Early table grape `Tzori`

A very early seedless white table grape of which the individual berries are significantly larger than the parent, of which the grape of the invention is a mutant.

This invention relates to a new and distinct variety of Vitis vinifera. The 
variety of the invention (denominated TZORI) is a very early seedless 
white table grape, of which the bunches are not overcrowded, the new grape 
being distinguished by the fact that both the bunches and the individual 
berries are significantly larger than the parent, from which the new grape 
is derived. 
The new variety is further characterized by the facts that it is triploid, 
and very fertile and fast-growing. Characterization of the new variety as 
triploid was effected by means of a chromosome count carried out by the 
Volcani Institute, Bet-Dagan, Israel. Moreover, it reacts well to spraying 
with Giberellin hormone; at a concentration of 20 ppm, spraying at stages 
of 30% and 80% flowering, and after fruit set, with intervals of four days 
between sprayings, results in reducing the density of the bunch and 
enlarging the size of the berry. 
The new grape was discovered as a mutation of the Perlette species, in 
1978, in a vineyard at Nir-Banim, Israel. Propagation is by asexual 
reproduction from cuttings. Propagation has also been achieved by grafting 
the new variety onto the following stocks: 41.B, 161/49, Richter 110 and 
Saltcreek. The new variety has been tested for a period of two years by 
the Ministry of Agriculture, Plant Breeders' Rights Council, Bet Dagan, 
Israel. The grape of the invention is a table grape, intended for eating 
in a fresh state or for drying for eating as raisins.

DESCRIPTION OF THE FRUIT 
The bunches are significantly less dense than the parent variety and are of 
medium size, but larger than in the parent. The peduncle has medium 
length, its lignification is weak. The individual berries have a round 
shape and are of circular cross-section; in formal terms they are of 
medium size, but are substantially larger than the berries of the parent 
variety. The skin is thin and green-yellow to yellow in color, that is to 
say the color is almost identical to Perlette although slightly more 
amber. The bloom on the skin is weak. The flesh is juicy, tender, and 
colorless. The berries are seedless. The pedicel is thick and of medium 
length. Separation of the berry from the pedicel is easy. The ripe berries 
have a slight Muscat-like flavor (the fruit of Perlette, by contrast, is 
tasteless); they contain a little more sugar and a little less acid than 
Perlette. 
The new variety of the invention blossoms approximately 12 days earlier 
than Perlette and ripens early, also approximately 12 days earlier than 
Perlette. The produce may be harvested mid-June in Nir-Banim. It is 
desirable to harvest in two stages. 
PLANT CHARACTERISTICS 
Time of sprouting: Early. 
Young vine-cane: The shoot tip is open, anthocyanin coloration is absent 
therefrom, hairs on the tip are either absent or very sparse. 
Mature leaf: Of medium size, pentagonal shape, five-lobed and slightly 
thicker than in the case of Perlette. The upper side of the leaf blade is 
dark-green. The teeth are long, but the length to width ratio of the teeth 
is small. Both sides of the teeth are rectilinearly-shaped. Petiole sinus 
is very wide open, with a V-shaped base. In the main veins on both the 
upper and lower sides of the blade, the anthocyanin coloration is either 
non-existent or very weak. The density of either erect or prostrate hairs 
between the main veins on the lower side of the blade is sparse. There are 
no hairs on the veins on the upper side of the blade. The density of 
either erect or prostrate hairs on the main veins on the lower side of the 
blade is sparse. The petiole is shorter than the middle vein; the density 
of either erect or prostrate hairs on the petiole is sparse. 
Flower: Perfectly formed. The overall coloring of the plant is similar to, 
but the stem is substantially thicker than, the parent Perlette. The 
latter characteristic can be seen in FIG. 1.