Strawberry plant named `Driscoll Coronation`

Abstract

This invention relates to a new and distinct variety of strawberry named `Driscoll Coronation.` The variety is similar to the varieties `Driscoll Camarillo` and `Driscoll Jubilee.` The variety is distinguished from `Driscoll Camarillo` and `Driscoll Jubilee`, in particular, by a whitish internal fruit color, a flat habit, a strong leaf glossiness, inflorescence level in relation to the foliage, weak fruit acidity, and medium adherence of fruit to the clayx.

Description

Latin name of the genus and species of the plant claimed: The variety is botanically identified as Fragaria×ananassa.

Variety denomination: The strawberry variety denomination is `Driscoll Coronation`.

1. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The new variety originated as a result of a controlled cross between the strawberry plants `Marathon` (U.S. Plant Pat. No. PP12,817) and `38A237` (unpatented variety) in an ongoing breeding program, and was discovered as a seedling in Kent, England in 1999. The original seedling of the new cultivar was asexually propagated by stolons in a Nursery in Kent, England. Propagules were transplanted to a controlled breeding plot in Monterey. Calif, where the variety was identified and selected for further evaluation. `Driscoll Coronation` was subsequent asexually propagated and underwent further testing in Monterey, Calif. for one year. This propagation and testing has demonstrated that the combination of traits disclosed herein which characterize the new variety are fixed and retained true to type through successive generation of asexual reproduction.

2. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of strawberry named `Driscoll Coronation.` The variety is botanically identified as Fragaria×ananassa. The new variety is distinguished from other varieties by a number of characteristics as set forth in Tables 1-4.

3. COMPARISON TO SIMILAR VARIETIES

The varieties which we believe to be similar to `Driscoll Coronation` from those known to us are `Driscoll Camarillo` (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 04,771) and `Driscoll Jubilee` (U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 10/619,689). There are several characteristics of the new variety that are different from, or not possessed by `Driscoll Camarillo` and `Driscoll Jubilee.` The new variety is distinguished from `Driscoll Camarillo` and `Driscoll Jubilee` by having a flat habit, a strong leaf glossiness, inflorescence level in relation to the foliage, weak fruit acidity, and medium adherence of fruit to the calyx. The internal fruit color of `Driscoll Coronation` is whitish. In contrast, the internal fruit color of `Driscoll Camarillo` and `Driscoll Jubilee` comprises a white color interspersed in a striped manner among the orange-red or red color described for each variety. Each color described for the internal fruit color of `Driscoll Camarillo` and `Driscoll Jubilee` is individually present in the internal fruit tissues.

`Driscoll Coronation` is distinguished from its maternal parent `Marathon` by its smaller fruit size, lighter internal color, and its fully everbearing habit. `Driscoll Coronation` is distinguished from its paternal parent `38A237` by its larger average fruit size, paler internal fruit color, and broader fruit shape.

4. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying photographs show typical specimens of the new variety, including fruit, foliage and flowers, in color as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make in color illustrations of these characteristics.

FIG. 1 shows the whole the plant.

FIG. 2 shows the upper side of the leaves of the plant

FIG. 3 shows the under side and underside of the flowers.

FIG. 4 shows the fruit in longitudinal cross-section.

FIG. 5 shows a close-up of the fruit.

5. DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW VARIETY

The following detailed description of the new variety is based upon observations taken of plants and fruit grown in Monterey County, Calif., U.S.A. This description is in accordance with UPOV terminology. Observations of Driscoll Coronation, `Driscoll Camarillo,` and `Driscoll Jubilee` were taken in side by side comparison in the year 2002. Plants for observation were harvested from a low elevation nursery in Tehama County, Calif. in December 2001, and held in refrigerated storage until planting in Monterey County in March 2002. Plants were grown in raised beds of soil under conditions typical of commercial strawberry production along the central coat of California. Fruits were harvested twice weekly for yield determination from May to October 2002. Measurements of plant, flower, and fruit characteristics were made in August 2002, approximately 5 months after planting. Color designations, color descriptions, and other phenotypical descriptions may deviate from the state values and descriptions depending upon variation in environmental, seasonal, climatic and cultural conditions. Colors are described and the most similar color designations are provided from The Royal Horticultural Society (R.H.S.) Colour Chart.

5.1 PROPAGATION

The new variety is principally propagated by way of stolons. Although propagation by stolons is presently preferred, other known methods of propagating strawberry plants may be employed.

