USPP28692P3 - Strawberry plant named ‘Playa’ - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention provides a new and distinct strawberry plant designated as ‘Playa’ (a.k.a. ‘108926’).

Description

Latin name of the genus and species: Fragaria×ananassa.

Varietal denominations: ‘Playa’ (a.k.a. ‘108926’).

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct strawberry variety designated as ‘Playa’ (a.k.a. ‘108926’).

‘Playa’ (a.k.a. ‘108926’) is the result of a controlled-cross between a female parent cultivar designated 107707 and a male parent cultivar designated 103474 (both unpatented, proprietary cultivars) made by the Inventor and was first fruited in Watsonville, Calif. growing fields. Following selection and during testing, the plant was originally designated ‘108926’ and subsequently named ‘Playa’.

This new variety was asexually reproduced via runners (stolons) by the inventor at Watsonville, Calif. Asexual propagules from the original source have been tested in Watsonville growing fields and to a limited extent, grower fields in high elevation. The properties of this variety were found to be transmissible by such asexual reproduction. This cultivar is stable and reproduces true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to new and distinctive strawberry cultivar designated as ‘Playa’. These cultivars are primarily adapted to the climate and growing conditions of the central coast of California. This region provides the necessary temperatures required for it to produce a strong vigorous plant and to remain in fruit production from March through October. The nearby Pacific Ocean provides the needed humidity and moderate day temperatures and evening chilling to maintain fruit quality for the production months.

The following traits and photographs in combination distinguish strawberry variety ‘Playa’ from known strawberry varieties. In addition, this new cultivar was confirmed to be a unique strawberry germplasm when tested against the California Seed & Plant Lab, Inc. (Elverta, Calif.) database using Short Sequence Repeats (SSRs). Plants for the botanical measurements in the present application were grown as annuals. Any color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. The fruit produced by this new cultivar is attractive and of excellent quality.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying color photographs depict various characteristics of the cultivars as nearly true as possible to make color reproductions.

FIG. 1 shows ripe fruits of ‘Playa’.

FIG. 2 shows ‘Playa’ plants in the field with ripe and near-ripe fruits.

FIG. 3 shows ‘Playa’ plants growing in the field.

FIG. 4 shows ‘Playa’ plant leaves with petioles.

FIG. 5 shows a close-up look of a ‘Playa’ plant leaf.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

‘Playa’ (a.k.a. ‘108926’)

This invention relates to a new and distinctive strawberry cultivar designated as ‘Playa’. It is primarily adapted to the climate and growing conditions of the central coast of California. This region provides the necessary temperatures required for it to produce a strong vigorous plant and to remain in fruit production from March through October. The nearby Pacific Ocean provides the needed humidity and moderate day temperatures and evening chilling to maintain fruit quality for the production months.

The following traits in combination distinguish strawberry variety ‘Playa’ from the known strawberry varieties. Plants for the botanical measurements in the present application were grown as annuals. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

‘Playa’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions, and the phenotype may vary significantly with variations in environment. The following observations, measurements, and comparisons describe this plant as grown under normal conditions in Watsonville, Calif. unless otherwise noted.

Hybrid Patent Data Sheet
(planted: October Year 1; measurement: November Year 2)
Variety: PLAYA (A.K.A. ‘108926’)

