Strawberry plant named ‘HOB-391’

Abstract

A new variety of strawberry plant named ‘HOB-391’ that has high hardness of fruit body, with the fruit having achenes positioned deep below the surface and a light red core.

Description

Common name: Strawberry

Botanical classification: Fragaria x ananassa Duchesne ex Rozier.

Variety denomination: ‘HOB-391’.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO PRIOR APPLICATION

This application follows Japanese plant variety rights application No. 37439 filed May 24, 2024, 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 strawberry, Fragaria x ananassa Duchesne ex Rozier, which has been given the variety denomination ‘HOB-391’.

The variety is distinguished by its high hardness of fruit body and its good balance of sweetness and acidity, with the fruit having achenes positioned deep below the surface and a light red core, that distinguish it notably from its female parent ‘Pechika Pure’ (fruit having achenes positioned shallow below the surface and a white core).

ORIGIN OF THE VARIETY

The parent varieties are ‘Akihime’ (male parent) (not patented in the U.S.) and ‘Pechika Pure’ (female parent) (not patented in the U.S.).

The variety was developed and propagated in Higashikagura-cho, Kamikawa-gun, Hokkaido, Japan.

The new variety was asexually reproduced by runners in Higashikagura-cho, Kamikawa-gun, Hokkaido, Japan.

In March 2017, the mother variety ‘Pechika Pure’ and father variety ‘Akihime’ were crossed in a greenhouse in Higashikagura-cho, Kamikawa-gun, Hokkaido, Japan.

In 2017, the resulting seedlings were sown and raised.

In 2018, the raised seedlings were planted in a test field located in Higashikagura-cho, Kamikawa-gun, Hokkaido, Japan, and two individuals with superior characteristics were selected.

In 2019, the test was carried out again and ‘HOB-391’ was selected for its high hardness of fruit body and its taste.

On May 24, 2024, an application for plant variety rights No. 37439 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.

Proper planting time is from the end of March to the beginning of April.

Flowering time is from the middle of May.

Harvesting time is from the end of June to the end of November.

The variety is currently mainly intended for fruit production.

SUMMARY OF THE VARIETY

The variety is distinguished from its female parent ‘Pechika Pure’, which is its closest comparative cultivar, by its high hardness of fruit body and its good balance of sweetness and acidity, with the fruit having achenes positioned deep below the surface and a light red core, that distinguish it notably from its female parent ‘Pechika Pure’ (fruit having achenes positioned shallow below the surface and yellowish pink (RHS 33C) core). The variety is also distinguished from its male parent ‘Akihime’ by the position of achenes deep below the surface of the fruit and the moderate to large difference in shape of terminal and other fruits, that distinguish it notably from its male parent ‘Akihime’ (achenes below the surface of the fruit, slight difference in shape of terminal and other fruits).

A comparison table with the male parent ‘Akihime’ is as follows (evaluation based on averages).

	TABLE 1
		‘HOB-391’	‘Akihime’
	Fruit: position of achenes	deep below	below surface
		surface
	Difference in shape of	moderate to large	slight
	terminal and other fruits
	Type of bearing	day neutral	not remontant

A comparison table with the female parent ‘Pechika Pure’ is as follows (evaluation based on averages).

	TABLE 2
		‘HOB-391’	‘Pechika Pure’
	Fruit: position of achenes	deep below	below surface
		surface
	Color of core	light red	yellowish pink
		(RHS 43C)	(RHS 33C)

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 fruit of ‘HOB-391’;

FIG. 2 is a color photograph showing fruit of ‘Pechika Pure’ for comparison purposes;

FIG. 3 is a color photograph showing the plant, leaves, and fruit of ‘HOB-391’;

FIG. 4 is a color photograph showing the plant, leaves, flowers, and fruit of ‘HOB-391’;

FIG. 5 is a color photograph showing the flowers of ‘HOB-391’;

FIG. 6 is a color photograph showing the leaf of ‘HOB-391’.

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 ‘HOB-391’ plants evaluated in 2023, including for the comparison with the female parent ‘Pechika Pure’. Values as provided are averages.

The plants shown on the photographs were grown in Higashikagura-cho, Kamikawa-gun, Hokkaido, Japan. The plant is a 5-year grown plant.

Colors are given according to the RHS (Royal Horticultural Society) Colour Chart (Fourth Ed., 2001).

BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

TABLE 3
	Characteristics	States/Values
1	Plant
1.1	Plant growth habit	upright
1.2	Density of foliage	medium to sparse
1.3	Vigor	medium to strong
1.4	Number of axillary bud	few
1.5	Position of inflorescence in	same level
	relation to foliage
1.6	Number of stolons	medium to many
1.7	Stolon: average length	30 cm
1.8	Stolon: surface texture	rough
1.9	Stolon: color	strong yellowish green
		(RHS 134B)
2	Leaf
2.1	Leaf size	medium (31cm2) (length 24
		cm, width 31 cm)
2.2	Color of upper side	dark green (RHS 146A)
2.3	Color of lower side	light yellowish green
		(RHS 135D)
2.4	Glossiness	medium
2.5	Blistering	absent or weak
2.6	Variegation	absent
2.7	Leaflet: number	3 per leaf
2.8	Leaflet: length	18 cm
2.9	Leaflet: width	12 cm
2.10	Leaflet: apex	retuse
2.11	Leaflet: texture (upper side)	glossy
2.12	Leaflet: texture (lower side)	rough
2.13	Terminal leaflet: size	large (223.3 cm2)
2.14	Shape of base	acute
2.15	Margin	serrate to crenate
2.16	Shape in cross section	concave
3	Stem
3.1	Petiole: length	long (29.5 cm)
3.2	Petiole: diameter	0.5 cm
3.3	Petiole: texture	hairy and rough
3.4	Petiole: color	strong yellowish green
		(RHS 134B)
3.5	Attitude of hairs	slightly outwards
3.6	Anthocyanin coloration	absent
3.7	Anthocyanin color	absent
3.8	Peduncle: length	medium (17.2 cm)
3.9	Peduncle: diameter	0.3 cm
3.10	Peduncle: texture	hairy and rough
3.11	Peduncle: strength	strong (not removed from
		the crown at harvest)
3.12	Peduncle: color	strong yellowish green
		(RHS 134B)
3.13	Pedicel: attitude of hairs	slightly outwards
3.14	Pedicel: length	2.5 cm
3.15	Pedicel: diameter	0.2 cm
3.16	Pedicel: texture	hairy and rough
3.17	Pedicel: strength	strong and hard to break
3.18	Pedicel: color	greenish-blue (RHS 140C)
4	Flower
4.1	Flower diameter	medium to large (4 cm)
4.2	Flower depth	1.5 cm
4.3	Arrangement of petals	touching
4.4	Stamen	present
4.5	Petal: number	8 per flower
4.6	Petal: shape	rounded equilateral triangle
4.7	Petal: length	1.7 cm
4.8	Petal: width	1.7 cm
4.9	Petal: apex	round
4.10	Petal: margin	retuse
4.11	Petal: base	flattened
4.12	Petal: texture of upper surface	smooth and moist
4.13	Petal: texture of lower surface	smooth and moist
4.14	Petal: color of upper side	white (RHS NN155D)
4.15	Petal: color of lower side	white (RHS NN155D)
5	Fruit
5.1	Fruit weight	medium to small (29.8 g)
		(height 5.0 cm, width 4.0
		cm)
5.2	Shape	conical
5.3	Shape at apex	acute or truncate
5.4	Shape at base	flattened
5.5	Color	red (RHS 50A)
5.6	Shape of achenes	narrow drops
5.7	Number of achenes	150 per fruit
5.8	Number of berries	15-20 per fruiting truss
5.9	Evenness of color	even or very slightly
		uneven
5.10	Evenness of surface	even or very slightly
		uneven
5.11	Neck	absent
5.12	Position of calyx attachment	level with fruit
5.13	Attitude of sepals	upwards
5.14	Sepal: number	16
5.15	Sepal: shape	narrow lenticular
5.16	Sepal: length	1.5 cm
5.17	Sepal: width	0.6 cm
5.18	Sepal: apex	acute
5.19	Sepal: margin	flattened
5.20	Sepal: base	retuse
5.21	Sepal: texture of upper surface	glossy
5.22	Sepal: texture of lower surface	glossy
5.23	Sepal: color of upper surface	strong green (RHS N134C)
5.24	Sepal: color of lower surface	light yellowish green
		(RHS 134D)
5.25	Firmness	medium
5.26	Color of flesh	light red (RHS N30B)
5.27	Color of core	light red (RHS 43C)
5.28	Cavity	absent or small
6	Fruit ripening
6.1	Time of beginning of flowering	June 7
6.2	Time of beginning of fruit	June 27
	ripening
6/3	Time of beginning of harvest	late June to late November
	season
6.4	Type of bearing	day neutral
6.5	Soluble solids content	high (Brix = 10)
6.6	Acidity	medium to low (0.45%)

Other features of the plant are as follows:

• Plant hardiness zone of the plant: adapted to summer in cooler areas of Japan; has excellent heat resistance but poor cold resistance. In cold weather, the plants are dwarfed and the progress of fruit coloration is slow.
• Disease and pest resistance: Normal resistance was observed for pests and diseases in Higashikagura-cho, Kamikawa-gun, Hokkaido, Japan.

Claims

1. A new and distinct variety of strawberry plant named ‘HOB-391’, substantially as described and illustrated herein.