Common name: Grapevine.
Botanical classification: Vitis labrusca L. x Vitis vinifera L.
Variety denomination: ‘SUNNY HEART’.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This application claims priority of Japanese plant variety rights application No. 37121 filed Nov. 13, 2023, the entire content of which is incorporated by reference herein.
BACKGROUND OF THE NEW VARIETY The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of grapevine, Vitis labrusca L. x Vitis vinifera L., which has been given the variety denomination ‘SUNNY HEART’.
This new grapevine has green young leaves, R.H.S. Colour Chart: 148C, and berries having a broad ellipsoid shape, red skin, and muscat flavor, that distinguish it, notably from its male parent ‘SHINE MUSCAT’ (berries having yellow green skin) and female parent ‘626-84’ (berries having dark red violet skin and sharp brisk flavor), as well as from reference varieties ‘SEKIREI’ (reddish young leaves, R.H.S. Colour Chart: 183B, 144A, berries having narrow ellipsoid shape and pale red skin) and ‘KOTOPY’ (greenish-red young leaves, R.H.S. Colour Chart: 148C, 178B, berries having narrow ellipsoid shape and pale red skin).
ORIGIN OF THE VARIETY The parent varieties are ‘SHINE MUSCAT’ (male parent) (not patented in the U.S.) and ‘626-84’ (female parent) (not patented in the U.S.), respectively.
The variety was developed and propagated in Akitsu, Hiroshima, Japan.
The variety was reproduced asexually in Akitsu, Hiroshima, Japan by vegetative reproduction by grafting one-year-old cuttings on rootstocks.
In 2004, seedlings from crossing the parent varieties and collecting seeds were grown.
In 2007, they were grafted on root stock.
In 2009, the first fruit was harvested and lines were selected having fruit with good taste.
In 2016, plants were selected and named ‘Akitsu 32’ as temporary name for purposes of confidential testing for local adaptability.
In 2018-2022, growing tests were performed under confidentiality conditions at thirty-seven testing stations in Japan.
In 2022, budding and berry ripening times were measured.
On Nov. 13, 2023, an application for plant variety rights No. 37121 was filed for the present variety in the Japanese Plant Variety Protection Office of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF), Japan.
Cultivation of the variety does not require special conditions or treatments.
The variety is currently mainly intended for fruit production (table grape).
SUMMARY OF THE VARIETY The variety is distinguished by green young leaves, R.H.S. Colour Chart: 148C, and berries having a broad ellipsoid shape, red skin, and muscat flavor, that distinguish it, notably from its male parent ‘SHINE MUSCAT’ (berries having yellow green skin) and female parent ‘626-84’ (berries having dark red violet skin and sharp brisk flavor), as well as from reference varieties ‘SEKIREI’ (reddish young leaves, R.H.S. Colour Chart: 183B, 144A, berries having narrow ellipsoid shape and pale red skin) and ‘KOTOPY’ (greenish-red young leaves, R.H.S. Colour Chart: 148C, 178B, berries having narrow ellipsoid shape and pale red skin).
A comparison with the male parent ‘SHINE MUSCAT’ is as follows (evaluation based on averages):
TABLE 1
Male parent Present variety
‘SHINE ‘SUNNY
MUSCAT’ HEART’
No. Characteristics States States
59 Mature leaf: depth of medium shallow
upper lateral sinuses
63 Mature leaf: ratio length/ medium small
width of teeth
91 Berry: color of skin yellow green Red (RHS
(without bloom) (RHS 146C) 187B)
A comparison with the female parent ‘626-84’ is as follows (evaluation based on averages):
TABLE 2
Female Present variety
parent ‘SUNNY
‘626-84’ HEART’
No. Characteristics States States
91 Berry: color of skin dark red violet Red (RHS
(without bloom) (RHS 184B) 187B)
101 Berry: particular flavor sharp brisk Muscat
A comparison with the reference varieties ‘SEKIREI’ is as follows (evaluation based on averages):
TABLE 3
Reference Present variety
variety ‘SUNNY
‘SEKIREI’ HEART’
No. Characteristics States States
