Mandarin tree named 'RubyGS'

Abstract

RubyGS is a new and distinct mandarin tree notable primarily for its reduced number of seeds per fruit as compared to its parent Daisy mandarin. Fruits of RubyGS mandarin are essentially seedless, with less than one seed per fruit on average.

Claims

1. A new and distinct variety of mandarin tree, substantially as illustrated and described herein.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

[0005] FIG. 1 shows whole and sectioned fruit of RubyGS mandarin;

[0006] FIG. 2 shows whole and sectioned fruit of RubyGS mandarin; and

[0007] FIG. 3 shows whole and sectioned fruit of RubyGS mandarin and Daisy mandarin.

[0008] The attached photographs were taken in 2013 at Dareton, New South Wales, Australia. Actual colors will vary with lighting conditions; color characteristics of RubyGS mandarin should therefore be determined with reference to the observations described herein, rather than from these illustrations alone.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

[0009] The following detailed botanical description is based on observations made in 2013 of two-year-old RubyGS trees topworked on Troyer Citrange rootstock (not patented) in 2011 at Dareton, New South Wales, Australia. The characteristics described will vary somewhat depending upon cultural practices and climatic conditions, and can vary with location and season. Quantified measurements are expressed as an average of measurements taken from a number of individual plants of the new variety. The measurements of any individual plant, or any group of plants, of the new variety may vary from the stated average. Colors are described with reference to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart (sixth edition). [0010] Tree: Tree size, growth and fruit production characteristics have been evaluated in comparative trials of RubyGS and Daisy for four years at Dareton, Australia. These trials are being replicated at Kenley, Australia. [0011] Vigor.Vigorous; same as Daisy. [0012] Habit.Sprawling and open with first production in second year from planting, becoming more spherical and drooping in subsequent years (similar to Daisy). [0013] Height.2.4 m. [0014] Spread.2.3 m. [0015] Trunk diameter at 30 cm above graft.62 mm. [0016] Bark texture.Same as Daisy. [0017] Bark color.Greyed-green 197B. [0018] Alternate bearing.Tendency for alternate bearing especially if fruit is held late on the trees (similar to Daisy). [0019] Winter hardiness.Winter hardy but not frost tolerant below 2 C. for greater than four hours. [0020] Chilling requirement.Not required but some winter chilling for natural fruit color is advantageous. [0021] Drought tolerance.Not tolerant; typical of citrus varieties. [0022] Branch (fruiting branches located about 1 m above graft union): [0023] Length.1.95 m. [0024] Diameter.22 mm. [0025] Crotch angle.40. [0026] Bark color.Greyed-green 197B. [0027] Bark texture.Smooth to finely raised. [0028] Thorns.Absent. [0029] Current year shoot length.1.6 m. [0030] Current year shoot color.Yellow-green 146C. [0031] Flowers: [0032] Bud shape.Elongated oval. [0033] Bud length.11 mm. [0034] Bud diameter.6 mm. [0035] Bud color.White NN155C. [0036] Quantity of blossoms per cluster.6. [0037] Blossom diameter.24 mm. [0038] Blossom depth.14 mm. [0039] Fragrance.Typical of mandarin varieties. [0040] Pollen color.Strong orange yellow 163B. [0041] Sepal length.2.6 mm. [0042] Sepal width.2.5 mm. [0043] Sepal shape.Same as Daisy. [0044] Sepal margin.Same as Daisy. [0045] Sepal colorupper surface.Light yellow green 