Porthos

Cherry

Variety Description

Varieties used for comparison: 'Carmine Jewel' and 'Juliet'

Summary: The plant growth habit of 'Porthos' is semi-upright whereas that of 'Carmine Jewel' is spreading and that of 'Juliet' is drooping. The leaf blade of 'Porthos' is shorter than that of 'Juliet'. The nectaries of 'Porthos' are greenish yellow and positioned both at the base of the leaf blade and on petiole whereas those of the reference varieties are orange yellow and predominantly at the base of the leaf blade. The fruit of 'Porthos' is large whereas it is small for 'Carmine Jewel' and medium sized for 'Juliet'. The shape of the fruit of 'Porthos' in ventral view is oblate whereas it is circular for 'Carmine Jewel' and reniform for 'Juliet'. The fruit skin of 'Porthos' is medium red whereas it is blackish on 'Carmine Jewel' and dark red on 'Juliet'. The shape of the stone of 'Porthos' in ventral view is circular whereas it is broad elliptic for the reference varieties. 'Porthos' begins ripening mid-season whereas 'Carmine Jewel' begins ripening very early.

Description:

PLANT: semi upright habit, grown on own roots, weak vigour, medium branching, buds distributed along entire branch, begins flowering and fruit ripening mid-season
ONE-YEAR-OLD SHOOT: normal internode length, medium to many of lenticels

LEAF: medium length to width ratio, medium to dark green on upper side, medium glossiness on upper side
PETIOLE: weak anthocyanin colouration on upper side, medium length of blade to length of petiole ratio
NECTARIES: positioned both at base of leaf blade and on petiole, greenish yellow

FLOWER: irregular arrangement

FRUIT: large, oblate shape in ventral view, depressed at pistil end
FRUIT STALK: medium to thick, anthocyanin colouration present, abscission layer present between stalk and fruit
FRUIT SKIN: medium red
FRUIT FLESH: dark red, medium firmness, low acidity, medium sweetness, medium juiciness
FRUIT JUICE: medium red

STONE: medium size, circular shape in ventral view, medium ratio of weight of fruit to weight of stone

Origin & Breeding History: 'Porthos' arose from the cross, 'Kerr's Easy Pick' and 'Cacanski Rubin', made in 1992 as part of the Fruit Breeding Program, Department of Plant Sciences, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Progeny was collected from the original cross, was stratified and container grown in 1993, then field planted on their own rootstock in the spring of 1994. Advanced selection status took place in 1999. 'Porthos' was selected from a population of approximately 2500 seedlings based on its productivity, winter hardiness, extent of suckering, ease of fruit removal and fruit quality characteristics.

Tests & Trials: The tests and trials for 'Porthos' were planted in 2006 at the University of Saskatchewan, Horticulture Fields, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Ten bushes were planted in rows, spaced 1.5 metres apart in the row with a row spacing alternating between 3 and 4 metres. The data was collected during 2013 and 2014 except for the habit, time of flowering and fruit ripening which were observed in 2016 on the same trial. Measured characteristics were based on 30 measurements per variety per year. Mean differences are significant at the 5% probability level based on a paired Student's t-test.

Comparison table for 'Porthos' with reference varieties 'Carmine Jewel' and 'Juliet'

Leaf blade length (cm)

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Cherry: 'Porthos'

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Cherry: Reference variety 'Carmine Jewel'

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Cherry: Reference variety 'Juliet'