The new and distinct cultivar of cherry rootstock, which has been given the designation GI 148/2 produces a tree which upon grafting produces a dwarf tree.

Patent
   PP9622
Priority
Jun 07 1995
Filed
Jun 07 1995
Issued
Aug 13 1996
Expiry
Jun 07 2015
Assg.orig
Entity
unknown
7
2
n/a
1. A new and distinct variety of cherry hybrid tree as shown and described herein.

The present invention relates generally to cherry trees and more specifically to a new and distinct variety of cherry hybrid tree which is particularly useful as a rootstock.

The use of cherry hybrid trees as rootstock is known in the art of producing cherry trees. One such variety is F12/1, a vegetatively propagated P. avium-selection. Root stock varieties GI 148/1 and 148/8 are described in U.S. Plant Pat. Nos. 8,852 and 8,954 respectively. The use of cherry hybrid varieties as rootstock produces a dwarf tree that comes into earlier and heavier bearing without sacrificing fruit size.

The cherry rootstock of this invention, which has been given the designation GI 148/2, produces a tree which upon grafting produces a dwarf tree. In the first years, until about the 6th year, it induces a growth reduction to 30-70% of F12/1, depending on the site etc. and later on to about 30% of F12/1. It induces flat angles, precocity and high yielding efficiency, good fruit size and no or very few suckers. Support may be helpful during the early years.

FIG. 1 illustrates a branch and dormant lateral buds, bark and lenticels of GI 148/2.

FIG. 2 is a whole tree view of 148/2.

The new and distinct variety of cherry hybrid tree of the present invention was bred by the inventors as a cross of Prunus cerasus cv. "Schattenmorelle" with Prunus canescens in Giessen, Germany. It has been successfully asexually propagated by softwood cuttings at the University of Giessen in Giessen, Germany, and has been observed to remain true to the description set forth herein.

GI 148/2 used as a rootstock for sweet cherry trees induces dwarfing to a significant degree. In comparison with rootstock F12/1, GI 148/2 produces 31 percent of growth, as measured as the fresh weight of the upper tree parts of cv. "Hedelfinger" after 12 years in orchards near Giessen, Germany. Precocity, high production of fruit and yield efficiency, good fruit size and no or very few suckers are induced. GI 148/2 as a rootstock confers earlier and heavier bearing to the scion as compared to F12/1. In one trial, it induced a yield in the variety "Hedelfinger" in the 5th leaf of 6.2 kg/tree (cf. F12/1:0.2 kg/tree) and in the 7th leaf of 12.8 kg/tree (cf. F12/1:5.7 kg/tree). As a mean of seven years, 100-fruit-weight of "Hedelfinger" grafted on 148/2 was 740 grams, while 100-fruit-weight of "Hedelfinger" grafted on F12/1 was 735 grams.

GI 148/2 itself is of weak growth and has bushy, upright branches. It has demonstrated good winter-hardiness in Germany. After ten growing seasons near Giessen, Germany, GI 148/2 demonstrated a height of 2.15 meters and a width of 2.20 meters. GI 148/2 is tolerant to the virus PDV, tolerant to the virus PNRV, and medium sensitive to "Pfeffinger disease." It has a sufficient tolerance to water-logging.

The following varieties of sweet and sour cherries have been successfully grafted onto GI 148/2: Hedelfinger Riesenkirsche, Buttners Rote Knorpel, Grosse Schwarze Knorpel, Van, Gold, Ulster, Bing, Early Burlat, Emperor Francis, Querfurter Konigskirsche, Napoleon, Ranier, Sam, Schmidt, Schneiders Spate Knorpel, Stella, Vega, Vic, Viva, Windsor, Hudson, Lambert, Montmorency, Meteor, Rubinweichsel, Morellenfeuer, North Star, Schattenmorelle, Rheinische Schattenmorelle, Ludwigs Fruhe, Leitzkauer, Nabella, Successa, Schwabische Weinweichsel, Abels Spaete, Alma, Bianca, Bigg, Charmes, Burlat, Castor, Compact Stella, Dolleseppler, Early Burlat, Early Rivers, Froschmaul, Grosse Schwarze Knorpel, Hardy Giant, Hedelfinger, Hedelfinger Hilltop, Koenigskirsche, Kordia, Meckenheimer, Mercjant, Merton Glory, Napoleon, Oktavia, Regina, Sam, Schmidt, Schneiders Spate Knorpel, Souvenir de Charmes, Spaldomg, Stella, Ulster, Unterlaender, Valera, Valeska, Van, Werdersche Braune, Windsor, Kelleriis 16, Stevinsbaer Viki. No graft incompatibility is presently known.

Ploidy of 148/2 is probably triploid (2n=3×). The ploidy status of the parents has been investigated by isoenzyme analysis and is tetraploid (2n=4×) for the mother plant=Prunus cerasus, "Schattenmorelle", and diploid (2n=2×) for the father plant, Prunus canescens.

Leaves:

Overall shape.--ovate.

Apex shape.--Acute to slightly acuminate.

Base shape.--Rounded, slightly acuminate.

Leaf serration.--Doubly serrate leaf margin.

Veination.--Pinnate, 6-8 veins, mainly alternate.

Stipules.--Prominent (5 mm×3 mm), at base of petiole.

Glands.--Usually 2 attached to base of blade.

Pubescence.--Very slightly pubescent on adaxil surface (top), slightly pubescent on abaxil surface most along veins.

Color.--Light green.

