Strawberry plant named ‘Rikas FNM’

Abstract

The present invention provides a new and distinct strawberry plant designated as Rikas FNM, which originate from seed produced by manual cross between E64 and 86N. The new strawberry is a day-neutral with a long, conical, glossy and a light red color fruit. This new strawberry is characterized by a fruit of excellent quality, long shelf-life and high value of Brix degrees.

Claims

1. A new and distinct cultivar of strawberry plant having the characteristics substantially as described and illustrated hcrcin.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

(1) The accompanying color photographs and traits show typical specimens of the new cultivar at various stages of development as nearly true as it is possible to make in color reproductions. The pictures were taken during in April in Huelva, Spain.

(2) FIG. 1 shows overall plant habit including fruit at various stages of development.

(3) FIG. 2 shows leaves of the plant with three leaflets.

(4) FIG. 3 shows the upperside of several flowers.

(5) FIG. 4 shows the whole fruit.

(6) FIG. 5 shows the fruit in longitudinal cross-section.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(7) This invention relates to a new and distinctive day-neutral variety named Rikas FNM. Rikas FNM produces fruit regardless of the day length when cultivated appropriately in temperate climates.

(8) This cultivars is primarily adapted to the climate and growing conditions of the South of Spain (Huelva)

(9) Rikas FNM is a vigorous plant, upright and open which facilitates the fruit harvesting. It produces long and mainly unbranched peduncles. Rikas FNM produces a fruit of medium size, with a long conical shape, a light red color and a glossy fruit. The fruit has an excellent quality, the firmness is high and has a high value of Brix degrees. The fruit of Rikas FNM has an excellent taste and appearance. Also noteworthy in the new variety Rikas FNM is the great shelf-life that the fruit presents due to its firm flesh together with achenes level with the flesh and skin very resistant to bruising. Rikas FNM produces a moderate amount of stolons which facilitates its multiplication.

(10) Rikas FNM is moderately resistant to the most frequent diseases in Huelva (Spain). Specifically, it is moderately resistant to powdery mildew (Podosphaera macularis), Verticillium wilt (Verticillium dahliae) and Phytophthora crown rot (Phytophthora cactorum). Rikas FNM is relatively tolerant to pests such as aphids and spider mites.

(11) The results of production and Brix degrees of the variety Rikas FNM compared to the variety San Andreas (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 19,975) are shown below (Table 1). The results that are shown come from a trial located in Gibralen (Huelva, Spain). Trial was a randomized complete block design with three repetitions and 40 plants per plot. The planting date was Oct. 20, 2016 and was cultivated until May 25, 2017. It was cultivated under standard conditions of strawberry cultivation in Huelva, Spain.

(12) TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Avg. 1st Early P. Variety Yield Quality Yield Brix Mildew Rikas FNM 1002 86 420 9, 7 3, 3 San Andreas 772 84 341 8, 8 3, 1 LSD(5%) 196 4 103 1, 0 0, 2 LSD(1%) 265 5 140 1, 3 0, 2
Table 1. Fruit production and Brix degrees data of the new variety Rikas FNM and San Andreas. Each value is the result of the average of three repetitions of 40 plants. Avg. Yield, total commercial yield in grams by plant; 1st Quality, percentage of first class fruit; Early Yield, early production (before March 31) in grams by plant; brix, Brix degrees; P. Mildew, powdery mildew (Sphaerotheca macularis) resistance score, 5 the best. LSD(5%) and LSD(1%) Least Significant Difference between the means at P0.05 and 0.01 respectively.

(13) The fruit of Albion has clear differences with respect to the fruit of the new variety Rikas FNM. The variety Albion shows a fruit with a darker red, a larger fruit and the more sunken achenes than the fruit of the variety Rikas FNM.

