Plants – Nut – Almond
Plant Patent
2000-05-18
2002-07-02
Campell, Bruce R. (Department: 1661)
Plants
Nut
Almond
Plant Patent
active
PP012737
ABSTRACT:
DESCRIPTION
The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of almond tree (
Prunus Amygdalus
) that has been given the varietal name ‘Bluegum.’
The original plant of the ‘Bluegum’ variety was discovered as a chance seedling of unknown parentage growing within a cultivated area of one of the inventor's farm located at 6201 Blue Gum Avenue, Modesto, Calif. During the non-bearing years of the seedling, the inventors protected it from the normal orchard practice of removing volunteer seedlings. As the original seedling tree reached reproductive maturity, the inventors noted its novel bloom date, excellent shell seal, and pleasant flavor and marked it for subsequent observation.
It is horticulturally understood that it is necessary to provide cross-pollination of almond trees since most commercially acceptable almond cultivars are not self-fertile. It is commonly acknowledged that the ‘Nonpareil’ variety (an unpatented well known variety of almond tree) of almond tree is a difficult variety to pollinate and produces more consistent crops when it has two pollinating varieties. Furthermore, the ‘Nonpareil’ variety performs best when its bloom dates are bracketed by two separate pollinator varieties. Both the original tree and the progeny trees of the ‘Bluegum’ variety have been observed to provide pollination on the early side of that combination. Additionally, the original tree of the ‘Bluegum’ variety has been shown to be a compatible with the later blooming pollinator variety known as ‘Carmel’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 2,641), and the progeny trees have been shown to be compatible with the later blooming pollinator variety known as ‘Fritz’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 3,005).
Equally important is almond nut quality and market acceptance. Almonds produced by the original tree of the ‘Bluegum’ variety are ripe for commercial harvesting just following almonds produced by the ‘Nonpareil’ variety but before almomds produced by the ‘Carmel’ variety, thereby providing harvest separation of plants if the different varieties are planted in adjoining rows. Almonds produced by the original tree of the ‘Bluegum’ variety are noteworthy in that they have a good shell seal thereby providing some natural insect protection. Additionally, the nut kernel of original tree of the ‘Bluegum’ variety is of high quality, providing excellent mild to sweet flavor and the nuts from the original tree have been found to fit into the commercially recognized “California” category.
More specifically, both the original tree and the progeny trees of the ‘Bluegum’ variety have been observed to bloom approximately 2 days earlier in the season than the ‘Nonpareil’ variety. Furthermore, nuts from the original tree have been observed to mature for harvesting approximately 10 days after the ‘Nonpareil’ variety, under the same environmental conditions prevailing in the San Joaquin Valley of Central California. The original tree and the progeny trees of the ‘Bluegum’ variety have been observed to produce nuts in volumes equal to, or greater than the ‘Nonpareil’ variety, while concurrently enhancing crops produced by the ‘Nonpareil’ variety. The original tree of the ‘Bluegum’ variety of almond tree also has a harvest date which is approximately 10 days ahead of the ‘Carmel’ variety of almond tree. The observations pertaining to nut flavor and characteristics are drawn from the original tree and are expected to carry over to the asexually propagated progeny.
ASEXUAL REPRODUCTION AND OBSERVATION OF THE NEW VARIETY
The first asexual reproduction of the newly discovered variety was performed by budding in 1998 at the direction of the inventors at Driver Nursery, Inc. in Modesto, Calif. Test trees resulting from this budding were planted in two geographically diverse test orchards in Modesto, Calif. and Kern County, Calif., respectively, for further observation. The flowering characteristics, pollination characteristics, and other characteristics of the new variety have been confirmed to exist in these two-year old asexually propagated progeny, except that mature harvestable nuts have yet to be collected from the progeny. The inventors have continually monitored the development of the progeny trees and expect that the nut characteristics of the asexually propagated progeny will be the same as those of the original tree of the ‘Bluegum’ variety.
Flora Jonathan J.
Flora O. Hubert
Flora Rodney D.
Campell Bruce R.
Driver Nursery, Inc.
Klarquist & Sparkman, LLP
Para Annette H.
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