Strawberry plant named ‘Melissa’
A new and distinct short-day strawberry plant is provided. Attractive early-ripening substantially uniform medium red primarily conical to slightly rhomboid fruit having a firm flesh is formed in good yield that is longer than broad in configuration. White inflorescence is formed on an early basis that tends to be disposed above the foliage. A calyx commonly is displayed that extends slightly beyond the corolla when open. A semi-dense semi-upright growth habit is displayed.
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Botanical/commercial classification: Fragaria×ananassa Duchesne/Strawberry Plant.
Varietal denomination: cv. Melissa.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONThe new and distinct short-day strawberry plant variety of the present invention was the product of a controlled breeding program that was carried out at Nova Siri (MT) Italy located at 40° 08′ 40″ N-16° 39′ 40″ E and 10 meters above sea level. The female parent (i.e., the seed parent) was the ‘Siris’ cultivar (non-patented in the United States and European Application No. 34843), a strawberry plant variety with medium late-season yield and ability to produce fruits with very high sugar content and presenting a high tolerance to infection by Pytophthora Cactorum and Colletotrichun Acutatum in plants as well in fruits, and the male parent (i.e., pollen parent) was the ‘Margherita’ cultivar (U.S. Plant Pat, No. 25,638, filed Jul. 3, 2013 and EU No. 2012/1378), a strawberry variety with high early-season yield, and ability to produce very high yield and very large primary and secondary fruits. The parentage of the new cultivar can be summarized as follows:
‘Siris’בMargherita’.
The seeds resulting from the pollination were sown and small plants were obtained which were physically different from each other. Selective study and testing resulted in the identification of a single plant of the new variety.
The new variety initially was designated 488xf-11-03.
It was found that the new short-day strawberry cultivar of the present invention displays the following combination of characteristics:
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- (a) exhibits a semi-dense semi-upright growth habit,
- (b) displays on an early basis white inflorescence at a level generally above the foliage,
- (c) commonly displays a calyx that is slightly larger than the diameter of the corolla when open,
- (d) forms in abundance attractive early-ripening large medium red primarily conical to slightly rhomboid fruit having firm flesh that is longer than broad in configuration, and
- (e) have a high tolerance to infection by Colletotricum acutatum.
The new variety of the present invention can be readily distinguished from previously known strawberry cultivars including the ‘Sabrosa’ cultivar (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 16,558) as indicated in detail hereafter. The comparative ‘Sabrosa’ plants described herein were obtained commercially in Italy.
The new variety possesses characteristics that commonly are sought by commercial strawberry growers. The substantially uniform attractive firm medium red early-ripening fruit is provided in good yields. Accordingly, the new cultivar is considered to be a promising new plant for commercial introduction.
The new variety requires an induction period for flowering. This can be achieved by growing in a colder climate away from the equator or at a higher altitude above sea level.
During observation to date no particular disease sensitivity for the new cultivar has been observed.
The new variety has been asexually reproduced by the use of stolons at Ochla, Poland located at 51° 848 N-15° 447 E and at Nova Siri (MT) Italy, and by in vitro tissue culture. No rooting problems were encountered. The combination of characteristics exhibited by the new plant has been found to be stable and is reliably transmitted to succeeding generations following such asexual reproduction. Accordingly, the new variety reproduces true-to-type manner by such asexual reproduction.
The new plant variety has been named ‘Melissa’.
The accompanying photographs show, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in color illustrations of this character, typical specimens of the new cultivar as well as typical specimens of the varieties ‘Sabrosa’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 16,558), ‘Siris’ (non-patented in the United States and European Application No. 34843), and ‘Margherita’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 25,638, filed Jul. 3, 2013 and EU No. 2012/1378) for comparative purposes. The plants had been asexually reproduced from stolons and were planted under the cover of plastic tunnels during mid-October 2013 at Nova Siri (MT), Italy.
The described plants had been asexually reproduced by the use of stolons and were growing under the cover of plastic tunnels at Nova Siri (MT) Italy and at Ochla, Poland. The chart used in the identification of color is The R.H.S. Colour Chart (Edition V) of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England. Reference to common color terms is to be accorded ordinary dictionary significance.
- Botanical class: Fragaria×ananassa, Duchesne, cv. ‘Melissa’.
- Plant:
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- Type.—Short-day.
- Configuration.—Semi-upright and semi-dense.
- Vigor.—Strong.
- Leaflets.—Medium in size, commonly three in number, approximately 6.5 cm in length on average and approximately 6 cm in width on average; the terminal leaflet commonly is moderately longer to equal in length than width, possesses a generally flat cross-section, possesses a serrate to crenate margin, and an acute base; blistering commonly is medium in quantity; the glossiness on the upper surface is medium; and variegated coloration commonly is absent with the upper surface coloration commonly being near Green Group N137C to Green Group N137D and the under surface commonly being near Yellow-Green Group 147B. Such coloration commonly is darker than that of the ‘Sabrosa’ variety.
- Stolons.—Numerous in quantity, medium pubescence in density, commonly near Red-Purple Group 67A to Red-Purple Group 67B in coloration, commonly are produced somewhat more numerously than the ‘Sabrosa’ variety with anthocyanin coloration commonly being weak to absent on the stolons of the ‘Sabrosa’ variety. The coloration of stolons for the ‘Sabrosa’ variety commonly is near Yellow-Green Group N144A to Yellow-Green Group 145C.
