Strawberry plant Ofra

Abstract

A new and distinct variety of strawberry (Fragaria L.) called "Ofra" is disclosed. The variety is a cross between "Parker" and "111", which results in a variety that flowers several months earlier than most other known strawberry varieties.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of strawberry (Fragaria L.) called "Ofra". The variety was developed from an organized scientifically designated breeding program carried out at the Agricultural Research Organization, the Volcani Center, Bet Dagan, Israel. The variety is the product of selection of seedlings resulting from crosses between the strawberry varieties "Parker" and "111". The variety was asexually vegetatively propagated through runners and the reproduction ran true.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The new variety "Ofra" is able to grow in September and produce fruit starting in November and lasting until summer. The production of fruit beginning in November is two months earlier than short-day strawberry varieties and within a similar time frame of strawberry varieties "Shalom" (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 7,876), "Smadar" (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 7,865), "Saaid" (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 7,870), "Dorit" (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 7,869) "Sharon" (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 7,881). The fruit of the "Ofra" variety is characterized by good taste, good shape and size as well as a long shelf life.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1.--Photograph of the "Ofra" variety illustrating the fruit.

FIG. 2.--Photograph of the "Ofra" variety illustrating a cross-section of the fruit.

FIG. 3.--Photograph of the "Ofra" variety illustrating the entire plant with foliage, flowers and fruit.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The "Ofra" variety was grown in winter under polyethylene tunnels in Israel. "Ofra" is a an infra short-day strawberry variety. Infra short-day varieties are induced to initiate flower bud primordia in response to relatively long light regimes (but under short-day conditions) and are relatively insensitive to night temperatures. Flowering and fruit production is not affected by the use of polyethylene wind tunnels. This production procedure is utilized in normal agricultural practices by the skilled artisan and does not involve temperature or light control. Mother plants were stored at 0°C from January through April. They were then planted in the nursery without further treatment. Runners with plantlets were produced during summer. These young plantlets were collected from the nursery in September and transferred to raised beds. Average temperatures at that time of the year are 30°C during the day and 22°C at night. Water and fertilizers were applied through drip irrigation. An example of an optimum planting date is between August 25 and September 5 with the approximate date of flowering on October 1-10 and the approximate date of first fruiting on November 1-10. "Ofra" flowering is not induced by chilling, but by natural exposure to shortening day length. Color readings described herein were taken under natural light conditions and color identifications were made by reference to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart (RHSCC) except where common terms of color definition are employed.

The pertinent characteristics of the present invention are presented in Table 1 and Table 2. Additionally, the variety "Ofra" (1) has no tendency toward fruit malformation; (2) disease resistance appears normal in that no particular problematic conditions arose during trials; and (3) the type of bearing is not remontant (e.g., "Ofra" blooms perpetuously, during late fall and winter).

The fruit is longer than broad, with first order and second order fruit possessing distinct shapes (Table 2). The fruit is very firm with an orange-red color (Table 2).

The variety "Ofra" flowers several months earlier than known strawberry varieties. One of the closest known varieties would be "Karina" (Table 1), and the new varieties mentioned supra; e.g., U.S. Plant Pat. No. 7,881 ("Sharon"), U.S. Plant Pat. No. 7,876 ("Shalom"), U.S. Plant Pat. No. 7,865 ("Smadar"), U.S. Plant Pat. No. 7,870 ("Saaid") and U.S. Plant Pat. No. 7,869 ("Dorit"). Additionally, early flowering results in early fruit production for "Ofra" and the two varieties, "Virginia", subject of a U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 07/823,802, filed Jan. 22, 1992, and "Nama", subject of U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 07/823,721, filed Jan. 22, 1992. Total Soluble Solids (TSS), marketable appearance, fruit color, sepal appearance, firmness, pressure defects and general health are presented in Table 3 by comparison to the co-pending varieties as well as the short-day variety, "Douglas" (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 4,487).

