Abstract:
A new and distinct short-day strawberry cultivar is provided. Attractive mostly symmetrical-conic fruit of very good quality typically is formed in a good yield. The fruit flavor is good and the fraction of non-marketable fruit tends to be low. The growth habit is very compact. Relatively small broad concave leaflets are formed that display semi-pointed serrations.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    A new and distinctive short-day type strawberry cultivar designated ‘C213’ is provided that resulted from a cross performed in 1994 between advanced selections Cal 89.230-7 (non-patented in the United States) and Cal 90.253-3 (non-patented in the United States). The cultivar is botanically identified as  Fragaria×ananassa  Duch. The parentage of the new cultivar can be summarized as follows:  
           Cal 89.230-7×Cal 90.253-3. 
           [0002]    ‘C213’ was first fruited at the University of California, Wolfskill Experimental Orchard, near Winters, Calif., U.S.A., in 1995, where it was selected, was originally designated Cal 94.3-11, and was propagated asexually by runners. The characteristics of the new cultivar have been found to be fully transmissible by such asexual propagation. Following selection and during testing the plant was designated ‘C213’. Asexual propagules from this original source have been tested at the Watsonville Strawberry Research Facility, the South Coast Research and Extension Center of the University of California, and to a limited extent in grower test fields starting in 1996.  
           [0003]    It was found that the new cultivar of the present invention exhibits the following combination of characteristics:  
           [0004]    (a) exhibits a very compact growth habit,  
           [0005]    (b) typically forms attractive mostly symmetrical-conic fruit of very good quality in a good yield, and  
           [0006]    (c) forms relatively small broad concave leaflets having semi-pointed serrations. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS  
       [0007]    The depicted plants and plant parts were grown at Watsonville, Calif., U.S.A.  
         [0008]    [0008]FIG. 1—shows rows of typical fruiting plants during early May, 2000;  
         [0009]    [0009]FIG. 2—shows a close view of a representative individual fruiting plant during early May, 2000;  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 3—shows a one-half crate of representative fruit during early May, 2000;  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 4—shows representative mature fruit externally on the upper row and internally on the lower row with dimensions in centimeters being shown at the left; and  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 5—shows a typical mature leaf during late spring.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0013]    ‘C213’ as other short-day strawberry cultivars produces fruit over an extended period when treated appropriately in arid, subtropical climates. The production pattern for ‘C213’ is similar to that of the ‘Camarosa’ cultivar (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 8,708), although it is somewhat later to initiate fruiting with most cultural treatments. ‘C213’ will be of special interest for winter plantings where the ‘Camarosa’ cultivar has been successful, and in summer plantings where the ‘Pajaro’ cultivar (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 4,538) and the ‘Chandler’ cultivar (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 5,262) have been successful.  
       Plants and Foliage  
       [0014]    Fruiting plants of ‘C2 13’ are smaller and more compact, more open, more erect, and less vigorous than plants of the ‘Camarosa’ cultivar. The ‘C213’ plants are more compact but less erect than those of the ‘Gaviota’ cultivar (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,461). Comparative statistics for foliar characters near mid-season are given for the three cultivars in Table 1 that follows. Individual leaflets of ‘C213’ are smaller than those of the ‘Gaviota’ and ‘Camarosa’ cultivars, and are somewhat more rounded than those of the ‘Camarosa’ cultivar. Leaves (including petioles) are similar in length to those of the ‘Gaviota’ cultivar, but are much broader. The leaves of ‘C213’ are shorter and broader than those of the ‘Camarosa’ cultivar. Petioles are similar in thickness to those of ‘Gaviota’ cultivar. Leaves on vigorous plants of ‘C213’ occasionally have 4 or 5 leaflets. ‘C213’ has a consistently concave leaf form, generally much more concave than leaves of the ‘Gaviota’ and ‘Camarosa’ cultivars, and has more and usually more pointed serrations than these comparison cultivars.  
                                         TABLE 1                                       Cultivar            Foliar Character   ‘Camarosa’   ‘Gaviota’   ‘C216’               Mid-Tier Leaflet                   Length (mm)       mean    91    95    93       range    80 to 100    83 to 109    75 to 115       Width (mm)       mean    83    95    92       range    68 to 104    71 to 105    82 to 108       Mid-Tier Leaf       Length (mm)       mean   313   254   296       range   256 to 426   201 to 314   244 to 346       Width (mm)       mean   161   182   174       range   130 to 183   146 to 205   134 to 205       Number of    3    3    3       Leaflets/Leaf       Leaf Convexity   flat-convex,   most are   flat to           most are   concave,   very concave           slightly   some flat           concave       Serrations       number   few to   few to   moderate           moderate   moderate   pointed       shape   rounded, some   rounded to   to semi-pointed           semi-pointed   semi-pointed       Leaf Pubescence   light-moderate   light-moderate   light       Petiole Pubescence       density   moderate to   heavy   moderate           heavy       direction   perpendicular   perpendicular   perpendicular           to acropetal       to slightly                   acropetal                  
 
