Seedless grapevine plant named ‘ARD51’

Abstract

A new distinct variety of grapevine named ‘ARD51’ abundantly forms attractive crunchy and juicy seedless berries with a red skin coloration, lax density and large clusters which display a natural sweet flavor, the fruit commonly is ready for harvesting during July in San Joaquin Valley of Central California, U.S.A., and displays good eating qualities as a table grape, the fruit firmness 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 has a varietal denomination ‘ARD51’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A breeding program was initiated during the late 90's near Bakersfield in San Joaquin Valley of Central California. In 2018, 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 35-33+6, which is a white, crunchy and slightly juicy variety (non-patented in the United States). The male parent (i.e. the pollen parent) of the new variety was 30A-11+3, a red, crispy and juicy variety (non-patented in the United States).

TABLE 1
‘ARD51’ compared with parents & closely related variety:
	‘ARD51’	35−33+6	30A−11+3	Flame
Brix	21	17	18	16-20
Texture	Crunchy &	Crunchy	Crispy	Crispy
	juicy
Berry	Broad	Obtuse	Broad	Globose
shape	ellipsoid	ovoid	ellipsoid

The parentage of the new variety can be summarized as follows: 35-33+6 X 30A-11+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 2019 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 crunchy and juicy seedless berries with a red skin coloration; in lax density and large clusters which display a natural sweet flavor,
  • (b) Commonly bears fruit during the month of July in the San Joaquin Valley of Central California, U.S.A., and
  • (c) Bears fruit that is firm and is well amenable for storage, handling, and shipping.
  • (d) Produces 44 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 2020 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 ‘ARD51’ is a red, naturally sweet seedless grape variety with high production, e.g., about 44 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, California, 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 five-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.

The drawing shows leaves, stems, tendrils and grapes of ‘ARD51’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The chart used in the identification of colors is The R.H.S. 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 2.4 inches at 4.5 inches
                    above ground.
                    Rough with a fibrous, shaggy exterior.
                    Light maple brown coloring greyed
                    orange 177 B

• Date of bud burst in Bakersfield California: March 4^th.

TABLE 3
YOUNG SHOOT CHARACTERISTICS:
Openness of tip                  Wide open
Density of prostrate hairs on tip Dense
Anthocyanin coloration of prostrate None
hairs on tip
Density of erect hairs on tip    Medium

TABLE 4
YOUNG LEAF CHARACTERISTICS:
Color of upper side of blade     Yellow green 146 B
Color of lower side of blade     Yellow green 146 C
Density of erect hairs between main Dense
veins on upper side of blade
Density of erect hairs between main Dense
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 Dense
veins on lower side of blade

TABLE 5
SHOOT CHARACTERISTICS:
Attitude (before tying)          Semi-erect
Color of dorsal side of internodes Yellow Green 144 A
Color of ventral side of internodes Yellow Green 144 A
Color of dorsal side of nodes    Yellow Green 144 B
Color of ventral side of nodes   Yellow Green 144 B
Density of erect hairs on internodes Absent or very sparse
Density of prostrate hairs on    Absent or very sparse
internodes
Length of tendrils               7.5 inches
Diameter of tendrils             0.09 inches
Color of tendrils                Yellow green 144 A
Number of tendrils at bloom      4
Positioning of first flowering and The first bunch is in
fruiting node                    the 3rd 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     0.2 inches
Pistil length       0.14 inches
Pistil color        Yellow green 144 A
Pollen Amount       Rich
Pollen color        Yellow 10 A
Stamen color        Yellow green 145 C
Stamen length       0.19 inches
Number of stamen    6
..

• First bloom in Bakersfield, California: April 23^rd.
• Date of full bloom in Bakersfield, California: May 1^st.

TABLE 7
MATURE LEAF CHARACTERISTICS:
Size of blade                    6.5 inches × 6.5 inches
Shape of blade                   Circular
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) Open
Arrangement of lobes of upper
lateral sinuses
Arrangement of lobes of petiole  Half open
sinus
Length of teeth                  0.27 inches
Ratio length/width of teeth      Small
Shape of teeth                   Both sides concave
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 Moderately shorter
of middle vein
Top side color                   Green 137 A
Bottom side color                Green 138 B
Texture of upper side of blade   Smooth
Texture of lower side of blade   Smooth
Vein color on upper blade        Yellow Green 145 A
Anthocyanin coloration of main veins Red 53 A
on upper side of blade
Vein color on lower blade        Yellow green 145 C
Venation pattern for upper blade Netlike venation
Venation patten for lower blade  Netlike venation
Petiole length                   2.5 inches
Petiole diameter                 0.1 inches
Petiole color                    Red 53 A
Petiole texture                  Smooth

• Date of beginning of berry ripening in Bakersfield California: June 2^nd.

TABLE 8
BUNCH CHARACTERISTICS:
Size (peduncle excluded)         Large
Density of berries on bunch      Lax
Bunch length                     9.5 inches
Bunch diameter                   4.8 inches
Length of peduncle of primary bunch 0.84 inches
Diameter of peduncle of primary  0.11 inches
bunch
Peduncle of primary bunch color  Yellow green 144 B
Peduncle texture                 Smooth
Bunches per vine                 44
Average bunch weight             1.16 lbs

TABLE 9
BERRY CHARACTERISTICS:
Size                            Large
Length                          1.4 inches
Weight                          0.35 oz
Diameter                        0.09 inches
Shape                           Broad ellipsoid
Color of skin (without bloom)   Red 45 D
Flesh color                     Yellow green 145 D
Brix                            21
Titratable acidity percentage   0.33%
Juice                           4.09 pH
Ease of detachment from pedicel Moderately easy
Thickness of skin               Thin
Anthocyanin coloration of flesh None
Firmness of flesh               Moderately firm
Particular flavor               Naturally sweet
Formation of seeds              Rudimentary
Berries per bunch               53
Juiciness of the berry flesh    Juicy

TABLE 10
PEDICEL CHARACTERISTICS:
Length          0.51 inches
Diameter        0.13 inches
Color           Green 143 C
Pedicel texture Rough

TABLE 11
WOODY SHOOT CHARACTERISTICS:
	Woody shoot texture	Rough
	Woody shoot color	Greyed orange 165 B
	Woody shoot length	274	inches
	Diameter	0.4	inches
	Internode length	2.8	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: (E.g. number of days fruit has been stored under specific conditions): Fruit was in cold storage. Stored in poly bags inside polystyrene boxes with sulfur pads. After 30 Days rachises were 90% green; 5% berry shattering; no berry wrinkling or cracks were apparent.
• DNA profile: To further 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 ARD51
	Microsatellite
	DNA Marker	Allele Sizes in Base Pairs
	M 1	234	236
	M 2	247	249
	M 3	179	194
	M 4	210	216
	M 5	271	271
	M 6	131	145
	M 7	189	189
	M 8	255	257
	M 9	212	214
	M 10	247	247

The ‘ARD51’ 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 ‘ARD51’, substantially as shown and described herein.