Grapevine plant named ‘ARD46’

Abstract

A new distinct variety of grapevine plant named ‘ARD46’ abundantly forms attractive meaty seedless berries with a red skin coloration, lax and large clusters which display a Labrusca flavor, the fruit commonly is ready for harvesting during July-August in San Joaquin Valley of Central California, U.S.A, and displays good eating qualities as a table grape having a fruit firmness which renders the fruit well amenable for handling, shipping, and storage.

Description

Classification: The present invention relates to a new Vitis vinifera Grapevine.

Variety denomination: The new Grapevine plant has a varietal denomination ‘ARD46’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A breeding program was initiated during the late 1990's near Bakersfield in San Joaquin Valley of Central California. In 2016, during this breeding program, a new variety of Vitis vinifera was created by deliberate cross breeding of two parent plants by emasculation of the pollen bearing organ of the female and introducing pollen from another male origin. The female parent of the new variety was 103C-57+2 which is a crispy and juicy white seedless variety, with a natural sweet flavor (non-patented in the United States). The male parent (i.e. the pollen parent) of the new variety was 26−6+3, a fertile and crunchy seedless white variety (non-patented in the United States).

TABLE 1
‘ARD46’ compared with parents & closely related variety:
				Flame
	‘ARD46’	103C-57+2	26-6+3	Seedless
Berry	Meaty	Crispy and	Crunchy	Crisp
texture		Juicy
Berry	Broad	Broad	Ovoid	Globose
shape	Ellipsoid	Ellipsoid
Cap	Thick/Medium	Medium/short	Medium/	Thick/Short
stem/brush			Medium

The parentage of the new variety can be summarized as follows: 103C−57+2 X 26−6+3

An artificial pollination was created, and the result was an embryo which possessed unique genetic qualities. The rudiments resulting from the above pollination were embryo rescued.

In 2017 the plant was transplanted to Bakersfield in San Joaquin Valley of Central California.

It was found that the new grapevine of the present invention possesses the following combination of characteristics:

• • (a) Forms attractive meaty seedless berries with a red skin coloration; in lax and large clusters which display a Labrusca flavor,
  • (b) Commonly bears fruit during the month of July-August in the San Joaquin Valley of Central California, U.S.A.,
  • (c) Bears fruit that is firm and is well amenable for storage, handling, and shipping, and
  • (d) Produces 38 bunches per vine, and an average of about 2 bunches per shoot, at a total of 51 lbs. fruit per vine.

The new variety during observation to date has displayed no visible disease, and has displayed an ability to well resist cold, drought, heat; but sensitive to direct exposure to sun and wind. The fruit of the new variety has been found to display excellent handling and shipping qualities combined with desirable dessert eating qualities.

The new variety of the present invention has been found to undergo asexual propagation beginning in 2018 near Bakersfield in the San Joaquin Valley of Central California, U.S.A. by bud grafting on mature Thompson seedless rootstock (non-patented in the United States). Such asexual propagation has been conducted thereafter in successive years to date and has shown that the characteristics of the new variety are strictly transmissible from one generation to another. Accordingly, the new variety undergoes asexual propagation in a true to type manner.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The new variety ‘ARD46’ is a red seedless table grape with a high production, e.g., about 38 bunches per vine, and an average of about 2 bunches per shoot.

Asexual reproduction by micro propagation of the new variety as performed near Bakersfield, Calif., U.S.A., shows that the forgoing and other distinguishing characteristics come true to form and are established and transmitted through succeeding propagations.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The accompanying photographic illustration shows typical six-year-old specimens of the new variety, vegetatively propagated, in color as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make in a color illustration of this character. Colors in the photograph may differ from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description below, which accurately describes the colors of the new Grapevine.

FIG. 1 shows leaves, stems, tendrils, and grapes of ‘ARD46’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The chart used in the identification of colors is The RHS Colour Chart of The ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY (3^rd Edition). The description is based on the observation of plants growing on Thompson Seedless' rootstock outdoors near San Joaquin Valley of Central California, U.S.A.

TABLE 2
VINE CHARACTERISTICS:
Vigor               Vigorous upright shoots
Productive capacity Bearing at a natural, average
                    capacity. Spur pruning.
Trunk               Strong and developed.
                    Diameter is 2 inches, at 9.5 inches
                    above ground.
                    Rough with a fibrous, shaggy exterior.
                    Light brown coloring - Greyed orange
                    177B

• Date of bud burst in Bakersfield Calif.: February 26^th.

TABLE 3
YOUNG SHOOT CHARACTERISTICS:
Openness of tip                  Fully open
Density of prostrate hairs on tip Medium
Anthocyanin coloration of prostrate Red purple 59A
hairs on tip
Density of erect hairs on tip    Medium

TABLE 4
YOUNG LEAF CHARACTERISTICS:
Color of upper side of blade     Yellow green 152A
Color of lower side of blade     Yellow green 152B
Density of erect hairs between main Absent or very sparse
veins on upper side of blade
Density of erect hairs between main Sparse
veins on lower side of blade
Density of prostrate hairs on main Dense
veins on upper side of blade
Density of prostrate hairs on main Medium
veins on lower side of blade

