Pineapple plant named ‘FR28203’

Abstract

A new and distinct pineapple plant named FR28203, comprising certain unique traits, standing out Fusarium resistance obtained after crossing and backcrossing Fusarium resistant pineapple lines with an MD-2 pineapple. The invention incorporates stable, inheritable resistances to Fusariosis disease in a pineapple variety capable of addressing all of the high-quality requirements of global export markets.

Claims

1. A new and distinct Ananas comosus plant named FR28203, as illustrated and described herein.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

(1) The accompanying pictures illustrate the overall appearance of the new Ananas comosus var. comosus FR28203 showing infection damage caused by artificial inoculation with four different isolates of Fusarium guttiforme showing the colors as reasonably possible with colored reproductions of this type. The lesion caused by direct inoculation with an infected needle on the fruit helped verify the resistance trait (earlier established by immersion of young plants in a suspension of Fusarium guttiforme's most virulent isolate), when comparing reaction of fruit pulp tissue of the new pineapple variety FR28203 with MD2:

(2) FIG. 1. View of the new variety FR28203 at 5.0 months after forcing (MAF).

(3) FIG. 2. Cross sectional view of FR28203 and MD2 fruit inoculated with Fusarium guttiforme isolates DM017, DMB35, DMB37 and DMB40 at 5.0 MAF.

(4) FIG. 3. Longitudinal section view of Fusarium guttiforme inoculation site on fruit of FR28203 variety and MD2 fruit at 5.0 MAF.

(5) FIG. 4. External view of Fusarium guttiforme inoculation site on fruit of FR28203 and MD2 varieties at 5.0 MAF.

(6) FIG. 5. External view of inflorescence of FR28203 and MD2 varieties at 62 days after floral induction.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

(7) The new Ananas comosus cultivar FR28203 has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. However, the plants were grown under environmental conditions and cultural practices which approximate those generally used in commercial pineapple growing operations. The phenotype of the new cultivar may still vary depending on the environmental conditions such as temperature, humidity, light intensity, and photoperiod without any change made to the genotype of the plant.

(8) The aforementioned photographs, together with the following observations, measurements and values describing plants of FR28203 variety are based on observations made under optimally fertilized and growing conditions, in the region of Limoeiro do Norte, Cear, Brazil (latitude 5.21945833 and longitude 37.914505), where the temperatures generally range from 15.96-38.70 C., and an annual rainfall average of 746 mm.

(9) The color terminology and designation reported here are in accordance to the Munsell Color Notation for Plants Tissues published by Munsell Color Macbeth, a division of Kollmorgen Corporation, Baltimore, Md. USA.

