Blackberry plant named ‘Twilight’

Abstract

A new and distinct blackberry cultivar that originated from seed produced from a cross between the thornless female blackberry plant Ouachita (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 17,762) and the thornless, male parent blackberry plant ORUS 2867-4 (unpatented)). This new blackberry cultivar can be distinguished by being fairly early ripening for a semi-erect blackberry, by its large sized, very firm berries with tough skin and a crisp texture when eaten and excellent flavor, by its high yields borne on a vigorous plant with a semi-erect type growth habit and by its completely thornless canes.

Claims

1. A new and distinct cultivar of thornless blackberry plant, substantially as illustrated and described, characterized by its large sized fruit that are sweet, crisp, firm, and have a very tough skin.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

(1) This new blackberry plant is illustrated by the accompanying photographs that show the flowers, fruit and entire plants; the colors shown are as true as can be reasonably obtained by conventional photographic procedures.

(2) FIG. 1 shows typical fruiting cluster with ripe fruit Twilight.

(3) FIG. 2 shows a flat of harvested Twilight fruit (left) compared to a flat of Chester Thornless (unpatented) fruit (right).

(4) FIG. 3 shows three clamshells of Twilight fruit (left column) compared to Chester Thornless (unpatented) fruit (right column) after 21 days of refrigerated storage at 1 C.

(5) FIG. 4 shows entire flowering 3-year old Twilight plants. As is typical for commercial production, semi-erect blackberry primocanes are topped at 1 m and the primocanes and laterals that develop after topping are tied to a two wire trellis with the lower wire approximately 1.0 m above the ground and the upper wire approximately 1.5 m above the ground.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW CULTIVAR

(6) The following description of Twilight is based on observations taken from 2012 to 2017 growing seasons in trials in Corvallis and Aurora, Oreg. 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. Twilight has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. Color terminology follows The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart. London (R.H.S.) (5.sup.th edition, 2007).

(7) Table 1 shows important plant characteristics of the new cultivar. Characteristics include plant vigor, growth habit, date 50% of fruit were ripe, weight of primary fruit, firmness of fruit flavor of fruit and winter tolerance in Aurora, Oreg. (45 16 49 N/122 44 50 W) and Lynden, Wash. (48 56 48 N/122 27 2 W).

(8) TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Characteristic Twilight Plant vigor High vigor, similar to Eclipse, less vigorous than Chester Thornless and Triple Crown and more vigorous than Loch Ness Growth habit Semi-erect Date 50% of fruit were ripe 21 July, early compared to Triple Crown and Chester Thornless; Later than Eclipse Weight of primary fruit (g) 8.7 g, larger than Chester Thornless, similar in size to Triple Crown Firmness of fruit Excellent, much firmer than Triple Crown and firmer than Chester Thornless Skin toughness of fruit Excellent, much better than Triple Crown and better than Chester Thornless Flavor of fruit Very good, excellent compared to Chester Thornless, similar to Triple Crown and Eclipse Winter tolerance in Aurora, Excellent, comparable to Triple Crown, Oregon (45 16 49 N/122 Chester Thornless, and Navaho (U.S. 44 50 W) Plant Pat. No. 6,679) Winter tolerance in Lynden, Excellent. comparable to Triple Crown and Washington (48 56 48 Chester Thornless N/122 27 2 W)

(9) Table 2 shows floricane and mature primocane characteristics of the new cultivar. Characteristics include diameter at base, diameter at midpoint, diameter at terminus, internode length at base, internode length at midpoint, internode length at terminus, presence of spines further than 0.6 m from the soil surface, presence of spines less than 0.6 m from the soil surface, floricane color at base, floricane color at midpoint, floricane lateral length, floricane lateral strength, primocane color at base, primocane color at midpoint, and primocane color at terminus. The characteristics of floricane color at terminus, floricane length, and floricane length (range) are not available for the new cultivar as the standard practice for the cultivar is to remove the tips of primocanes (which become floricanes after receiving winter chilling) to encourage fruiting.

