l. plant named ‘HAYASE’

Abstract

A new variety of Citrus sp. tree ‘HAYASE’ that has medium tree habit in-between upright and spreading, spindle-shaped leaf blade with acuminate apex and acute base, vestigial wing, fruit with high diameter/height ratio (average 1.31) and medium to heavy weight (average 152.3 g), no neck, a flat distal part, bright orange (JHS 1305) skin color, thin peel thickness, easy to medium peeling, deep orange (JHS 1307) color when fresh, juicy when fresh, high sweetness, very few seeds, early maturity, and low acidity.

Description

Common name: Mandarin.

Botanical classification: Citrus sp.

Variety denomination: ‘HAYASE’.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW VARIETY

The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of Mandarin, Citrus sp., which has been given the variety denomination ‘HAYASE’.

ORIGIN OF THE VARIETY

The parent varieties are ‘TSUNONOZOMI’ (female parent) (not patented in the U.S.), and ‘SETOKA’ (male parent) (not patented in the U.S.) respectively.

The variety was developed and propagated in Minami-Shimabara, Nagasaki, Japan.

The variety was reproduced asexually by vegetative reproduction by top grafting one-year-old scions on rootstocks, also in Minami-Shimabara, Nagasaki, Japan. The rootstock used was satsuma mandarin (not patented) as an interstock grafted onto Poncirus trifoliata (trifoliate orange).

In 2001, the parent varieties were crossed. Seeds were collected to be grown in the next year.

In 2002, seeds were grown and seedlings were grafted on top of ‘Shiikuwasha’ rootstock.

In 2005, first fruiting was observed.

In 2008, preliminary individual selection and characteristics evaluation were performed. Selected plants were grafted on top of satsuma mandarin interstock.

In 2017, the plant was named ‘Kankitsu kuchinotsu 53’ as a provisional name for a promising breeding line. Growing tests for local adaptability were started under confidentiality conditions.

In 2023, breeding was completed with DUS status confirmed (distinct, uniform, and stable), whereby it was confirmed that the instant tree reproduces true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

In 2024, the variety was named ‘HAYASE’ and PVP application No. 37,416 was filed on May 8, 2024 in the Plant Variety Protection Office in Japan, whose content is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

Cultivation of the variety does not require special conditions or treatments.

The variety is currently mainly intended for fruit production.

SUMMARY OF THE VARIETY

This new mandarin plant ‘HAYASE’ has tree habit in-between upright and spreading, spindle-shaped leaf blade with acuminate apex and acute base, vestigial wing, fruit with high diameter/height ratio (average 1.34) and medium weight (average 149.9 g), no neck, a flat distal part, bright orange (JHS 1305) skin color, thin peel thickness, easy to medium peeling, deep orange (JHS 1307) color when fresh, juicy when fresh, high sweetness, very few seeds, early maturity, and low acidity.

Specifically, Table 1 below shows a comparison between the instant variety ‘HAYASE’ and the female parent ‘TSUNONOZOMI’ as follows (evaluation based on averages):

TABLE 1
Comparison between ‘HAYASE’ and
‘TSUNONOZOMI’
		Female parent	Present
		‘TSUNON-	variety
		OZOMI’	‘HAYASE’
No.	Characteristics	Descriptions	Descriptions
9	One year old	medium (16%)	few (5%)
	shoot: spine
	(number of
	spines per
	leaf nodes) (%)
46	Style shape	curved	straight
51	Fruit: shape of	sinking	flattened
	distal part
85	Seeds	few to medium	very few
		(6.2 seeds/fruit)	(0.8 seeds/
			fruit)
87	Polyembryony	absent	present

Table 2 below shows a comparison between the instant variety ‘HAYASE’ and the male parent ‘SETOKA’, which is also a comparative variety.

TABLE 2
Comparison between ‘HAYASE’ and ‘SETOKA’
		Reference	Present
		variety	variety
		‘SETOKA’	‘HAYASE’
No.	Characteristics	Descriptions	Descriptions
9	One-year old shoot:	many (62%)	few (5%)
	spine (number of
	spines per
	leaf nodes) (%)
44	Pollens	few	none
46	Style shape	curved	straight
62	Fruit weight	heavy	medium
		(209.1 g)	(149.9 g)
84	Acidity	medium	low
		to high	(0.90 g/
		(1.34 g/	100 ml)
		100 ml)

The fruit of ‘HAYASE’ having few spines on a one year old shoot, no pollen, a straight-style shape, medium to heavy weight, and low acidity, distinguishes it notably from comparative variety ‘SETOKA’ (not patented in US) having many spines on one year old shoot, few pollens, a curved-style shape, heavy weight, and medium to high acidity.

