Strawberry plant named ‘DrisStrawSix’

Abstract

This invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of strawberry plant named ‘DrisStrawSix’. A new cultivar primarily characterized by its medium to large, sweet tasting fruit, early flowering and early harvest maturity, is disclosed.

Description

Genus and species: Fragaria×ananassa.

Variety denomination: ‘DrisStrawSix’.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention relates to a new and distinct strawberry cultivar designated ‘DrisStrawSix’ and botanically known as Fragaria×ananassa. This new strawberry cultivar was discovered in Hillsborough, Fla. in December, 2002 and originated from a cross between the female proprietary parent ‘74G14’ (unpatented) and the male proprietary parent ‘6F-158’ (unpatented). The original seedling of the new cultivar was asexually propagated at a nursery in Shasta County, Calif. ‘DrisStrawSix’ was subsequently asexually propagated and underwent further testing at a nursery in Hillsborough, Fla. for five years. The present invention has been found to retain its distinctive characteristics through successive asexual propagations.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying color photographs show typical specimens of the new cultivar at various stages of development as nearly true as it is possible to make in color reproductions.

FIG. 1 shows overall plant habit including fruit at various stages of development.

FIG. 2 shows leaves of the plant with three leaflets.

FIG. 3 shows the upperside of several of the flowers.

FIG. 4 shows the whole fruit.

FIG. 5 shows the fruit in longitudinal cross-section.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW CULTIVAR

The following description of ‘DrisStrawSix’ is based on observations taken from the 2003 to 2008 growing seasons in Hillsborough, Fla. This description is in accordance with UPOV terminology. Color designations, color descriptions, and other phenotypical descriptions may deviate from the stated values and descriptions depending upon variation in environmental, seasonal, climatic and cultural conditions. ‘DrisStrawSix’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. Color terminology follows The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, London (R.H.S.) (2001).

COMPARISON WITH PARENTAL LINES

‘DrisStrawSix’ is distinguished from its parents ‘74G14’ or ‘6F158’ mainly by yield and fruit size. ‘DrisStrawSix’ has a significantly higher yield than either ‘74G14’ or ‘6F158’. Additionally, ‘DrisStrawSix’ has a fruit size that is thirty percent larger than either ‘74G14’ or ‘6F158’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Table 1 shows plant characteristics of the new variety compared with plant characteristics of the commercial varieties ‘Driscoll Atlantis’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 16,475) and ‘Driscoll Sanibel’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 16,298). Plant characteristics include plant height, diameter, number of crowns per plant, habit, density of individual plant and vigor.

TABLE 1
		‘Driscoll	‘Driscoll
Characteristic	‘DrisStrawSix’	Atlantis’	Sanibel’
Plant height	21.3	19.8	20.2
(cm)
Plant diameter	44.0	38.9	38.7
(cm)
Number of	4	3	2
crowns/plant
Habit	Flat globose	Flat globose	Flat
Density of	Medium	Between medium	Medium
individual		and dense
plant
Vigor	Between medium	Medium	Strong
	and strong

Table 2 shows leaf characteristics of the new cultivar compared with leaf characteristics of ‘Driscoll Atlantis’ and ‘Driscoll Sanibel’. Leaf characteristics include terminal leaflet length and width in centimeters, length to width ratio, number of teeth per terminal leaflet, shape of teeth, color of upperside and underside of leaf, leaf shape in cross section, leaf blistering, leaf glossiness, number of leaflets, terminal leaflet margin, terminal leaflet length to width ratio, shape of the leaflet, shape of the leaf apex and shape of leaf base.

TABLE 2
Leaf
Characteristic	‘DrisStrawSix’	‘Driscoll Atlantis’	‘Driscoll Sanibel’
Terminal leaf-	8.35	7.89	8.56
let length (cm)
Terminal leaf-	8.16	8.01	8.47
let width (cm)
Terminal leaf-	1.0	1.0	1.0
let length/
width ratio
No. teeth/ter-	20	23	22
minal leaflet
Shape of	Between obtuse	Between obtuse	Rounded
teeth	and rounded	and rounded
Color of upper-	RHS 137B	RHS 137A	RHS 131B
side of leaf	Dark green	Dark green	Dark green
Color of under-	RHS 138B	RHS 140D	RHS 142C
side of leaf	Medium green	Light green	Light green
Leaf shape in	Between slightly	Between slightly	Slightly concave
cross section	concave and flat	concave and flat
Leaf blistering	Medium	Medium	Between medium
			and strong
Leaf glossiness	Medium	Weak	Medium
No. leaflets	Three only	Three only	Three only
Terminal leaf-	Revolute	Flat	Flat
let margin
Terminal leaf-	As long as broad	As long as broad	As long as broad
let: length/
width ratio
Terminal leaf-	Orbicular	Ovate	Between oval and
let shape			ovate
Terminal leaf-	Slightly oblique	Not available	Obtuse
let base shape
Terminal leaf-	Rounded	Rounded	Rounded
let apex shape

Table 3 shows information about the petiole, the petiolule, the bract, and the stipule of the new cultivar compared to ‘Driscoll Atlantis’ and ‘Driscoll Sanibel’. This includes petiole length in centimeters, petiole diameter in centimeters, petiole pubescence, pose of hairs on the petiole, color of the petiol, color of the petiolule, petiolule length in centimeters, petiolule diameter in centimeters, bract frequency per petiole, stipule length in centimeters, stipule width in centimeters, and stipule pubescence.

