Blueberry plant variety named ‘DrisBlueTwenty’

Abstract

A new and distinct variety of blueberry plant named DrisBlueTwenty, particularly selected as a vigorous and upright highbush blueberry variety having a chilling requirement of at least 1000 hours of winter temperatures below 7 C., and with fruit ripening mid- to late season that are medium to large in size, firm, with a heavy persistent waxy bloom, is disclosed.

Claims

1. A new and distinct variety of blueberry plant designated DrisBlueTwenty as shown and described herein.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) This new blueberry plant variety is illustrated by the accompanying photographs. The colors shown are as true as can be reasonably obtained by conventional photographic procedures. The photographs are of plants that are seven years old.

(2) FIG. 1 illustrates a section of a cane of variety DrisBlueTwenty.

(3) FIG. 2 illustrates leaves of variety DrisBlueTwenty.

(4) FIG. 3 illustrates flowers of variety DrisBlueTwenty.

(5) FIG. 4 illustrates whole fruit and cross-sections of the fruit of variety DrisBlueTwenty.

(6) FIG. 5 illustrates plants of variety DrisBlueTwenty.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

(7) The following description sets forth the distinctive characteristics of DrisBlueTwenty. The data which define these characteristics is based on observations taken in Linn County, Oreg. from 2011 to 2018. 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. DrisBlueTwenty has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The botanical description of DrisBlueTwenty was taken from seven-year-old plants, unless noted otherwise. The indicated values represent averages calculated from measurements of several plants. Color references are primarily to The R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society of London (R.H.S) (2007 edition). Descriptive terminology follows the Plant Identification Terminology, An Illustrated Glossary, 2.sup.nd edition by James G. Harris and Melinda Woolf Harris, unless where otherwise defined. Classification: Family.Ericaceae. Botanical.Vaccinium corymbosum L. Common name.Blueberry. Variety name.DrisBlueTwenty. Parentage: Female parent.The proprietary blueberry plant G455 (unpatented). Male parent.The proprietary blueberry plant MS122 (unpatented). Plant: Height.122.2 cm. Width.156.5 cm. Length/width ratio.0.8. Growth habit.Semi-upright. Chilling requirement.At least 1,000 hours of winter temperatures below 7 C. required for proper floral and vegetative budbreak. One-year-old canes (young canes).Length: 26 cm. Diameter at the base: 4 mm. Diameter at the tip: 3 mm. Internode length on the upper half: 16.3 mm. Color: RHS 167A (Moderate orange). One-year-old cane surface texture: Smooth. Five-year-old canes (mature canes).Length: 40 cm. Diameter at the base: 18 mm. Diameter at the tip: 14 mm. Five-year-old cane surface texture: Rough. Flower bud anthocyanin color.RHS N57B (Red-purple). Leaves: Length.71.8 mm. Width.30.8 mm. Length/width ratio.2.3. Internode length.19.49 mm. Shape.Ovate. Margin.Entire. Color on upper side.RHS 137A (Green). Color of lower side.RHS N138C (Pale green). Shape of the leaf apex.Acute. Shape of the leaf base.Cuneate. Venation pattern of upper leaf surface.Reticulate. Venation pattern of lower leaf surface.Reticulate. Petiole.Length: 4.0 mm. Diameter: 1.49 mm. Petiole color: RHS 145A (Strong yellow-green). Flowers: Length (excluding peduncle).10.83 mm. Diameter.6.71 mm. Length/width ratio.1.6. Flower bud (inflorescence bud).Length: 8.84 mm. Width: 4.15 mm. Number of flowers per bud: 8. Color of bud: RHS 138B (Moderate yellow-green). Flower pedicel.Length: 5.60 mm. Diameter: 1.27 mm. Pedicel color: RHS 145B (Light yellow-green). Corolla.Length of corolla: 11.1 mm. Width of corolla: 5.3 mm. Shape: Urceolate. Anthocyanin coloration of corolla tube: Present. Anthocyanin color of corolla tube: RHS 62D (Red-purple). Ridges on corolla tube: Present. Petal width (ridge to ridge): 2.05 mm. Petal length: 10 mm. Petal apex: Emarginate. Color of petal upper surface: RHS 155D (White). Color of petal lower surface: RHS 155D (White). Diameter of corolla aperture: 3.14 mm. Calyx.Diameter of calyx: 7.9 mm. Calyx upper surface color: RHS 139B (Moderate yellowish green). Calyx lower surface color: RHS 138A (Green). Sepal.Number of sepals per flower: 5. Sepal shape: Obtuse. Sepal length: 3.8 mm. Sepal width: 4.3 mm. Sepal apex: Obtuse. Sepal margin: Entire. Color of sepal upper surface: RHS 138A (Green). Color of sepal lower surface: RHS 138A (Green). Reproductive organs.Style length (including stigma): 8.71 mm. Flowering interval on one-year shoot.Mid-April to early June. Fruit: Length.13.38 mm. Diameter.17.61 mm. Length/width ratio.0.8. Shape in longitudinal section.Round. Attitude of sepals.Erect to semi-erect. Type of sepals.Incurving. Calyx basin.Diameter: 5.96 mm. Depth: 2.11 mm. Diameter/depth ratio: 2.8. Weight.1.65 g. Firmness.Medium. Sweetness.Medium. Acidity.Medium. Number of berries per cluster.6.50. Peduncle length.23.29 mm. Peduncle color.RHS 138B (Moderate yellow-green). Diameter of fruit pedicel.1.24 mm. Seed.Length: 1.23 mm. Width: 0.73 mm. Length/width ratio: 1.7. Seed color: RHS 165A (Moderate brown). Color of unripe fruit.RHS 144A (Yellow-green). Color of fruit skin (after removal of bloom).RHS 103A (Blue). Color of fruit skin (with bloom).RHS 98D (Purplish blue). Berry flesh color.RHS 145C (Light yellow-green). Fruiting type.On one-year-old shoots. Ripening interval (harvest season) on one-year-old shoot.Mid-July to early September. Fruit storage quality.Following harvest, fruit have been stored for 21 days when maintained under cooled temperatures that are standard for blueberry storage. Productivity per plant per season.4 kg to 7 kg of fruit. Yield.15,000 kg to 25,000 kg of fruit per hectare per season from 72-month-old plants when grown at Albany, Oreg. Resistance to abiotic stress, pests, and diseases: Heat.Moderately resistant. Cold hardiness.Plants have survived winter temperatures of 4 C. Spotted-wing drosophila (Drosophila suzukii).Moderately susceptible. Botrytis fruit rot (Botrytis cinerea).Moderately susceptible. Verticillium wilt (Verticillium spp.).Moderately resistant. Phomopsis cane dieback.Moderately susceptible.

