Strawberry plant named ‘DrisStrawSeven’

Abstract

This invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of strawberry plant named ‘DrisStrawSeven’. The new cultivar is primarily characterized by its large, sweet tasting fruit, early harvest maturity, and resistance to powdery mildew is disclosed.

Description

Genus and species: Fragaria×ananassa.

Variety denomination: ‘DrisStrawSeven’.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention relates to a new and distinct strawberry cultivar designated ‘DrisStrawSeven’ and botanically known as Fragaria×ananassa. This new strawberry cultivar was discovered in Monterey, Calif. in June, 2003 and originated from a cross between the female proprietary parent ‘77G1’ (unpatented) and the male parent ‘Driscoll Camarillo’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 14,771). The original seedling of the new cultivar was asexually propagated at a nursery in Shasta County, Calif. ‘DrisStrawSeven’ was subsequently asexually propagated and underwent further testing at a nursery in Hillsborough, Fla. for four 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. The photographs were taken from 5-month-old plants.

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 ‘DrisStrawSeven’ 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. ‘DrisStrawSeven’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The botanical description of ‘DrisStrawSeven’ was taken from 5-month-old plants. Color terminology follows The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, London (RHS) (2001).

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Table 1 shows selected plant characteristics of the new variety compared with plant characteristics of ‘Driscoll Atlantis’, (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 16,475) and ‘Driscoll Sanibel’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 16,298). Plant characteristics include plant height, petiolule length, stipule width, inflorescence position relative to foliage, flower size, fruit truss diameter, and fruit size.

TABLE 1
		‘Driscoll	‘Driscoll
Characteristic	‘DrisStrawSeven’	Atlantis’	Sanibel’
Plant height	20.9	19.8	20.2
(cm)
Petiolule length	1.394	1.451	1.626
(cm)
Stipule width	0.420	0.087	0.112
(cm)
Inflorescence	Above	Between above	Between beneath
position rela-		and level with	and level with
tive to foliage
Flower size	Medium	Between medium	Large
		and large
Fruit truss	0.522	0.423	0.404
diameter (cm)
Fruit size	Large	Medium	Between large
			and very large

Table 2 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 2
		‘Driscoll	‘Driscoll
Characteristic	‘DrisStrawSeven’	Atlantis’	Sanibel’
Plant height	20.9	19.8	20.2
(cm)
Plant diameter	35.5	38.9	38.7
(cm)
Number of	3	3	2
crowns/plant
Habit	Flat globose	Flat globose	Flat
Density of	Medium	Medium to Dense	Medium
individual plant
Vigor	Medium	Medium	Strong

Table 3 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 and shape of leaf apex and base.

TABLE 3
Leaf		‘Driscoll	‘Driscoll
Characteristic	‘DrisStrawSeven’	Atlantis’	Sanibel’
Terminal leaf-	7.97	7.89	8.56
let length (cm)
Terminal leaf-	7.96	8.01	8.47
let width (cm)
Terminal leaf-	1.0	1.0	1.0
let length/
width ratio
No. teeth/ter-	23	23	22
minal leaflet
Shape of teeth	Rounded	Between obtuse	Rounded
		and rounded
Color of upper-	RHS 147A	RHS 137A	RHS 131B
side of leaf	Dark yellow-	Dark green	Dark green
	green
Color of under-	RHS 138B	RHS 140D	RHS 142C
side of leaf	Medium green	Light green	Light green
Leaf shape	Slightly concave	Between slightly	Slightly concave
in cross section		concave and flat
Leaf blistering	Strong	Medium	Between medium
			and strong
Leaf glossiness	Medium	Weak	Medium
No. leaflets	More than three	Three only	Three only
	(up to 5 out of
	10 leaves)
Terminal leaf-	Flat	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-	Rounded		Obtuse
let base shape
Terminal leaf-	Rounded	Rounded	Rounded
let apex shape

Table 4 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 petiole, 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 4
		‘Driscoll	‘Driscoll
Characteristic	‘DrisStrawSeven’	Atlantis’	Sanibel’
Petiole length	12.7	13.7	15.3
(cm)
Petiole	0.456	0.430	0.455
diameter (cm)
Petiole	Between medium	Dense	Medium
pubescence	and dense
Petiole pose	Between upwards	Outwards	Between
of hairs	and outwards		outwards and
			downwards
Petiole color	RHS 144D Light	RHS 145C Light	RHS 145D Light
	yellow-green	yellow-green	yellow-green
Petiolule color	RHS 144D Light	RHS 145C Light	RHS 145D Light
	yellow-green	yellow-green	yellow-green
Petiolule length	1.394	1.451	1.626
(cm)
Petiolule dia-	0.237	0.213	0.233
meter (cm)
Bract	2	2	2
frequency
Stipule length	3.8	3.7	3.9
(cm)
Stipule width	0.420	0.087	0.112
(cm)
Stipule	Medium	Dense	Medium
pubescence
Stipule antho-	Medium
cyanin color-
ation

Table 5 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 5
		‘Driscoll	‘Driscoll
Characteristic	‘DrisStrawSeven’	Atlantis’	Sanibel’
Stolon Number	Many
Average number of	55	53	52
daughter plants
Stolon Anthocyanin	Medium	Between weak and	Strong
		medium
Stolon Thickness	Medium	Medium	Medium
Stolon Pubescence	Sparse	Medium	Medium

Table 6 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, relative spacing of petals, petal apex, base and margin, petal length in centimeters, petal width in centimeters, petal length to width ratio, 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, apex and margin, sepal length in centimeters (measured from sepal tip to point of attachment to receptacle), sepal width in centimeters, number of sepals, receptacle color and anther color.