         [0015]    The adaxial (upper) surfaces of leaves of ‘C213’ are darker than those of the ‘Gaviota’ cultivar and the ‘Camarosa’ cultivar, and the abaxial (lower) leaf surface colors are similar. See Table 2 that follows.  
                                     TABLE 2                                   Color Character   Cultivar            Leaf Color (CIELAB)*   ‘Camarosa’   ‘Gaviota’   ‘C216’               Adaxial                   L*       mean   32.3   29.0   32.9       range   30.8 to 34.6   27.4 to 30.0   31.6 to 34.8       a*       mean    −7.0      −7.0      −7.9         range   −4.8 to −8.2   −6.1 to −7.7   −7.0 to −9.4       b*       mean   14.0   11.5   15.8       range    9.4 to 18.4    9.7 to 13.7   13.8 to 18.3       Munsell   5GY 4/3   5GY 4/3   10Y 4/3       Adaxial       L*       mean   46.1   47.5   48.1       range   43.9 to 49.2   46.4 to 48.7   46.1 to 49.7       a*       mean    −7.6      −7.6      −7.5         range   −6.8 to −8.0   −6.7 to −8.5   −6.7 to −8.0       b*       mean   21.8   20.4   19.0       range   20.1 to 25.0   17.2 to 24.5   17.5 to 23.3       Munsell   2.5GY 5/5   2.5GY 5/5   2.5GY 4/3                          
 
       Isozymes in Leaf Extracts  
       [0016]    ‘C213’ has been classified for three isozyme systems using Starch Gel Electrophoresis: Phosophoglucoisomerase (PGI), Leucine Aminopeptidase (LAP), and Phosphoglucomutase (PGM). It is distinguishable from the ‘Gaviota’ and ‘Camarosa’ cultivars using this methodology. See Table 3 that follows.  
                                             TABLE 3                                       Cultivar                Locus   ‘Camarosa’   ‘Gaviota’   ‘C216’                       PGI   A2   A2   A1           LAP   B3   B3   B1           PGM   C1   C1   C2                                  
 
       Disease and Pest Reactions  
       [0017]    ‘C213’ is moderately susceptible to common leaf spot ( Ramularia tulasnei ) and somewhat sensitive to powdery mildew ( Sphaerotheca macularis ). It is quite resistant to Verticillium wilt ( Verticillium dahliae ) and Phytophthora crown rot ( Phytophthora cactorum ), and relatively resistant to Anthracnose crown rot ( Colletotrichum acutatum ). When treated properly, it has tolerance to two-spotted spidermites ( Tetranychus urticae ) equal or greater than ‘Gaviota’ and ‘Camarosa’. ‘C213’ is tolerant to strawberry viruses encountered in California.  
       Flowering, Fruiting, Fruit and Production Characteristics  
       [0018]    Comparative statistics for flower and fruit characters near mid-season are given for ‘Camarosa’, ‘Gaviota’ and ‘C213’ in Table 4 that follows. The primary flowers for ‘C213’ are similar in size to those of the ‘Gaviota’ and ‘Camarosa’ cultivars. The sepals are somewhat larger than those of the ‘Gaviota’ cultivar and are similar to those of the ‘Camarosa’ cultivar. The calyx for ‘C213’ varies from slightly indented to slightly necked, and each primary flower has 5 to 8 petals. The fruit shape for ‘C213’ can vary but is typically rounded or symmetrical conic, and is easily distinguishable from that of the ‘Camarosa’ cultivar that is shortened flat conic. ‘C213’ commonly has a greater proportion of symmetrical fruit than the ‘Gaviota’ cultivar. Achenes vary from yellow to dark red, and are generally even with the fruit surface or slightly indented.  
                                         TABLE 4                                       Cultivar            Character   ‘Camarosa’   ‘Gaviota’   ‘C216’               Number of Petals                   mean   6.3   5.9   6.7       range   5 to 8   5 to 8   6 to 8       Flower Position   mostly even   exposed   even to       (relative to foliage)   some exposed       exposed       Calyx Diam. (mm)       mean   48.1    41.7    35.1        range   32 to 58   30 to 58   31 to 45       Corolla Diam. (mm)       mean   35.6    37.9    33.4        range   30 to 47   32 to 48   31 to 37       Fruit Shape       length/width       ratio    1.13    1.22    1.19       range   0.61 to 1.51   1.02 to 1.45   1.10 to 1.31       subjective   Short flat   mostly rounded   Symmetrical           conic   conic, some   conic               flat conic       Calyx Position   even to   even to   even to           slightly   slightly   slightly           necked   indented   necked       Seed Position   even to   even   even to           slightly       extruded           indented                  
 
