Strawberry plant named ‘Dickens’

Abstract

This invention relates to a new and distinct June-bearing (short day responsive) strawberry plant named Dickens primarily adapted to the growing conditions of the west central New York and other regions of similar climate. The new plant is primarily characterized by strong vigor, high resistance to replant diseases, fruit equally broad and long, wide rounded conical fruit shape, large primary fruit with a small internal cavity, uniformly large secondary and tertiary fruit, high fruit numbers per fruiting lateral and plant, flat calyx and intense red fruit color externally and internally.

Claims

1. A new and distinct cultivar of strawberry plant named Dickens as herein described and illustrated by the characteristics set forth above.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The accompanying color photographs show typical specimens of the new plant at various stages of development as nearly true as it is possible to make in color reproductions. The depicted plant and plant parts were from the first harvest season, approximately 13 months after planting.

(2) FIGS. 1A-B show typical fruit shape and uniformity (FIG. 1A) and fruiting truss arrangement including large peduncle bracts (FIG. 1B) of Dickens.

(3) FIGS. 2A-C show typical external fruit characteristics of Dickens (FIG. 2A) including calyx structure and fruit shape compared to Jewel (FIG. 2B) and Clancy (FIG. 2C).

(4) FIGS. 3A-C show typical internal fruit characteristics of Dickens (FIG. 3A) compared to Jewel (FIG. 3B) and Clancy (FIG. 3C).

(5) FIGS. 4A-C show leaf margin serrations for Dickens (FIG. 4A), Jewel (FIG. 4B) and L'Amour (FIG. 4C).

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

(6) The following description of Dickens, unless otherwise noted, is based on observations taken during the 2018 growing season in Geneva, N.Y. These measurements and ratings were taken from plants planted in May 2017. The age of the planting was approximately 13 months and in its first harvest season. Yield observations and fruit quality characteristics are averaged from data collected during the 2013 and 2014 production seasons. The characteristics of the new plant may vary in detail, depending upon variations in environmental factors (temperature, rainfall, humidity and light intensity). Dickens has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. Color terminology where noted follows The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart (R.H.S.C.C.), London, copyright 2001. Comparative fruit characteristics: Dickens fruit, fruit production, and fruit quality characteristics collected in the first harvest season after planting are shown in Tables 1-4.

(7) TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Fruit characteristics: Yield (g/plant) Cultivar 2013 2014 Average Dickens 446 235 341 Clancy 192 225 209 Ovation 209 270 240 Jewel 200 270 235 Seneca 363 238 301 Total fruit yield of Dickens and regionally standard varieties from 2 separate trials, one harvested in 2013 and one in 2014 in Geneva, NY. Fruit was harvested in June/July in each year. The plants of Dickens and the other varieties were grown in a cooperating commercial nursery in Hartford, MI or South Deerfield, MA and planted the year prior for each trial in May 2012 and 2013 respectively.

(8) TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 Fruit characteristics: Weight (g per berry) and Number per plant Mean Fruit Cultivar 2013 2014 Average Number/Plant Dickens 11.8 8.7 10.3 33 Clancy 14.7 12.8 13.8 16 Ovation 11.8 11.3 11.6 22 Jewel 13.9 10.9 12.4 19 Seneca 12.9 12.5 12.7 24 Average fruit weight and mean number of fruit per plant of Dickens and regionally standard varieties from 2 separate trials, one harvested in 2013 and one in 2014 in Geneva, NY. Fruit was harvested in June/July in each year. The plants of Dickens and the other varieties were grown in a cooperating commercial nursery in Hartford, MI or South Deerfield, MA and planted the year prior for each trial in May 2012 and 2013, respectively.

