BLUEBERRY PLANT NAMED 'C12-069'

Abstract

The new blueberry plant variety ‘C12-069’ is provided. ‘C12-069’ is a commercial variety intended for the fresh market. The variety is produced from a cross of ‘Indigocrisp’ (seed parent, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 26,523) and ‘FL01-271’ (unpatented pollen parent).

Claims

1. A new and distinct variety of blueberry plant named ‘C12-069’, substantially as illustrated and described herein.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] The accompanying photographic illustration shows typical specimens in full color of the foliage and fruit of the new variety ‘C12-069’. The colors are as nearly true as is reasonably possible in a color representation of this type.

[0018] FIG. 1 is a photograph of the new variety ‘C12-069’ showing botanical parts of the plant (ripe fruit, green fruit, flowers and leaves).

[0019] FIG. 2 is a photograph of the new variety ‘C12-069’, showing a typical fruit calyx of the variety.

[0020] FIG. 3 is a photograph of ‘C12-069’ showing a typical pedicel scar of a fruit of the variety.

[0021] FIG. 4 shows the typical fruit cluster of the new variety ‘C12-069’.

[0022] FIG. 5 shows a full row of the new variety ‘C12-069’ growing in pots and managed in substrate.

[0023] 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

[0024] The following detailed description sets forth the distinctive characteristics of ‘C12-069’. 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 (“RHS”).

[0025] Classification: [0026] a. Family—Ericaceae. [0027] b. Genus—Vaccinium. [0028] c. Species—corymbosum hybrid. [0029] d. Common Name—blueberry.

[0030] Parentage: Female Parent—patented variety ‘Indigocrisp’. Male Parent—unpatented selection ‘FL01-271’.

[0031] Market Class: fresh market.

PLANT

[0032] General: [0033] Parentage.—‘Indigocrisp’x FL01-271. [0034] Plant height.—1.44 m. [0035] Plant width.—0.92 m. [0036] Growth habit.—upright. [0037] Growth.—vigour is medium. [0038] Productivity.—medium. [0039] Cold hardiness.—low chill. [0040] Cold tolerance.—low. [0041] Chilling requirement.—low, estimated between 150 and 300 hours. [0042] Tolerance to disease.—none assessed. [0043] Leafing.—overall medium to high and plant retains leaves during the winter. [0044] Twigginess.—low.

FOLIAGE

[0045] General: [0046] Leaf color (top side).—green group, similar to N137A. [0047] Leaf color (under side).—yellow-green, similar to 148D. [0048] Leaf arrangement.—alternate. [0049] Leaf shape.—elliptic. [0050] Leaf margins.—entire. [0051] Leaf venation.—reticulate. [0052] Leaf length.—average 64.7 mm (long to very long). [0053] Leaf width.—average 34.3 mm (broad). [0054] Leaf length/width ratio.—1.9. [0055] Leaf nectarines.—absent. [0056] Pubescence of upper side.—absent. [0057] Pubescence of lower side.—absent. [0058] Attitude.—horizontal. [0059] Petioles: [0060] Length.—average 3.4 mm. [0061] Width.—average 1.7 mm. [0062] Colour.—similar to yellow-green group 145A.

FLOWERS

[0063] General: [0064] Time of beginning to flower.—early season. [0065] Flower shape.—urceolate. [0066] Flower fragrance.—none perceptible. [0067] Corolla: [0068] Color.—white group, similar to NN155B. [0069] Length.—medium, averaging 9.6 mm, similar to that of ‘Snowchaser’ and that of ‘C99-042’. [0070] Width.—7 mm. [0071] Aperture width.—3.6 mm. [0072] Anthocyanin coloration of corolla.—absent or very weak. [0073] Corolla ridges.—present. [0074] Protrusion of stigma.—absent. [0075] Inflorescence: [0076] Surface texture of peduncle.—medium. [0077] Color of peduncle.—the base colour is similar to yellow-green group 145A, and the overall colour is similar to greyed-red group 182A. [0078] Length of pedicel.—average 14.6 mm. [0079] Surface texture of pedicel.—smooth. [0080] Color of pedicel.—yellow green group, similar to 145B and 145C. [0081] Number of flowers per cluster.—average 8. [0082] Flower cluster density.—dense. [0083] Stamen: [0084] Length.—average 7.7 mm. [0085] Number per flower.—9. [0086] Filament color.—similar to yellow-green group 145D. [0087] Style.—Length — average 9.15 mm. [0088] Color.—similar to yellow-green group 145A. [0089] Pistil: [0090] Length.—average 12.03 mm. [0091] Anther: [0092] Length.—average 4.4 mm. [0093] Number.—9. [0094] Color.—similar to greyed-orange group 165A. [0095] Pollen: [0096] Abundance.—little. [0097] Color.—similar to yellow group 11C. [0098] Self compatibility.—yes.

FRUIT

[0099] General: [0100] Cluster density.—dense, ranging 6-9 berries per cluster. [0101] Unripe fruit color.—similar to green group 144A. [0102] Ripe berry color.—blue group 103A. [0103] Berry surface wax abundance.—medium. [0104] Berry weight.—very large, on average 4.1 g. [0105] Berry height from calyx to scar.—14.3 mm. [0106] Berry diameter.—19.6 mm. [0107] Berry shape.—oblate. [0108] Fruit stem scar.—dry. [0109] Sweetness when ripe.—medium (12 Brix). [0110] Acidity when ripe.—medium (0.6%). [0111] Storage quality.—long shelf life (36 days). [0112] Suitability for mechanical harvesting.—not tested. [0113] Self-fruitfulness.—yes, with a proportion of the fruit parthenocarpic. [0114] Uses.—fruit to be hand harvested for tresh market.

SEED

[0115] General: [0116] Seed abundance in fruit.—low, on average 5 seeds per fruit. [0117] Seed color.—similar to greyed orange 165A. [0118] Seed length.—average 2.14 mm.

COMPARISON WITH COMMERCIAL CULTIVARS

[0119] Table 1 below provide comparison between ‘C12-069’ and several commercial cultivars:

TABLE-US-00001 Comparison of ‘C12-069’ with similar cultivars Characteristic C12-069 C99-042 Snowchaser Plant vigour Medium Weak to medium Medium Plant growth habit Upright Semi-upright to Semi-upright intermediate One year old shoot Medium Very short to short Short length of internodes Leaf length Long to very long short Long Leaf length (mm) 64.7 ± 2.6 53.10 ± 0.8 61.50 ± 0.9 Leaf width Broad Very narrow to narrow Broad Leaf width (mm) 34.3 ± 1.8  22.9 ± 1.3  34.3 ± 1.5 Flower size of Medium Medium Medium corolla Flower corolla  9.6 ± 0.3  9.7 ± 0.3  9.5 ± 0.3 length (mm) Fruit cluster density Dense Sparse Medium Fruit size Very large Small to medium Small to medium Fruit weight (g)  4.1 ± 0.2   1.9 ± 0.39   1.7 ± 0.21 Fruit diameter (mm) 19.6 ± 1.7   15.6 ± 0.96  15.10 ± 0.97 Fruit depth of calyx Shallow Medium Shallow basin Fruit intensity of Medium Weak to medium Weak to medium bloom Fruit firmness Very firm Firm Soft Soluble solid 12 13.1  14 content (%) Titratable acidity   0.6 0.4   0.7 (%) Time of vegetative Early Early Early bud burst Time of beginning Early Early to medium Very early to early of flowering Time of beginning Early Early to medium Very early to early of fruit ripening