PWR-RSA

Chrysanthemum

Variety Description

Variety used for comparison: 'Power Purple'

Summary: The ray florets of 'PWR-RSA' are shorter than those of 'Power Purple'. The ray florets of 'PWR-RSA' are brown red with a lighter brown red flush while those of 'Power Purple' are purple with a blue pink flush.

Description:

PLANT: six and a half to seven week response group, bushy type, dense branching, green stem

LEAF: absent or very small stipule, moderately upwards petiole attitude, short petiole relative to leaf length, medium length/width ratio, short terminal lobe relative to leaf length, predominantly obtuse base, weak glossiness of upper side, medium to dark green on upper side, absent or very weak pale margin, very weak pubescence on lower side, brown green on lower side, few margin indentations, shallow margin indentations
LOWEST LATERAL SINUS: shallow, diverging margins

FLOWER BUD: dark purple red (RHS 187C) outer side just before opening
FLOWER HEAD: single to semi-double type, daisy disc type, short, few rows of ray florets, medium density of ray florets
RAY FLORETS: one type, predominantly ligulate type, moderately ascending attitude of basal part, ribbed upper face, two keels, short corolla tube, flat in cross section, weakly revolute rolling of margin, rolled margin on middle half, circular profile of tube, straight longitudinal axis, medium length/width ratio, emarginate to dentate tip, one or two colours on upper side, brown red (RHS 181C) with lighter brown red (RHS 181D) flush at tip and on marginal zone, outer side similar in colour to inner side
DISC: medium diameter relative to head diameter, slightly domed in cross section, yellowish green colour group before anther dehiscence, no dark spot at centre before anther dehiscence, light yellow colour group at anther dehiscence

Origin & Breeding History: 'PWR-RSA' originated as a naturally occurring mutation of the cultivar 'Power Purple', that occured on September 8, 2009. The parent plant was put into 24 hour lighting to initiate vegetative growth and 4 series of stem cuttings were made to determine whether this mutation was stable and true to type. It was selected in the spring of 2010 and was named 'PWR-RSA'. The initial selection criteria and objective of the breeding program was to select new Chrysanthemum varieties with improved floral colour.

Tests & Trials: Trials for 'PWR-RSA' were conducted at Willy's Greenhouses Ltd., in Niagara on the Lake, Ontario in the Spring of 2011. The trial consisted of 20 plants each of the candidate and reference varieties. The varieties were planted with three cuttings per pot in 12 cm diameter shallow pots, spaced approximately 15 centimeters apart. Colour observations were made using the 2001 Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart.

Comparison tables for 'PWR-RSA' with reference variety 'Power Purple'

Ray floret length (cm)

Colour in inner side of ray floret (RHS)

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Chrysanthemum: 'PWR-RSA' (left) with reference variety 'Power Purple' (right)

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Chrysanthemum: 'PWR-RSA' (left) with reference variety 'Power Purple' (right)