Plant
Plant Growth Habit	Semi-upright
Day length	neutral
Planting Season	fall
Height (mm)	380
Diameter (mm)	360 (the entire plant structure,
	including the “superstructure” of
	petioles, leaves, flowers)
	70 (inner “base” or “heart” structure
	of the plant, i.e. the mature apical and
	axial crowns of the strawberry plant
	where petioles, flowers and runners
	are attached)
Density of foliage	heavy
Average number of crowns per	4
mature plant
Plant vigor	high
Rain/weather tolerance (e.g., high,	moderate
moderate, or low)
Harvest Ease	moderate
Terminal Leaf
Length (mm)	99
Width (mm)	91
Terminal leaflet length/width ratio	0.9
Blistering	none
Terminal leaf shape	orbicular
Number of teeth/terminal leaflet:	20
Shape of the terminal leaflet base	obtuse
Shape of terminal leaflet in cross-	concave
section
Margin description of the terminal	serrate
Shape of teeth	obtuse
Color of upper side of leaves	137A
Color of lower side of leaves	139C
Leaf glossiness	medium to weak
presence or absence of any leaf	absence
variegation
Number of leaflets	66
Terminal Leaflet margin	flat
Terminal Leaflet shape of apex	rounded
Petiole
Length (mm)	244
Width (mm)	4
Petiole pubescence	medium
Petiole pose of hairs	outwards
Petiole color	145B
Attitude of hairs on petiole and	Outwards to horizontal
pedicel
Petiolule
Length (mm)	48
Width(mm)	3.2
Stolon
Diameter (mm)	4
Stolon color	145A
Widest diameter of stolon at point	4.78
of attachment of leaf (mm)
Stolon anthocyanin	187A
Density of pubescence on the stolon	Medium
Stolon number	2 to 12
Stolon thickness	Large
Stolon attitude	outwards
Stolon size	medium to large
Inflorescence
Petal/flower	NA
Inflorescence	even
position relative
Number of flowers per plant	30-40
Fertility	self-fertile
Time of flowering	March to April
Corolla (mm)	13
Calyx (mm)	5
Calyx color	137C
Position of calyx attachment	inserted
Level of adherence of calyx	High
Petal length (mm)	17
Petal width (mm)	7
Petal per flower	5
Flower arrangement of petals	free to touching
Upper petal color	155C
Lower petal color	155D
Sepal length (mm)	19
Sepal width (mm)	9
Sepals per flower	10
Peduncle size (cm)	22.5
Stipule height (mm)	27
Stipule width (mm)	11
Stipule attitude	upwards
Stipule coloration	145B
Pedicel coloration	145A
Anther coloration	12A
Stamen count	22
Stamen shape	dorsifixed
Stamen length (mm)	4.03
Fruit
Fruit/truss	1-5
Length (mm)	37
Width (mm)	29
Fruit length/width ratio	1.27
Core length (mm)	30
Core width (mm)	9
Glossiness	medium
Fruiting truss attitude	erect
Fruit skin color	41A
Evenness of fruit color	medium
Predominant fruit shape	long-conical
Difference in shape between	none to very slight
primary & secondary fruits
Width of the band without achenes	medium
Position of the achenes	inserted
Number of achenes per fruit	257
Achene weight (g)	0.18
Achene coloration	152D
Flesh color	45A
excluding core	41A
Color of fruit core	41A
Firmness of flesh	firm
Texture when tasted	medium
Time of fruit ripening	April
Harvest maturity (50% of plants	early
with ripe fruit)
Grams of fruit/plant (g)	678
(During peak season, June)
Appearance Score	4
(from 1-5, with 5 = best)
Storage longevity (e.g., 10 days to 2	9 days-13 days
weeks)
Cull rate: Non salable fruit	<10%
production rate
Disease and pest resistance	Not tested
Acidity as measured by pH	3.26
Sweetness as measured by brix	9

When ‘Playa’ is compared to the proprietary female parent, ‘Playa’ has a lower height. The density of foliage of ‘Playa’ is heavy, while the density of foliage of the female parent is medium.

When ‘Playa’ is compared to the proprieiary male parent, ‘Playa’ has stolons that are much thicker than the stolons of the male parent. Additionally, ‘Playa’ presents smaller trifoliate leaflets and much larger and fruit than the male parent.

When ‘Playa’ is compared to ‘Seascape’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 07,614), ‘Playa’ has a density of foliage that is heavy, while the density of foliage of Seascape’ is light. The plant vigor of ‘Playa’ is high, while the plant vigor of ‘Seascape’ is moderate. The leaf glossiness of ‘Playa’ ranges from medium to weak, while the leaf glossiness of ‘Seascape’ is medium. The number of leaflets of ‘Playa’ is 66, while the number of leaflets of ‘Seascape’ is 49. ‘Playa’ presents larger fruit than ‘Seascape’ as well. ‘Playa’ tri-foliate leaves have a more serrate shape relative to the crenate leaves of ‘Seascape’.

Claims (1)

The invention claimed is:

1. A new and distinct cultivar of strawberry plant named ‘Playa’ substantially as shown and described herein.

Images