COMPARISONS TO PARENTAL AND COMMERCIAL BLUEBERRY VARIETIES

(8) DrisBlueTwenty differs from the proprietary female parent and commercial blueberry plant variety G455 (unpatented) in that fruit of DrisBlueTwenty are larger in size, have a more persistent waxy bloom, and are sweeter-tasting compared to fruit of G455.

(9) DrisBlueTwenty differs from the proprietary male parent MS122 (unpatented) in that DrisBlueTwenty has a much higher chilling requirement for proper reproductive and vegetative development and is more upright in growth habit when compared to MS122.

(10) DrisBlueTwenty differs from the commercial blueberry plant variety Liberty (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,146) in that DrisBlueTwenty has a semi-upright growth habit, whereas Liberty has an upright to semi-upright growth habit. Moreover, leaves of DrisBlueTwenty are ovate in shape with an entire leaf margin, whereas leaves of Liberty are ovate to elliptic in shape with a serrate leaf margin. Further, flowers of DrisBlueTwenty have strong anthocyanin coloration of corolla tube, whereas flowers of Liberty have absent or very weak anthocyanin coloration of corolla tube. In addition, DrisBlueTwenty is more vigorous, has higher yield, and produces fruit that are firmer in texture and sweeter-tasting when compared to Liberty.

(11) DrisBlueTwenty differs from the commercial blueberry plant variety DrisBlueFourteen (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 27,622) in that leaves of DrisBlueTwenty have a small length/width ratio and are ovate in shape, whereas leaves of DrisBlueFourteen have a large length/width ratio and are elliptic in shape. Moreover, fruit of DrisBlueTwenty have a round shape in longitudinal section with an incurving type of sepals, whereas fruit of DrisBlueFourteen have an oblate shape in longitudinal section with a reflexed type of sepals. In addition, DrisBlueTwenty is less susceptible to high temperature heat damage to leaves and fruit, is more vigorous growing, and has a more persistent waxy bloom on fruit when compared to DrisBlueFourteen.