Strawberry plant called `Camarosa`

`Camarosa` is a short-day (June bearing) cultivar similar to `Chandler` (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 5,262) but with greater total productivity, substantially greater early productivitiy, larger fruit, firmer fruit, and is a more vigorous plant.

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Description
DESCRIPTION

This invention relates to a new and distinctive short-day type cultivar designated as `Camarosa`, which resulted from a cross performed in 1988 between the cultivar `Douglas` (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 4,487) and advanced selection Cal 85.218-605.

`Camarosa` was first fruited at the University of California South Coast Research and Extension Center, near Irvine, Calif. in 1989, where it was selected, originally designated Cal 88.24-603, and propagated asexually by runners. Asexual propagules from this original source have been tested at the South Coast Research and Extension Center, the Watsonville Strawberry Research Facility, and to a limited extent in grower fields starting in 1990.

In the Drawings:

FIG. 1 shows the general flowering and fruiting characteristics of the plant;

FIG. 2 shows a typical mature leaf during late spring; and

FIG. 3 shows representative mid-season fruit.

`Camarosa` is typical of short-day types and produces fruit over an extended period when treated appropriately in arid, subtropical climates. `Camarosa` has a substantially greater yield than `Douglas` and greater fruit firmness. The production pattern for `Camarosa` is similar to that for `Chandler` (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 5,262), although it produces substantially greater quantities of early-season fruit. `Camarosa` will be of special interest for winter plantings, where `Chandler` has been successful, and in summer plantings where `Pajaro` (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 4,538) has been successful.

Plants and Foliage

Fruiting plants of `Camarosa` are larger, more erect, and more vigorous than plants of `Chandler`, and are generally similar in form to plants of `Oso Grande` (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 6,578). `Camarosa` forms branch crowns in greater quantity than `Chandler` with similar branching to `Oso Grande`. When propagated in the nursery, `Camarosa` has similar or greater runner production capacity compared with `Chandler`. Comparative statistics for foliar characters, including leaf color, near mid-season are given for the three cultivars in Table 1, with visual comparisons of leaf color to the Munsell color scale (Nickerson Color Fan) given in Table 5. Leaf color is distinctly lighter on the underside for `Camarosa`; the differential is similar to that for `Chandler` and not as large as for `Oso Grande`. Individual leaflets for `Camarosa` are larger, somewhat longer and more narrow than for `Chandler`, and are less rounded than for `Oso Grande`. Leaves (including petioles) are similar in length to `Chandler`, but are much broader. Petioles are thicker and more stiff than those of `Chandler` and are similar to those of `Oso Grande`. Paired stipules, borne in a median position on the petiole, appear as small, stalked, ovate to heart-shaped structures on some leaves for `Camarosa` and on most leaves for the comparison cultivars. Stipule size varies greatly both within and among individual plants for `Camarosa`, and one or both stipules are frequently absent or may abscise as the leaf matures. Leaf and petiole pubescence characters for `Camarosa` are similar to those for `Oso Grande`, except that tomentum on leaves are less dense. Also, leaves for `Camarosa` are similar in reflectance to `Chandler` but darker green (less yellow), and similar in color intensity to `Oso Grande`. Visual comparisons of fruit color according to the Munsell color scale (Nickerson Color Fan) are given in Table 5. `Camarosa` has concave leaves; less concave than leaves of `Chandler`, and similar to those of `Oso Grande` .

Isozymes in Leaf Extracts

`Camarosa` has been classified for three isozyme systems using starch gel electrophoresis (Table 2): Phosophoglucoisomerase (PGI), Leucine Aminopeptidase (LAP), and Phosphoglucomutase (PGM). It is distinguishable from all other short-day cultivars released to date. For electrophoretic procedures see: J. Amer. Soc. Hort. Sci. 106:684-687.

Disease and Pest Reaction

`Camarosa` is moderately susceptible to common leaf spot (Ramularia tulasnei) and relatively resistant to powdery mildew (Sphaerotheca macularis). When treated properly, it has equal or greater tolerance to two-spotted spidermites (Tetranychus urticae) than `Chandler`. `Camarosa` is tolerant to strawberry viruses encountered in California.