8 Young shoot: prostrate absent or very very dense
hairs on tip sparse
11 Young leaf: color of dark copper-red Green (RHS
upper side of blade (RHS 183B, 148C)
144A)
12 Young leaf: prostrate absent or very very dense
hairs between main sparse
veins on lower side
of blade
57 Mature leaf: blistering weak medium to
of upper side of blade strong
59 Mature leaf: depth of medium shallow
upper lateral sinuses
90 Berry: shape narrow ellipsoid broad ellipsoid
A comparison with the reference variety ‘KOTOPY’ is as follows (average evaluation):
TABLE 4
Reference Present variety
variety ‘SUNNY
‘KOTOPY’ HEART’
No. Characteristics States States
11 Young leaf: color of light copper-red Green (RHS
upper side of blade (RHS 148C, 148C)
178B)
12 Young leaf: prostrate dense very dense
hairs between main
veins on lower side
59 Mature leaf: depth of medium shallow
upper lateral sinuses
66 Mature leaf: prostrate medium dense
hairs between main
veins on lower side
90 Berry: shape narrow ellipsoid broad ellipsoid
A comparison with both ‘SEKIREI’ and ‘KOTOPY’ is as follows (average evaluation):
TABLE 5
Present
Reference Reference variety
variety variety ‘SUNNY
‘SEKIREI’ ‘KOTOPY’ HEART’
No. Characteristics States States States
12 Young leaf: color dark copper- light copper- green (RHS
of upper side of red (RHS red (RHS 148C)
blade 183B, 144A) 148C, 178B)
13 Young leaf: pro- absent or very dense very dense
strate hairs between sparse
main veins on
lower side of blade
59 Mature leaf: depth medium medium shallow
of upper lateral
sinuses
90 Berry: shape narrow narrow broad
ellipsoid ellipsoid ellipsoid
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the accompanying drawings, which are as nearly true as is reasonable possible to make in a color illustration of this type:
FIG. 1 is a color photograph showing a general view of the grapevine named ‘SUNNY HEART’ bearing vine;
FIG. 2 is a color photograph showing a bunch of grapes on the vine of ‘SUNNY HEART’;
FIG. 3 is a color photograph showing flower clusters of ‘SUNNY HEART’;
FIG. 4 is a color photograph showing flowers of ‘SUNNY HEART’;
FIG. 5 is a color photograph showing the flowers and separated organs of ‘SUNNY HEART’;
FIG. 6 is a color photograph showing a bunch of grapes cut from a vine of ‘SUNNY HEART’;
FIG. 7 is a color photograph showing berries of ‘SUNNY HEART’;
FIG. 8 is a color photograph showing cross-sections of berries of ‘SUNNY HEART’;
FIG. 9 is a color photograph showing berry shapes of ‘SUNNY HEART’ as well as ‘SEKIREI’ and ‘KOTOPY’ for comparison purposes;
FIG. 10 is a color photograph showing the upper and lower sides of young leaves of ‘SUNNY HEART’ as well as ‘SEKIREI’ and ‘KOTOPY’ for comparison purposes;
FIG. 11 is a color photograph showing the lower sides of mature leaves of ‘SUNNY HEART’ as well as ‘SEKIREI’ and ‘KOTOPY’ for comparison purposes.
Due to chemical and/or digital development, processing and printing, the plants or portions of plants depicted in the photographs may or may not be precisely accurate, when compared to the actual botanical specimens.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The botanical description and the photographs are of the ‘SUNNY HEART’ plants evaluated in 2022 (including for the comparison with the reference plants ‘SEKIREI’ and ‘KOTOPY’. Values as provided are averages.
The plants shown on the photographs were grown at Akitsu, Hiroshima, Japan. The plant is a 5-year grown plant. The young leaf and flower were photographed on May 29, 2023, the mature leaf was photographed on Jun. 29, 2023, and the bunch and berry was photographed on Sep. 15, 2023.
Colors are given according to The R.H.S. (Royal Horticultural Society) Color Chart, Sixth Edition (2015).
BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION TABLE 6
No. Characteristics States Values
Tree
1 Average height 180 cm
2 Average width 60 cm
3 Vigor strong
4 Trunk diameter (at a 19.8 mm
given height above (at 20 cm
soil line) above soil
line)
5 Grown on rootstock Yes Teleki
selectia
Kober 5BB
6 Time of bud burst early early April
(approx.