(10) TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 Characteristic Twilight Diameter at base (cm) 2.00 Diameter at midpoint (cm) 1.23 Diameter at terminus (cm) 0.37 Internode length at base (cm) 11.93 Internode length at midpoint (cm) 2.87 Internode length at terminus (cm) 2.87 Presence of spines further than 0.6 m Absent from the soil surface Presence of spines less than 0.6 m from Absent the soil surface Floricane color at base 146A Floricane color at midpoint 144A w/175A tint Floricane lateral length Medium Floricane lateral strength Medium Primocane color at base 144A Primocane color at midpoint 144A w/176A streaks Primocane color at terminus 144A w/185A tint

(11) Table 3 shows floricane foliage characteristics of the new cultivar. Floricane characteristics include mature compound leaf width, mature compound leaf length, number of leaflets per floricane compound leaf, mature leaflet shape, mature leaflet apex, mature leaflet base, mature terminal leaflet width, mature terminal leaflet length, mature first lateral leaflet width, mature first lateral leaflet length, leaflet margin, leaflet serration teeth length, leaflet serration teeth width at base, pubescence on floricane leaflet: upper surface, pubescence on floricane leaflet: undersurface, floricane leaf color abaxial, floricane leaf color adaxial, petiole length, petiolule length: terminal leaflet, petiolule length: first distal leaflet, petiolule color: abaxial, petiolule color: adaxial, stipule length, and stipule width.

(12) TABLE-US-00003 TABLE 3 Characteristic Twilight Mature compound leaf width (cm) 16.65 Mature compound leaf length (cm) 13.44 Number of leaflets per floricane compound leaf 3.00 Mature leaflet shape Ovate Mature leaflet apex Acute Mature leaflet base Roundly truncate Mature terminal leaflet width (cm) 7.25 Mature terminal leaflet length (cm) 9.25 Mature first lateral leaflet width (cm) 6.43 Mature first lateral leaflet length (cm) 8.52 Leaflet margin Serrated Leaflet serration teeth length 0.33 Leaflet serration teeth width at base 0.38 Pubescence on floricane leaflet: upper surface Light pubescence Pubescence on floricane leaflet undersurface Heavy, dense pubescence Floricane leaf color abaxial 137A Floricane leaf color adaxial 138B Petiole length (cm) 5.72 Petiole color adaxial 165A Petiole color abaxial N144D Petiolule length terminal leaflet (cm) 1.52 Petiolule length first distal leaflet (cm) 2.11 Petiolule color abaxial 165A Petiolule color adaxial N144D Stipule length (cm) 1.00 Stipule width (cm) 0.24 Stipule attitude Erect

(13) Table 4 shows flower and flowering characteristics of the new cultivar. Flower and flowering characteristics include date 1st bloom, date full bloom, date last bloom, petal color, the number flowers per cluster, the number of petals per flower, flower diameter, petal length, petal width, the number of sepals per flower, peduncle length, rachis length, peduncle color, and cyme type.

(14) TABLE-US-00004 TABLE 4 Characteristic Twilight Date 1.sup.st bloom May 13 Date full bloom May 20 Date last bloom May 30 Petal color adaxial and abaxial surfaces 69C Number flowers per cluster 8.83 Number of petals per flower 5.33 Flower diameter (cm) 32.45 Petal length (cm) 14.28 Petal width (cm) 11.33 Petal texture adaxial and abaxial No pubescence Number of sepals per flower 4.83 Peduncle length (cm) 3.67 Rachis length (cm) 10.85 Peduncle color N144A streaked w/185A Cyme type Elongate simple cyme

(15) Table 5 shows fruit and fruiting characteristics of the new cultivar. Fruit and fruiting characteristics include date 5% of fruit were ripe, date 50% of fruit were ripe, date 95% of fruit were ripe, weight of primary fruit, weight of secondary fruit, diameter of primary fruit at equator, diameter of 2 fruit at equator, diameter of 1 fruit at poles: tip, diameter of 1 fruit at poles: base, diameter of 2 fruit at poles: tip, diameter of 2 fruit at poles: base, berry length 1 fruit, berry length 2 fruit, ratio of primary fruit length to width, shape description, uniformity of berry shape, color when full ripe, number of drupelets per fruit, individual seed weight, glossiness, firmness, flavor, texture of fruit when chewed, drupelet skin resistance to abrasion, ease of separation of fruit from pedicel, machine harvestability, resistance to heat damage of fruit, berries per inflorescencemean, berries per inflorescence range, soluble solids (%; in Brix), pH, titratable acidity (% as citric acid), yield (actual kg.Math.plt.sup.1), disease response, and red berry mite response.