                TABLE 1                                                     
     ______________________________________                                    
     Foliar characteristics for                                                
     `Camarosa`, `Chandler`, and `Oso Grande`.                                 
               Cultivar                                                        
     Foliar Character                                                          
                 `Camarosa` `Chandler` `Oso Grande`                            
     ______________________________________                                    
     Mid-tier leaflet                                                          
     Length (mm)                                                               
     mean        97.4       82.4       77.2                                    
     range       80-117     78-94      75-80                                   
     Width (mm)                                                                
     mean        79.8       71.4       67.6                                    
     range       70-92      63-88      62-71                                   
     Mid-tier leaf                                                             
     Length (mm)                                                               
     mean        234.2      244.2      191.6                                   
     range       210-253    218-262    170-200                                 
     Width (mm)                                                                
     mean        143.6      148.0      137.2                                   
     range       135-180    132-158    130-149                                 
     Leaf color                                                                
     (CIELAB)*                                                                 
     L*                                                                        
     mean        31.5       31.4       31.9                                    
     range       28.4-34.5  27.1-33.3  29.9-33.0                               
     a*                                                                        
     mean        -5.9       -8.0       -5.3                                    
     range       -3.1--9.4  -5.2--8.2  -4.2--8.3                               
     b*                                                                        
     mean        14.0       16.0       15.5                                    
     range       11.1-20.7  12.9-21.4  12.5-20.6                               
     # leaflets/leaf                                                           
                 3          3          3                                       
     Leaf convexity                                                            
                 concave    concave    concave                                 
     Serrations                                                                
     number      few        many       moderate                                
     shape       semi-round semi-pointed                                       
                                       semi-round                              
     Leaf pubescence                                                           
                 moderate   moderate/  moderate/                               
                            sparse     heavy                                   
     Petiole pubescence                                                        
     density     heavy      heavy      heavy                                   
     direction   perpendicular                                                 
                            acropetal  perpendicular                           
     ______________________________________                                    
      *CIELAB is the abbreviation of the international color system known as   
      "Commission Internationale De L'Eclairage" 1978. Recommendations on      
      uniform color spaces - color difference equations, psychometric color    
      terms, Supplement No. 2 to CIE Publication No. 15. PARIS.                
                TABLE 2                                                     
     ______________________________________                                    
     Isozyme phenotypes for                                                    
     `Camarosa`, `Chandler`, and `Oso Grande`.                                 
     Cultivar                                                                  
     Locus   `Camarosa`   `Chandler`                                           
                                    `Oso Grande`                               
     ______________________________________                                    
     PGI     A2           A1        A2                                         
     LAP     B3           B3        B3                                         
     PGM     C1           C1        C2                                         
     ______________________________________                                    
Flowering, Fruiting, Fruit, and Production Characteristics

Comparative statistics for flower and fruit characters, including fruit color, near mid-season are given for the three cultivars in Table 3. The primary flowers for `Camarosa` are similar in size to `Chandler` and `Oso Grande`, whereas the sepals are somewhat larger than for the comparison cultivars. The calyx for `Camarosa` varies from slightly indented to slightly necked, and each primary flower has 5-6 petals. The fruit shape for `Camarosa` can vary but is typically a very flat conic, and is easily distinguished from `Chandler` (flat conic, with some long conic) and `Oso Grande` (rounded or blocky conic). External fruit color for `Camarosa` is similar to `Chandler` and `Oso Grande,` and the fruit is at least as glossy as `Chandler`; internal color is darker than for `Chandler` and substantially darker than for `Oso Grande`. Achenes vary from light red to dark red, and are even with the fruit surface or slightly indented.

`Camarosa` has been tested under a variety of cultural regimes, and optimal performance is obtained when nursery treatments, preplant chilling regimes, plant densities, and nutritional programs similar to those that optimize performance for `Chandler` are used. In general, `Camarosa` is more adapted to early-season planting with less supplemental chilling than `Chandler`.

When treated with appropriate planting regimes, `Camarosa` has larger fruit and produces greater yields than `Chandler` (Table 4); `Camarosa` has greater yield but smaller fruit than `Oso Grande`. `Camarosa` is similar to `Chandler` and `Oso Grande` in its production pattern, although it produces substantially more early-season fruit than either comparison cultivar (with conventional winter planting). Commercial appearance ratings have been comparable to or better than those for `Chandler`. Fruit for `Camarosa` is substantially firmer than fruit from `Chandler`; `Camarosa` is about as firm as `Oso Grande`. Subjectively, `Camarosa` has very good flavor, somewhat less aromatic than `Chandler`, but with better acid balance and more aromatic components than `Oso Grande`. The fruit will be outstanding for both fresh market and processing, due to its firm flesh and very dark internal color, and will be useful for home garden purposes.