(9) TABLE-US-00003 TABLE 3 Fruit characteristics: Color and dimensions Character Dickens L'Amour Jewel Clancy RHSCC red 46A red 46B red 44A red 46A Exterior Color Fruit Length 3.23 4.22 3.46 3.07 mean (cm) Fruit Width 3.27 3.62 3.61 3.59 mean (cm).sup.1 Fruit Length/ 0.99 1.20 1.05 0.86 Width Ratio No. Sepals/ 10.7 11.0 12.4 11.9 Berry Comparison of mature secondary fruit characteristics of Dickens with standards grown in Geneva, NY. .sup.1Width is measured across the widest part of the berry, typically across the upper section.

(10) TABLE-US-00004 TABLE 4 Fruit characteristics: Chemical qualities Character Dickens L'Amour Jewel Clancy Soluble solids.sup.1,2 10.54 8.91 7.80 9.02 Titratable acidity.sup.2,3 9.00 8.93 6.61 8.93 Juice pH.sup.2 3.35 3.68 3.44 3.54 Comparison of soluble solids (% Brix), titratable acidity, and juice pH of Dickens with standards grown in Geneva, NY. .sup.1Soluble solids is estimated from % Brix with % Brix being an indirect measurement of the sugar content in the fruit. .sup.2Averaged from 3 samples on 3 dates during the harvest season. .sup.3g per L equivalents of citric acid Detailed fruit characteristics of Dickens: Ratio of length/width.Broader than long to equal. Size.Large. Mean fruit size is 10.3 g.; maximum fruit size is 45.0 g. Aroma.Strong strawberry aroma. Predominant shape.Broad, conical. Difference in shapes between primary and secondary fruit.Low to moderate. Band without achenes.Narrow width. Color of mature fruit.Bright to dark red group 46A at maturity to red group 53A at over mature. Evenness of color.Usually even. Glossiness.Moderate to high. Insertion of achenes.Level to slightly recessed from surface. Attitude of the calyx segments.Usually flat with occasional reflexed. Size of calyx in relation to fruit diameter.Generally smaller. Adherence of calyx (when fully ripe).Strong. Firmness of skin.Strong. Firmness of flesh.Firm. Color of flesh.Intense red with slightly lighter inner ring (red group 46A to 44C). Distribution of red color of the flesh.Uniform through central with slightly lighter center. Hollow center.Weakly expressed in primary fruit. Generally not in secondary fruit. Seed color.Medium yellow-green to red on sun exposed side (yellow-green 154A to red 59A). Time of flowering (50% of plants at first flower).Mean first bloom date in Geneva, N.Y. is May 8; mean full bloom is May 14; mean last bloom is May 28. Time of ripening (50% of plants with first ripe fruit).Mean fruit harvest date in Geneva, N.Y. is June 11; mean last harvest is July 6; mean peak harvest is June 20. Type of bearing.Fully short day responsive. Comparative plant characteristics: Dickens plant characteristics are shown in Table 5. Plant characteristics are taken from a fully mature mid-season plant.

(11) TABLE-US-00005 TABLE 5 Plant characteristics: Comparisons Character Dickens L'Amour Jewel Clancy Plant Height (mean cm) 31.6 31.9 27.3 26.1 Vigor.sup.1 7.0 8.3 5.0 7.0 Canopy density.sup.1 6.0 7.7 7.0 7.5 Comparison of plant characteristics of Dickens, with standards grown in Geneva, NY. .sup.1Rated on a scale of 1-9 (9 being more vigorous or dense) in mature replicated plots. Detailed plant characteristics of Dickens: Size.Large. Mean diameter of plants is 49 cm with a range of 45 to 54 cm. Mean height is 31.6 cm. Habit.Moderately upright. Density.Moderate. Vigor.Strong. Comparative foliage characteristics: Dickens foliage characteristics are shown in Table 6. Foliage characteristics are taken from a fully mature tri-foliate during mid-season.

