DrisBlueTwentyTwo

Blueberry

Note: The applicant has requested an exemption from compulsory licensing to allow time to multiply and distribute propagating material of the variety. If the exemption is granted, it may be allowed for two years from the date rights are granted for the variety.

Variety Description

Varieties used for comparison: 'DrisBlueNinteen' (Corrina) and 'DrisBlueTwentyThree' (Rosita)

Summary: The leaf of ‘DrisBlueTwentyTwo' is longer than that of both reference varieties. The shape of the corolla of ‘DrisBlueTwentyTwo' is globose whereas that of ‘DrisBlueNineteen' is cylindric and ‘DrisBlueTwentyThree' is campanulate. The corolla tube of ‘DrisBlueTwentyTwo' has strong conspicuousness of ridges whereas that of both reference varieties has absent or weak conspicuousness of ridges. The fruit of ‘DrisBlueTwentyTwo' has low to medium sweetness whereas ‘DrisBlueNineteen' has high sweetness

Description:

PLANT: medium vigour, upright growth habit, fruiting on one-year-old shoots only, first vegetative bud burst begins early to mid-season
ONE-YEAR-OLD SHOOT: green, short internode length along upper half

LEAF: medium length to width ratio, elliptic shape, medium green on upper side, absent or weak glaucosity on upper side, entire margin

FLOWERING: begins early on one-year-old shoots
RECEPTACLE: blue
FLOWER BUD: weak intensity of anthocyanin colouration
COROLLA: globose shaped
COROLLA TUBE: medium sized, white, absent or weak intensity of anthocyanin colouration on outer side, strong conspicuousness of ridges

INFRUCTESCENCE: sparse
UNRIPE FRUIT: light intensity green (with bloom), fruit ripening begins mid to late season on one-year-old shoots
FRUIT: medium to large, oblate in longitudinal section, medium deep calyx basin, firm, low to medium sweetness, medium to high acidity
FRUIT SKIN: medium bloom intensity, dark blue skin (after removal of bloom)
SEPALS: straight

Origin & Breeding History: ‘DrisBlueTwentyTwo' originated from a controlled cross between the unpatented female parent ‘196H-3' and the unpatented male parent ‘7J301' made in February 2011 in Santa Cruz County, California, USA. ‘DrisBlueTwentyTwo' was selected from the resulting progeny in Hillsborough County, Florida, USA in April 2013 based on the time of fruiting, yield, fruit size, fruit sweetness and acidity, fruit firmness, and evergreening of the plant and time of harvest. The original seedling of the new variety was propagated by softwood cuttings in Santa Cruz County, California in July 2013. Additional propagation was conducted by softwood cuttings and tissue culture, and further testing occurred in Ventura County, California, USA from 2014 to 2019.

Tests & Trials: The comparative trial for ‘DrisBlueTwentyTwo' was conducted by Expert Agriculture Team Ltd., in Chilliwack, British Columbia, Canada during the 2023 growing season. One year old plants were transplanted in April 2021 into raised beds, covered with plastic mulch and irrigated with drip lines. The plots were arranged in an RBC design with 4 replicates. Each replicate consisted of 3 plants for a total of 12 plants of each variety. Plants were spaced approximately 90 centimetres apart within rows with 3 metres between rows. Measurements were taken from 10 plants or parts of 10 plants of each variety. Mean differences were significant at the 5% confidence probability level based on a paired Student's t-test

Comparison table for 'DrisBlueTwentyTwo' with reference varieties 'DrisBlueNinteen' and 'DrisBlueTwentyThree'

Leaf length (cm)

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Blueberry: 'DrisBlueTwentyTwo' (centre) with reference varieties 'DrisBlueNineteen' (left) and 'DrisBlueTwentyThree' (right)

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Blueberry: 'DrisBlueTwentyTwo' (centre) with reference varieties 'DrisBlueNineteen' (left) and 'DrisBlueTwentyThree' (right)

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Blueberry: 'DrisBlueTwentyTwo' (centre) with reference varieties 'DrisBlueTwentyThree' (left) and 'DrisBlueNineteen' (right)