Apple tree named ‘Gradisca’

Abstract

Gradisca apple tree is the product of an open pollination of Fuji apple, and is characterized by its bright red fruit and good production capacity. Fruit of Gradisca is sweet and perfumed, and colors well in hot weather. Gradisca is distinguished from its parent Fuji by its more perfumed fruit and more intense red overcolor.

Claims

1. A new and distinct apple tree named Gradisca substantially as described and illustrated herein.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

(1) FIG. 1 shows the leaves of Gradisca;

(2) FIG. 2 shows 4.sup.th-leaf trees of Gradisca one week before picking;

(3) FIG. 3 shows a fruit of Gradisca;

(4) FIG. 4 shows picked whole fruit of Gradisca; and

(5) FIG. 5 shows a sectioned fruit of Gradisca.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE VARIETY

(6) The following detailed botanical description is based on observations made during the 2016 growing season (unless otherwise noted) at Mudaison, France of four-year-old trees grown on M9 EMLA rootstock (not patented). All colors are described according to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 5.sup.th edition, version 2. It should be understood that the characteristics described will vary somewhat depending upon cultural practices and climatic conditions, and will 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. Tree: Vigor.Vigorous. Type.Ramified, drooping. Habit.Semi-upright tree with one trunk and one leader, main branch spreading. Height.3.20 m. Spread.2 m. Trunk diameter.5.8 cm at 30 cm above the graft union. Bark texture.Fairly smooth with slight crevice and small lenticels. Bark coloration.Light brown 162A. Lenticels.2 mm; light beige 159D. Branch (fruiting branches located at around 1 m above the graft union): Length.1.50 m. Diameter.16 mm to 20 mm. Crotch angle.80 to 90. Color.Dark brown with grey highlights 165B. Lenticels.1.5 mm; beige 159D; 4 to 8 per cm.sup.2. One-year-old shoot: Length.25 cm to 35 cm. Color.Very light brown 160A. Pubescence.Strong. Thickness.3 mm to 5 mm. Internode length.13 mm to 22 mm. Lenticels.1 mm; white NN155A; 11 per cm.sup.2. Winter hardiness: Hardiness.Hardy in area tested (USDA hardiness zone 9A). Chilling requirement.Medium; between 450 hours and 650 hours. Flower buds: Quantity per spur.4 to 5. Shape.Globose. Diameter.10 mm to 12 mm. Color.Red purple 63B. Flowers: Color (balloon stage).Light pink 36D. Diameter of open flower.2 cm. Depth.0.8 cm. Number per cluster.4. Fragrance.Light. Pollination requirement.Pollenizer required. Petals: Quantity per flower.5. Shape.Ovate. Length.15 mm to 18 mm. Width.14 mm to 16 mm. Color of upper surface.White NN155D. Color of lower surface.White NN155D. Texture.Smooth. Margin.Entire. Pistils: Length.12 mm to 13 mm. Color.Yellow-green 145C. Anthers: Quantity.16. Size.2 mm. Pollen.Present. Pollen color.Yellow 9B. Stigma: Size.1 mm. Color.Yellow 11C. Style: Size.8 mm. Color.Yellow-green 145C. Bloom: Date of first bloom.April 10.sup.th (Mudaison, Hrault, southern France). Date of full bloom.April 14.sup.th (Mudaison, Hrault, southern France). Pedicel: Length.16 mm to 19 mm. Diameter.3 mm. Color.Greyed-orange N172C. Sepals: Quantity.5. Color.Green 135B. Length.8 mm to 11 mm. Width.2 mm to 3 mm. Shape.Triangular. Margin.Entire. Texture.Weakly pubescent. Leaves: Shape.Ovate. Length (petiole not included).7 cm to 9 cm. Width.5 cm to 6 cm. Length/width ratio.1.4 to 1.6. Blade margin.Biserrate. Apex.Acuminate. Base shape.Cuneate. Color of top surface.Green 134A. Color of bottom surface.Green 140B. Texture.Upper surface Smooth. Texture.Lower surface Moderately pubescent. Venation.Pinnate. Vein color.Yellow green 1B. Attitude in relation to shoot.Outward. Petiole: Length.18 mm. Diameter.2 mm. Color.Green 142A. Fruit: Quantity per cluster.4. Diameter.70 mm to 80 mm. Height.70 mm to 80 mm. Weight.200 g. Ratio of height to width.Nearly 1:1. General shape in profile.Globose slightly conical. Position of maximum diameter.At middle. Ribbing.Absent. Crowning at calyx end.Absent or weak. Aperture of eye.Closed. Size of eye.8 mm. Length of sepal.4 mm to 7 mm. Depth of eye basin.9 mm to 13 mm. Width of eye basin.23 mm to 25 mm. Length of stalk.13 mm to 19 mm. Thickness of stalk.4 mm. Width of stalk cavity.17 mm. Depth of stalk cavity.13 mm. Size of lenticels.1.5 mm. Bloom of skin.Absent. Greasiness of skin.Absent. Background colour of skin.Yellow 7A. Over colour of skin.Red-pink N33A. Amount of overcolor.70% to 90%. Intensity of overcolor.Very intense. Pattern of overcolor.Solid flush. Skin texture.Fine. smooth. Flesh texture.Firm and light. Aroma.Good eating quality, sweet and perfumed. Juiciness.Juicy. Brix.13.5 to 15.5. Flesh color.Yellow 4B. Stem color.Light pink 39D. Locule length.18 mm to 23 mm. Locule width.5 mm to 6 mm. Number of locules per fruit.5. Seeds: Quantity per fruit.8 to 10. Shape.Oval. Color.Brown 200D. Harvest: Amount of fruit produced per harvest.30 kg per tree. Harvest date.October 1 to October 13 (2017 growing season, Mudaison, Hrault, southern France). Storage characteristics.6 months in standard cold storage; 9 months in controlled atmosphere storage. Market use.Fresh. Diseases/pests: Resistance.None noted. Susceptibility.Susceptible to scab (Venturia inaequalis).