(10) The following description was made based on a population of FR28203 plants, the BC3 hybrid obtained through hand pollination of parental lines in 2016 and planted in 2018 and fruit harvested in 2020 and new propagules produced from this plant planted in 2020. Plant identification: Name: Ananas comosus var. comosus FR28203. Parental lines: Selected plant (BC2) 1/2.1696 backcrossed to MD-2. Origin: Conventional genetic improvement (hand pollination), through crossing and backcrossing. Classification: Botanical: Bromeliaceae or pineapple family. Subfamily: Bromelioidae. Genus: Ananas. Subgenus: comosus. Variety: FR28203. Commercial: Bromeliad fruit plant (pineapple). Form: Terrestrial (in plantation), with overlapping, sessile leaves from a funnel-formed rosette, surrounding a composite inflorescence (during anthesis), with few or no slips in the fruit peduncle and suckers that are produced in the stem and originate subsequent crops. General description: FR28203 (before anthesis). Growth habit: Semi-erect. Stem: I. General.Short, vertical, and covered by overlapping leaves, each leaf with a dominant axillary bud. II. Stem texture.Glabrous and smooth. III. Stem size.A) Length (above soil level): usually between 12.7-24.6 cm at anthesis. B) Diameter between 5.3-13.2 cm at ground level to the anthesis. IV. Stem shape.Cylindrical and with a narrower diameter at the distal part. V. Stem color.Cream with some tendency to brown (10YR 8/8 in the Munsell color chart). Leaves: I. General.Closely overlapping sessile leaves (formed in acropetal succession) forming a dense rosette, the outline of which in longitudinal section is roughly heart shaped. The number of leaves fluctuates between 29-49 with a 5/13 phyllotaxy. II. Texture.A) Upper epidermal area: Glabrous, semirigid and channeled (or concave) except at the leaf tip. B) Lower epidermal area: Finely striated (longitudinally) and appears covered with a white layer consisting of scale like trichomes. III. Leaf arrangement.Alternate and in rosette shape. IV. Leaf margins.No leaf piping observed. Entire margin, with rarely found irregularly spaced small deltoid cuspidate hooked spines usually located on the distal portions of leaves. Size of spines 1.36 mm V. Leaf venation.Parallel. VI. Leaf shape.Leaves are not uniform in shape and vary with the position of the leaf on the stem. The basal or oldest leaves are lanceolate while the base is considerably expanded. There is a noticeable narrowing in width between achlorophyllous (basal) and chlorophyllous (or main portion) of the leaves. The longest or most mature leaves are lanceolate in shape, but the base is without the arcuate expansions of the preceding leaves. The remaining leaves (or center leaves of the plant rosette) are lanceolate in form with no expansion of width into the base. The leaf apex is accuminate. VII. Leaf size (to anthesis).A) Length: Usually between 99.0-106.0 cm for those D leaves with a non chlorophyllous base that usually is between 8.0-13.4 cm in length. B) Width: Normally between 3.0-7.6 cm in the mid leaf area of the longest leaves. The expanded basal disk usually has a maximum width of 4.8-9.6 cm. C) Thickness: In the longest leaves, it usually varies between 1.0-2.5 mm at the center of the mid leaf area and decrease laterally between 0.90-1.50 mm at the margin, while becoming slightly thinner towards the tip. The expanded basal disk at the mid stem area usually has a maximum thickness of 1.87-2.75 mm at the center of the blade and tapering laterally toward margins up to 0.23-0.75 mm. VIII. Leaf color similar to that of MD2, mostly lacking anthocyanin.A) Upper epidermal surface: 1. General: dominant color is usually dark green. The color of the basal disk is predominantly white and light green; achlorophyllous basal disk area is commonly pale white. Mid leaf area: commonly dark green (7.5GY 4/6 in the Munsell color chart). Leaf tip area: commonly dark green (7.5GY 4/6 in the Munsell color chart). B) Lower epidermal surface (underside): General: commonly green to pale green (N9 in the Munsell color chart) with pale white basal disk area (N8 in the Munsell color chart). Inflorescence (at anthesis): I. General.Flower composite from 35-84 fruitlets borne per inflorescence of a long peduncle of approximately 13.4-19.0 cm length at the apical meristem. Individual bisexual flowers that consist of three Sepals, Six Stamens, three Stigmas and three Carpels. The inflorescence is self-incompatible producing edible fruit parthenocarpically (production of fruit without fertilization of ovules). II. Texture.Glabrous and fibrous. III. Shape.Oval with slightly raised flowers with a light red to grayish red color in the crown. IV. Size and color.Comparable to specimens of Ananas comosus var. comosus. Petal size: 1.40 cm. Petal color in the apex: light purple (10P 6/12 in the Munsell color chart). V. Sepal size.0.67 cm. Sepal color: reddish brown (5RP 4/4 in the Munsell color chart). VI Floral bract's length.From 1.7 cm, serrated margins (with tiny spines); yellowish brown color (7.5Y 4/4 in the Munsell color chart). Crown (at harvest): I. General.Visually one crown. composed on average of 96 leaves. Crown leaves are short, lanceolate in shape, and erect at anthesis, measuring on average 6.8 cm. II. Leaf arrangement.Alternate and in rosette shape. III Leaf margins.Entire with smooth borders. Seldom very small spines in the tip of one leaf. IV. Crown size at harvest.Average 14.2 cm. Weight: average 172 g. V. Shape.Medium crown with medium width and semirigid leaves, with the crown normally not exceeding length nor width of fruit and with semirigid leaves. VI. Attitude.Upright. VII. Color of the terminal crown leaves.A. upper surface: Dark green color at the apex (5GY 1/2) and dark green at the base (5GY 1/2). B. Lower surface: grayish green (10GY 6/5 in the Munsell color chart). Fruit (at harvest): I. Size.Usually with a weight between 851-2486 grams and average weight of 1954 grams. Fruit core's diameter 2.1 cm. Fruit core's color: yellow to dark yellow (7.5Y 9/6 in the Munsell color chart). II. Shape.Cylindrical with flat and medium size fruitlets. Medium crown with thin and semirigid leaves, wherein the crown normally is not exceeding length nor width of fruit. Average fruit's height 16.7 cm, fruit's diameter: average 11.0 cm. III. How borne.The development of the fruit occurs from the apical meristem of the plant on a long and thick peduncle, usually between 13.4-19.0 cm in length and 3.28 cm in width. No slips available for evaluation. 6 long peduncle bracts, with spines on the edges and of medium green to dark green color (7.5 GY 7/8 in the Munsell color chart) are generally present at the base of the fruit. IV. Color.A) Shell: commonly grayish green at early maturity (5GY 1/2), with yellowish brown bract (7.5Y 4/4). Fruit with yellow peduncle (2.5Y 5/6). B) Pulp: Usually yellow (2.5Y 5/6). V. Fruit flesh.Dense, firm, medium in fiber and juiciness, emitting characteristic pineapple aroma; flesh color distinctly yellow (7.5Y 8/6 in the Munsell color chart). VI. Brix.Typically, average 17.4 degrees, standing out from their parents. VII. Total acid levels.Usually between 0.35-0.74 milligrams of citric acid/ml of juice, with an average of 0.48 mg/ml. VIII. Vitamin C content reported as ascorbic acid content. Regularly between 34.41-51.40 mg/100 ml of juice, with an average of 43.42 mg/100 ml. IX. Plant/fruit resistance/susceptibility to pest and diseases. The plant of the new variety FR28203 performs very similar to MD-2 differentiating mainly in its resistance to Fusarium guttiforme. Table 2 shows the comparison of pineapple varieties FR28203, MD-2 and Champaka (not patented) and their resistance to Fusarium guttiforme. Others: I. Fertility.This plant is self-incompatible. This is the reason why the presence of sexual seeds is almost null. The material used for planting are suckers, fruit crowns and vitro plants. II. Vigor.This plant exhibits similar vigor as its parents, the 1/2.1696 line, and the MD-2 variety. III. Yield.A population of this pineapple can have an agronomic yield from 82 to 152 ton/ha. IV. Plant use.The fruit will be commercialized within the fresh fruit and processed fruit for the export markets. Shipping conditions are typically set as 14 days at 7 degrees Celsius. Summary of the special characteristics: The FR28203 plants present the following differences when compared to its parental lines: A. Resistance to Fusarium guttiforme.MD-2 is very susceptible to this pathogen, while FR28203 exhibits total resistance. B. Yellow colored pulp.The backcross between the 1/2.1696 backcross and MD-2, ended up in a combination of a fruit with similar shell color and yellow pulp like the MD-2 variety. C. Plant with little or none slips.MD-2 variety produces between 1-3 slips per plant, and the 1/2.1696 produces little or none slips per plant. By comparison, FR28203, which reduces cosmetic and pest problems that can be originated by the contact of the slips with the fruit. D. At full maturity.The FR28203 fruit achieves high sugar content, as measured by brix levels. Citric acid, and ascorbic acid are similar as those of MD-2 and higher compared to 1/2.1696 fruits. E. As a result of the backcross process.FR28203 has acquired resistance to Fusarium guttiforme, just like the 1/2.1696 but with an improved fruit size, pulp color, and internal quality similar to the MD-2. This combination of characteristics is important to differentiate this hybrid from its parents; as shown on Table 3, when reproduced asexually, these characteristics are stable and reproducible for successive generations.

