USPP36025P2 - Dessert banana plant named ‘WW01’ - Google Patents

Abstract

The ‘WW01’ is a hybrid dessert banana variety with a medium-sized stature, is tolerant to Black Sigatoka, and produces high-quality fruit.

Description

Latin name of the genus and species of the plant claimed: This tetraploid plant has only Musa acuminata in its pedigree and is the product of an inter-specific cross between triploid (AAA) plants of the same cultivar. The Latin name of ‘WW01’ is M. acuminata, tetraploid (AAAA), representing four genomes of this genus and species.

Variety denomination:

‘WW01’.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is co-pending with the following additional applications by the same inventor: “DESSERT BANANA PLANT NAMED ‘SH-4199’” (application Ser. No. 18/469,772); “DESSERT BANANA PLANT NAMED ‘NW02’” (application Ser. No. 18/469,776); “DESSERT BANANA PLANT NAMED ‘WH02’” (application Ser. No. 18/469,781); and “DESSERT BANANA PLANT NAMED ‘HG07’” (application Ser. No. 18/469,787). The plants of these applications, as well as the plant of the present application, were created in the banana breeding program of Applicant/Owner/Assignee, FHIA.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not applicable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a new and distinctive hybrid banana variety named ‘WW01’. This new hybrid variety was the result of a field cross performed in 2016 in La Lima Cortés, Honduras, between ‘Williams’ x ‘Williams’ (Both unpatented). ‘Williams’ is a medium-sized triploid plant (AAA) susceptible to Black Sigatoka leaf spot disease (Mycosphaerella fijiensis), belonging to the Cavendish group. ‘Williams’ is one of the most commercialized bananas worldwide; people prefer it for its flavor, aroma, and size. This banana was selected from a germplasm collection.

‘WW01’ is a tetraploid hybrid (AAAA) created for the genetic improvement of the Cavendish group banana. This hybrid was selected in 2018 from several first-generation seedlings from the cross between ‘Williams’ x ‘Williams.’ It was chosen as a tetraploid hybrid maintaining the “Cavendish type” stature of its female parental line and producing bunches of 20 kilograms with fruits of the same quality as its parents. ‘WW01’ was asexually reproduced by corms by the breeder in La Lima Cortes, Honduras. All plants and fruit run true to the initially selected plant and are identical in all aspects.

The hybrid ‘WW01’ has the same plant as male and female (‘Williams’). Its characteristics of plant height, type of leaves, type of stem, and number of offspring are like those of its parents. However, the stem color, bunch type, and taste are different. The ‘WW01’ hybrid has not inherited the delightful flavor that the ‘Williams’ variety, belonging to the Cavendish subgroup, is known for. This hybrid has lush foliage, which appears to be more resistant to black Sigatoka than its parents. These comparisons are valid when comparing commercial varieties known to the Inventor because the ‘Williams’ variety is one of the most commercialized in the world.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The ‘WW01’ is a hybrid dessert banana variety with a medium-sized stature, is tolerant to Black Sigatoka, and produces high-quality fruit.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The figures describe the characteristics of the ‘WW01’ hybrid banana variety. The color shown in the photographs is as nearly accurate as reasonably possible in this type's color representation.

FIG. 1 shows the typical appearance of a plant at ten (10) months old;

FIGS. 2A-B shows blotches at the petiole base (A) and a petiole canal leaf (B);

FIGS. 3A-C shows the shape of a leaf blade base (A) and leaf upper (B) and leaf lower (C) surfaces;

FIG. 4 shows typical suckers;

FIG. 5 shows a typical fruit bunch;

FIG. 6 shows a male bud;

FIGS. 7A-C shows bracts of a male bud;

FIGS. 8A-B shows lopes of compound tepals (A) and free tepals (B);

FIGS. 9A-B shows style shape (A) and ovary (B);

FIG. 10 shows a male flower;

FIG. 11 shows rowed ovules; and

FIG. 12 shows a typical second hand.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following is a detailed botanical description of the new variety ‘WW01’. The report is from ten-month old plants in La Lima, Cortés, Honduras that were evaluated in 2023. The descriptions concord with the internationally standardized “Descriptors for Banana (Musa spp.)” elaborated by IPGRI/INIBAP/CIRAD, 1996 (www.inibap.org), and The U.K.'s Royal Horticultural Society's Color Chart, 2001. The ‘WW01’ plant and its fruit may vary slightly from the detailed descriptors shown below due to cultural practices, soil types, and climatic conditions under which the variety may be cultivated.