TABLE 6
		‘Driscoll	‘Driscoll
Characteristic	‘DrisStrawSeven’	Atlantis’	Sanibel’
Inflorescence	Above	Between level	Between beneath
position rel-		with and above	and level with
ative to foliage
Flower size	Medium	Between medium	Large
		and large
Flower di-	2.238	2.369	2.070
ameter (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	Rounded	Rounded	Rounded
shape
Petal length	1.043	1.248	1.166
(cm)
Petal width	1.081	1.302	1.188
(cm)
Petal length/	As long as broad	As long as broad	As long as broad
width ratio
Typical and ob-	6	5	6
served petal
number
Petal color	RHS 155D	RHS 155C	RHS 155C
	White	White	White
Calyx diameter	2.789	2.871	2.997
(cm)
Calyx diameter	Between smaller	Between same	Between same
relative to	and same size	size and larger	size and larger
corolla
Inner calyx	Same size	Same size	Larger
diameter re-
lative to outer
Sepal shape	Elliptical	Elliptical	Elliptical
Sepal apex	Convex	Convex	Convex
shape
Sepal margin	Entire	Entire	Entire
Sepal length	0.989	1.040	1.172
(cm)
Sepal width	0.508	0.713	0.637
(cm)
Typical and	12	11	11
observed sepal
number
Receptacle	RHS 3A	RHS 149A	RHS 149B
color	Medium yellow	Medium yellow	Medium yellow
		green	green
Anther color	RHS 7A	RHS 9A	RHS 9A
	Dark yellow	Dark yellow	Dark yellow

Table 7 shows fruit characteristics of the new cultivar compared to ‘Driscoll Atlantis’ and ‘Driscoll Sanibel’. These characteristics include fruiting truss length in centimeters, fruiting truss diameter, number of berries per truss, fruiting truss attitude, fruiting truss color, fruit length in centimeters, fruit truss width in centimeters, fruit length to width ratio, fruit hollow length and width in centimeters, 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, 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 7
		‘Driscoll	‘Driscoll
Characteristic	‘DrisStrawSeven’	Atlantis’	Sanibel’
Fruiting truss	22.2	22.7	19.7
length (cm)
Fruiting truss	0.522	0.423	0.404
diameter (cm)
Number of	3	3	1
berries per
fruiting truss
Fruiting truss	Between erect	Prostrate	Prostrate
attitude	and semi-erect
Fruiting truss	RHS 144D	RHS 145B	RHS 144B
color	Light yellow	Light yellow	Light yellow
	green	green	green
Fruit length	4.890	4.200	5.180
(cm)
Fruit width	3.720	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	2.130	1.880	2.310
length (cm)
Fruit hollow	0.420	0.850	0.790
width (cm)
Fruit hollow	5.1	2.2	2.9
length/width
ratio
Fruit weight (g)	26.7	23.8	31.8
Relative fruit	Large	Medium	Between large
size			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	Medium	Between weak	Medium
fruit surface		and medium
Fruit skin	RHS 46A	RHS 45B	RHS 43A
color	Dark red	Medium red	Medium red
Evenness of	Even	Even	Even
fruit color
Fruit glossiness	Between medium	Strong	Strong
	and strong
Insertion of	Level with	Level with	Level with
achenes	surface	surface	surface
Achene color-	RHS 145A Light	RHS 151D Light	RHS 150C Light
ation - shaded	yellow-green	yellow-green	yellow-green
side of berry
Insertion of	Level	Level	Level
calyx
Pose of calyx	Spreading	Between	Between
segments		spreading and	spreading and
		reflexed	reflexed
Size of calyx in	Between same	Between same	Larger
relation to	size and larger	size and larger
fruit
Adherence of	Strong	Strong	Strong
calyx
Firmness of	Between medium	Firm	Medium
flesh	and firm
Color of	RHS 40B	RHS 42B	RHS 40C
the flesh	Medium red	Medium red	Medium red
Evenness of	Between uneven	Slightly uneven	Slightly uneven
flesh color	and slightly
	uneven
Distribution of	Marginal and	Marginal and	Marginal and
flesh color	central	central	central
Hollow center	Small	Medium	Medium
Sweetness	Strong	Strong	Strong
Acidity	Between weak	Medium	Medium
	and medium
Texture when	Fine	Medium	Fine
tasted
Time of	Medium	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 fruit/	402	360	448
plant

Table 8 shows pest and disease characteristics of the new cultivar compared to ‘Driscoll Atlantis’ and ‘Driscoll Sanibel’.

TABLE 8
		‘Driscoll	‘Driscoll
Pest or Disease	‘DrisStrawSeven’	Atlantis’	Sanibel’
Xanthomonas	Susceptible	Moderately	Moderately
fragariae		susceptible	susceptible
Powdery mildew	Resistant	Susceptible	Susceptible

COMPARISON WITH PARENTAL CULTIVARS

When ‘DrisStrawSeven’ is compared to the proprietary female parent ‘77G1’ (unpatented), ‘DrisStrawSeven’ is a short-day plant, whereas ‘77G1’ is a day-neutral plant.

When ‘DrisStrawSeven’ is compared to the male parent ‘Driscoll Camarillo’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 14,771), ‘DrisStrawSeven’ is a globose plant that is not everbearing, whereas ‘Driscoll Camarillo’ is a flat globose plant that is fully everbearing. In addition, the leaf shape in cross section of ‘DrisStrawSeven’ is slightly concave and ‘DrisStrawSeven’ has more than three leaflets. The leaf shape in cross section of ‘Driscoll Camarillo’ is concave and ‘Driscoll Camarillo’ has only three leaflets. Further, the fruiting truss attitude in ‘DrisStrawSeven’ is between erect and semi-erect, whereas it is prostrate in ‘Driscoll Camarillo’.

Claims

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