USTUNI223

Petunia

Variety Description

Varieties used for comparison: 'Dancasred' (Cascadias Red) and 'Keireom' (Surfinia Baby Red)

Summary: 'USTUNI223' has longer shoots than 'Dancasred'. The leaf of 'USTUNI223' is shorter than 'Dancasred'. 'USTUNI223' has a smaller sepal than 'Dancasred'. 'USTUNI223' has a corolla diameter that is larger than 'Keireom' but slightly smaller than 'Dancasred'. The corolla lobing and undulation of the margin of 'USTUNI223' is stronger than in 'Keireom'. 'USTUNI223' has weaker conspicuousness of the veins on the corolla lobe than 'Dancasred', but stronger on the inside of the corolla tube than 'Dancasred' and 'Keireom'. The corolla tube length of 'USTUNI223' is shorter than 'Dancasred' and 'Keireom'. 'USTUNI223' has a slightly darker red corolla colour than 'Dancasred' and 'Keireom'.

Description:

'USTUNI223' is a short to medium petunia variety with a trailing growth habit. The shoots are medium in length with no anthocyanin present. The leaves are medium green, ovate in shape with a broadly acute to obtuse apex. There is no variegation on the leaf blade, and there is blistering present. The sepals are linear to spatulate in shape with no anthocyanin present. 'USTUNI223' produces single, funnelform, red flowers. The corolla has medium to strong lobing with strong undulation of the margin and weak conspicuousness of the red veins. The corolla lobe apex is cuspidate. The inside of the corolla tube is white and has veins of medium conspicuousness. Anther colour is a yellowish white.

Origin & Breeding History: 'USTUNI223' is the product of a planned breeding program conducted by the breeder, Ushio Sakazaki of Hikone Shiga, Japan. The objectives of the program was to create new trailing petunia varieties with unique flowers, and greater disease resistance and heat tolerance. 'USTUNI223' originated from a cross made by the breeder on May 6, 1998 in Shiga, Japan, with the red seedling selection 'PJ10-7' as the female parent, and the petunia variety 'Marrose' as the male parent. The F1 seed was collected and sent to Gensingen, Germany for further breeding and selection. 'USTUNI223' was selected as a single plant from the resulting progeny on June 15, 1999 in Germany. The new petunia was selected based on good branching characteristics and trailing habit.

Tests & Trials: Tests and trials for 'USTUNI223' were conducted in a polyhouse at BioFlora Inc., St. Thomas, Ontario during the summer of 2003. The trials included 15 plants of each variety. Rooted cuttings were transplanted into 15cm pots on April 25, 2003 (week 17). All colour measurements were made using RHS colour chart 2001. Unless otherwise indicated measured characteristics were based on ten measurements.

Comparison tables for 'USTUNI223' with reference varieties 'Dancasred' and 'Keireom'

Shoot length (cm)

Leaf length (cm)

Sepal length (mm)

Sepal width (mm)

Diameter of corolla (mm)

Colour of corolla lobe (RHS)

Corolla tube length (mm)