Plants – Fruit – Blueberry
Plant Patent
2003-01-23
2004-09-14
Grunberg, Anne Marie (Department: 1661)
Plants
Fruit
Blueberry
Plant Patent
active
PP015146
ABSTRACT:
Latin name and variety denomination:
The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of
Vaccinium corymbosum,
which is hereby denominated ‘Liberty.’
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is related to the present inventor's United States Patent Applications entitled “Blueberry plant denominated ‘Aurora,’” U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/350,345, filed Jan. 23, 2003, and entitled “Blueberry plant denominated ‘Draper,’” U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/350,344, filed Jan. 23, 2003. Both of these applications are also assigned to the assignee of the present application. The disclosures of the above applications are hereby incorporated herein by reference.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of highbush blueberry plant, denominated ‘Liberty.’ Liberty is a new blueberry variety of
Vaccinium corymbosum
from the Michigan State University breeding program. It is a productive, very late ripening variety with high fresh market quality that is intended for areas where northern highbush varieties are grown successfully. Plants of Liberty are vigorous and upright. Canes are numerous, moderately branched and the fruit are well exposed. Its berries are moderately large, have small, dry picking scars, excellent powder-blue color, delicious flavor and excellent firmness. Liberty has a harvest season that begins about 5 days before the variety known as ‘Elliott.’ Blueberry growers often receive their highest profits in the late season. Liberty will provide two new late ripening options with high quality fruit.
Emasculated flowers of the ‘Brigetta’ highbush blueberry from Australia were pollinated in 1991 with pollen from the northern highbush variety Elliott. The seeds were germinated, grown in a greenhouse for 1 year and then field planted at Benton Harbor, Mich. Liberty was selected from a group of 54 siblings in 1997. The original selection has been evaluated at Benton Harbor, Mich. annually for 11 years. Asexual reproduction took place at East Lansing, Mich. and Lowell, Oreg. Liberty has been propagated by hardwood cuttings that produced over a hundred shoots that were rooted in the greenhouse and then planted in the field. Initiation of root development from hardwood cuttings takes about two to about three months. In addition, Liberty has been propagated by softwood cuttings that have been rooted. Furthermore, generation of micro-shoots in the greenhouse using established tissue culture methods has produced thousands of clones of Liberty. Initiation of root development from hardwood cuttings takes about three to about four weeks. Such methods are discussed in the following references, which are incorporated by reference in their entirety: Doran, W. L. and Bailey, J. S. “Propagation of the high bush blueberry by softwood cuttings,” Bulletin Massachusetts Agricultural Experiment Station; no. 410. Amherst, Mass. Massachusetts State College, 1943; Doehlert, C. A. “Propagating blueberries from hardwood cuttings,” Circular (New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station) 490. New Brunswick, N.J. New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station, 1945; Doehlert, C. A. “Propagating blueberries from hardwood cuttings,” Circular (New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station) 551. New Brunswick, N.J.: New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station, 1953; El Shiekh, A.; Wildung, D. K.; Luby, J. J.; Sargent, K. L.; Read, P. E. “Long term effects of propagation by tissue culture or softwood single node cuttings on growth habit, yield, and berry weight of ‘Northblue’ blueberry,” Journal of the American Society for Horticultural Science. 1996, 121: 2, 339 342; Galletta, G. J.; Ballington, J. R.; Daubeny, H. A.; Brennan, R. M.; Reisch, B. J.; Pratt, C.; Ferguson, A. R.; Seal, A. G.; McNeilage, M. A.; Fraser, L. G.; Harvey, C. F.; Beatson, R. A.; Hancock, J. F.; Scott, D. H.; Lawrence, F. J.; Janick, J. (ed.); Moore, J. N. “Fruit breeding. Volume II. Vine and small fruits,” Department of Horticulture, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Ind. 1996 John Wiley and Sons; New York; USA; Strik, B.; Brun, C.; Ahmedullah, M.; Antonelli, A.; Askham, L.; Barney, D.; Bristow, P.; Fisher, G.; Hart, J.; Havens, D. Draper A. D. and Chandler C. K. “Accelerating highbush blueberry selection evaluation by early propagation,” Journal of the American Society for Horticultural Science. 1986 111(2): 301-303; Pritts M. P. and Hancock J. F. (Eds.) “Highbush blueberry production guide,” Northeast Regional Agricultural Engineering Service, Ithaca, N.Y., USA 1992.
Clones of Liberty have been tested for four years at Grand Junction, Mich., and for two years at South Haven, Mich., Lacota, Mich., Corvallis, Oreg., and Lowell, Oreg. In all cases all resulting plants have stably displayed characteristics of the variety. Consistent high yields at Benton Harbor and Grand Junction, Mich. indicate that the buds and wood of Liberty are tolerant to fluctuating late fall and spring temperatures. Liberty also has excellent winter hardiness, as it has routinely been challenged with mid-winter temperatures below −20 C. Probable areas of adaptation and markets include blueberry growers in Michigan and across the USA, Canada, Argentina, Australia, Chile, France, Germany, and New Zealand.
Board of Trustees operating Michigan State University
Harness & Dickey & Pierce P.L.C.
McCormick-Ewoldt S B
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