5.2 CHARACTERISTICS OF THE NEW VARIETY

Information on the new variety is presented in Tables 1, 2, 3 and 4. In the tables, the flowers described are secondary flowers except where indicated. The fruit described is the secondary fruit on five month old plants. Fruit and flower measurements are an average of both primary and secondary fruit and flowers.

Table 1 provides information on the plant and fruit characteristics of the new variety `Driscoll Coronation` compared with characteristics of `Driscoll Camarillo` and `Driscoll Jubilee.` Table 2 provides additional information of the plant and fruit characteristics of the new variety `Driscoll Coronation` compared with characteristics of the varieties `Driscoll Camarillo` and `Driscoll Jubilee.` Table 3 provides reactions of the new variety to stresses, pests and diseases compared with reactions of the varieties `Driscoll Camarillo` and `Driscoll Jubilee.` Table 4 provides isozyme characteristics of the new variety as compared to that of the varieties `Driscoll Camarillo` and `Driscoll Jubilee.`

TABLE 1
QUANTITATIVE COMPARISON OF `DRISCOLL CORONATION`,
`DRISCOLL CAMARILLO,` AND
`DRISCOLL JUBILEE`
	`Driscoll	`Driscoll	`Driscoll
	Coronation`	Camarillo`	Jubilee`
Plant Characteristics
Height of plant (cm)	17.0	20.5	18.3
Spread of plant (cm)	33.2	39.4	30.7
Number of crowns	3.7	3.0	3.5
Leaf Characteristics
Terminal leaflet length (cm)	7.9	8.4	6.9
Terminal leaflet width (cm)	7.4	8.5	6.7
Terminal leaflet length/width	1.07	0.99	1.04
ratio
# Teeth/terminal leaflet	24.3	27.0	20.1
Color of upper side	147A	147A	147A
	dark green	dark green	dark green
Color of under side	139C	147C	138B
	light to	light green	light to
	medium		medium
	green		green
Petiole length (cm)	16.2	16.8	15.8
Petiole color	145A	145A	145A
Bract frequency	25%	67%	42%
	typically	typically	typically
	double	double	double
Stipule length (cm)	3.3	4.0	3.1
Stipule width (cm)	0.8	1.0	1.0
Flower Characteristics
Petal length (cm)	0.96	1.13	1.12
Petal width (cm)	0.93	1.29	1.17
Petal length/width Ratio	1.03	0.88	0.96
Flower diameter (cm)	2.55	3.17	2.92
Calyx diameter (cm)	2.51	3.09	2.65
Average Fruiting truss length	24.2	33.2	27.7
(cm)
Petal color (cm)	155C	155C	155C
Fruit Characteristics
Fruit length (cm)	3.9	3.8	3.8
Fruit width (cm)	3.9	3.9	3.4
Fruit length/width Ratio	0.99	0.97	1.10
Average berry weight (g)	20.0	20.7	19.8
External color	45B	42A	45A
	red	red	red
Internal color	159D	33A-155C	43A-155B
	whitish	orange red	red and
		and white	white
Achene coloration	184A to 8B	184B to	184A to
		4B	4A
Yield (g/plant)	850	1200	600

