Latin name of the genus and species: Fragaria x ananassa.
Varietal denomination: ‘Caprice’ (a.k.a. ‘109862’).
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a new and distinct strawberry plant designated as ‘Caprice’ (a.k.a. ‘109862’).
‘Caprice’ (a.k.a. 109862) is the result of a controlled-cross between a female parent cultivar designated ‘109013’ (not patented) and a male parent cultivar designated ‘Crystalina’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 25,867) made by the Inventor and was first fruited in Watsonville, Calif. growing fields. Following selection and during testing, the plant was originally designated ‘109862’ and subsequently named ‘Caprice’. ‘Caprice’ is a day-neutral plant.
This new strawberry plant 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, grower fields in high elevation. The properties of this plant were found to be transmissible by such asexual reproduction. This plant is stable and reproduces true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a new and distinctive strawberry plant designated as ‘Caprice’ (a.k.a. ‘109862’). This plant 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 March 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 and photographs in combination distinguish the strawberry plant ‘Caprice’ from known strawberry plants. In addition, this plant was confirmed, or will be confirmed to be a unique strawberry germplasm using Short Sequence Repeats (SSRs). Plants for the botanical measurements in the present application were grown as annuals. Any color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.
‘Albion’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 16,228) is a commercial strawberry variety that is similar to, but distinguished from ‘Caprice’. The fruit yield of ‘Caprice’ exceeds the yield of ‘Albion’ in multiple annual testing cycles performed at the breeder's test location in Watsonville, Calif. ‘Caprice’ presents fruits that are smaller than the fruit of ‘Albion’. The cull rate 15 of marketable fruit is lower than the cull rate of ‘Albion’.
When compared to the proprietary male parent, ‘Caprice’ has smaller fruit than its male parent. Additionally, ‘Caprice’ produces more fruit and is a larger plant than the male parent. When compared to the proprietary female parent, ‘Caprice’ is a larger, more upright plant than the female parent. Additionally, ‘Caprice’ has longer petioles and larger fruit than the female parent.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The accompanying color photographs depict various characteristics of the cultivar as nearly true as possible to make color reproductions.
FIG. 1 shows ‘Caprice’ plant about 6-month old.
FIG. 2 shows ripe and near-ripe fruits of ‘Caprice’ about 8-month old.
FIG. 3 shows flowers of ‘Caprice’.
FIG. 4 shows fruits of ‘Caprice’.
FIG. 5 shows cut fruits of ‘Caprice’.
FIG. 6 shows upper leaf of ‘Caprice’.
FIG. 7 shows lower leaf of ‘Caprice’.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION ‘Caprice’ (a.k.a. ‘109862’)
The following traits in combination distinguish strawberry variety ‘Caprice’ 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.
‘Caprice’ 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 under normal conditions in Watsonville, Calif. unless otherwise noted. The plants were 8-month old when the observation was made.
TABLE 1
‘Caprice’ Characteristics
Type Characteristic ‘Caprice’
General Cross date 2014 Jan. 17
Age of plant when described 8 months
Self fertility Not tested
Thrips susceptibility Low
Powdery Mildew susceptibility Moderate
Plant habit Annual
Plant growth habit Upright
Day length Day neutral
Planting season Fall
Root type Fibrous and
branching
Root color (RHS color code) 18C to 155B
Plant Height (cm) 35
Plant Width (cm) 32
Density of foliage Medium
Plant vigor Moderate to high
Freezing quality Moderate
Rain/weather tolerance Moderate
Harvest ease Moderate
Crown diameter (cm) 8.0 to 10.0
Leaf Trifoliate leaf length (cm) 14.5 to 16.0
Trifoliate leaf width (cm) 13.0 to 14.0
Trifoliate leaf shape Flat
Leaf blistering Weak
Leaf glossiness Strong
Leaf variegation Absent
Number of leaflets per Leaf 3
Terminal leaflet width (mm) 70 to 80
Terminal leaflet length (mm) 77.5
Terminal leaflet length/width ratio 0.9 to 1.03
Number of teeth/terminal leaflet 25
Shape of terminal leaflet Orbicular
Shape of the terminal leaflet apex Rounded
Shape of the terminal leaflet base Obtuse to rounded
Shape of terminal leaflet in Straight
cross-section
Shape of terminal leaflet margin Serrate to crenate
Color of upper side of leaflets 137A
(RHS color code)
