Raspberry plant named ‘Atena’

Abstract

A new a primocane raspberry cultivar named Atena having good fruit colour and flavour, large and very firm berries is disclosed. The new cultivar has the advantages of producing fruits that are very easy to pick and produces two crops per year, where the fruits mainly ripen on current season's cane in autumn.

Claims

1. A new and distinct cultivar of raspberry plant as substantially herein shown and described.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

(1) The new red raspberry cultivar Atena is illustrated by the accompanying photographs showing typical specimens of the new variety in colour as true as reasonably possible to make the same colour illustrations of this character by conventional photographic procedures. The photographs are of plants that are from four to six months old.

(2) FIG. 1 is a view showing the raspberry plants with ripening fruit. The upright, tall plants and vigorous laterals can be appreciated.

(3) FIG. 2 is a view showing the leaf upper and lower surfaces.

(4) FIG. 3 is a view showing the plant primocane internode length and cane colour.

(5) FIG. 4 is a view showing the ripe fruit size and shape.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(6) The following detailed description set forth the distinctive characteristics of the new variety Atena. The performance of new cultivar for retention of its distinctive characteristics has been evaluated through successive asexual propagations by root cutting in the Applicant's setting in Altopiano della Vigolana, Trentino Region (Italy) under natural conditions in plastic covered high tunnels. The growing was in soils using coir as substrate.

(7) * Colour references made to R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society of London (Edition V)

(8) The plant assessment was performed for 2 years. Botanical descriptions are for plants 4-6 months old. Classification: Family.Rosaceae. Botanical.Rubus idaeus L. Common name.Raspberry. Parentage: Dolomia Plus x Erika. Plant: General habit.Upright canes; strong vigor; good roots system; adapted to winter conditions such as those at Altopiano della Vigolana (average min temperature 1 C.; average max temperature 5 C.); quite resilient to summer heat (average min temperature 13 C.; average max temperature 27 C.) high productivity in autumn. Average height (average).1.80-2 m. Spread (average).0.90 m. Shape.Conical. Vegetative bud length.Medium 3.0-5.0 mm. Primocane: Length (average).1.80-2.0 m. Diameter (average) at 1.0 m height.0.8-1.0 cm. Texture.Smooth. Internode length (average) at 1.0 m height.6-7 cm. Number of fruiting laterals per cane (average).13-14. Number of current season's shoots.Few to medium. Young shoot colour.*RHS: 140A. Dormant cane colour.*RHS: 185A. Cane colour.*RHS: N144C. Spines.Present. Spines: Shape.Conical. Size (average).1.0-1.5 mm. Density (average) at 1.2 m.3 per cm.sup.2. Colour.*RHS 59A. Foliage: Leaves: Shape.Compound; odd-pinnate and subdivided in 3-5 ovate and doubly serrate leaflets. Profile in cross section.Concave. Rugosity.Moderate. Complete leaf.Length: 30.5 cm. Width: 19.8 cm. Number of leaflets: 3-5. Upper surface colour.*RHS 139B. Lower surface colour.*RHS 137D. Lateral leaflets.Specular. Lateral leaflets average size.Length: 11.0 cm. Width: 6.5 cm. Lateral leaflets apex shape.Pointed. Lateral leaflets base shape.Ovate. Lateral leaflets margin type.Doubly serrate. Terminal leaflets average size.Size: Length: 13.5 cm. Width: 8.3 cm. Terminal leaflets apex shape.Pointed. Terminal leaflets base shape.Ovate. Terminal leaflets margin type.Doubly serrate. Petiole: Average length.8.7 cm. Average diameter.0.3 cm. Colour.*RHS 137D. Inflorescence: Average length.56.5 cm. Average diameter.32 cm. Flowers: Number per plant (average).250. Length (average).9.50 mm. Diameter (average).30.35 mm. Diameter (receptacle).8.10 mm. Shape.Pentagonal. Petal colour (upper surface).*RHS: NN155B. Petal colour (lower surface).*RHS: NN155C. Petal number (average).5. Petal shape.Obovate. Apex: rounded. Base: cuneate. Margin: entire. Sepal number (average)5. Colour (upper surface): *RHS: 142C. Colour (lower surface): *RHS: 142D. Length (average): 1.2 cm. Width (mid part): 0.5 cm. Fragrance.Absent. Blooming.July-August. Pedicel length (average).2.5 cm. Fruit: Predominant shape.Elongated conical. Weight.5.5 g. Size.Length 2.7 cm. width 2.2 cm. Colour of ripe fruit.*RHS 45D. Colour of immature fruit.*RHS 41D. Firmness.Very firm (0.06 kg). Drupes per fruit (average).105. Drupe size.Length: 3.9 mm. Width: 3.6 mm. Depth: 5.9 mm. Glossiness.Medium. Adherence to plug.Low. Titratable acidity.31.93 meq/hg. Soluble solids.7.6 Brix. Yield.4.7 Kg/m (3 plants/m). Main bearing type.On current year's cane in autumn from half August to late October. Use/market.Suitable for consumption as high grade fresh fruit and also amenable to processing. Keeping quality.The fruit colour is stable during the storage. Storage capacity (shelf life).Good shelf-life. Shipping quality.Good; the attitude to storability permits shipping. Reproductive organs: Pistil number per flower (average).117. Pistil size (average).4.41 mm. Stamen number per flower (average).90. Stamen size (average).4.82 mm. Seeds: Size (average).Length: 3.41 mm. width: 2.06 mm. Shape.Kidney-shaped.

COMPARISON WITH PARENTAL AND COMMERCIAL CULTIVAR

(9) TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Comparison table between variety and commercial cultivar Evita (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 25,695) Characteristic Evita Atena fruit color Orange Red Light red Plant (size/vigour) 1.70-1.90 m 1.80-2.00 m Fruit: firmness Firm Very firm Fruit shape Slight irregular very Very regular elongated conical Elongated conical Fruit picking Slight difficult Very easy

(10) TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 Comparison table with parental cultivars Erika (female Characteristic parent) Atena Fruit color Red (RHS53A) Strong red (RHS45D) Fruit shape Broad-conical Elongated-conical Plant vigour Medium Strong Canes colour Yellow Green Strong Yellowish (RHS144A) Green (RHS144C) Spines Thin and dense medium sparse Fruit firmness Medium firm Very firm Dolomia Plus Characteristic (male parent) Atena Fruit color Strong red Strong red (RHS45A) (RHS45D) Fruit shape Conical Elongated-conical Plant vigour Strong Strong Canes colour Reddish green Strong Yellowish (RHSN144A) Green (RHS144C) Spines Thin medium dense medium sparse Fruit firmness Firm Very firm