Chrysanthemum plant named &#8216;Yolisette&#8217;

A distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum plant named &#8216;Yolisette&#8217;, characterized by its uniform, outwardly spreading and compact plant habit; strong and very freely branching growth habit; small dark green glossy foliage; uniform and freely flowering habit; early flowering seven-week response time; small daisy-type inflorescences that are about 2.75 cm in diameter; bright yellow-colored ray florets and darker yellow-colored disc florets; good postproduction longevity with plants maintaining good substance and color for more than four weeks in an interior environment.

BACKKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum plant, botanically known as Chrysanthemum morifolium and hereinafter referred to by the name Yolisette .

The new Chrysanthemum is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Fort Myers, Fla. and Salinas, Calif. The objective of the breeding program is to create new compact potted Chrysanthemum cultivars that are suitable for year-round production with uniform plant growth habit, good vigor, small inflorescences with desirable inflorescence form and floret colors, fast response time, and good postproduction longevity.

The new Chrysanthemum originated from a cross made by the Inventor in May, 1997, in Salinas, Calif., of a proprietary Chrysanthemum seedling selection identified as code number YB-6767, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary Chrysanthemum seedling selection identified as code number YB-5245, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Chrysanthemum was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross grown in a controlled environment in Salinas, Calif. The selection of this plant was based on its uniform plant growth habit, desirable inflorescence form and floret colors, fast response time, and excellent postproduction longevity.

Asexual reproduction of the new Chrysanthemum by vegetative tip cuttings was first conducted in Fort Myers, Fla. in July, 1998. Asexual reproduction by cuttings has shown that the unique features of this new Chrysanthemum are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar Yolisette has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, daylength, and/or light level, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of Yolisette . These characteristics in combination distinguish Yolisette as a new and distinct Chrysanthemum:

2. Strong and very freely branching growth habit.

3. Small dark green glossy foliage.

4. Uniform and freely flowering habit.

5. Typically grown as a spray-type.

7. Small daisy-type inflorescences that are about 2.75 cm in diameter.

9. Good postproduction longevity with plants maintaining good substance and color for more than four weeks in an interior environment.

Compared to plants of the female parent selection, plants of the new Chrysanthemum have a more uniform plant habit, flower about one week earlier, and have brighter yellow-colored ray florets.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in ray floret coloration as plants of the new Chrysanthemum have yellow ray florets whereas plants of the male parent selection have light pink ray florets. In addition, plants of the new Chrysanthemum flower about one week earlier than plants of the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can be compared to plants of the cultivar Yellow Cherie, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 9,713. In side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventor in Salinas, Calif., plants of the new Chrysanthemum differed from plants of the cultivar Yellow Cherie in the following charactertistics:

1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum flowered more uniformly than plants of the cultivar Yellow Cherie.

2. Leaves of plants of the new Chrysanthemum were darker green in color and had better longevity than leaves of plants of the cultivar Yellow Cherie.

3. Ray florets of plants of the new Chrysanthemum were brighter yellow in color than ray florets of plants of the cultivar Yellow Cherie.

4. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum had better postproduction longevity than plants of the cultivar Yellow Cherie.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum also can be compared to plants of the cultivar Yellow Chantal, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 8,610. In side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventor in Salinas, Calif., plants of the new Chrysanthemum differed from plants of the cultivar Yellow Chantal in the following characteristics:

1. Ray florets of plants of the new Chrysanthemum were brighter yellow in color than ray florets of plants of the cultivar Yellow Chantal.

2. Ray florets of plants of the new Chrysanthemum were flatter and had more rounded apices than ray florets of plants of the cultivar Yellow Chantal.

3. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum had better postproduction longevity than plants of the cultivar Yellow Chantal.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. The following observations and measurements describe plants grown and flowered during the summer in Salinas, Calif., in a fiberglass-covered greenhouse and under conditions which approximate those generally used in commercial potted Chrysanthemum production. During the production of these plants, the following conditions were measured: day temperatures, 21 to 27 C.; night temperatures, 17 to 19 C., and light levels, 5,000 to 6,000 foot-candles. Four unrooted cuttings were directly stuck in 15-cm containers, exposed to long day/short night conditions, and pinched once about 14 days later. One week after pinching, the photoinductive short day/long night treatments were started. Plants used for this description were grown as spray-types. Measurements and numerical values represent averages of typical flowering plants.

Female, or seed, parent. Proprietary Chrysanthemum morifolium seedling selection identified as code number YB-6767, not patented.

Male or pollen, parent. Proprietary Chrysanthemum morifolium seedling selection identified as code number YB-5245, not patented.

Time to initiate roots. About four days at 21 C.

Time to produce a rooted cutting. About ten days at 21 C.

Appearance. Herbaceous daisy-type potted Chrysanthemum that is typically grown as a spray-type. Compact; stems outwardly spreading; uniform crown. Very freely branching, about six lateral branches develop after removal of terminal apex (pinching); dense and full plants.

Appearance. Daisy-type inflorescence form with elongated oblong-shaped ray florets. Inflorescences borne on terminals above foliage. Disk and ray florets arranged acropetally on a capitulum. Not fragrant. Typically grown as a spray-type.

Flowering response. Under natural conditions, plants flower in the autumn/winter in the Northern Hemisphere. At other times of the year, inflorescence initiation and development can be induced under short day/long night conditions (at least 13.5 hours of darkness). Early flowering; plants exposed to three weeks of long day/short night conditions followed by photoinductive short day/long night conditions flower about 45 to 49 days later when grown during the summer and about 50 to 53 days later when grown during the winter.

Postproduction longevity. Inflorescences maintain good color and substance for more than four weeks in an interior environment.

Quantity of inflorescences. About 15 per lateral branch.

Color: Close to 137A.

Seed. Seed production has not been observed.

Disease resistance: Resistance to pathogens common to Chrysanthemums has not been observed on plants grown under commercial greenhouse conditions.