(16) TABLE-US-00005 TABLE 5 Characteristic Twilight Date 5% of fruit were ripe Jul. 10 Date 50% of fruit were ripe Jul. 21 Date 95% of fruit were ripe Aug. 9 Weight of primary fruit (g) 8.03 Weight of secondary fruit (g) 5.91 Weight of tertiary fruit (g) 6.00 Diameter of primary fruit a 2.16 t equator (cm) Diameter of 2 fruit at equator (cm) 2.22 Diameter of 3 fruit at equator (cm) 2.03 Diameter of 1 fruit at poles: tip (cm) 1.70 Diameter of 1 fruit at poles: base (cm) 2.18 Diameter of 2 fruit at poles: tip (cm) 1.70 Diameter of 2 fruit at poles: base (cm) 2.08 Diameter of 3 fruit at poles: tip (cm) 1.61 Diameter of 3 fruit at poles: base (cm) 1.96 Berry length primary fruit (cm) 2.85 Berry length 2 fruit (cm) 2.51 Berry length 3 fruit (cm) 2.47 Ratio of primary fruit length to width 1.32 Shape description Blocky Uniformity of berry shape Consistent shape Color when full ripe 203A Number of drupelets per fruit 68.50 Total seed weight per fruit (mg) 199.30 Individual seed weight (mg) 2.96 Glossiness Very glossy Firmness Very firm Flavor Very good flavor Texture of fruit when chewed Good Drupelet skin resistance to abrasion Excellent Ease of separation of fruit from pedicel Medium Machine harvestability Good Resistance to heat damage of fruit Good Berries per inflorescence - mean 7.50 Berries per inflorescence range 7-8 Soluble solids (%; in Brix) 13.07 pH 3.51 Titratable acidity (% as citric acid) 8.58 Yield (actual kg .Math. plt-1) 9.78 Disease response Under a typical, minimal, disease management pro- gram does not exhibit any particular disease problems Red berry mite response Moderate susceptibility

COMPARISON WITH PARENTAL AND COMMERCIAL CULTIVARS

(17) Twilight differs from the female parent blackberry plant Ouachita (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 17,762) in that it has a semi-erect type plant growth habit, is more productive, with larger (8.7 g) and sweeter (13% Brix) fruit that have a pleasant crispness when eaten, while Ouachita (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 17,762) has an erect type plant growth habit, is less productive, has smaller (7.0 g) and less sweet (11% Brix) fruit that, while firm, are not crisp when eaten.

(18) Twilight differs from the male parent blackberry plant ORUS 2867-4 (unpatented) in that it is 7 days earlier ripening with large sized (8.7 g) fruit that are firm with a tough skin and have a lower incidence of fruit defects due to excessive heat and UV light damage, while ORUS 2867-4 (unpatented) is 7 days later ripening with medium-large (7.2 g) fruit that are soft with tender skin and are prone to heat and UV light damage.

(19) Twilight is 7-14 days earlier ripening than other commercial semi-erect fresh market blackberries such as Triple Crown (unpatented) or Chester Thornless (unpatented). Twilight ripens 4-5 d later than the semi-erect blackberry Loch Ness (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 6,782), Eclipse (U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/731,503), Galaxy (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 30,062), and Von (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 27,299). Twilight is a fresh market blackberry and has had excellent fruit quality after 7 days in refrigerated storage in plastic clam shell packaging at 1 C. compared to fruit from Eclipse (U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/731,503), Triple Crown (unpatented), and Von (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 27,299). Twilight has a pleasantly crisp, firm texture when eaten, firmer than Triple Crown (unpatented), and with fewer noticeable seeds than Chester Thornless (unpatented). Twilight was as high yielding as Chester Thornless (unpatented) and Triple Crown (unpatented), and higher yielding than Eclipse (U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/731,503). Twilight fruit are sweeter than those of Chester Thornless (unpatented) but not as sweet as those of Triple Crown (unpatented) and comparable to Eclipse (U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/731,503).