskap Plant Named ‘Keiko’ (U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 14/121,242), Japanese haskap Plant Named ‘Tana’ (U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 14/121,254), and Japanese haskap Plant Named ‘Kapu’ (U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 14/121,252).

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Lonicera caerulea ssp. emphyllocalyx and will be referred to hereafter by its cultivar name, ‘Taka’. ‘Taka’ is a new cultivar of Japanese blue honeysuckle berry, also known as Japanese haskap, a plant grown for its fruit that is marketed as fresh and frozen fruit and processed food products.

The new Invention arose from an ongoing controlled breeding program that initiated in 2001 in Corvallis, Oreg. with the planting of seeds collected in 2000 from several berry farms in Hokkaido, Japan. The objectives of the breeding program are to develop superior cultivars of this early ripening berry plant that could be grown in moderate to colder climates combined with an upright spreading plant habit and fruit that were large in size, firm, easy to pick, and good tasting with a high yield rate.

The cultivar, ‘Taka’, arose from a cross-made in 2004 between the cultivar ‘Keiko’ as the female parent and an unnamed proprietary seedling from the Inventor's breeding program, No. 20-04, as the male parent. In June 2007, the Inventor selected ‘Taka’ as a single unique plant, seedling selection No. 91-95, from amongst the seedlings that resulted from the above cross.

Asexual propagation of the new cultivar was first accomplished by the Inventor by hardwood stem cuttings in 2008 in Corvallis, Oreg. Asexual propagation by hardwood and softwood cuttings has determined that the characteristics of the new cultivar are stable and are reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and represent the characteristics of the new cultivar as grown outdoors in a trial plot for six years in Corvallis, Oreg. These attributes in combination distinguish ‘Taka’ as a unique cultivar of haskap.

• • 1. ‘Taka’ exhibits an upright and spreading plant habit.
  • 2. ‘Taka’ exhibits a moderately vigorous growth habit.
  • 3. ‘Taka’ exhibits high fruit yields.
  • 4. ‘Taka’ exhibits frost tolerant flowers and can be grown in regions prone to spring frosts.
  • 5. ‘Taka’ exhibits fruits that are medium large in size, cylindrical in shape, medium firmness, good sweet tasting, and with little juice produced.
  • 6. ‘Taka’ exhibits fruit that maintain their appearance, firmness and taste for 3 to 4 weeks in cold storage at 33° F. to 35° F.
  • 7. ‘Taka’ produces fruit in mid June in Oregon.
  • 8. ‘Taka’ has shown little or no disease or pest problems and requires no chemicals for desirable fruit production.

The female parent of ‘Taka’, ‘Keiko’ differs from ‘Taka’ in having a more vigorous growth habit and fruit that is oval in shape, less sweet, and less firm. The male parent of ‘Taka’, selection No. 20-04, differs from ‘Taka’ in having a more vigorous growth habit and fruit that matures a week earlier, is less sweet, less firm, less elongated in shape, and has weaker fruit attachment. ‘Taka’ can be most closely compared to the cultivar ‘Yufutsu’ (not patented) and to cultivars from the same breeding program; ‘Kapu’ and ‘Tana’. ‘Yufutsu’ differs from ‘Taka’ in having a denser and low spreading plant habit (wider than tall) and in having berries that are smaller, less firm, juicier, and with a lower BRIX. ‘Kapu’ differs from ‘Taka’ in having a more upright plant habit and fruit that is oval-ovate in shape, and slightly less juicy and firmer. ‘Tana’ differs from ‘Taka’ in having fruit that is oval in shape with a lower BRIX level. ‘Taka’ can also be compared to typical plants of related Russian honeyberries; Lonicera caerulea ssp. edulis and Lonicera caerulea ssp. kamtchatica. One of the main differences is that these species are adapted only to regions with very cold winters, whereas Japanese haskap thrives in milder climates as well as in cold climates. In Oregon, Russian honeyberries bloom about one month before Japanese haskap, before there are bees out for pollination and consequently have low or no fruit yields.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying colored photographs were taken in mid summer and illustrate the overall appearance and distinct characteristics of 6 year-old plants of the new Japanese haskap as grown in a trial garden in Corvallis, Oreg.

The photograph in FIG. 1 provides a view of the plant habit of ‘Taka’.

The photograph in FIG. 2 provides a close-up view of the flowers of ‘Taka’.

The photograph in FIG. 3 provides a close-up view of the leaves of ‘Taka’.

The photograph in FIG. 4 provides a view of the berries of ‘Taka’.

The colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description, which accurately describe the colors of the new haskap.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following is a detailed description of 6 year-old plants of the new Japanese haskap as grown on a farm in Corvallis, Oreg. The phenotype of the new cultivar may vary with variations in environmental, climatic, and cultural conditions, as it has not been tested under all possible environmental conditions. The color determination is in accordance with The 1995 R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England, except where general color terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