(11) TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Average data for select organoleptic parameters and fruit size of the FR28203 hybrid. Ascorbic. Citric Acid Acid Fruit Num- (m g/ (mg/ Weight ber Generation n Brix 100 ml) ml) (g) of slips FR28203 1 16.9 45.8 0.74 2181 0 MD2 71 16.3 61.4 0.95 1949 0 (data for FR28203 represent observations from the first plant evaluated when backcrossing MD 2 with 1/2.Math.1696 hybrid; data for MD2 represents the average score for MD2 variety in the region). Individual plant description: The following is an overview of FR28203 hybrid, a new pineapple plant variety, that was developed through hybridization process in Limoeiro do Norte, Cear, Brazil. Plant age.15.97 months after planting plus 4.99 months after forcing. Plant growth habit.Semi-upright. Plant diameter.Around 165 cm between opposite leaf tips. Plant height.129 cm above ground surface. Stem.Length. 19.0 cm above ground sur-face. Diameter. Between 6.1 cm above ground surface. Leaves: I. Number.59 leaves. II. Length.106 cm the longest leaf. III. Width.(Largest leaves) at mid leaf (max.) 5.8 cm. Leaf piping is absent. IV. Thickness.2.3 mm along the axis. V. Color.A) Upper epidermal chlorophyllous area: Commonly dark green (7.5GY 4/6). B) Upper epidermal non chlorophyllous area: commonly pale white (N8). C) Lower epidermal area: Commonly pale green (N8). Leaf anthocyanin coloration may appear slightly on some plants. Inflorescence: General.Composite inflorescence borne on a long peduncle at the apical meristem. The inflorescence is composed of 84 flowers, which eventually lead to an equal number of fruitlets.