TABLE 5
SHOOT CHARACTERISTICS:
Attitude (before tying)          Semi-erect
Color of dorsal side of internodes Greyed red 178A
Color of ventral side of internodes Yellow green 146D
Color of dorsal side of nodes    Greyed red 178B
Color of ventral side of nodes   Yellow green 146D
Density of erect hairs on internodes Sparse
Density of prostrate hairs on    Sparse
internodes
Length of tendrils               4.3 inches
Diameter of tendrils             0.06 inches
Color of tendrils                Yellow green 144B
Number of tendrils at bloom      5
Positioning of first flowering and The first bunch is in the 3rd
fruiting node                    node
Inflorescence number per flowering 2
shoot

TABLE 6
FLOWER CHARACTERISTICS:
Reproductive organs Fully developed stamens and fully
                    developed gynoecium
Flower length       0.3 inches
Flower diameter     0.17 inches
Pistil length       0.14 inches
Pistil color        Yellow green 144A
Pollen Amount       Rich
Pollen color        Yellow 11B
Stamen color        Yellow green 145C
Stamen length       0.15 inches
Number of stamen    6

• First bloom in Bakersfield, Calif.: April 15^th.
• Date of full bloom in Bakersfield, Calif.: April 22^nd.

TABLE 7
MATURE LEAF CHARACTERISTICS:
Size of blade                    6 inches × 6 inches
Shape of blade                   Pentagonal
Base descriptors                 Pentagonal
Leaf margin                      Serrate
Leaf apex                        Acute
Blistering of upper side of blade Absent or very sparse
Depth of upper lateral sinuses   Shallow
Number of lobes                  Five
(Only varieties with lobed leaves) Closed
Arrangement of lobes of upper
lateral sinuses
Arrangement of lobes of petiole  Half open
sinus
Length of teeth                  0.38 inches
Ratio length/width of teeth      Small
Shape of teeth                   Mixture of both sides straight
                                 and both sides convex
Density of prostrate hairs between Absent or very sparse
main veins on lower side of blade
Density of erect hairs on main veins Absent or very sparse
on lower side of blade
Density of erect hairs between the Absent or very sparse
main veins on upper side of blade
Density of prostrate hairs on main Absent or very sparse
veins on upper side of blade
Length of petiole compared to length Much shorter
of middle vein
Top side color                   Green 137A
Bottom side color                Yellow green 146B
Texture of upper side of blade   Rough
Texture of lower side of blade   Little Rough
Vein color on upper blade        Yellow green 146C
Vein color on lower blade        Yellow green 145C
Venation pattern for upper blade Netlike venation
Venation patten for lower blade  Netlike venation
Petiole length                   2.75 inches
Petiole diameter                 0.11 inches
Petiole color                    Yellow green 152A
Petiole texture                  Rough
Mature leaf anthocyanin coloration Strong (Red purple 58A)
of main veins upper surface

• Date of beginning of berry ripening in Bakersfield Calif.: July 15^th.

TABLE 8
BUNCH CHARACTERISTICS:
Size (peduncle excluded)         Large
Density of berries on bunch      Lax
Bunch length                     9.5 inches
Bunch diameter                   5.5 inches
Length of peduncle of primary bunch 0.75 inches
Diameter of peduncle of primary  0.14 inches
bunch
Peduncle of primary bunch color  Yellow green 145B
Peduncle texture                 Smooth
Bunches per vine                 38
Average bunch weight             1.3 lbs

TABLE 9
BERRY CHARACTERISTICS:
Size                            Medium
Length                          1 inch
Weight                          0.24 oz
Diameter                        0.8 inches
Shape                           Broad ellipsoid
Color of skin (without bloom)   Red 53A
Flesh color                     Yellow green 145D
Brix                            20.1
Titratable acidity percentage   0.25%
Juice                           4.1 pH
Ease of detachment from pedicel Moderately easy
Thickness of skin               Medium
Anthocyanin coloration of flesh None
Firmness of flesh               Moderately firm
Particular flavor               Foxy
Formation of seeds              None
Berries per bunch               132
Juiciness of Berry Flesh        Juicy

TABLE 10
PEDICEL CHARACTERISTICS:
Length          0.35 inches
Diameter        0.09 inches
Color           Yellow green 145C
Pedicel texture Rough

TABLE 11
WOODY SHOOT CHARACTERISTICS:
Woody shoot texture Rough
Woody shoot color   Greyed orange 165A
Woody shoot length  60 inches
Diameter            0.25 inches
Internode length    2.9 inches

• Market use of observed plants: Fresh market.

AGE AND GROWING CONDITIONS

Six years growing under Y system in South Joaquin Valley (hot, dry summers).

SHIPPING CHARACTERISTICS

Fruit was in cold storage. Stored in poly bags inside polystyrene boxes with sulfur pads. After 60 Days: rachises were 80% green; 0% berry shattering; no berry wrinkling or cracks were apparent.

DNA PROFILE

To further the characterize the new variety DNA was extracted from plant samples and a DNA profile was obtained at California Seed & Plant Lab, California USA using base pairs for 10 standard microsatellite DNA markers. The data is presented hereafter.

TABLE 12
DNA profile for ‘ARD46’
Microsatellite DNA	Allele Sizes
Marker	in Base Pairs
M 1	228	234
M 2	239	239
M 3	185	194
M 4	212	212
M 5	253	257
M 6	123	135
M 7	189	189
M 8	255	255
M 9	214	214
M 10	221	233

The ‘ARD46’ variety has 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.

Additional information relating to plant and fruit disease and pest resistance or susceptibility has not been observed to date. Specification of the plant hardiness zone and the heat/cold resistance has not been observed to date.

Claims

1. A new and distinct grapevine plant, botanically known as Vitis vinifera, identified as ‘ARD46’, substantially as shown and described herein.