(14) The following traits in combination distinguish strawberry variety Rikas FNM from known strawberry varieties (Table 1, Table 2. General, Table 3. Leaf, Table 4. Petiole, the bract, and the stipule, Table 5. Inflorescence, Table 6. Runner (Stolon) and Table 7. Fruit). We use as standard variety for comparison Albion (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 16,228). The traits were measured in Huelva (Spain), in April 2017. When we made the measurements, the plant was 6 months old. Fresh bare root plants were used for planting in October 2016. Plants for the botanical measurements in the present application were grown as annuals. Any color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Color Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

(15) TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 General Characteristic Rikas FNM Albion Plant Growth Habit) Upright Semi-upright Day length Neutral Neutral Density of foliage Light Medium Plant vigor High Moderate Average plant height 20.6 cm Average plant spread 29.8 cm

(16) TABLE-US-00003 TABLE 3 Leaf Characteristic Rikas FNM Albion Terminal leaflet 1.07 1.20 length/width ratio Leaf average length 15.4 cm Leaf average width 16.8 cm Glossiness Medium Leaf color upper side 141A to 141B Leaf color lower side 138B to 139C Leaf apex shape Rounded Leaf base shape Obtuse Leaf blistering Medium Weak Terminal Leaflet margin Serrate to crenate Crenate

(17) TABLE-US-00004 TABLE 4 Petiole, the bract, and the stipule Characteristic Rikas FNM Albion Petiole length (cm) 19 17 Petiole diameter (cm) 0.33 0.42 Petiole pose of hairs Outwards Slightly Outwards Petiole color (color code) RHS: N144C RHS: N144A Stipule length (cm) 2.3 2.7 Stipule width (cm) 0.6 1.0 Stipule pubescence Weak Weak Stipule anthocyanin Absence Absence presence or absence Stipule color (color code) RHS: 149C RHS: N144C Pedicel color (color code) RHS: 144C RHS: 144A Attitude of hairs on Upwards Slightly Upwards petiole and pedicel

(18) TABLE-US-00005 TABLE 5 Inflorescence Characteristic Rikas FNM Albion Inflorescence Even Below position relative to foliage Petal spacing (e.g., overlapping Overlapping Touching etc.) Petal number per flower 5 6 Upper and lower Petal color RHS: RHS: (color code) NN155D NN155D Peduncle size Long Medium Flower diameter 2.4 cm 2.8 cm Calyx diameter relative to corolla Much larger Much larger Sepal shape (e.g., Elliptical, etc.) Elliptical Elliptical Sepal margin (e.g., entire, etc.) Entire Entire Sepal number per flower 12 10 Number of stamen 24 28 Anther color (color code) RHS: 2A RHS: 2A Time of flowering November November 30th 30th Shape and color of stigma Yellow Orange Color and length of style Yellow, Green 1.9 mm 1.2 mm Color of the ovary Green White Shape, size and color of anther Oval, 1.9 mm, Oval, 2.1 mm, Yellow Yellow Color and amount (scarce, Yellow Yellow moderate or abundant) of pollen Abundant Abundant Length and color of filament 3.3 mm, Green 4.2 mm, Green

(19) TABLE-US-00006 TABLE 6 Runner (Stolon) Characteristic Rikas FNM Albion Stolon anthocyanin (color RHS: N144D RHS: N144B code) Stolon pubescence Sparse Medium Stolon color (color code) RHS: 149B RHS: N144C

(20) TABLE-US-00007 TABLE 7 Fruit Characteristic Rikas FNM Albion Fruiting truss length 11 cm 7 cm Characteristic Rikas FNM Albion Number of fruit per truss 3 6 Truss color RHS: 144A RHS: N144A Fruit length (cm) 4.2 4.2 Fruit width (cm) 3.6 3.6 Fruit skin color (color RHS: 33A RHS: 34A code) Fruit flesh color excluding RHS: 33C RHS: N25A core Fruit length/width ratio 1.2 1.2 Fruit weight (g) 28 28 Relative fruit size Medium Large Predominant fruit shape conical conical Position of achenes even below Achene color (color code) RHS: 9A RHS: 11A Diameter of calyx (cm) 3.6 3.9 Color of calyx (color code) RHS: 143A RHS: 141A Color of the flesh Light Red Medium Red Distribution of flesh color Uniform Some white center Sweetness (by brix) 9.3 7.4 Type of bearing day neutral day neutral Firmness Firm Medium Storage Longevity 10-12 days 8-10 days Fruit evenness of surface Even Even Width of band without Absent or very Absent or very achenes narrow narrow Adherence of calyx to Medium Medium fruit Color Core Light red Light red (RHS: 33B) (RHS: 23H) Cavity Size Small Medium