Color of lower side of leaflets 137C
(RHS color code)
Limbs Petiole length (cm) 26.5
Petiole diameter (mm) 3.68
Petiole texture Puberulous
Petiole pubescence medium to dense Medium to dense
Petiole pose of hairs horizontal Horizontal
Petiole color (RHS color code) 145A
Petiolule length (cm) 1.5
Petiolule diameter (mm) 2.32
Stipule number 2 per petiole
Stipule length (cm) 2.5
Stipule width (cm) 0.7
Stipule shape Lanceolate
Stipule apex Acuminate
Stipule margin Entire
Stipule base Truncate
Stipule texture Puberulous
Stipule pubescence Medium to dense
Stipule anthocyanin Weak
Stipule color (RHS color code) 149D
Stipule anthocyanin color (RHS color 58B to 55A
code)
Pedicel length (cm) 11.0 to 22.0
Pedicel diameter (mm) 2.0 to 2.6
Pedicel color (RHS color code) 145A
Pedicel texture Puberulous
Pedicel pubescence Sparse
Peduncle size Medium
Peduncle length (cm) 7.0 to 14.0
Peduncle diameter (mm) 2.59 to 3.65
Peduncle texture Puberulous
Peduncle pubescence Medium
Attitude of hairs on petiole and Upwards
pedicel
Inflorescence Time of flowering (50% of plants in March to April
bloom)
Lastingness of bloom 7 to 10 days
Inflorescence position relative to Above
foliage
Number of flowers per inflorescence 3 to 6
Flower arrangement of petals Touching
Flower diameter (cm) 2
Flower bud shape Globose, obovate
Flower bud length (cm) 1.7 to 2.5
Flower bud diameter (cm) 1.1
Flower bud texture Puberulous
Flower bud pubescence Dense
Flower bud color (RHS color code) 145B
Petal length (cm) 1.3
Petal width (cm) 1.5
Petal length/ width ratio 0.87
Number of Petal per flower 5 to 6
Upper Petal color (RHS color code) 155C
Lower Petal color (RHS color code) 155C
Petal shape Orbicular
Petal apex Rounded
Petal margin Entire
Petal base shape Concave
Corolla depth (mm) 9 to 13
Corolla diameter (cm) 2
Floral Calyx diameter (cm) 3 to 4
Calyx diameter relative to corolla Larger
Inner calyx diameter relative to Equal to smaller
outer calyx
Sepal number per flower 10
Sepal length (cm) 1.1
Sepal width (cm) 0.7
Sepal shape Elliptical
Sepal apex Convex
Sepal margin Entire
Upper sepal texture Smooth
Lower sepal texture Puberulous
Lower sepal pubescence Medium
Upper sepal color (RHS color code) 137A
Lower sepal color (RHS color code) 137C
Pistil number 121 to 286
Pistil length (mm) 2.0 to 2.25
Shape of stigma Capitate
Color of stigma (RHS color code) 12A
Length of style (mm) 2
Color of style (RHS color code) 4A
Color of the ovary (RHS color code) 145A
Length of the stamens (mm) 4
Number of stamen 23 to 25
Anther diameter (mm) 1.0 to 1.25
Anther length (mm) 1.0 to 2.0
Shape of anther Dorsifixed
Size of anther Medium
Color of anther (RHS color code) 12A
Amount of pollen Medium
Color of pollen (RHS color code) 12A
Length of filament (mm) 4
Color of filament (RHS color code) 149D
Stolon Stolon length (cm) 33 to 77
Stolon number 2 to 5
Stolon shape Filiform
Stolon anthocyanin (RHS color code) 181A
Stolon thickness Medium
Stolon texture Puberulous
Stolon pubescence Sparse to medium
Widest diameter of stolon at leaf 4.62
attachment (mm)
Stolon color (RHS color code) 145A
Fruit Number of fruit per truss 2 to 4
Fruiting truss length (cm) 7.0 to 14.0
Fruiting truss diameter (mm) 3.50 to 7.65
Fruiting truss attitude Prostrate
Shape difference between primary & No shape
secondary fruits difference
Predominant fruit shape Conic
Fruit calyx diameter (cm) 3.3 to 5.3
Color of calyx (RHS color code) 136A
Position of calyx Even
Level of adherence of calyx Medium
Pose of calyx segments Spreading to
reflexed
Size of calyx in relation to fruit Equal
Fruit length (cm) 34.1
Fruit width (cm) 29.5
Fruit length/width ratio 1.16
Fruit skin color (RHS color code) 41A
Fruit flesh color excluding core (RHS 44A
color code)
Fruit core color (RHS color code) 41A
Fruit weight (g) 22.7
Relative fruit size Medium
Fruit glossiness Medium
Firmness of flesh Medium
Evenness of flesh color Nearly even
Hollow core length (cm) 1.1 to 2.7
Hollow core width (cm) 0.8 to 1.5
Hollow core length/width ratio 1.38 to 1.80
Hollow core size Medium
Width of band without of achenes Narrow
Position of achenes in relation to skin Below surface
surface
Achene color (RHS color code) 145B
Achenes per fruit 288
Achene weight (g) 0.17
Surface/skin texture Smooth
Texture when tasted Medium
Flavor Sweet
Sweetness (brix) 10
Acidity (pH) 3.45
Type of bearing Day neutral
Time of fruit ripening May to June
Harvest maturity (50% of plants June
with ripe fruit)
First picking harvest Mid-March
Last picking harvest Mid-September
Appearance score 4
Storage longevity 8 to 10 days
Yield (kg per plant per season) 2.791
Cull rate: 100% - Marketable yield % <15%