TABLE 2
QUALITATIVE COMPARISON OF `DRISCOLL CORONATION`,
`DRISCOLL CAMARILLO,` AND
`DRISCOLL JUBILEE`
	`Driscoll	`Driscoll	`Driscoll
	Coronation`	Camarillo`	Jubilee`
Plant
Habit	flat	flat globose	flat globose
Density	open	open	open to
			medium
Vigor	weak to	medium to	weak to
	medium	strong	medium
Leaf
Shape in cross section	slightly	concave	slightly
	concave		concave
	to flat		to flat
Interveinal blistering	medium	strong	strong
Glossiness	strong	medium to	medium
		strong
Number of leaflets	three only	three only	three only
Terminal leaflet margin	revolute	revolute	revolute
profile
Terminal leaflet shape of base	obtuse	rounded	acute
Terminal leaflet shape of teeth	obtuse	rounded	Rounded
Stipule pubescence	sparse	medium	sparse to
			medium
Petiole pubescence	very sparse	sparse	very sparse
	to sparse
Petiole pose of hairs	outwards	upwards to	outwards to
		outward	downwards
Stolon
Amount	few to	medium	Medium
	medium
Anthocyanin coloration	medium	medium	Medium
Thickness	medium	thick	thin to
			medium
Pubescence	medium	medium	sparse to
			medium
Inflorescence
Position relative to foliage	level	above	beneath
Diameter of calyx relative to	smaller to	smaller to	smaller to
corolla on secondary flowers	same size	same size	same size
Diameter of inner calyx	smaller	same size	smaller
relative to outer on
secondary flowers
Spacing of petals	touching	overlapping	touching to
			overlapping
Fruiting Truss
Attitude at first picking	prostrate	semi-erect to	semi-erect
		prostrate
Fruit
Predominant shape	chordate	chordate	conical
Difference in shapes between	slight to	slight to	very slight
primary and secondary fruits	moderate	moderate	to slight
Band without achenes	very narrow	very narrow	very narrow
Unevenness of surface	very weak to	weak to	very weak
	weak	medium
Evenness of color uneven	slightly	Even	slightly
	uneven to		uneven
	even
Glossiness	strong	Strong	strong
Insertion of achenes	level	below to	level to
		level	above
Insertion of calyx	in a basin	in a basin	in a basin
			to level
Pose of the calyx segments	spreading	spreading to	spreading
		reflexed
Size of calyx in relation to	same size to	Smaller	smaller to
fruit on secondary fruit	larger		same size
Adherence of calyx	medium	strong	strong
Firmness of flesh	medium	firm	medium to
			firm
Evenness of flesh color	even	slightly	slightly
		uneven	uneven
Distribution of flesh color	central	marginal and	marginal and
		central	central
Hollow center size	small to	absent to	absent to
	medium	small	small
Sweetness	strong	medium	medium to
			strong
Texture when tasted	fine	medium	medium
Acidity	weak	Medium	medium
Time of Flowering	medium	medium	medium
Type of Bearing	fully	fully	fully
	everbearing	everbearing	everbearing

5.3 REACTION TO STRESS, PESTS, AND DISEASE

TABLE 3
REACTIONS TO STRESS PESTS AND DISEASES FOR
`DRISCOLL CORONATION`, `DRISCOLL CAMARILLO,`
AND `DRISCOLL JUBILEE`
	`Driscoll	`Driscoll	`Driscoll
	Coronation`	Camarillo`	Jubilee`
Reaction to Stress
high pH	moderately	moderately	moderately
	resistant	resistant	resistant
high soil salt levels	moderately	moderately	moderately
	susceptible	resistant	susceptible
Reaction to Pests
Tetranychus urticae	moderately	moderately	moderately
	susceptible	susceptible	susceptible
Lygus hesperus	susceptible	susceptible	susceptible
Reaction To Diseases
Botrytis fruit rot	moderately	moderately	moderately
	susceptible to	susceptible to	susceptible to
	moderately	moderately	moderately
	resistant	resistant	resistant
Powdery mildew	moderately	susceptible to	susceptible
	susceptible	highly
		susceptible
Verticillium wilt	moderately	moderately	moderately
	susceptible	susceptible	resistant

5.4 ISOZYME ANALYSIS

In addition to the morphological description above, the new cultivar `Driscoll Coronation` has been analyzed to obtain an indication of its genetic makeup to provide further means for identifying the new variety and distinguishing it from other somewhat similar and/or related strawberry varieties. Specifically, leaf samples of `Driscoll Coronation`, `Driscoll Camarillo` and `Driscoll Jubilee` were analyzed by electrophoresis for isozyme patterns of the enzymes phosphoglucoisomerase ("PGI"), leucine aminopeptidase ("LAP") and phosphoglucomutase ("PGM"). See J. Amer. Soc. Hort. Sci. 106:684-687. Isozyme characterization of the three varieties is presented in Table 4, with the letters representing the banding patterns for each enzyme as designated in the above-identified article.

TABLE 4
ISOZYME ANALYSIS FOR `DRISCOLL CORONATION`,
`DRISCOLL CAMARILLO,`
AND `DRISCOLL JUBILEE`
		`Driscoll	`Driscoll	`Driscoll
	Locus	Camarillo`	Coronation`	Jubilee`
	PGI	A2	A3	A1
	LAP	B3	B3	B3
	PGM	C4	C4	C4

Claims

1. A new and distinct variety of strawberry plant, substantially as shown and described.