TABLE 1
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PLANT CHARACTERISTICS OF "OFRA"
MORPHOLOGICAL              COMPARABLE
TRAIT        DESCRIPTIONa
VARIETYb
______________________________________
Classification
Botanical-
Fragaria L.
Plant habit  Flat-Globose  "Sengana"
Plant density
Medium        "Gorella"
Plant vigor  Strong        "Grande"
Plant diameter
160-220 mm
Plant height 80-90 mm
Leaf:
a) Length    120-190 mm
b) Width     100-150 mm
c) Color
1) Upper Side:
Medium Green
d) Blistering
Weak
e) Cross-section
Concave
f) # of leaflets
Sometimes >3
Terminal leaflet
a) Length/Width
As long as broad
ratio
b) Shape of base
Obtuse
c) Shape of teeth
Obtuse
d) Length    60-75 mm
e) Width     60-75 mm
Flower
a) Size      Medium        "Gorella"
b) Size of calyx to
Similar
corolla
c) Size of inner calyx
Larger
versus outer calyx
d) Spacing of petals
Overlapping
e) Diameter
1) First order
32 mm
2) Second order
28 mm
f) Petal length/width
Nearly as broad
as long
1) length    12-13 mm
2) width     14-15 mm
g) Time of flowering
Very early    "Karina"c
Stolon
a) Number    Many          "Gorella" d
b) Thickness Thick
c) Anthocyanin
Weak
coloration
Petiole
a) Pose of hairs
Outwards
b) Length    55-90 mm
Fruiting Truss:
Prostrate
Attitude
Stipule: Anthocyanin
Medium
Coloration
Inflorescence
a) Position relative
Above
to foliage
______________________________________
a The description of "Ofra" is based on the test guidelines for
Fragaria L. of the International Union for the Protection of New Plant
Varieties, (UPOV).
b Only characteristcs which are relevant for comparing varities are
listed. For example, there are no varietal differences acknowledged in th
characteristic "color of lower side of leaf".
c "Ofra" flowers at the end of October. One of the earliest known
varieties for comparison is "Karina", which flowers in January.
Additionally, "Ofra" flowers within approximately the time range as
strawberry varieties "Shalom" (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 7876), "Smadar" (U.S.
Plant Pat. No. 7,865, "Saaid" (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 7,870, "Dorit" (U.S.
Plant Pat. No. 7,869, in U.S. Plant Pat. Application Ser. No. 07/823,802,
filed Jan. 22, 1992, and U.S. Plant Pat. Application Ser. No. 07/823,721,
filed Jan. 22, 1992, respectively.
d "Ofra" still produces more runners than the comparable variety,
"Gorella".

TABLE 2
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FRUIT CHARACTERISTICS OF "OFRA"
CHARACTERISTCS       DESCRIPTION
______________________________________
Time of ripening     Very Early
Ratio of length/maximum width
Longer than broad
Size                 Large
First Order
a) Predominant Shape Wedges
b) Length            45-55 mm
c) Width             30-40 mm
d) Thickness         22-30 mm
e) Weight            27 g
Second Order
a) Predominant Shape Conical
b) Length            45-50 mm
c) Width             25-30 mm
d) Thickness         23-28 mm
Difference in Shape Betwen First
Marked
Order and Second Order Fruit
Band without achenes Narrow or Medium
Unevenness of surface
Absent or Very weak
Color                Red
Evenness of color    Even
Glassiness           Strong
Insertion of achenes Below surface
Insertion of calyx   Set above fruit
Pose of calyx segments
Reflexed
Size of calyx in relation to
Same size
fruit diameter
Adherence of calyx   Very strong
Firmness             Very firm
Color of flesh       Orange-red
Eveness of flesh color
Slightly uneven
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TABLE 3
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COMPARATIVE SHELF-LIFE AND FLAVOR OF "OFRA"
Mar-
Percentage             Se-         ket-
Pres-
Firmnessa
pal         able
sure        New-  ap-  Fruit
ap-   Sugar
Vari-        de-    Vis- ton   pear-
co-  pear- content
ety  Health  fects  ual  units anceb
lorc
anced
T.S.S.e
______________________________________
First test:
at harvest date
Ofra 100      0       5  6.0   5    4.0  4.5   9.6
Vir- 100      0       5  4.2   5    3.5  4.0   8.5
giniaf
Na-  100      0       5  3.7   5    3.5  4.0   8.0
mag
Douglash
100       0       5    3.7   5    4.5  4.0   6.5
Second test:
After 3 days of storage at 2°C
Ofra 92       8     4.0  6.0   4    4.2  4.4
Vir- 80      20     3.5  3.5   4    4.2  3.8
ginia
Na-  78      22     3.5  3.0   4    4.0  3.7
ma
Douglas
76       24     3.7    3.5   4    5.0  3.7
Third test:
after 3 days storage at 2°C plus
2 additional days at simulated shelf temperature of 18°C
Ofra 55      45     3.5  5.5   3.2  4.5  3.5
Vir- 50      50     3.0  2.8   3.0  4.5  3.2
ginia
Na-  44      56     3.0  3.0   3.0  4.5  3.0
ma
Douglas
45       55     3.0    3.0   3.2  5.0  3.2
______________________________________
INDEX:
a 5hard 1soft
b 5green, fresh like, 1dry, brown
c 5dark red, 1green, pink
d 5prime 1not marketable
e Total Soluble Solids (T.S.S.) expresses fruit sweetness and was
determined with a refractometer
f U.S. Plant Pat. Application Ser. No. 07/823,802, January 22, 1992.
g U.S. Plant Pat. Application Ser. No. 07/823,721, January 22, 1992.
h U.S. Plant Pat. No. 4,487

Claims

1. A new distinct variety of strawberry plant substantially as illustrated and described and distinguished as being able to grow in September and produce fruit starting in November and lasting until summer, with fruit having a good taste and shape and a long shelf life.