         [0019]    External and internal fruit color for ‘C213’ is darker than that of the ‘Camarosa’ cultivar, and slightly darker than that of the ‘Gaviota’ cultivar. See Table 5 that follows where CIELAB fruit color information is presented.  
                                                               TABLE 5                                       Cultivar                ‘Camarosa’   ‘Gaviota’   ‘C216’                            External                       L*           mean   23.3   22.4   23.8           range   20.7 to 27.0   20.3 to 24.5   17.5 to 28.4           a*           mean   26.6   28.2   33.4           range   21.6 to 29.5   25.3 to 31.4   27.9 to 38.0           b*           mean   12.8   14.8   19.4           range    9.9 to 14.6   12.0 to 17.7   13.3 to 28.2           Munsell   2.5R 3/7   5R 3/7   5R 4/12           Internal           L*           mean   44.0   48.1   50.7           range   40.7 to 46.9   44.3 to 53.9   46.2 to 60.0           a*           mean   41.4   37.2   33.2           range   35.0 to 45.1   26.1 to 41.3   21.8 to 36.8           b*           mean   29.9   28.6   24.5           range   24.1 to 35.3   19.9 to 32.6   16.4 to 27.5           Munsell   5R 4/12   5R 5/13   5R 5/13                      
 
       Performance  
       [0020]    ‘C213’ has been tested under a variety of cultural regimes, and optimal performance is obtained when nursery treatments and nutritional programs similar to those used with the ‘Gaviota’ and ‘Camarosa’ cultivars are employed. In general, ‘C213’ is less adapted to very early season planting but less sensitive to excess chilling than the ‘Camarosa’ cultivar. ‘C213’ retains excellent fruit quality in summer planting systems.  
         [0021]    When treated with appropriate planting regimes, ‘C213’ has larger fruit and produces greater individual-plant yields than the ‘Gaviota’ or ‘Camarosa’ cultivars. ‘C213’ is intermediate to the ‘Gaviota’ and ‘Camarosa’ cultivars in its production pattern. It is somewhat later to initiate production than the ‘Camarosa’ cultivar, with conventional winter planting in central California but has earlier average production than the ‘Gaviota’ cultivar. Commercial appearance ratings have been better than those for the ‘Gaviota’ and ‘Camarosa’ cultivars and trials conducted at Santa Maria, Calif., U.S.A. in 1998 to 1999 have indicated that the fraction of non-marketable fruit is approximately one-half that produced by the ‘Camarosa’ cultivar. Fruit for ‘C213’ is substantially firmer than the fruit of the ‘Gaviota’ cultivar, and is similar in firmness to that of the ‘Camarosa’ cultivar. Subjectively, the ‘C213’ fruit has very good flavor. The fruit will be outstanding for both the fresh market and for processing, and will be useful for home garden purposes as well. See the comparative data presented in Table 6 that follows. There information is provided for plants that were evaluated during 1998 and 1999 at the Watsonville, Calif., U.S.A., Research Faculty of the University of California. Such plants had been asexually reproduced by the use of runners at Macdoel, Calif., U.S.A., were harvested on October 15 th , and were subjected to supplemental storage for approximately 7 to 10 days prior to being transplanted. The test planting consisted of 52 inch two-row beds, 17,300 plants/acre. Harvest was initiated in early April and continued through the last week of August.  
                                   TABLE 6                           Early       Appear-   Fruit               Yield*   Yield   ance   Size           Cultivar   (g/plant)   (g/plant)   Score   (g/fruit)   Firmness                   ‘Camarosa’   254   1,271   3.0   29.3   3.2       ‘Gaviota’   179     764   2.8   29.5   2.4       ‘C216’   277   1,511   3.3   31.1   3.5                                  
 
         [0022]    ‘C213’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions to date. Accordingly, it is possible that the phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in the environment.