154D. [0046] Sepal colorlower surface.Light yellow green 154D. [0047] Quantity of petals per flower.5. [0048] Relative position of petal margins.Not touching. [0049] Petal shape.Elongated oval. [0050] Petal apex.Pointed. [0051] Petal margin.Smooth. [0052] Petal length.16 mm. [0053] Petal width.7 mm. [0054] Petal colorupper surface.White NN155C. [0055] Petal colorlower surface.White NN155C. [0056] Date of first bloom.Oct. 5, 2017. [0057] Date of full bloom.Oct. 12, 2017. [0058] Date of first fruitlet fall.Oct. 28, 2017. [0059] Pedicel length.6 mm. [0060] Pedicel diameter.1 mm. [0061] Pedicel color.Moderate yellow green 146D. [0062] Pistil quantity per flower.1. [0063] Pistil length.5 mm. [0064] Pistil color.Light yellow green 145D. [0065] Anther quantity per flower.15. [0066] Anther length.7 mm including filament. [0067] Anther color.Moderate yellow 161A. [0068] Stigma length.2 mm. [0069] Stigma color.Strong orange yellow 163B. [0070] Style length.2 to 4 mm. [0071] Style color.Light yellow green 145C. [0072] Ovary length.4 mm. [0073] Ovary diameter.3.4 mm. [0074] Ovary color.Yellow green 144B. [0075] Self-incompatability.Present. [0076] Leaves: [0077] Length.91 mm. [0078] Width.62 mm. [0079] Blade margin.Irregular crenate. [0080] Leaf shape.Elliptic. [0081] Apex shape.Gradually acute. [0082] Base shape.Acute. [0083] Color of upper surface.Green 137B. [0084] Color of lower surface.Yellow-green 146B. [0085] Textureupper surface.Smooth. [0086] Petiole length.12 mm. [0087] Petiole diameter.2 mm. [0088] Petiole color.Yellow-green 146B. [0089] Wings.Absent. [0090] FruitFruit of RubyGS has generally the same shape and color characteristics as Daisy: [0091] Quantity per cluster.2. [0092] Axial diameter.68 mm. [0093] Apical diameter.37 mm. [0094] Weight.150 g. [0095] General shape in profile.Flattened, circular; truncate at distal end with slight depression. [0096] Neck.Not present. [0097] Constriction at stalk end.None. [0098] Collar at stalk end.None. [0099] Radial grooves at proximal end.Some grooves present, medium length. [0100] Navel.None. [0101] Areola.Not present. [0102] Rind color.Orange-red N30C. [0103] Color pattern.Solid. [0104] Rind glossiness.Medium. [0105] Oil glands per cm.sup.2.8. [0106] Oil gland diameter.1.3 mm. [0107] Rind thickness.4.38 mm. [0108] Ease of peeling.Moderate to easy (same as Daisy). [0109] Rind texture.Finely textured (same as Daisy). [0110] Albedo color.Orange-red N30C. [0111] Albedo density.Medium. [0112] Albedo thickness.2.15 mm. [0113] Adherence of albedo to flesh.Minimal. [0114] Albedo strands.Few to none. [0115] Quantity of fruit segments.11 to 13 (average 12) per fruit. [0116] Diameter of core.Medium. [0117] Toughness of segment membrane.Fine and weak. [0118] Juice sac length.10.25 mm. [0119] Juice sac shape.Ellipse. [0120] Juice sac length to width ratio.3:1. [0121] Juice sac color.Orange N25C. [0122] Juice soluble solids.11 Brix. [0123] Juice acidity.Medium. [0124] Relative harvest maturity.Early. [0125] Harvest window.Mid-season; Mid-July to mid-August (southern hemisphere); about 4 weeks later than Daisy. [0126] Seeds.None (<1 per fruit). [0127] Stem length.6.9 mm. [0128] Stem diameter.4.8 mm. [0129] Stem color.Green 139B. [0130] Propensity to split.None; no evidence of splitting on 2 year old daughter trees. [0131] Parthenocarpy.Present. [0132] Productivity.Two-year-old trees averaged 1.5 kg per tree. [0133] Market use.Fresh market. [0134] Shipping characteristics.Ships very well. [0135] Storage characteristics.Excellent (same as Daisy). [0136] Disease resistance/susceptibility.Same as Daisy.