Blueberry plant named C14-771

Abstract

The new blueberry plant variety ‘C14-771’ is provided. ‘C14-771’ is a commercial variety intended for the fresh market. The variety is produced from a cross of unpatented parents ‘FL10-012’ and ‘FL05-613’.

Claims

1. A new and distinct variety of blueberry plant named ‘C14-771’, substantially as illustrated and described herein.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] The accompanying photographic illustration shows typical specimens in full color of the foliage and fruit of the new variety ‘C14-771’. The colors are as nearly true as is reasonably possible in a color representation of this type.

[0019] FIG. 1 is a photograph of the new variety ‘C14-771’, showing 3 year old plants growing in a substrate system.

[0020] FIG. 2 is a photograph showing a typical calyx of fruit of the new variety ‘C14-771’.

[0021] FIG. 3 is a photograph showing the typical pedicel scar of fruit of the new variety ‘C14-771’.

[0022] FIG. 4 is a photograph of the new variety ‘C14-771’ showing the botanical parts of the plants (ripe fruit, green fruit, flowers and leaves).

[0023] FIG. 5 is a photograph showing the large fruit size of the new variety ‘C14-771’.

[0024] The colors in the photographs are as close as possible with the photographic and printing technology utilized. The color values cited in the detailed botanical description accurately describe the colors of the new blueberry variety.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

[0025] The following detailed description sets forth the distinctive characteristics of ‘C14-771’. The data which defines these characteristics was collected from asexual reproductions of the original selection. Dimensions, sizes, colors, and other characteristics are approximations and averages set forth as accurately as possible. For all traits data was collected from 3 plant parts across 6 randomly selected plants. For the traits relating to fruits (e.g., fruit weight, firmness, brix, acidity) the data is an average across twenty fruits collected randomly. The plant history was taken on plants approximately 3 years of age, and the descriptions relate to plants grown in the field in Corindi Beach, New South Wales, 2456 Australia. Descriptions of fruit characteristics were made on fruit grown in Corindi Beach, New South Wales, 2456 Australia. Color designations are from the 2007 edition of The Royal Horticultural Society (“R.H.S.”). [0026] Classification: [0027] a. Family.—Ericaceae. [0028] b. Genus.—Vaccinium. [0029] c. Species.—corymbosum hybrid. [0030] d. Common Name.—Blueberry. [0031] Parentage: Female Parent — unpatented selection ‘FL10-012’. Male Parent — unpatented selection ‘FL05-613’. [0032] Market class: fresh market.

PLANT

[0033] General: [0034] Parentage.—FL10-012 x FL05-613. [0035] Plant height.—1.78 m. [0036] Plant width.—1.12 m. [0037] Growth habit.—Upright. [0038] Growth.—Strong vigour [0039] Productivity.—Medium to low yield. [0040] Cold hardiness.—Low chill. [0041] Cold tolerance.—Low. [0042] Chilling requirement.—Low, estimated between 150 and 300 hours. [0043] Tolerance to disease.—None assessed. [0044] Leafing.—Overall medium, and plant retains leaves during the winter. [0045] Twigginess.—Low. [0046] FOLIAGE [0047] General: [0048] Leaf color (top side).—Green group, similar to N137C. [0049] Leaf color (under side).—Green group, similar to N138C and 138B. [0050] Leaf arrangement.—Alternate. [0051] Leaf shape.—Elliptic. [0052] Leaf margins.—Entire. [0053] Leaf venation.—Reticulate. [0054] Leaf length.—Long to very long (average 72 mm). [0055] Leaf width.—Broad (average 33.1 mm). [0056] Leaf length/width ratio.—2.2. [0057] Leaf nectarines.—Absent. [0058] Pubescence of upper side.—Absent. [0059] Pubescence of lower side.—Absent. [0060] Cross sectional profile.—Flat. [0061] Longitudinal profile.—Straight. [0062] Attitude.—Horizontal. [0063] Petioles: [0064] Length.—Average 4.5 mm. [0065] Width.—Average 1.84 mm. [0066] Color.—Yellow-green group, similar to 145B.

