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Guelph Millennium

Asparagus

Denomination: 'Guelph Millennium'
Botanical Name: Asparagus officinalis
Applicant/Holder: University of Guelph
Research Innovation Office
Building #92, 50 Stone Road East
Guelph, Ontario
N1G 2W1
Canada
Breeder: David Wolyn, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario
Application Date: 1999-12-02
Application Number: 99-1905
Grant of Rights Date: 2003-02-24
Certificate Number: 1427
Grant of Rights Termination Date: 2021-02-24

Variety Description

Varieties used for comparison: 'G178 x G305', 'Jersey Giant' and 'Jersey Deluxe'

Summary: 'Guelph Millennium' is an asparagus variety with fewer stems than the reference varieties. 'Guelph Millennium' produces stems that are longer than those of 'G178 x G305' and 'Jersey Deluxe'. Length of the stem up to the first branch for 'Guelph Millennium' is longer than that for 'G178 x G305' and shorter than that for 'Jersey Giant' and 'Jersey Deluxe'. Intensity of anthocyanin colouration of the apex of the spears is moderate for 'Guelph Millennium' while it is strong for the reference varieties. Sex expression for 'Guelph Millennium' plants is male flowers with and without styles while for 'Jersey Giant' and 'Jersey Deluxe' plants it is male flowers without style rudiments. The flowers of 'Guelph Millennium' have less intense anthocyanin colouration than those of 'Jersey Giant' and 'Jersey Deluxe'.

Description:

'Guelph Millennium' is a diploid asparagus variety. The plants have sparsely arranged phylloclades which are medium green in colour. Diameter of the stem at ground level is medium.

The spears of 'Guelph Millennium' begin to emerge early in the season. At emergence, the intensity of anthocyanin colouration at the apex of the spears is moderate. After emergence, the intensity of green colouration at the apex of the spears is moderate. The spear has an apex which is triangular in shape. The diameter at the base of the spear apex is equal to the diameter of the remaining stem. The attitude of the bracts on the spear is adpressed.

The plants of 'Guelph Millennium' produce male flowers with and without styles.

Origin & Breeding History: 'Guelph Millennium' is a hybrid variety derived by crossing female clone 'G24' with supermale clone 'G305' at the University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario in 1990. 'G24' is a single plant selection from the cultivar 'Viking 2K' and 'G305' was derived from andromonoeciosus seed of a single male parent from the cultivar 'Lucullus'. Selection criteria for 'Guelph Millennium' included yield of marketable spears harvested at 17.8 to 22.8 cm, and rust tolerance. It was first planted in trials in 1991 and single plant parent selections were propagated through tissue culture micro-propagation.

Tests & Trials: The tests and trials for 'Guelph Millennium' were conducted at the Cambridge Research Station, Cambridge, Ontario in 2000 and 2001. There were four replicated plots for each of 'Guelph Millennium', 'G178 x G305' and 'Jersey Giant' and three replicated plots of 'Jersey Deluxe'. Each plot contained twenty crowns spaced 50 cm apart with a distance between rows of 1.5 metres. The area of each plot was 15 metres squared.


Comparison tables for 'Guelph Millennium' with reference varieties 'G178 x G305', 'Jersey Giant' and 'Jersey Deluxe'

Number of stems

  'Guelph Millennium' 'G178 x G305' 'Jersey Giant' 'Jersey Deluxe'
mean 8.0 9.2 11.3 12.1
std. deviation 2.7 4.3 3.2 5.5
number measured 44 44 44 45

Length of stem when fully extended (cm)

  'Guelph Millennium' 'G178 x G305' 'Jersey Giant' 'Jersey Deluxe'
mean 237 219 236 226
std. deviation 13.4 13.4 18.0 15.8
number measured 44 44 44 45

Length of stem up to first branch (cm)

  'Guelph Millennium' 'G178 x G305' 'Jersey Giant' 'Jersey Deluxe'
mean 46.0 41.5 49.5 48.2
std. deviation 7.1 7.4 10.1 9.8
number measured 44 44 44 45
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