TABLE 3
			‘Driscoll
Characteristic	‘DrisStrawSix’	‘Driscoll Atlantis’	Sanibel’
Petiole length	13.4	13.7	15.3
(cm)
Petiole dia-	0.383	0.430	0.455
meter (cm)
Petiole	Medium	Dense	Medium
pubescence
Petiole pose	Outwards	Outwards	Between
of hairs			outwards and
			downwards
Petiole color	RHS 145B	RHS 145C	RHS 145D
	Light yellow-	Light yellow-	Light yellow-
	green	green	green
Petiolule color	RHS 145B	RHS 145C	RHS 145D
	Light yellow-	Light yellow-	Light yellow-
	green	green	green
Petiolule	1.208	1.451	1.626
length (cm)
Petiolule	0.200	0.213	0.233
diameter (cm)
Bract	1	2	2
frequency
Stipule length	4.1	3.7	3.9
(cm)
Stipule width	0.096	0.087	0.112
(cm)
Stipule	Medium	Dense	Medium
pubescence
Stipule	Weak
anthcyanin
coloration

Table 4 shows stolon characteristics of the new cultivar compared to ‘Driscoll Atlantis’ and ‘Driscoll Sanibel’. These characteristics include the number of stolons, average number of daughter plants, the anthocyanin coloration of the stolons, the thickness of the stolons, and the pubescence of the stolons.

TABLE 4
			‘Driscoll
Characteristic	‘DrisStrawSix’	‘Driscoll Atlantis’	Sanibel’
Stolon Number	Many
Average number of	50	53	52
daughter plants
Stolon Anthocyanin	Strong	Between weak	Strong
		and medium
Stolon Thickness	Medium	Medium	Medium
Stolon Pubescence	Dense	Medium	Medium

Table 5 shows inflorescence characteristics of the new cultivar compared to ‘Driscoll Atlantis’ and ‘Driscoll Sanibel’. These characteristics include inflorescence position relative to foliage, relative flower size, flower diameter in centimeters (measured from petal tip to petal tip), petal shape, petal spacing (relative spacing of petals), petal apex shape, petal margin, petal base shape, petal length in centimeters, petal width in centimeters, petal length to width ratio, typical and observed number of petals, petal color, calyx diameter in centimeters (measured on back of flower from sepal tip to sepal tip), diameter of calyx relative to corolla, diameter of inner calyx relative to outer, sepal shape, sepal apex shape, sepal margin, sepal length in centimeters (measured from sepal tip to point of attachment to receptacle), sepal width in centimeters, typical and observed number of sepals, receptacle color and anther color.

TABLE 5
		‘Driscoll	‘Driscoll
Characteristic	‘DrisStrawSix’	Atlantis’	Sanibel’
Inflorescence	Above	Between level	Between beneath
position rela-		with and above	and level with
tive to foliage
Flower size	Between small	Between	Large
	and medium	medium and
		large
Flower dia-	2.075	2.369	2.070
meter (cm)
Petal shape	Orbicular	Orbicular	Orbicular
Petal spacing	Overlapping	Overlapping	Between touching
			and overlapping
Petal apex	Rounded	Rounded	Rounded
shape
Petal margin	Entire	Entire	Entire
Petal base	Concavo-convex	Rounded	Rounded
shape
Petal length	1.252	1.248	1.166
(cm)
Petal width	1.322	1.302	1.188
(cm)
Petal length/	As long as broad	As long as broad	As long as broad
width ratio
Petal length/	0.9	1.0	1.0
width ratio
Typical and ob-	6	5	6
served petal
number
Petal color	RHS 155C	RHS 155C	RHS 155C
	White	White	White
Calyx dia-	3.304	2.871	2.997
meter (cm)
Calyx dia-	Between same	Between same	Between same
meter relative	size and larger	size and larger	size and larger
to corolla
Inner calyx dia-	Between smaller	Same size	Larger
meter relative	and same size
to outer
Sepal shape	Elliptical	Elliptical	Elliptical
Sepal apex	Convex	Convex	Convex
shape
Sepal margin	Entire	Entire	Entire
Sepal length	1.200	1.040	1.172
(cm)
Sepal width	0.660	0.713	0.637
(cm)
Typical and ob-	11	11	11
served sepal
number
Receptacle	RHS 4A	RHS 149A	RHS 149B
color	Medium yellow	Dark yellow-	Dark yellow-
		green	green
Anther color	RHS 13A	RHS 9A	RHS 9A
	Dark yellow	Dark yellow	Dark yellow

