Plum tree named ‘Suplumfortyeight’

A new and distinct plum tree variety, Prunus salicina, cv. ‘Suplumfortyeight’ is characterized by late season harvest and fruit having a pure yellow skin and a cling stone. The fruit is high in sugar and has medium-low acidity. The fruit of the new variety ‘Suplumfortyeight’ is also abundant in juice and has a sweet-neutral flavor. The harvest of fruit from the new variety starts about 27 days earlier than ‘Flavor Queen’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 7,420) and about 5 days later than ‘Suplumsix’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 2,747).

Latin name of the genus and species claimed:Prunus salicina.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to the discovery and asexual propagation of a new and distinct variety of plum,Prunus salicinacv. ‘Suplumfortyeight’. The new variety was first originated by hybridization in September 2005 by Terry A. Bacon as breeder number ‘PL624YY’.

The new variety ‘Suplumfortyeight’ is characterized by late-season harvest and by fruit having a pure yellow skin and a cling stone. The fruit is high in sugar and has medium-low acidity. The fruit of the new variety ‘Suplumfortyeight’ is also abundant in juice and has a sweet-neutral flavor.

The seed parent is ‘Suplumfourteen’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 5,342), and the pollen parent is unknown (bulk pollen). The parent varieties were first crossed in February 2002, with the date of first sowing being February 2003, and the date of first flowering being February 2005. The new plum variety ‘Suplumfortyeight’ was first asexually propagated by Terry Bacon near Wasco, Kern County, Calif. in January 2007 by grafting.

The new variety ‘Suplumfortyeight’ is distinguished from its seed parent ‘Suplumfourteen’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 5,342) by having fruit with a yellow skin compared to the red skin of the fruit of ‘Suplumfourteen’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 5,342).

The harvest of the new variety ‘Suplumfortyeight’ starts about 5 days before the harvest of ‘Suplumsix’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 2,747). The fruit of the new variety ‘Suplumfortyeight’ has a yellow skin color compared to the reddish-black skin of the fruit of ‘Suplumsix’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 2,747). The skin color of the fruit of the new variety ‘Suplumfortyeight’ is somewhat similar to the skin color of the fruit of ‘Flavor Queen’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 7,420), but the skin color of the fruit of the new variety ‘Suplumfortyeight’ is nearly pure yellow compared to the green-yellow color of the fruit of ‘Flavor Queen’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 7,420). In addition, the harvest of the fruit of the new variety ‘Suplumfortyeight’ starts about 27 days later than ‘Flavor Queen’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 7,420).

The new variety ‘Suplumfortyeight’ has been shown to maintain its distinguishing characteristics through successive asexual propagations by, for example, grafting.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Throughout this specification, color names beginning with a small letter signify that the name of that color, as used in common speech is aptly descriptive. Color names beginning with a capital letter designate values based upon The R.H.S. Colour Chart published by The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England, 1986.

The descriptive matter which follows pertains to 9 year old ‘Suplumfortyeight’ trees, grown in the vicinity of Wasco, Kern County, Calif., during 2014, and is believed to apply to plants of the variety grown under similar conditions of soil and climate elsewhere.

General: (Measurements taken on an 9 year old tree unless otherwise noted.)Size.—Medium, reaches a height of approximately 3 meters including normal pruning.Spread.—Approximately 3 meters.Vigor.—Medium, growth of about 1.8 m to 2 m in height the first growing season.Growth.—Semi-upright.Productivity.—Productive, fruit set is usually two or more times desired amount for marketable size fruit. Thinning and spacing of fruit is necessary.Form.—Vase formed.Bearer.—Regular.Fertility.—Unknown, should be planted with another plum variety to ensure consistent production.Canopy density.—Medium, pruning is required to open tree vase shape, allowing more sunlight to reach the center of the tree.Hardiness.—Hardy in all fruit growing areas of California. Winter chilling requirement is approximately 750 hours at or below 7.2° C.Disease resistance/susceptibility.—Under close observation in Kern County, Calif., no particular plant/fruit disease resistance/susceptibility has been observed.Insect resistance/susceptibility.—Under close observation in Kern County, Calif., no particular plant/fruit insect resistance/susceptibility has been observed.Trunk: (Measurements at approximately 30 cm above soil line on mature tree.)Diameter.—Approximately 15 cm, and varies with soil type, fertility, climatic conditions and cultural practices.Texture.—Medium shaggy, increases with age of tree.Trunk color.—About Dark Greyed-White 156A in exposed areas to about Medium Greyed-Orange 164B in recesses; becomes darker with age.Branches: (Measurements at approximately 90 cm above soil line.)Size.—Diameter approximately 9 cm.Texture.—Smooth to slightly shaggy, increasing with tree age.Color.—Varying between about Medium Greyed-Green 197D to about Dark Greyed-Green 197B on exposed areas, to about Medium Greyed-Orange 164C in recesses.Lenticels.—Present.Lenticels:Number.—Medium.Density.—Varies with tree vigor and climatic conditions, about 2/cm2.Color.—About Medium Grey-Brown 199B.Size.—Medium.Length.—About 3 mm.Width.—About 2 mm.Flowering shoots: (Data taken in September at mid-point of current season growth.)Size.—Average diameter approximately 5 mm.Color.—Topside: About Dark Greyed-orange 176A. Underside: About Dark Greyed-Orange 176A with about Medium Green 138B background.Internode length.—Medium; approximately 2 cm. Midway on flowering shoot.Flowering shoot lenticels.—Medium amount. Color: About Medium Greyed-Orange 164B. Diameter: Approximately 0.5 mm.Flowering shoot leaf buds.—Shape: Broad obovate. Width: Approximately 2 mm. Length:. Approximately 2 mm. Color: About Dark Greyed-Orange 166A.Flowering shoot flower buds.—Shape: Ovoid. Width: Approximately 1.2 mm. Length: Approximately 2 mm. Color: About Dark Greyed-Orange 166A. Number of buds per node: About 2-4, usually 2.Intensity.—Medium.Density of buds.—Medium.Flower bud distribution.—On spurs and one year old shoots and older wood.Ratio of wood(leaf)buds to flowering buds.—1/2 on nodes.Anthocyanin intensity.—Strong.Spurs length.—Usually 5 mm.Vegetative bud size.—Length 2 mm, width 1.5 mm.Position of vegetative bud in relation to shoot.—Slightly held out.

FOLIAGE

FLOWERS

FRUIT