Table 3 below shows a comparison between the instant variety ‘HAYASE’ and the comparative variety ‘ASUMI’ (not patented in U.S.).

TABLE 3
Comparison between ‘HAYASE’ and ‘ASUMI’
		Reference	Present
		variety	variety
		‘ASUMI’	‘HAYASE’
No.	Characteristics	Descriptions	Descriptions
9	One-year old shoot:	intermediate	few (5%)
	spine (number of	(29%)
	spines per
	leaf nodes) (%)
44	Pollens	medium	none
46	Style shape	curved	straight
84	Acidity	medium	low
		(1.23 g/	(0.90 g/
		100 ml)	100 ml)
87	Polyembryony	absent	present

Table 4 below shows a comparison between the instant variety ‘HAYASE’ and the comparative variety ‘ASUKI’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 31,146 P3).

TABLE 4
Comparison between ‘HAYASE’ and ‘ASUKI’
		Reference	Present
		variety	variety
		‘ASUKI’	‘HAYASE’
No.	Characteristics	Descriptions	Descriptions
44	Pollens	few	none
46	Style shape	curved	straight
84	Acidity	medium	low
		to high	(0.90 g/
		(1.30 g/	100 ml)
		100 ml)
87	Polyembryony	absent	present
91	Time of maturity of	late	early
	fruit for consumption	(March)	(January)

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 an illustrative mandarin tree of the variety named ‘HAYASE’ bearing fruits.

FIG. 2 is a color photograph showing flowers of ‘HAYASE’.

FIG. 3 is a color photograph showing flower organs of ‘HAYASE’.

FIG. 4 is a color photograph showing fruits of ‘HAYASE’.

FIG. 5 is a color photograph showing sections of fruit of ‘HAYASE’.

FIG. 6 is a color photograph showing flowers of ‘HAYASE’, together with flowers of ‘SETOKA’ (male parent and comparative variety) and ‘TSUNONOZOMI’ (female parent).

FIG. 7 is a color photograph showing the horizontal section, the transverse section, upper view and lower view of a fruit of ‘HAYASE’ together with a fruit of female parent ‘TSUNONOZOMI’, and male parent ‘SETOKA’, illustrating the difference between the fruit apex shape, in that the fruit of ‘HAYASE’ has a flat apex, whereas the fruit of ‘TSUNONOZOMI’ has a sinking apex.

FIG. 8 is a color photograph showing a fruiting state on the tree of ‘HAYASE’.

FIG. 9 is another color photograph showing a fruiting state on the tree of ‘HAYASE’.

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

Table 3 below shows the botanical description of the ‘HAYASE’ plants evaluated in 2022 and 2023 (including the comparison with the reference plant ‘SETOKA’). The values provided are averages. The ages of the trees evaluated was 7 years, and the location of the trees evaluated was Shizuoka-city, Shizuoka, Japan.

The ‘HAYASE’ plants shown on the photographs were grown at Shizuoka-city, Shizuoka, Japan. The plants were 7-year grown trees after top grafting. The tree was photographed on Nov. 24, 2023, the flowers were photographed on Apr. 30, 2023, and the fruits were photographed on Jan. 5, 2023.

Colors are given according to the J.H.S. (Japan Horticultural Society) Color Chart.

BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

TABLE 5
Botanical description of ‘HAYASE’
No.	Characteristics	Descriptions	Values
1.	Tree habit	in-between
		upright
		and spreading
2.	Shoot density	dense
3.	Tree size: average height		2.3 m
4.	Tree size: average spread		2.4 m
5.	Tree vigor	medium
6.	One year old shoot: diameter	medium	2.7 mm
7.	One year old shoot: length	medium	11.9 cm
8.	One year old shoot: internode	medium	1.7 cm
9.	One year old shoot: spine (number	few	5%
	of spines per leaf nodes) (%)
10.	Spine: average size	very short	1.9 mm
11.	Spine: average color	dull greenish	JHS 2910
		yellow
12.	Leaf blade: shape	spindle
		shaped
13.	Leaf blade: apex shape	acuminate
14.	Leaf blade: base shape	acute
15	Leaf blade: wave	weak
16.	Leaf blade: size	medium	21.1 cm2
17.	Leaf blade: length	medium	8.2 cm
18	Leaf blade: width	narrow	3.5 cm
19.	Leaf shape (length/width ratio)	medium	2.4
20.	Leaf thickness	medium	0.34 mm
21.	Leaf vein: clarity of upper surface	slightly clear
22.	Leaf vein: color of upper surface	soft yellow	JHS 3310
		green
23.	Leaf color: upper surface	dark green	JHS 4007
24.	Leaf color: lower surface	soft green	JHS 3709
25.	Wing shape	vestigial
26.	Wing length	medium	13.9 mm
27.	Wing width	narrow	3.2 mm
28.	Petiole length	medium	17.7 mm
29.	Petiole diameter (base)	medium	1.5 mm
30.	Petiole color	soft yellow	JHS 3511
		green
31.	Peduncle color	soft yellow	JHS 3511
		green
32	Inflorescence	single
33.	Flower weight (beginning of	light	0.23 g
	flowering)
34.	Petal shape (full flowering)	lanceolate
35.	Petal length (full flowering)	short	10.9 mm
36.	Petal width (full flowering)	narrow	4.9 mm
37.	Petal color (full flowering, outside)	yellowish	JHS 2902
		white
38.	Petal number	5
39.	Pistil average length	short	7.9 mm
40.	Stamen average length	short	6.3 mm
41.	Stamen: average color of anther	yellowish	JHS 2701
		white
42.	Filament number	few	17.3
43.	Filament separation	separating
44.	Pollens	none
45.	Ovary shape	compressed
46.	Style shape	straight
47.	Fruit: average diameter	medium	70.1 mm
48.	Fruit: average height	medium	52.5 mm
49.	Fruit: shape of proximal part	flattened
50.	Fruit: diameter/height ratio	high	1.34
51.	Fruit: shape of distal part	flattened
52.	Fruit: broadest part	at middle
53.	Fruit: radial groove at distal part	absent
54.	Fruit: apex concave ring (circular	absent
	depression or disk-shaped
	protuberance around the style scar)
55.	Fruit: radial groove at proximal part	very few	0.6
56	Fruit: stalk end depression	absent
57.	Fruit: collar	absent
58.	Fruit: shape in transverse section	circular
59.	Fruit: areola	absent
60.	Core density	sparse
61.	Core size (core diameter/fruit	small	19.1
	diameter)
62.	Fruit weight	medium	149.9 g
63.	Skin color	bright orange	JHS 1305
64.	Albedo color	pale reddish	JHS 2202
		orange
65.	Oil gland size	mixed,
		including
		small,
		medium,
		and large
66.	Oil gland number	medium	66.8 cm2
67.	Oil gland surface	convex
68.	Fruit surface	smooth to
		medium
69.	Fruit surface glossiness	medium
70.	Amount of albedo adhering to fruit	small
	flesh (not including fruit strands)
71.	Fruit navel (when viewed internally)	absent
72.	Fruit average number of segments	many	13
73.	Fruit average number of	absent or
	rudimentary segments	few
74.	Peel thickness	thin	2.0 mm
75.	Pericarp percentage	small	16.1%
76.	Peeling	easy to
		medium
77.	Septum firmness	soft
78.	Juice sacs shape	medium
79.	Juice sacs size	medium
80.	Flesh color	deep orange	JHS 1307
81.	Juiciness of flesh	juicy
82.	Sweetness	high	13.6 (Brix)
83.	Bitterness	not bitter
84.	Acidity	low	0.90 g/
			100 ml
85.	Seeds/fruit (since there are very	very few	0.8 on
	few, the seed characteristics
	were not measured)		average
86.	Embryo color (multigerm only)	pale yellow	JHS 3102
		green
87.	Polyembryony	present
88.	Sprouting time	medium	early April
89.	Flowering time	medium	early May
90.	Flowering habit	flowering
		once
91.	Time of maturity	early	January
92.	Fruit shipping quality	moderate
93.	Fruit storage life	moderate	1-2 months
94.	Fruit market use	as fresh fruit
95.	Fruit market productivity		40 kg/plant

OTHER FEATURES OF THE PLANT ARE AS FOLLOWS

Disease and pest resistance: normal resistance was observed for pests and diseases in Shizuoka-city, Shizuoka Japan, in particular the following pests: thrips, fruit-piercing stink bugs, scales; and the following diseases: Citrus canker, melanose, botrytis fruit injury.

Tree hardiness: USDA Hardiness Zone: 9a-9b.

Claims

1. A new and distinct variety of Citrus sp. tree named ‘HAYASE’, substantially as described and illustrated herein.