Table 6 shows fruit characteristics of the new cultivar compared to ‘Driscoll Atlantis’ and ‘Driscoll Sanibel’. These characteristics include fruiting truss length and diameter in centimeters, number of berries per fruiting truss, fruiting truss attitude, fruiting truss length, fruit length in centimeters, fruit width in centimeters, fruit length to width ratio, fruit hollow length and width in centimeters, fruit hollow length to width ratio, fruit weight in grams, relative fruit size, predominant fruit shape, difference in shape between primary and secondary fruits, band without achenes, unevenness of fruit surface, fruit skin color, evenness of fruit color, fruit glossiness, insertion of achenes, achene coloration (sunward and shaded sides of berry), insertion of calyx, pose of calyx segments, size of calyx in relation to fruit, adherence of calyx, firmness of flesh, color of the fruit flesh, evenness of the flesh color, distribution of flesh color, relative size of hollow center, sweetness of fruit, acidity of fruit, texture of fruit when tasted, time of flowering, harvest maturity, type of bearing, grams of fruit per plant.

TABLE 6
		‘Driscoll	‘Driscoll
Characteristic	‘DrisStrawSix’	Atlantis’	Sanibel’
Fruiting truss	25.2	22.7	19.7
length (cm)
Fruiting truss	0.336	0.423	0.404
diameter (cm)
Number of ber-	1	3	1
ries per fruiting
truss
Fruiting truss	Prostrate	Prostrate	Prostrate
attitude
Fruiting truss	Between medium	Medium	Medium
length	and long
Fruit length	5.410	4.200	5.180
(cm)
Fruit width	4.130	3.640	4.610
(cm)
Fruit length/	1.3	1.2	1 .1
width ratio
Fruit length/	Longer than	Longer than	Longer than
width ratio	broad	broad	broad
Fruit hollow	3.050	1.880	2.310
length (cm)
Fruit hollow	0.770	0.850	0.790
width (cm)
Fruit hollow	4.0	2.2	2.9
length/width
ratio
Fruit weight (g)	29.9	23.8	31.8
Relative fruit	Between medium	Medium	Between large
size	and large		and very large
Predominant	Conical	Conical	Conical
fruit shape
Difference in	Slight	Slight	Slight
shape between
primary & sec-
ondary fruits
Band without	Narrow	Absent or very	Narrow
achenes		narrow
Unevenness of	Between weak	Between weak	Medium
fruit surface	and medium	and medium
Fruit skin	RHS 46B	RHS 45B	RHS 43A
color	Medium red	Medium red	Medium red
Evenness of	Slightly uneven	Even	Even
fruit color
Fruit glossiness	Strong	Strong	Strong
Insertion of	Level with	Level with	Level with
achenes	surface	surface	surface
Achene color-	RHS 30A	RHS 185D	RHS 182A
ation sunward	Medium red	Greyed-purple	Medium
side of berry			greyed-red
Achene	RHS 151D	RHS 151D	RHS 150C
coloration	Light yellow-	Light yellow-	Light yellow-
shaded side	green	green	green
of berry
Insertion of	Level	Level	Level
calyx
Pose of	Between	Between	Between
calyx	spreading	spreading and	spreading and
segments	and reflexed	reflexed	reflexed
Size of calyx	Larger	Between same	Larger
in relation to		size and larger
fruit
Adherence of	Strong	Strong	Strong
calyx
Firmness of	Medium	Firm	Medium
flesh
Color of the	RHS 43B	RHS 42B	RHS 40C
flesh	Medium red	Medium red	Medium red
Evenness of	Slightly uneven	Slightly uneven	Slightly uneven
flesh color
Distribution of	Only marginal	Marginal and	Marginal and
flesh color		central	central
Hollow center	Small	Medium	Medium
Sweetness	Strong	Strong	Strong
Acidity	Medium	Medium	Medium
Texture when	Between fine	Medium	Fine
tasted	and medium
Time of	Early	Very early	Early
flowering
Harvest matur-	Early December	Late November	Late November
ity (50% of	to late April	to mid-March	to mid-March
plants with
ripe fruit)
Type of	Not everbearing	Partially	Partially
bearing		everbearing	everbearing
Grams of	568	360	448
fruit/plant

Table 7 shows pest and disease characteristics of the new cultivar compared to ‘Driscoll Atlantis’ and ‘Driscoll Sanibel’.

TABLE 7
Pest or		‘Driscoll	‘Driscoll
Disease	‘DrisStrawSix’	Atlantis’	Sanibel’
Xanthomonas	Susceptible	Moderately	Moderately
fragarie		susceptible	susceptible

Claims

1. A new and distinct cultivar of strawberry plant, as described and shown herein.