USTUNI6001

Petunia

Variety Description

Varieties used for comparison: 'Kakegawa S37' (Supertunia Lavender Pink) and 'Dancasoft' (Cascadias Soft Pink)

Summary: 'USTUNI6001' has a narrow acute leaf apex while 'Kakegawa S37' has a broad acute to obtuse apex and 'Dancasoft' has a broad acute apex. 'USTUNI6001' has a longer pedicel length than the reference varieties. 'USTUNI6001' differs from the reference varieties in the colour of the upper and lower side of the corolla. 'USTUNI6001' has red purple veins on the corolla lobe while 'Dancasoft' has green veins. 'USTUNI6001' has light blue anthers after pollen dehiscence while 'Kakegawa S37' has yellow anthers and 'Dancasoft' has yellowish-white anthers.

Description:

PLANT: upright growth habit, medium to tall, medium to wide

SHOOTS: thin to medium thickness, medium to long, absent to very weak anthocyanin colouration

LEAVES: medium to long, medium width, ovate to elliptic, narrow acute apex, no variegation, dark green on upper side, no blistering, petiole medium in length

SEPALS: medium to long, narrow, linear, no anthocyanin colouration

FLOWERS: medium to long pedicel, single corolla, small to medium diameter, salverform shape
COROLLA: moderate lobing, blue pink on upper and lower side, veins red purple and weakly conspicuous, margin with weak to medium undulation
COROLLA TUBE: medium to long, light blue pink at transition to corolla lobes, veins purple red on inner side and moderately conspicuous
ANTHERS: cream before pollen dehiscence, light blue after dehiscence.

Origin & Breeding History: 'USTUNI6001' originated from a controlled cross between a seed raised variety with white flowers as the female parent and a wild Petunia species as the male parent. The cross was made by the breeder, Ushio Sakazaki, in Shiga, Japan on April 28, 2001. The seed from the cross was collected and sent to Gensingen, Germany for further breeding and selection. The new petunia was selected as a single plant from the resultant progeny on June 18, 2002, in Gensingen, Germany. Selection was based on improved branching characteristics and growth habit.

Tests & Trials: The tests and trials for 'USTUNI6001' were conducted in a polyhouse at BioFlora in St. Thomas, Ontario in the spring of 2006. The trials included 15 plants of each variety. Rooted cuttings were transplanted into 15 cm pots on April 17, 2006. Observations and measurements were taken from 10 plants of each variety. All colour measurements were made using the 2001 Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart.

Comparison tables for 'USTUNI6001' with reference varieties 'Kakegawa S37' and 'Dancasoft'

Shoot length (cm)

Colour of corolla (RHS)

Colour of corolla tube (RHS)

Click on image for larger view

Petunia: 'USTUNI6001' (left) with reference varieties 'Kakegawa S37' (centre) and 'Dancasoft' (right)