SPC103

Cherry

Variety Description

Varieties used for comparison: '13S2009' and 'Sweetheart'

Summary: 'SPC103' is a sweet cherry variety which produces spreading trees, whereas the growth habit of trees of 'Sweetheart' is more upright. The leaf blades of 'SPC103' are longer and wider than those of both reference varieties. The fruit shape of 'SPC103' is kidney-shape to cordate, whereas 'Sweetheart' fruit are round and '13S2009' fruit are elongate-cordate in shape. The fruit stalk of 'SPC103' is shorter than that of both reference varieties. Fruit set of 'SPC103' is medium high to high whereas it is very high in both 'Sweetheart' and '13S2009'. In the Okanagan Valley, the beginning of fruit harvest of 'SPC103' is about 13 days after the beginning of harvest of 'Sweetheart' and is 4 days later than that of '13S2009'.

Description:

'SPC103' is a sweet cherry variety which has normal type trees with medium to strong vigour that are spreading in growth habit with medium crown density. The one-year old shoots have little or no anthocyanin colouration and are horizontal in attitude and are thin to moderate in thickness. The internodes of the one-year shoots are moderately long, pubescence is absent or very weak and there are few to a medium number of lenticels. The vegetative buds are medium in size and conical in shape and are slightly held out from the shoot. The bud support is medium in size. On the current year's shoots the pubescence is absent or very weak and anthocyanin colouration is weak.

The leaves of 'SPC103' are horizontal to oblique downwards in relation to the shoot and are elliptical with an acute base. The angle of the leaf tip is acute and the shape of the apex is acuminate. The profile of the leaf is concave to flat. 'SPC103' has no pubescence on the lower side of the leaf and the upper side is medium to dark green, has moderate to strong glossiness and no anthocyanin. The margins are dentate, with medium to deep indentations. Before leaf fall the leaves are yellow green and red bronze. The petioles of 'SPC103' have anthocyanin colouration and usually more than two nectaries which are greyed-purple and red in colour and round.

'SPC103' has dense flowering and produces single flowers in clusters. The buds are white. The flower pedicel is moderately thin with no pubescence. 'SPC103' has medium-sized, broad elliptic petals which are free (not touching), with no production of flowers with extra petals. 'SPC103' produces pollen which is yellow just before dehiscence. The pistil is normal, with no production of supplementary pistils. The ovary has no pubescence.

'SPC103' produces medium-sized fruit which are kidney-shaped to cordate in shape. In lateral view 'SPC103' fruit are rounded with the largest diameter towards the middle. There are a moderate number of light coloured, medium-sized dots on the skin. The fruit skin is a wine red and the suture has medium prominence. The fruit juice and flesh of 'SPC103' are dark red-purple in colour. The fruit is firm, high in sweetness and is moderately juicy. The fruit apex is flat and susceptibility to rain induced cracking is moderately low. The fruit stalk is short in length and medium in thickness.

The stone of 'SPC103' is medium to large in diameter, semi-adherent to the flesh and small to medium in size in comparison to fruit. In lateral view it is symmetrical and intermediate in shape. In front view it is ovate and in basal view the stone is round. The keel is moderately strongly developed.

'SPC103' has an intermediate to high precocity of fruit bearing. Leaf bud burst is earlier than the beginning of full flowering. The variety is self-fertile. Time of flowering is mid-season and the fruit matures very late (last week of August in Summerland, British Columbia). Fruit setting of 'SPC103' is moderately high and leaf fall occurs late in the season.

Origin & Breeding History: 'SPC103' originated from a cross made at the Pacific Agri-Food Research Centre, Summerland, British Columbia in 1982. It resulted from an open pollination of the blossoms of the variety 'Sweetheart'. The variety was selected in 1991 and designated 13S-21-23. Six propagations were made in 1995 on Prunus avium rootstock and planted out in a trial block at the Summerland Research Centre in 1997. Evaluation on the selection began upon fruiting. The variety was selected based on maturity date, fruit size, firmness, field splits, flavour, fruit shape, skin and flesh colour, fertility, lustre and productivity and precocity.

Tests & Trials: Tests and trials for 'SPC103' were conducted by PICO (okanagan Plant Improvement Co. Ltd.) at Clive Sutherland's orchard in Peachland, British Columbia during 2004. The trials consisted of twenty-five trees per variety. All varieties were grafted onto Mazzard rootstock and planted in 1998. Measured characteristics were based on a minimum of 15 measurements.

Comparison tables for 'SPC103' with reference varieties '13S2009' and 'Sweetheart'

Leaf length (mm)

Leaf width (mm)

Diameter of corolla (mm)

Pedicel length (mm)

Length of fruit stalk (mm)