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Guelph Equinox

Asparagus

Denomination: 'Guelph Equinox'
Previously Proposed Denomination: 'UG020'
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: 2015-12-15
Provisional Protection:: 2015-12-15
Application Number: 15-8776
Grant of Rights Date: 2017-12-07
Certificate Number: 5590
Grant of Rights Termination Date: 2037-12-07

Variety Description

Varieties used for comparison: 'Guelph Evolution', 'Guelph Eclipse', 'Guelph Millennium' and 'Gijnlim'

Summary: 'Guelph Equinox' has a medium to high frequency of plants with one or more androhermaphrodite flowers whereas 'Guelph Evolution' has a low to medium frequency, 'Guelph Eclipse' has a very low frequency, and 'Gijnlim' and 'Guelph Millennium' have a high to very high frequency of plants with one or more androhermaphrodite flowers. The first bracts at the base of the apex of the spear of 'Guelph Equinox' are shorter than the first bracts at the base of the apex of the spear of 'Guelph Evolution', 'Guelph Eclipse', and 'Gijnlim'. 'Guelph Equinox' has medium dense phylloclades whereas 'Guelph Eclipse' and 'Gijnlim' have dense phylloclades. When fully extended, the stem of 'Guelph Equinox' is taller than that of the reference varieties. At ground level, the stem of 'Guelph Equinox' is smaller in diameter than the stem of 'Guelph Eclipse'.

Description:

PLANT: medium dense phylloclades, medium intensity of green foliage, many stems, androhermaphrodite flowers and/or male flowers with style rudiments are present, plants with androhermaphrodite flowers occur at a medium to high frequency

SPEAR: early emergence
SPEAR APEX: medium triangular shape, anthocyanin colouration present, equal in diameter compared to middle of stem
BRACTS: adpressed, closed to weakly open

FLOWERING: begins early in the season

Origin & Breeding History: The male asparagus hybrid 'Guelph Equinox' (experimental number UG020) is produced by crossing a female clone and a supermale clone. The intial cross was made at the University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario in 2004. The female parent was a plant selected from an open-pollinated asparagus variety. The supermale parent was selected in 2003 from an experimental asparagus hybrid after two generations of selfing. Selection criteria for 'Guelph Equinox' included high marketable yield, resistance to foliar diseases and longevity of years of harvest. The hybrid was also selected for long, smooth spears with tight tips and uniform spear diameter.

Tests & Trials: The comparative trials for 'Guelph Equinox' were conducted at the Simcoe Research Station, Simcoe, Ontario in 2015 and 2016. There were two replicated plots for each variety of 'Guelph Equinox', 'Guelph Evolution', 'Guelph Eclipse', 'Guelph Millennium', and 'Gijnlim'. Each plot contained twenty crowns spaced 30 cm apart with a distance between rows of 1.25 metres. Mean differences are significant at the 5% probability level based on a paired Student's t-test.


Comparison tables for 'Guelph Equinox' with reference varieties 'Guelph Evolution', 'Guelph Eclipse', 'Guelph Millennium' and 'Gijnlim'

Length of first bracts at base of apex of spear (cm)

  'Guelph Equinox' 'Guelph Evolution' 'Guelph Eclipse' 'Guelph Millennium' 'Gijnlim'
mean 2015 0.8 0.9 0.9 0.8 0.9
std. deviation 0.16 0.19 0.14 0.19 0.18
number measured 36 38 39 39 37
mean 2016 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.1 1.3
std. deviation 0.20 0.20 0.18 0.13 0.18
number measured 36 38 38 40 38

Maximum length of fully extended stem (cm)

  'Guelph Equinox' 'Guelph Evolution' 'Guelph Eclipse' 'Guelph Millennium' 'Gijnlim'
mean 2015 155.9 140.5 141.4 146.9 141.8
std. deviation 15.58 16.01 18.04 19.51 24.42
number measured 37 38 39 40 38
mean 2016 199.8 182.2 186.3 195.5 190.9
std. deviation 17.58 15.07 28.84 17.60 28.00
number measured 37 38 39 40 38

Diameter of stem at ground level (cm)

  'Guelph Equinox' 'Guelph Evolution' 'Guelph Eclipse' 'Guelph Millennium' 'Gijnlim'
mean 2015 0.7 0.7 0.8 0.7 0.7
std. deviation 0.14 0.17 0.39 0.20 0.21
number measured 37 38 39 40 38
mean 2016 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.2 1.4
std. deviation 0.22 0.16 0.14 0.37 0.33
number measured 37 38 39 40 38

Click on image for larger view
Guelph Equinox
Asparagus: 'Guelph Equinox' (bottom right) with reference varieties 'Gijnlim' (top left), 'Guelph Eclipse' (top right), 'Guelph Millennium' (bottom left) and 'Guelph Evolution' (centre bottom)

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