FLOWERS

[0067] General: [0068] Time of beginning of flowering.—Early to mid-season. [0069] Flower shape.—Urceolate. [0070] Flower fragrance.—None perceptible. [0071] Corolla: [0072] Color.—White group, similar to NN155B. [0073] Length.—9.3 mm. [0074] Width.—9.6 mm. [0075] Aperture width.—4.8 mm. [0076] Anthocyanin coloration of corolla.—Absent to very weak. [0077] Corolla ridges.—Present. [0078] Protrusion of stigma.—Very small but noticeable [0079] Inflorescence: [0080] Surface texture of peduncle.—Medium. [0081] Color of peduncle.—Yellow-green group, similar to 145A with greyed-red group similar to 182A on top. [0082] Length of pedicel.—8.3 mm. [0083] Surface texture of pedicel.—Smooth. [0084] Color of pedicel.—Yellow green group, similar to 145A and 146C. [0085] Number of flowers per cluster.—6. [0086] Flower cluster density.—Medium. [0087] Stamen: [0088] Length.—7.4 mm. [0089] Number per flower.—12. [0090] Filament color.—Yellow-green group, similar to 145B. [0091] Style.—Length — 9.3 mm. [0092] Color.—Yellow-green group, similar to 145B and N144D. [0093] Pistil: [0094] Length.—11.2 mm. [0095] Anther: [0096] Length.—4.3 mm. [0097] Number.—12. [0098] Color.—Greyed-orange group, similar to 165B. [0099] Pollen: [0100] Self compatibility .—Yes. [0101] Abundance.—Few. [0102] Color.—Yellow group, similar to 10A.

FRUIT

[0103] General: [0104] Time of fruit ripening.—Early to medium. [0105] Cluster density.—Medium (5-7 berries per cluster). [0106] Unripe fruit color.—Yellow green group, similar to 145B. [0107] Ripe berry color.—Blue group 103A. [0108] Berry surface wax abundance.—Medium to strong. [0109] Berry weight.—Very large, on average 4.2 g. [0110] Berry height from calyx to scar.—15.6 mm. [0111] Berry diameter.—19.8 mm. [0112] Berry shape.—Oblate. [0113] Fruit stem scar.—Small and dry. [0114] Sweetness when ripe.—Medium (12 Brix). [0115] Firmness when ripe.—Firm. [0116] Acidity when ripe.—Medium (0.50%). [0117] Storage quality.—Long storage, on average 36 days [0118] Suitability for mechanical harvesting.—Not tested. [0119] Uses.—Fruit to be hand harvested for fresh market. [0120] Self fruitfulness.—Yes, with a proportion of the crop from parthenocarpic fruit.

SEED

[0121] General: [0122] Seed abundance in fruit.—Low, on average 4 seeds per fruit. [0123] Seed color.—Greyed brown group, similar to N199B. [0124] Seed length.—1.66 mm.

COMPARISON BETWEEN PARENTAL AND COMMERCIAL CULTIVARS

[0125] Table 1 below provide comparison between C14-771 and several commercial cultivars:

TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Comparison of ‘C14-771’ with similar cultivars Characteristics ‘C14-771’ ‘C99-042’ ‘Snowchaser’ Plant vigour Strong Weak Medium to medium Plant growth habit Upright Semi-upright to Semi-upright intermediate One year old shoot Medium Very short to Short length of internodes short Leaf length Long to short Long very long Leaf length (mm)   72 ± 2.8 53.10 ± 0.8 61.50 ± 0.9 Leaf width Broad Very narrow to Broad narrow Leaf width (mm) 33.1 ± 2.3  22.9 ± 1.3  34.3 ± 1.5 Flower size of corolla Medium Medium Medium Flower corolla  9.3 ± 0.3  9.7 ± 0.3  9.5 ± 0.3 length (mm) Fruit cluster density Medium Sparse Medium Fruit size Very large Small to Small to medium medium Fruit weight (g)  4.2 ± 0.6  1.9 ± 0.39  1.7 ± 0.21 Fruit diameter (mm) 19.8 ± 1.4  15.6 ± 0.96 15.10 ± 0.97 Fruit depth of calyx basin Deep Medium Shallow Fruit intensity of bloom Medium to Weak to Weak to strong medium medium Fruit firmness Firm Firm soft Soluble solid content (%) 12 13.1 14.3 Titratable acidity (%)  0.5  0.3  0.5 Time of vegetative Early Early Early bud burst Time of beginning Early to Early to Very early to of flowering medium medium early Time of beginning Early to Early to Very early to of fruit ripening medium medium early