• General description:
  • • Plant type.—Deciduous shrub, fruit bearing.
    • Plant habit.—Upright spreading.
    • Plant size.—Average of 1.3 m in height and 1.2 m in width.
    • Cold hardiness.—At least hardy to USDA Zone 7b, has not been tested in colder zones, other plants of the species have been observed to be hardy in U.S.D.A. Zone 2.
    • Diseases and pests.—In some years, minor damage from Botrytis sp. has been observed, no significant pests problems have been observed.
    • Root description.—Fibrous.
    • Propagation.—Softwood and hardwood stem cuttings.
    • Growth rate.—Moderately vigorous.
• Dormant shoots:
  • • Density.—Medium.
    • New growth.—144B in color, and glabrous surface.
    • One year-old shoots.—Average of 38 cm in length and 3.3 mm in diameter, surface is smooth and glabrous, 176B in color.
    • Three year-old shoots.—Average of 89 cm in length and 1.15 cm in diameter (at mid-shoot), surface exfoliating, inner bark 177C, outer bark 199A in color.
    • Suckering.—Moderate.
• Foliage description:
  • • Leaf shape.—Elliptic.
    • Leaf division.—Simple.
    • Leaf base.—Slightly cordate.
    • Leaf apex.—Broadly acute.
    • Leaf venation.—Pinnate, upper surface 137C in color, lower surface 138B in color.
    • Leaf margins.—Entire.
    • Leaf arrangement.—Opposite.
    • Leaf attachment.—Petiolate.
    • Leaf surface.—Young mature leaf upper surface; glabrous, young lower surface; slight amount of pubescence, especially along midrib and lateral veins, mature lower surface; slight amount of pubescence along veins.
    • Leaf internode length.—Average of 4.5 cm.
    • Leaf size.—Average of 7.6 cm in length and 3.8 cm in width.
    • Leaf color.—Young leaves upper and lower surface; 144B, mature leaves upper surface; 137C, mature leaves lower surface; 138B.
    • Petioles.—1 to 3 mm in length and 1.5 mm in width, 145A in color, glabrous surface.
    • Stipules.—Minute or lacking.
• Inflorescence description:
  • • Blooming period.—50% anthesis is on average April 12^th in Corvallis, Oreg., blooms approximately 23 days.
    • Inflorescence type.—Small 2-flowered cymule born in leaf axils of lowest 1 to 3 nodes on current years shoot.
    • Inflorescence size.—An average of 2.2 cm cm in length and 1.3 cm diameter.
    • Flower number.—Average of 3.2 per current year shoot.
    • Flower buds.—Mixed buds; flower buds are not visible as they are enclosed within the leaves of the bud.
    • Flower fragrance.—None.
    • Lastingness of inflorescence.—7 days.
    • Flower type.—Epigynous.
    • Corolla form.—Funnel-form, narrow at base, widening towards the apex, 5-lobed.
    • Flower size.—Length of flower from base of ovary to stigma is 2.2 cm, width of corolla 2.5 mm at the base and 6.5 mm at apex.
    • Peduncles.—2 to 5 mm in length, 1.5 mm in diameter, 138B in color, glabrous surface.
    • Pedicels.—Inconspicuous.
    • Bracts.—2, present at base of ovaries, linear to broadly lanceolate in shape, color 137C on upper surface and 138B on lower surface, glabrous on upper surface, pubescence on lower surface, acute apex, cuneate base, 2 to 6 mm in width and 1 to 2 cm in length.
    • Sepals.—Absent.
    • Petals.—5, fused into tube with apex of each free, average of 2.5 mm in diameter at the base, 6.5 mm in diameter near apex and 1.5 cm in length, tube portion is an average of 1.2 cm in length and 4.5 mm in width, free portion is an average of 3 mm in length and 3 mm in width, free petals portions have a rounded apex and entire margins, outer and inner surface of tube and free portions are 1C in color and have a pilose surface.
• Reproductive organs:
  • • Gynoecium.—1 pistil, an average of 2.2 cm in length; style is about 1.8 cm in length with 3 to 4 mm of style extending beyond corolla, and 3D in color, stigma is about 1.5 mm in diameter and 3D in color, ovary is inferior, oval in shape, 3 to 5 mm in length, 2 mm in diameter and 138B in color.
    • Androecium.—5 stamens, adnate to inner surface of corolla tube, filaments are 1C in color and about 7 mm in length, anthers are 4B in color, pollen is very abundant in quantity and 4A in color with 100% acetocarmine stain.
    • Compatibility.—Self-incompatible.
• Fruit description:
  • • Fruit development.—65 days from mid-bloom to harvest.
    • Harvest date.—Average of June 16^th in Corvallis, Oreg.
    • Fruit type.—True berry, consists of 2 ovaries enclosed in fleshy bracts.
    • Fruit shape.—Cylindrical.
    • Fruit size.—(Medium-large), an average of 2.1 cm in length and 1.3 cm in width.
    • Fruit surface.—Smooth with heavy bloom.
    • Fruit apex.—Sub-acute.
    • Fruit skin color.—103B with bloom removed, 106D with bloom.
    • Fruit flesh color.—147D.
    • Fruit firmness.—Medium firm.
    • Fruit brix.—14.3°.
    • Fruit juiciness.—Small amount.
    • Fruit taste.—Sweet.
    • Fruit weight.—An average of 1.6 g (average of 25 berries).
    • Peduncle.—8 to 10 mm in length.
    • Pedicel-berry scar.—Very small, dry.
    • Fruit attachment strength.—Medium; strong enough to avoid pre-harvest drop and loose enough to pick without tearing fruit.
    • Pre-harvest drop.—Small amount.
    • Post-harvest.—Berries maintain their appearance, firmness and taste for 3 to 4 weeks in cold storage at 33° F. to 35° F.
    • Fruit yield.—High.
    • Market uses.—Fresh and frozen fruit and processed products.
    • Seed.—Average of 18 seeds per fruit (average of 25 fruits) with a potential of 22, dried seeds; lenticular in shape, dry weight size is 130 mg/100 seeds, 177D in color.

Claims

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Japanese haskap plant named ‘Taka’ as herein illustrated and described.