- Petioles.—Commonly approximately 10 to 22 cm in length on average, near Yellow-Green Group N144B in coloration, and commonly bear generally horizontally disposed fine pubescence.
- Stipules.—Commonly approximately 2 to 3 cm in length, and commonly bear some weak anthocyanin coloration of near Red-Purple Group 73A to 74C.
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- Inflorescence:
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- Flowering time.—Early.
- Flower disposition.—Generally above the foliage.
- Flower number.—Medium, commonly 3 to 7.
- Pedicel hairs.—Pubescence generally disposed somewhat upwards.
- Pedicel color.—Near Yellow-Green Group 144C to Yellow-Green Group 144B.
- Size.—Large, with primary flowers commonly being approximately 2.2 to 3.2 cm in diameter on average, and secondary flowers commonly being approximately 2.1 to 2.5 cm in diameter on average, commonly the open calyx is slightly larger than the diameter than the corolla.
- Petals.—Overlapping, commonly number approximately 5 to 7 on average (typically 6), somewhat rounded overall in configuration with the relationship of the length to the width being substantially equal, commonly approximately 13 mm on average in length and width, and with a rounded apex, and near White Group N155A in coloration on the upper surface.
- Anthers.—Commonly number approximately 20 to 32 on average, commonly disposed below the stamen, and near Yellow Group 6D to 7D in coloration. The new cultivar is self-fertile and pollen is formed in abundance.
- Sepals.—Generally lanceolate in configuration, generally somewhat outwardly disposed, commonly number approximately 12 to 14 on average which can be compared to approximately 10 to 12 on average for the ‘Sabrosa’ cultivar, commonly approximately 1 to 1.7 cm in length on average and approximately 2 to 6 mm in width on average at the broadest point, unlike the ‘Sabrosa’ cultivar the diameter of the open calyx commonly is slightly greater than that of the corolla (as illustrated in
FIGS. 10 and 11 ), and the coloration on the upper surface is commonly near Green Group 141B to Green Group 143A and on the lower surface is commonly near Yellow-Green Group 147B.
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- Fruit:
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- Bearing.—Non-remontant.
- Timing.—Early-fruiting commonly with approximately 30 to 35 days from first blooming to first fruit ripening. This can be compared to approximately 35 to 40 days between first blooming and first fruit ripening for the ‘Sabrosa’ variety.
- Shape.—Conical to slightly rhomboid, longer than broad, commonly with a medium difference between terminal and other fruit.
- Size.—Large, with the primary fruit commonly being approximately 6.5 to 7 cm in length on average and approximately 4 to 4.9 cm in width on average at the broadest point.
- Surface.—Slightly uneven texture with strong glossiness.
- External color.—Substantially uniform medium red and commonly near Red Group 45B to Red Group 46B in coloration.
- Internal color.—Flesh is medium red, and commonly near Orange-Red Group 34A to Orange-Red Group 34B, and the core commonly is medium red Orange-Red Group 34A to Orange-Red Group 34B.
- Firmness.—Good firmness.
- Cavity.—Very small or absent fruit cavity (as illustrated in
FIG. 13 ). - Achenes.—Located generally below the fruit surface and cover nearly the entire fruit surface commonly with only a very narrow band (if any) where achenes are absent, and commonly near Orange Group 28A to Red Group 45B in coloration.
- Calyx.—Commonly the fruit is slightly raised at the point of attachment, the calyx commonly attaches to the fruit with medium adherence, the sepals are disposed generally outwards, and the fruit diameter and the calyx diameter commonly are substantially equal.
- Peduncle.—Very long, commonly approximately 25 to 35 cm in length on average for primary fruit, and commonly near Green Group 141B to Green Group 143A in coloration.
- Pedicel.—Commonly with pubescence extending upwards, and near Yellow-Green Group 144C to Yellow-Green Group 144B in coloration.
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Hereafter, additional comparative fruit data is provided for the new ‘Melissa’ variety and the ‘Sabrosa’ variety. The plants had been asexually reproduced by the use of stolons and were growing under the cover of plastic tunnels. The fruit was evaluated and compared on the dates indicated. Average data is presented.
Plants of the new ‘Melissa’ variety have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions to date. Accordingly, it is possible that the phenotypic expression may vary somewhat with changes in light intensity and duration, cultural practices, and other environmental conditions.
Claims
1. A new and distinct short-day strawberry plant that exhibits the following combination of characteristics: substantially as illustrated and described.
- (a) exhibits a semi-dense semi-upright growth habit,
- (b) displays on an early basis white inflorescence at a level generally above the foliage,
- (c) commonly displays a calyx that is slightly larger than the diameter of the corolla when open, and
- (d) forms in abundance attractive early-ripening large medium red primarily conical to rhomboid fruit having firm flesh that is longer than broad in configuration;
- Trademark hit for ‘Melissa's Brand’.
Type: Grant
Filed: May 28, 2015
Date of Patent: Jun 6, 2017
Patent Publication Number: 20160029528
Assignee: NOVA SIRI GENETICS S. R. L. (Nova Siri (MT))
Inventor: Nicola Tufaro (Nova Siri)
Primary Examiner: Anne Grunberg
Application Number: 14/545,597