Leaf habit	Drooping
Dwarfism	Not shown
Pseudostem length	2.60 meters
Pseudostem width	63 cm
Pseudostem height	2.1 to 2.9 meters
Pseudostem aspect	Robust
Pseudostem color	Green (143C, RHS)
Pseudostem appearance	Shiny (Not waxy)
The predominant underlying	Green (142D, RHS)
color of the pseudostem
Pigmentation of the underlying	Brown (N200A, RHS)
pseudostem
Sap color	Milky (150D, RHS)
Wax-on leaf sheaths	Moderately wax
Number of suckers	3 to 5
Development of suckers	Very good
Position of suckers	Close to parent (vertical growth)
Blotches at the petiole base	Extensive pigmentation
Blotches color	Brown (200B, RHS)
Petiole canal leaf III	Wide with erect margins
Petiole margins	Winged and not clasping the
	pseudostem
Wing type	Dry
Entire Petiole color	Greyed-purple (187D, RHS)
Petiole margin color	Greyed-purple (187D, RHS)
Edge of petiole margin	Robust and Greyed-purple
	color (187D, RHS)
Petiole margin width	1 to 2 cm
Leaf blade length	171 to 220 cm
Leaf blade width	71 to 80 cm
Petiole length	40 to 50 cm
Color of the leaf's upper Surface	Green (139A, RHS)
Appearance of leaf upper surface	Shiny
Color of the leaf's lower surface	Green (139B, RHS)
The appearance of the leaf's	Dull
lower surface
Leaf shape	Oval-elongated
Leaf apex	Obtuse
Leaf margin	Entire
Wax on leaves	Few waxes
The insertion point of the leaf	Symmetric
blade on the petiole
The shape of the leaf blade base	Both sides rounded
Leaf corrugation	Even, smooth
Color of midrib dorsal surface	Green (139C, RHS)
Color of midrib ventral surface	Greyed-green (191B, RHS)
Color of cigar leaf dorsal surface	Yellow-green (144B, RHS)
Blotches on leaves of water	Without blotches
suckers
Peduncle length	61 to 70 cm
Empty nodes on the peduncle	Two or more
Peduncle width	7-12 cm
Peduncle color	Green (139C, RHS)
Peduncle hairiness	Very hair, short hairs
	(similar to velvet touch)
Number of hands per bunch	12
Bunch length	60 cm
Bunch diameter	76 cm
Bunch position	Slightly angled
Bunch shape	Cylindrical
Bunch appearance	Compact
Flowers that form the fruit	Female
Fruits	Biseriate
Rachis type	Present and male buds may be
	degenerated or persistent
Rachis position	Failing vertically
Rachis appearance	Bare
Male bud type	Normal (present)
Male bud shape	Ovoid
Male bud size	Length: 28 cm and diameter
	18 cm (at the widest section)
Bract base shape	Large shoulder
Bract apex shape	Ovoid
Bract imbrication	Young bracts considerably
	overlap.
Color of the bract external face	Purple (N79A, RHS)
Color of the bract internal ace	Red-purple (59B, RHS)
Color of the bract apex	Tinted with yellow (discolored)
	(154D, RHS)
Color stripes on the bract	Without discolored lines
	(not ridges) on the external face
Bract scars on rachis	Very prominent
Persistence of the bracts of the	Moderate
rachis
Fading of color on bract base	Color homogenous
Male bract shape	Ovate
Male bract lifting	Lifting one at a time
Bract behavior before falling	Revolute (Rolling)
Wax on the bract	Moderately wax
Presence of grooves on the bract	Moderate
Male flower behavior	Falling before the bract
Compound tepals per flower	6
Compound tepal shape	Oval-elongated
Upper compound tepal basic	White (155C, RHS)
color
Lower compound tepal color	Yellow-orange (19D, RHS)
Compound tepal length	4.5 cm
Compound tepal width	1.8 cm
Compound tepal pigmentation	Very few or no visible signs of
	pigmentation; pigmentation color
	which is present is yellow-orange
	(20D, RHS)
Upper lobe color of compound	Yellow (13B, RHS)
tepal
Lower lobe color of compound	Yellow (13D, RHS)
tepal
Lobe development of compound	Developed
tepal
Free tepal color	Opaque White (155D, RHS)
Free tepal shape	Oval
Free tepal appearance	Several folding under apex
	(corrugated)
Free tepal apex development	Little or no visible sign of
	development
Free tepal apex shape	Thread-like
Anther exertion	Inserted
Filament color	Greyed-white (156B, RHS)
Anther color	Greyed-white (156C, RHS)
Pollen sacs color	Grey-brown (199D, RHS)
Pollen vitality	Abundant
Style basic color	Greyed-green (198D, RHS)
Pigmentation on style	Without pigmentation
Style exertion	Inserted
Style shape	Straight
Stigma color	Green-white (20B, RHS)
Ovary shape	Arched
Ovary basic color	Green-white (157C, RHS)
Ovary pigmentation	Very few or no visible sign of
	pigmentation; pigmentation
	color which is present is light
	green (149B, RHS)
The dominant color of male	White (155C, RHS)
flower
Irregular flowers	Absent
Arrangement of ovules	Two rowed
Fruit position	Parallel to the stalk
Number of fruits	17 to 20
Fruit length	13 to 15 cm
Fruit width	3.5 cm
Fruit shape (longitudinal	Curved (sharp curve)
curvature)
Color of the flesh of the fruit	Yellow (9A, RHS)
Longitudinal ridges of the fruit	Moderate
Transverse section of fruit	Rounded
Fruit apex	Bottle-necked
Remains of flower relicts at the	Persistent style
fruit apex
Fruit pedicel length	11 to 20 mm
Fruit pedicel width	10 to 12 mm
Fruit pedicel color	Yellow-green (148A, RHS)
Pedicel surface	Hairy
Fusion of pedicel	Very partially or no
	visible sign of fusion
Immature fruit peel color	Green (141D, RHS)
Mature fruit peel color	Yellow-orange (17B, RHS)
Fruit peel thickness	1.5 to 2 mm
Adherence to the fruit peel	Fruit peels easily
Cracks in fruit peel	Cracked
Pulp in fruit	With pulp
Pulp color before maturity	Greyed-white (156C, RHS)
Pulp color at maturity	White (155A, RHS)
Fruits fall from hands.	Persistent
Flesh texture	Firm
Predominant taste	Mild, slightly tasty, or tasteless
Presence of seed with the source	<5
of pollen
Seed surface	Smooth
Seed shape	Globular (spherical)
Seed color	Greyed-green (N189B, RHS)
Growth habit of the plant	Upright

Claims (1)

The invention claimed is:

1. A new and distinct variety of banana plant named ‘WW01’, substantially as illustrated and described herein.

Images