                TABLE 3                                                     
     ______________________________________                                    
     Flower and fruit characters for                                           
     `Camarosa`, `Chandler`, and `Oso Grande`.                                 
                 Cultivar                                                      
     Character     `Camarosa`                                                  
                             `Chandler`                                        
                                       `Oso Grande`                            
     ______________________________________                                    
     # petals                                                                  
     mean           6.3       6.6       5.0                                    
     range         5-7       6-8       5-5                                     
     Flower position                                                           
                   even/     even/     exposed                                 
     (relative to foliage)                                                     
                   exposed   exposed                                           
     Calyx diam. (mm)                                                          
     mean          57.1      47.7      34.1                                    
     range         50-63     45-53     27-38                                   
     Corolla diam. (mm)                                                        
     mean          39.3      39.3      32.2                                    
     range         35-42     36-46     27-41                                   
     Fruit shape                                                               
     length/width   1.13      1.33      1.06                                   
     ratio                                                                     
     subjective    flat/     flat conic                                        
                                       blocky/conic                            
                   some conic                                                  
     Calyx position                                                            
                   even/slight                                                 
                             even/slight                                       
                                       even/slight                             
                   indent    neck      indent                                  
     Seed position even/slight                                                 
                             even/slight                                       
                                       even                                    
                   indent    indent                                            
     Fruit color (CIELAB)                                                      
     external                                                                  
     L*            23.1      23.6      22.4                                    
     a*            29.7      38.5      31.2                                    
     b*            16.6      14.8      17.2                                    
     internal                                                                  
     L*            43.6      46.2      54.1                                    
     a*            40.8      39.1      30.4                                    
     b*            30.9      29.4      22.7                                    
     ______________________________________                                    
                TABLE 4                                                     
     ______________________________________                                    
     Performance for selection `Camarosa` compared with `Oso                   
     Grande` and `Chandler` at the South Coast Research and                    
     Extension Center in 1991. All plants were dug from the South              
     Coast nursery on October 1 and planted October 2 (68"/4-row               
     beds, 23,061 plants/A, 100 g/plant = 425 Crates/A).                       
            Yield  Total             Appear-                                   
            To 4/1 Yield    Size     ance   Firm-                              
            (g/plant)                                                          
                   (g/plant)                                                   
                            (g/fruit)                                          
                                     Score  ness                               
     ______________________________________                                    
     `Camarosa`                                                                
              555      2,380    24.6   4.4    4.7                              
     `Chandler`                                                                
              463      1,738    23.3   3.9    4.0                              
     `Oso Grande`                                                              
              530      1,675    25.0   3.8    4.9                              
     ______________________________________                                    
                TABLE 5                                                     
     ______________________________________                                    
     Munsell color classification for leaf and fruit characters.               
     Munsell Leaf Color Classes                                                
                           Munsell Fruit                                       
     Upper          Lower      Color Classes                                   
     Item    (Adaxial)  (Abaxial)  External                                    
                                           Internal                            
     ______________________________________                                    
     Chandler                                                                  
             5GY 4/3    5GY 5/6    5R 5/13 7R 5/13                             
             5GY 5/6               5R 4/12                                     
     Oso     5GY 4/3    5GY 5/6    5R 5/13 7.5R 7/9                            
             5GY 3/2    7.5GY 6/8  7.5R 5/13                                   
                                           7.5R 6/12                           
     Camarosa                                                                  
             5GY 4/3    5GY 5/6    7.5R 4/11                                   
                                           7.5R 5/13                           
                                   7.5R 3/6                                    
                                           7.5R 4/11                           
     ______________________________________                                    

Claims

1. The new and distinct variety of strawberry plant illustrated and described and having the characteristics above enumerated.

Patent History
Patent number: PP8708
Type: Grant
Filed: Apr 1, 1993
Date of Patent: May 3, 1994
Assignee: The Regents of the University of California (Oakland, CA)
Inventors: Victor Voth (Santa Ana, CA), Douglas V. Shaw (Davis, CA), Royce S. Bringhurst (Davis, CA)
Primary Examiner: James R. Feyrer
Law Firm: Townsend and Townsend Khourie and Crew
Application Number: 8/41,742
Classifications
Current U.S. Class: Plt/49
International Classification: A01H 500;