Olive tree named ‘I-42’

A new and distinct variety of olive tree, herein referred to by its cultivar name, ‘I-42’, is provided which forms a spreading growth habit. Fruit with a low weight and acute shape is produced. The fruit exhibit black coloration and the fruit nipple is moderately present. The stone of the fruit of the new variety is of very low to low weight, very elongated and possess a moderately rugose surface.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to Spanish Application No. 20215606, which was filed at Spanish Office of Vegetable Varieties in Spain on Feb. 9, 2021, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference for all purposes.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The new variety of olive tree of the present invention was created by a controlled cross in Spain wherein two parents which previously had been studied were crossed in the hope that they would contribute the desired characteristics. The female parent (i.e., seed parent) of the new variety was the ‘ARBOSANA’ variety (unpatented). The male parent (i.e., pollen parent) was the ‘KORONEIKI’ variety (unpatented).

The parentage can be summarized as follows:
‘ARBOSANA’ x ‘KORONEIKI’.

The new variety's size is intermediate between ‘Arbosana’ and ‘Koroneiki’ variety. The new variety's has same precocity in production than ‘Koroneiki’ cultivar. Table 1 further lists some of the differences and similarities between the new variety and its parentage.

The new variety is different from the related ‘I-15’ variety (patented having U.S. Pat. No. 32,302) since it have less vigor than ‘I-15’. The new variety is also different from the ‘I-30’ variety (U.S. Ser. No. 17/376,725) since it has a bigger leaf and smaller size of fruit. Table 2 further lists some of the differences and similarities between the new variety and related cultivars, such as the ‘I-50’ variety (U.S. Ser. No. 17/376,634).

It was found that the new variety of the present invention possesses the following combination of characteristics:(a) the tree has a spreading growth habit(b) the fruit weight is low and the fruit color is black(c) the fruit is acute and weakly asymmetric(d) the fruit possesses a moderate nipple(e) the stone is very elongated with a very low to low weight and possesses a moderately rugose surface.

The new variety well meets the needs of the horticultural industry and has not been commercialized. The new variety has an easy agronomic management.

The new variety can be readily distinguished from related similar varieties. The new variety has a small variety size.

The new variety has been found to undergo asexual propagation in Villafranca de Córdoba, Córdoba, Spain by vegetative cuttings. Asexual propagation by vegetative cutting in Spain has shown that the characteristics of the new variety are stable and are strictly transmissible by such asexual propagation from one generation to another. Accordingly, the new variety undergoes asexual propagation in a true-to-type manner.

The new variety has been named ‘I-42’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The new ‘I-42’ variety has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions to date. Accordingly, it is possible that the phenotypic expression may vary somewhat with changes in light intensity and duration, cultural practices, and other environmental conditions.