Strawberry Plant Named 'FF 1503'

Abstract

A new and distinct cultivar of Strawberry plant named FF 1503, characterized by its compact, upright to semi-upright plant habit; moderately vigorous to vigorous growth habit; uniform fruit ripening; medium to large conical fruits that are glossy and orange red in color; pleasant fruit aroma and sweet taste; excellent fruit postharvest longevity; and moderate resistance to Phytophthora cactorum and Podosphaera aphanis.

Claims

1. A new and distinct Strawberry plant named FF 1503 as illustrated and described.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

[0036] The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Strawberry plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Strawberry plant.

[0037] The photograph on the first sheet is a top perspective view of typical flowering plants of FF 1503 grown in an outdoor nursery.

[0038] The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of typical developing and developed fruits of FF 1503.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

[0039] The following observations and measurements describe plants grown in 2.5-liter containers during the spring and summer in a glass-covered greenhouse in Elst, Gelderland, The Netherlands and under cultural practices typical of commercial Strawberry production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 12 C. to 23 C. and night temperatures ranged from 8 C. to 12 C. Plants were one year old when the photographs were taken and ten weeks from planting when the description was taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. [0040] Botanical classification: Fragaria x ananassa FF 1503. [0041] Parentage: [0042] Female, or seed, parent.Proprietary selection of Fragaria x ananassa identified as code name E2002-032, not patented. [0043] Male, or pollen, parent.Proprietary selection of Fragaria x ananassa identified as code name E1996-120, not patented. [0044] Propagation: [0045] Type.By runner cuttings. [0046] Time to initiate roots, summer.About one to four days at soil temperatures about 15 C. [0047] Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.About two to three weeks at soil temperatures ranging from 15 to 20 C. [0048] Root description.Medium in thickness, fibrous; typically cream white to white in color, actual color of the roots is dependent on substrate composition, water quality, fertilizer type and formulation, substrate temperature and physiological age of roots. [0049] Rooting habit.Moderately freely branching; medium density. [0050] Plant description: [0051] Plant and growth habit.Perennial; compact, upright to semi-upright plant habit; leaves basal; moderately vigorous to vigorous growth habit; moderate growth rate; moderately densely foliated and bushy to somewhat open canopy. [0052] Plant height.About 25 cm to 30 cm. [0053] Plant diameter.About 30 cm to 35 cm. [0054] Stolon texture.Sparsely pubescent. [0055] Stolon color and texture.Close to 144B. [0056] Leaf description: [0057] Arrangement and appearance.Basal rosette; compound with typically three leaflets per leaf; leaves, non-variegated. [0058] Leaflet length.About 9 cm to 12 cm. [0059] Leaflet width.About 8 cm to 11 cm. [0060] Leaflet shape.Broadly ovate. [0061] Leaflet apex.Obtuse to acute. [0062] Leaflet base.Obtuse to rounded. [0063] Leaflet margin.Serrate to lobed. [0064] Leaflet texture and luster, upper surface.Pubescent; moderately glossy. [0065] Leaflet texture and luster, lower surface.Pubescent, rough; matte. [0066] Leaflet venation.Pinnate. [0067] Leaflet color.Developing leaflets, upper surface: Close to 137A. Developing leaflets, lower surface: Close to 138A. Fully expanded leaflets, upper surface: Close to between 137C and 137A; venation, close to 144C. Fully expanded leaflets, lower surface: Close to 138A; venation, close to 144C. [0068] Petioles.Length: About 9 cm to 15 cm. Diameter: About 2.5 mm to 5 mm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 145A. [0069] Flower description: [0070] Flower form and flowering habit.Rotate flowers arranged singly at lateral apices; flowers held at the foliar plane; flowers are self-fertile. [0071] Fragrance.None detected. [0072] Natural flowering season.Plants flower in late April to early May in The Netherlands, considered early to midseason flowering. [0073] Flower diameter.About 2.5 cm to 3.5 cm. [0074] Flower depth (height).About 5 mm to 10 mm. [0075] Petals.Arrangement: Single whorl of six petals; petals imbricate. Length: About 8 mm to 12 mm. Width: About 8 mm to 12 mm. Shape: Round to broadly ovate. Apex: Rounded. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; satiny. Color: When opening and fully opened, upper surface: Close to 155D. When opening and fully opened, lower surface: Close to 155D. [0076] Sepals.Arrangement and calyx description: Single whorl of eight to twelve sepals; calyx, star-shaped; calyx adherence is weak to moderate; sepals are orientated upwards from the fruit. Calyx length: About 1 cm to 1.5 cm. Calyx diameter: About 1 cm to 2 cm. Length: About 5 mm to 8 mm. Width: About 3 mm to 5 mm. Shape: Lanceolate to ovate. Apex: Acute. Base: Fused. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 137A. [0077] Peduncles.Length: About 7 cm to 10 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm to 2 mm. Strength: Strong. Texture: Pubescent. Color: Close to 144B. [0078] Pedicels.Length: About 2 cm to 5 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm to 2 mm. Strength: Strong. Aspect: About 90 from peduncle axis. Texture: Pubescent. Color: Close to 144B. [0079] Reproductive organs.Stamens: Quantity per flower: About 25. Anther length: About 2 mm. Anther shape: Lanceolate to elliptic. Anther color: Close to 14B. Pollen amount: Abundant. Pollen color: Close to 15C. Pistils: Quantity per flower: About 30. Pistil length: About 1 mm to 2 mm. Stigma shape: Rounded. Stigma color: Close to 5A. Fruits: Quantity: About seven to twelve per truss. Natural fruiting season: Plants develop fruit during the summer, early June until early July, in The Netherlands, ripening time considered mid to late season; fruiting is non-remontant. Postharvest longevity: About ten days at 7 C. Length: About 2 cm to 5 cm. Diameter: About 2 cm to 3.5 cm. Shape: Fruits are relatively medium to large and are conical in shape. Fruit weight per fruit, first quality: About 22.4 g. Fruit weight per plant, first quality: About 1,200 g. Firmness: Medium firm. Fragrance, taste: Pleasant; good balance between sweetness and acidity; aromatic. Luster: Uniformly glossy. Surface unevenness: Smooth. Color, surface: Close to 34A. Color, flesh: Close to 30A to 30B. Seed density: Medium. Achene position: Level with surface. Achene color: Close to 1A. [0080] Disease and pest resistance: Plants of the new Strawberry have been observed to be moderately resistant to Phytophthora cactorum and Podosphaera aphanis. Plants of the new Strawberry have not been observed to be resistant to pests and other pathogens common to Strawberry plants.