Apr. 7)
Young shoot
7 Openness of tip wide open
8 Prostrate hairs on tip very dense
9 Anthocyanin coloration absent or
of prostrate hairs on tip very weak
10 Erect hairs on tip absent or
very sparse
Young leaf
11 Color of upper side of green 148C (RHS)
blade
12 Prostrate hairs between very dense
main veins on lower
side of blade
13 Erect hairs on main absent or
veins on lower side of very sparse
blade
Shoot
14 Average length of stem 186 cm
15 Average diameter of 22.0 mm
stem
16 Texture of stem rough
17 Color of stem brown N200C,
200C (RHS)
18 Average length of 88 cm
branches
19 Average diameter of 16.0 mm
branches
20 Texture of branches intermediate
21 Color of branches grey-brown 199C,
N199C
(RHS)
22 Average length of 5.9 m
shoots
23 Average diameter of 9.8 mm
shoots
24 Texture of shoots smooth
25 Color of shoots green 144A (RHS)
26 Attitude (before tying) semi-erect
27 Color of dorsal side green and 144A, 183B
of internodes red (RHS)
28 Color of ventral side green 144A (RHS)
of internodes
29 Shoot: color of green and 144A, 183B
dorsal side of nodes red (RHS)
30 Shoot: color of ventral green 144A (RHS)
side of nodes
31 Erect hairs on inter- absent or
nodes very sparse
32 Length of tendrils medium 19.4 cm
Flower
33 Average size of Width 1.5 mm,
flower buds Length 2 mm
34 Color of flower buds green 144A (RHS)
35 Inflorescence panicle
36 Average number of 5
petals on the flower
37 Color of petals (top green 144A (RHS)
surface)
38 Color of petals green 144B (RHS)
(bottom surface)
39 Average petal size Width 0.4 mm,
Length 2 mm
40 Length of flower medium 19.3 cm
clusters
Sexual organs
41 Sexual organs fully
developed
stamens
and fully
developed
gynoecium
42 Average size of Width 6.0 mm,
seeds Length 8.3 mm
43 Average number 2.4
of seeds
44 Average color of greyed- 165B (RHS)
seeds orange
Mature leaf
45 Leaf arrangement Alternate
46 Color of leaf green 137B (RHS)
(top surface)
47 Color of leaf yellow- 148C (RHS)
(bottom surface) green
48 Shape of leaf wedged-
shaped
49 Texture of leaf medium to
(top surface) strong
blistering
50 Texture of leaf rough
(bottom surface)
51 Vein color yellow- 145C (RHS)
52 Average length green 121 mm
of petiole
53 Average diameter 3.9 mm
of petiole
54 Color of petiole yellow- 145B(RHS),
green and 183D(RHS)
greyed-
purple
55 Size of blade Small to 267 cm2
medium
56 Shape of blade wedged-
shaped
57 Blistering of upper medium to
side of blade strong
58 Number of lobes five
59 Depth of upper shallow 3.4 cm
lateral sinuses
60 Arrangement of open
lobes of upper
lateral sinuses
61 Arrangement of slightly
lobes of petiole open
sinus
62 Length of teeth medium 4.8 mm
63 Ratio length/ small 0.56
width of teeth
64 Shape of teeth mixture of
both sides
straight and
both sides
convex
65 Proportion of absent or
main veins on very low
upper side of blade
with anthocyanin
coloration
66 Prostrate hairs dense
between main veins
on lower side of
blade
67 Erect hairs on main absent or
veins on lower side very sparse
of blade
68 Length of petiole much 0.55
compared to length shorter
of middle vein
Fruit ripening
69 Date of first pick in approx.
specific location Sep. 5
70 Date of last pick in approx.
specific location Sep. 20
71 Time of beginning medium early August
of berry ripening to late (approx.
Aug. 5)
72 Pounds per bushels About 890
per acre pounds/acre
73 Storability of fruit 12 days
Bunch
74 Average bunches 5
per plant
75 Average length of large 183 mm
bunch
76 Average width of 72 mm
bunch
77 Average weight of 222.2 g
bunch
78 Average number of 27.2
grapes per bunch
79 Average length of medium 58 mm
peduncle
80 Average diameter 3.2 mm
of peduncle
81 Average color of light red 144A,
peduncle 184D (RHS)
82 Size (peduncle large 183 mm
excluded)
83 Density medium
84 Length of peduncle medium 58 mm
primary bunch
85 Color of peduncle light red 144A, 184D
(RHS)
Berry
86 Average size of Width 24.8 mm,
berry Length 26.0 mm
87 Color of berry skin red 187B (RHS)
88 Color of berry flesh 144D (RHS)
89 Size large 9.5 g
90 Shape broad
ellipsoid
91 Color of skin (with- red 187B (RHS)
out bloom)
92 Bloom many
93 Ease of detachment medium
from pedicel
94 Thickness of skin thin to
medium
95 separation of skin difficult
and flesh
96 Anthocyanin color- absent or
ation of flesh very weak
97 Firmness of flesh medium
98 Character of flesh collapse
99 Sweetness of flesh high 20.7%
juice
100 Juiciness of flesh very juicy
101 Particular flavor Muscat
102 Formation of seeds complete
Woody shoot
103 Main color orange 177B (RHS)
brown
Ecotype
104 Flower shatter medium
- Other features of the plant are as follows:
-
- Disease resistance.—Normal resistance was observed for pests and diseases in Akitsu, Hiroshima, Japan. Fungicide treatment was considered necessary against the following diseases: Peronospora (Plasmopara), Oidium, Botrytis.