(12) TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 Petals: Description of size and texture of flowers of FR28203 hybrid. Inflore- scence UPOV ID Trait Note 14 Size of bracts (cm) 1, 7 15 Petal: color of apex 2 (purple red), base (white) 16 Petal length (mm) 14.0 N/A Petal width (cm) 0.60 N/A Petal Height (cm) 1.40 N/A Petal texture very finely textured and smooth feel I. Reproductive organs. Description of size and shape of reproductive organs of FR28203 hybrid. Trait Note Inflore- Style (mm) 7.94 scence Stamen (mm) 6.70 Style shape tubular Stamen shape tubular Style color Base = white, top - pale purple Filament color Filament base = white, filament top - pale purple Anther color Pale yellow Pollen color transparent II. Peduncle. length and diameter of the peduncle of 'FR28203' hybrid are as follows. Ped- uncule ID Trait Note 21 Length (cm) 15.8 3.1 22 Diameter (cm) 3.3 0.8

(13) TABLE-US-00003 TABLE 3 Susceptibility to pest and diseases of different commercial varieties to Fusarium guttiforme (FR28203 is resistant and Champaka and MD2 are susceptible). Pineapple Variety Pest/Disease FR28203 MD-2 Champaka Fusarium guttiforme. R+ S+ S

(14) The pineapple variety FR28203 has a post-harvest shelf life similar to MD-2 variety, showing similar performance in shell dehydration studies.

(15) FR28203 fruit general characteristics are as follows (A) a fruitlet apex which is flat; (B) the flesh density is medium; (C) the number fruitlets per syncarp is 47-93; (D) the fruitlet characteristics are as follows:

(16) TABLE-US-00004 TABLE 4 ID Trait Note Fruit 31 Fruit shape (cylindrical) 3 32 Fruit length (cm) 16.6 4.6 33 Fruit diameter (cm) 11.0 2.5 34 Predominant color of mature eye 6 (medium yellow) 35 Fruit: Size (medium) 5 N/A Size of eye diameter width (cm) 2.4 0.15 N/A Size of eye length (cm) 2.4 0.15 N/A Color of immature eye (grayish green) 4 37 Fruitlet apex (flat) 2 38 Evenness of color of eyes 1 (even or slightly uneven) III. Shell color.FR28203 shell color at mature (10YR 5/8) and immature (5GY 1/2) stages. IV. Weight and shape of fruit.FR28203 average fruit weight is similar to the MD-2, and Champaka; FR28203 has a cylindrical shape. V. Ascorbic acid.FR28203 has a higher content of ascorbic acid than its relative A. comosus cv. Manzana, but similar to MD-2 variety. VI. Citric acid.FR28203 citric acid content is similar to MD-2. VII. Brix.The sugar content (measured as brix degrees) of FR28203 is higher to that found on MD-2. VIII. Age to forcing.FR28203 is vigorous and can reach forcing plant size 8-17 months after planting (shorter when using vegetative propagation material, and longer when starting with seed). Although plant development time to forcing depends on the size of planting material used and the desired plant weight at floral induction, the above figures are similar to those achieved by the MD-2 variety, which reaches an optimal forcing size in 8.5 months after planting when using vegetative propagation material. IX. Leaf spines.This characteristic is commonly used to differentiate pineapple plants from other varieties. The color of the leaf spines are as follows: Tip: dark green like MD2 (7.5GY 4/6), base: dark green like MD2 (7.5GY 4/6). FR28203 does not have conspicuous or regular thorns on the leaf like its parental 1/2.1696, or its parental MD-2, although MD-2 often presents irregular thorns on the edges of the leaf blade as well. X. Fruit quality of FR28203 when compared with other pineapple varieties.Most pineapple varieties grown worldwide are produced for local consumption, and very few are grown for international commercialization and global distribution. The fruit characteristics bred into FR28203 were specifically chosen to comply with the strictest quality standards of export markets like those of North America, Europe, and Asia Pacific. As shown in Table 5, FR11834 compares very favorably against MD-2, the pineapple variety that has achieved most notoriety to date in global markets.

