Citrus tree named ‘Shani’

Details Citrus tree named ‘Shani’ Citrus tree named ‘Shani’

2000-11-20

2003-03-11

Bell, Kent L. (Department: 1661)

Plants

Fruit

Citrus

Plant Patent

active

PP013634

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
A new mandarin citrus tree
Citrus reticulata
hybrid is described. The new variety named ‘Shani’ is desirable to the consumer because of the red-orange color and excellent flavor of its fruit and to the commercial grower because of its late-season fruit ripening.
BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT
The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of mandarin citrus tree
Citrus reticulata
hybrid developed by inventors Pinchas Spiegel-Roy, Aliza Vardi, Avraham Elchanati and Ahuva Frydman-Shani in Bet Dagan, Israel from a controlled pollination cross between seed parent ‘Wilking’ (unpatented) mandarin and pollen parent ‘Michal’ (unpatented).
Asexual reproduction by conventional bud grafting of the new variety at the Agriculture Research Organization Volcani Center in Bet Dagan, Israel, has shown that the new characteristics are stabilized and permanently fixed through successive propagation.
The objective in breeding the present new tree variety, assigned the denomination ‘Shani’, was to obtain a late ripening citrus mandarin with few or no seeds. In the spring of 1976, the seed parent ‘Wilking’ (unpatented) mandarin (resulting from a cross of ‘King’בWillowleaf’ (Mediterranean) reported by Frost in
Calif. Agr. Exp. Sta. Bull.
1935, pp.597-601), was crossed with pollen parent ‘Michal’, a cultivar of Israeli origin believed to be a natural hybrid between two
Citrus reticulata
‘Blanco’ cultivars. The fruit was collected in November 1977. Seeds were extracted and germinated in January 1978. About 400 seedlings were grown from the germinated seeds. Each seedling was grafted onto Sour orange nucellar rootstock.
Field planting was established from container grown plants in the spring of 1979. The first fruits were observed in February, 1983 and again in 1984.
One of the 400 plants was designated 46/2. The fruits of this scion were observed to be fully ripe during February to mid March. The fruit was red-orange in color with few seeds and excellent flavor.
Bud wood was taken from 46/2 and top grafted in the spring of 1984 on 8 Troyer nucellar rootstock The grafted plants were planted a year later in the experimental grove of the Agricultural Research Organization, Bet Dagan, Israel. The first crop of these trees was obtained in 1987. The yield of the scion grafted onto Troyer rootstock was good. The fruit was fully ripe the last week in February. The color of the fruit when fully ripe was orange-red, and the fruit was quite easy to peel. The fruit had a pleasant flavor and excellent aroma. The juice had a sugar concentration of about 12.8% and an acid concentration of about 1.09%.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
46/2, designated ‘Shani’, is characterized by reddish-orange fruit having few seeds and flowers with anthers bearing viable pollen. Table 1 shows some of the characteristics of the new tree compared to the seed parent ‘Wilking’ and pollen parent ‘Michal’. All observations were made in Israel on citrus 5-6 years old. Color designations have been determined from The RHS Colour Chart published by the Royal Horticultural Society, London.
TABLE 1
Chromosome
Tree
Fruit skin color
number
Seeds/fruit
Pollen fertility
1
46/2
Orange-red
2n = 18
0-9
88%
‘Shani’
RHS 34A
‘Wilking’
Orange RHS 25A
2n = 18
 6-15
94%
‘Michal’
Orange-red
2n = 18
2-9
86%
RHS 33A
1
Estimated by Acetocarmine staining
Although ‘Merav’ (U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 09/716,984) and ‘Shani’ are sibling cultivars, they can be easily distinguished from each other as shown in Table 2.
TABLE 2
Time of fruit
ripening
Fruit skin color
Fruit Flavor
‘Merav’
December-January
Orange RHS 30B
excellent
‘Shani’
Feb.-mid March
Orange-red RHS
excellent
34A
aroma
excellent
The following is a detailed description of the new mandarin citrus variety based on observations made under typical Israeli grove conditions.
The leaf shape, tree size and shape of ‘Shani’ are intermediate between the seed parent ‘Wilking’ and the pollen parent ‘Michal’. Young shoots have no anthocyanin coloration at the tip. The tree is quite productive with a slight tendency to alternate bearing (lower yield of fruit after a year of heavy bearing if fruit is not harvested). The canopy is moderately dense. The bark of the young shoots is initially smooth and green, gradually turning into a smooth brown-gray.
The chromosome number of the tree is diploid (2n=18) as is the chromosome number of the two parents.
The leaves somewhat resemble ‘Michal’ in size and shape. The leaf shape in cross section is slightly concave. Foliar flushes, as measured in Bet Dagan, Israel, occur between April and September. The firmness of the leave blade is relatively weak, without undulation. Petioles are without wings or have very narrow wings.
The characteristics of the flowering and the flower parts are similar to ‘Michal’. The flower has almost the same size as the flower of ‘Michal’. All flowers of mandarin cultivars are very much alike in color of petal (both sides are white), anthers, pistils, etc. Flowering as measured in Bet Dagan, Israel, occurs between mid March and the beginning of April. Terminal flower buds have no anthocyanin coloration. Anther color is yellow with 88% stainable pollen grain as obtained by staining with acetocarmine..
The fruit has few seeds, about 0 to 9 seeds per fruit. The fruit shape is oblate and medium in size. When 50 fruits were measured, the fruit had an average weight of 112 grams, an average height of 49 mm, and an average diameter of 65 mm. The fruit surface is usually smooth with a reddish-orange color, 34A, on The Royal Horticultural Society of London Colour Chart. Fruit ripening does not differ from outside of the canopy to the inside, but the fruit color of the outside canopy is a little brighter compared to the fruit color of the inside canopy. There is no persistence of the style and the areola is not completely developed. A small navel is usually present, similar to pollen parent ‘Michal’. The rind is thin and relatively easy to peel.
The color of the albedo is reddish and the flesh is dark orange in color. The fruit contains 10-12 segments and is very juicy. The external color of the seed is white and the internal color is greyed-orange. The color of the cotyledons is greyed-green. The seed size, shape and texture are quite similar to that of ‘Michal’. The seed size is medium. The fruit reaches maturity in February in Israel. The ripening of the fruit on the tree and within the fruit is uniform. Fruit remaining on the tree does not re-green and does begin to lose quality until March. The fruit has an attractive appearance and an excellent flavor and aroma.


REFERENCES:
GTITM UPOVROM Citation for ‘Shani’ as per IL PRB 01464; Feb. 26, 1999.*
GTITM UPOVROM Citation for ‘Shani’ as per ZA PBR 01376; Apr. 13, 1993.*
Spiegel-Roy, P.; Vardi, A.; ‘Shani’, ‘Orah’ and ‘Winola’—Three New Selections from our Breeding Program; 7th International Citrus Congress Proceedings—International Society of Citriculture; The Society, vol. 1, 72-83; 1992 (notice only).

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