(12) TABLE-US-00006 TABLE 6 Foliage characteristics: Comparisons Character Dickens L'Amour Jewel RHSCC Color green 137A green 137A green 138A (upper surface) RHSCC Color yellow-green green 139C green 137D (lower surface) 146B Terminal 9.5 8.4 7.5 Leaflet Length mean (cm) Terminal 8.9 8.5 7.6 Leaflet Width mean (cm) Terminal 1.07 0.99 0.99 Leaflet ratio (L/W) Petiole Length 23.2 22.8 19.9 mean (cm) Serrations/Leaf 22.9 22.3 18.3 Stipule Length 2.7 3.5 3.0 mean (cm) Stipule Width 0.6 0.8 0.8 mean (cm) Comparison of leaf characteristics of Dickens to standards grown in Geneva, NY. Detailed foliage characteristics of Dickens: Color of upper surface.Green group 137A. Color of underside.Yellow-green group 146B. Shape in cross section.Slightly concave. Interveinal blistering.Light to moderate Glossiness.Low. Number of leaflets/leaf.Generally three. Leaf blistering.Weak to medium leaf blistering. Terminal leaflet: Size.Large. Mean length is 9.5 cm; mean width is 8.9 cm. Length/width ratio.Longer than broad; 9.5 cm/8.7 cm=1.07. Shape of base.Cuneate. Shape serrations.Mucronate. Petiole: Pubescence density.High. Stipule color.Light to medium yellow-green (yellow-green N145B). Anthocyanin coloration of stipule.Common on young leaves. (red 46B). Attitude of hairs.Generally toward petiole base. Size of bract leaflets.Mediums size. Mean length: 28.6 mm/2.9 cm, ranging from 22 mm to 35 mm; mean width: 18.8 mm/1.9 cm, ranging from 7 mm to 30 mm. Frequency of bract leaflets.Occur on approximately 20% of petioles. Comparative flower and inflorescence characteristics: Dickens inflorescence and flower characteristics. Inflorescence characteristics are taken from a fully mature plant during full bloom. Flower characteristics are taken from a secondary flower during mid-season at full maturity:

(13) TABLE-US-00007 TABLE 7 Flower and Inflorescence Characteristics: Comparisons Character Dickens L'Amour Jewel Fruiting Truss Length (mean cm).sup.1 25.6 32.3 20.9 Corolla Diameter (mean mm) 24.3 36 31 Calyx Diameter (mean mm) 26.9 33 34 Petal Length (mean mm) 10.6 15.4 14.0 Petal Width 9.1 13.6 13.3 Petal L/W Ratio 1.17 1.13 1.09 Petals/Flower (mean) 5.0 5.1 6.3 Sepals/Flower (mean) 10.7 11.0 12.4 Comparison of inflorescence and secondary flower characteristics of Dickens with standards grown in Geneva, NY. .sup.1as measured from the base of the primary peduncle where it attaches to the crown of the plant to the furthest berry. Detailed inflorescence characteristics of Dickens: Position relative to foliage.Generally below canopy. Fruiting truss length.Medium; mean length of 25.6 cm. Peduncle bract.Common. Often 2 or more on truss branches. Detailed flower characteristics of Dickens: Color.White (white 155C). Size.Medium to large. Mean corolla size/diameter is 2.43 cm (24.3 mm) and mean calyx size/diameter is 2.69 cm (26.9 mm). Size of calyx relative to corolla.Generally larger. Relative position of petals.Overlapping in primary fruit. No overlap in secondary fruit. Petal length/width ratio.Longer than broad. Mean petal length to width ratio is 1.17. Petal shape.Obovate. Stamens.Stamens are present in the flower. Pest reactions.Dickens is known to be moderately resistant to the two-spotted spider mite (Tetranychus urticae) and susceptible to aphids (Chaetosiphon fragaefolii) and flower thrips (Frankliniella occidentalis and F. tritici). It is somewhat susceptible to leaf spot (Mycosphaerella fragariae) and tolerant to leaf blight (Phomopsis obscurans). It is resistant to leaf scorch (Diplocarpon earliana) and foliar powdery mildew (Podosphaera aphanis) in mid-summer. It is tolerant or resistant to common root rot complexes found in NY and is tolerant to replant disease. The susceptibility of the new plant to any of the virus complexes of NY has not been determined.