(17) TABLE-US-00005 TABLE 5 Comparison of FR28203 against other varieties on some of the most important characteristics relevant to fresh fruit destined for exportation. TABLE 5 Comparative characteristics of different pineapple varieties and cultivars Variety/ # Of slips Fruit weight (g) Cultivar.sup.(11) Average Range Average Range FR28203.sup.(1) 0 0-1 1954 851-2486 FR11834.sup.(1) (U.S. Plant Pat. 35,670 0 0-1 1191 681-2053 P2) MD2.sup.(2) 1.2 0-3 1820 1070-2560 Morada.sup.(3) 7.57 4-9 1887 1566-2000 Honey Gold (U.S. Plant Pat. 16,328 1.5 0-3 1033 450-1678 P3) Champaka 153.sup.(3) 1.1 1710 420-3010 Champaka F152 1.5 2328 CO-2.sup.(4) 2-3 2059 1297-2590 Singapore 2-12 1000 Spanish.sup.(5) Sarawak.sup.(5) 0 2000-4000 Mauritius.sup.(5) 0 500-1500 Josephine.sup.(6) 1100-1300 Scarlett.sup.(6) 1400-2000 Red Spansh.sup.(7) 1-3 1200-2000 T'ainung 11.sup.(7) 6.9 991 733-1269 Imperial.sup.(8) 9 1792 Perolera.sup.(8) 8-10 1800 Pernambuco.sup.(9) 1000-1500 Primavera.sup.(9) 7-10 1300 Queen.sup.(10) 10 500-1000 Ascorbic Acid Citric Acid Variety/ (mg/100 ml) (mg/ml) Cultivar.sup.(11) Average Range Average Range FR28203.sup.(1) 43.42 34.4-51.4 0.48 0.35-0.74 FR11834.sup.(1) (U.S. 53.15 47.13-56.70 0.63 0.59-0.72 Plant Pat. 35,670 P2) MD2.sup.(2) 53.06 37.00-69.06 0.6 0.36-0.84 Morada.sup.(3) 20.03 9.90-24.90 0.69 0.58-0.86 Honey Gold (U.S. 21.14 14.73-37.36 0.98 0.67-1.33 Plant Pat. 16,328 P3) Champaka 153.sup.(3) 12.91 8.10-17.72 0.72 0.54-0.90 Champaka F152 0.73 CO-2.sup.(4) 30.80-55.50 0.42-0.91 Singapore 0.50-0.60 Spanish.sup.(5) Sarawak.sup.(5) 0.30-0.65 Mauritius.sup.(5) 0.40-0.60 Josephine.sup.(6) Scarlett.sup.(6) Red Spansh.sup.(7) T'ainung 11.sup.(7) 1.40-18.50 0.5 0.40-0.6 Imperial.sup.(8) 0.62 Perolera.sup.(8) 0.64 Pernambuco.sup.(9) Primavera.sup.(9) 0.51 Queen.sup.(10) 26 0.56 Variety / Brix Cultivar (11) Average Range FR28203.sup.(1) 17.4 16.4-19.4 FR11834.sup.(1) (U.S. 19.00 18.1-20.7 Plant Pat. 35,670 P2) MD2.sup.(2) 15.55 12.9-17.2 Morada.sup.(3) 13.51 12.2-15.1 Honey Gold (U.S. 16.18 14.4-18.1 Plant Pat. 16,328 P3) Champaka 153.sup.(3) 14.33 11.6-17.0 Champaka F152 14.97 CO-2.sup.(4) 15.0-16.7 Singapore 10.0-12.0 Spanish.sup.(5) Sarawak.sup.(5) 14.0-17.0 Mauritius.sup.(5) 15.0-17.0 Josephine.sup.(6) 17.0-22.0 Scarlett.sup.(6) 15.0-18.0 Red Spansh.sup.(7) 12.00 T'ainung 11.sup.(7) 14.00 13.2-15.1 Imperial.sup.(8) 15.80 Perolera.sup.(8) 13.10 14.0-16.0 Pernambuco.sup.(9) Primavera.sup.(9) 13 Queen.sup.(10) 14.0-16.0 .sup.(1)FR28203 fruit harvested in Brazil. .sup.(2)Pindeco's historical data base and monthly research report April 2001. .sup.(3)Pindeco's fruit historical data base. Pindeco's forcing plant weight data base. .sup.(4)Plant patent 8,863. .sup.(5)Wee, Y. C. 1972. Some common pineapple cultivars of west Malaysia. Malays Pineapple pp 7-13. .sup.(6)Bartholomew et al. 2003 The Pineapple, Botany, Production and Uses. .sup.(7)Chang, Ching-Chyn, 1995 Tainung No. 13. Pineapple. Jour. Agric. Res. China 44(2): 287-296. .sup.(8)Pinto da Cunha et al. 0 abacaxizeiro. Pineapple News Issue No 10 May 2003. .sup.(9)Pinto da Cunha et al. 0 abacaxizeiro. Py et al. The pineapple Cultivation and uses. .sup.(10)Del Monte pineapple germplasm collection database. .sup.(11)Cultivars are unpatented unless indicated otherwise.

REFERENCES CITED

(18) MATOS, A. P. (2008)Perdas causadas pela F. guttiforme. Disponivel em: https://www.embrapa.br/busca-de-publicacoes/-/publicacao/981520/situacao-e-perspectivas-da-abacaxicultura-no-amazonas MATOS, A. P. & JUNEGHANS, D. T. Variedades de abacaxi resistentes a F. guttiforme. 2006. Cruz das Almas, B A. https://ainfo.cnptia.embrapa.br/digital/bitstream/item/42932/1/VARIEDADES-ABACAXI-ARISTOTELES.pdf. Munsell Color chart for Plant Tissues. published by Munsell Color Macbeth, a division of Kollmorgen Corporation, Baltimore, Md. USA.