Leaf dimensions at 5th and 9th leaf:

______________________________________
5th leaf
9th leaf
______________________________________
Mean length of leaves
57 mm 35 mm
Mean width of leaves
31 mm 20 mm
Mean length of petioles
8 mm 8 mm
______________________________________

Branches:

Thickness of one year branch.--2.0 mm diameters.

Color of 2-year old branch.--greyed orange, Fan 4, 172-A (R.H.S. Color Chart)

Overall.--1-year old branches are slightly pubescent, often with one or two smaller rounded, 1.5 cm long leaves without petioles at first and second node at base of new shoot, buds alternate on branch with the exception of 2 opposite buds at the base of twig. Lenticels on 1-year old branches are light cream colored, somewhat raised, 0.5 mm diameter.

Branch dimensions (For a single GI 148/2 plant in the ungrafted condition after the 5th leaf; in brackets, comparable data for F12/1):

Mean length of 1-year-old branches.--9.0 cm (19.8 cm).

Mean length of 2-year-old branches.--24.4 cm (35.0 cm).

Mean length of 3-year-old branches.--43.4 cm (63.2 cm).

Mean diameter of 1-year-old branches.--7.4 mm (3.4 mm).

Mean diameter of 2-year-old branches.--2.0 mm (5.8 mm).

Mean diameter of 3-year-old branches.--5.2 mm (10.1 mm).

Mean no. of branches from 2-year-old branches.--0 (0.7 mm).

Mean no. of branches from 3-year-old branches.--4.8 (2.4).

Mean no. of nodes of 2-year-old branches.--11.0 (15.3).

Mean no. of nodes of 3-year-old branches.--22.4 (15.3).

Mean angle of 3-year-old branches.--59.0 (59.7).

Mean angle of 4-year-old branches.--52.0 (58.3).

Buds: Conical, somewhat rounded, adpressed, 2-3 mm long, overlapping bud scales, smooth, with prominent leaf scars.

Flowers:

Flowering.--Flowering started in first year.

Abundance.--Flowering became abundant in third year.

Petal color.--White.

Petal shape.--oblong.

Petal length/width ratio.--About 2:1.

Bloom: Time of bloom is late.

Overall vigor:

Ungrafted.--Low.

Suckers.--None.

Root system: A comparison of the root system of GI 148/2 grafted with "Hedelfinger" and F12/1 grafted with Hedelfinger is shown below in Table 1:

TABLE 1
______________________________________
GI 148/2
F12/1
______________________________________
Fresh Matter 23.8 103.9
(kg) 13.8 m3 soil
Dry Matter 14.0 51.9
(kg)/13.8 m3 soil
Total length of roots
1816 1379
(m)/13.8 m3 soil
Dry Matter/rootlength
7.7 37.6
(g)
______________________________________

GI 148/2 has a more dense root system than F12/1 and especially a much higher portion of the fine roots. Growth of one ungrafted clone, 60 kilometers south of Giessen, Germany after 5th and 9th leafs is shown in Table 2 below:

TABLE 2
______________________________________
5th leaf
9th leaf
______________________________________
Height (cm) 155 215
Width (cm) 125 185
Depth (cm) 255
Fresh Weight Kg 10.6
______________________________________

Survey of growth data: In Table 3 the growth results after 12 twelve years of GI 148/2 and F12/1, both grafted grafted with Hedelfinger are shown in Table 3.

TABLE 3
______________________________________
GI 148/2
F12/1
______________________________________
Height of Crown (m) 2.6 5.2
Width of Crown (m) 4.7 6.2
Stem Cross Sectional (cm2)
245.9 503.4
Area of Variety
Stem Cross Sectional
118.85 486.0
Area of Rootstock
Fresh Weight of Plant
54.5 126.3
Parts Above Ground
Weight in Percent 31.0 100.0
______________________________________

A Crown-silhouette comparison of GI 148/2 and F12/1 (m2)=height×(width+depth)/2 is shown in Table 4.

TABLE 4
______________________________________
GI 148/2
F12/1
______________________________________
After 4 years in orchard:
2.8 7.7
After 6 years in orchard:
6.3 14.3
______________________________________

Enzyme polymorphism of GI 148/2: (Studied by horizontal starch gel electrophoresis of leaf tissue of 8 loci.) is shown in Table 5.

TABLE 5
______________________________________
148/2
______________________________________
Aconitase-2 24
Alkoholdehydrogenase-1 112
Isocitratdehydrogenase-2
112
Leucinaminopeptisase-1 34
5-Phosphogluconat-Dehydrogenase-1
112
6-Phosphogluconat-Dehydrogenase-2
122
Phophoglucose-Isomerase-2
224
Phosphoglucomutase-2 25
______________________________________

Gruppe, Werner, Schmidt, Hanna

Patent Priority Assignee Title
ER2449,
ER3102,
ER6926,
ER7868,
ER9426,
PP15723, Apr 23 2001 Varieties International, LLC Prunus plant named ‘VSL-2’
PP18825, Nov 13 2006 Cherry tree named ‘MG 200’
Patent Priority Assignee Title
PP8852, Jul 29 1992 Inter-Plant Patent Marketing, Inc. Cherry rootstock GI 148/8
PP8954, Jul 29 1992 Inter-Plant Patent Marketing, Inc. Cherry rootstock GI 148/1
/
Executed onAssignorAssigneeConveyanceFrameReelDoc
Jun 07 1995Inter-Plant Patent Marketing, Inc.(assignment on the face of the patent)
n/a
Date Maintenance Fee Events


n/a
Date Maintenance Schedule