USPP36907P2 - Mandarin plant named ‘Mikanken4’ - Google Patents

Abstract

A new variety of citrus ‘Mikanken4’ that has dark orange fruit color, without seeds, high juiciness, orange-like flavor, ease of peeling the fruit by hand, good appearance, and good tasting qualities.

Description

Common name: Mandarin.

Botanical classification: Citrus spp.

Variety denomination: ‘Mikanken4’.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW VARIETY

The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of Mandarin, Citrus L., which has been given the variety denomination ‘Mikanken4’.

ORIGIN OF THE VARIETY

The parent varieties are ‘Kiyomi’ (female parent) (not patented in the U.S.) and MINEOLA' (male parent) (not patented in the U.S.), respectively.

The variety was developed and propagated in Uwajima, Ehime, Japan.

The variety was reproduced asexually by vegetative reproduction by top grafting one-year-old scions on rootstocks in Uwajima, Ehime, Japan. The rootstock variety was ‘MIYAGAWAWASE’ (not patented in the U.S.)

In 1989, the parent varieties were crossed.

In 1990, collected seeds were grown.

In 1992, saplings were grafted on top of rootstock ‘MIYAGAWAWASE’ (not patented in the U.S.)

In 1995, the first fruit was harvested, and lines were primary selected.

In 1997, plants were secondary selected, and the variety was named ‘Mikanken4’.

In 2024, breeding was completed with determination of distinct, uniform, and stable (DUS) status confirmed, and the variety was named ‘Mikanken 4’.

Cultivation of the variety does not require special conditions or treatments.

The variety is currently mainly intended for fruit production.

SUMMARY OF THE VARIETY

The new mandarin plant ‘Mikanken4’ has leaf blades with very small length/width ratio, fruit with dark orange surface color, and late maturity for consumption (typically May), which distinguish ‘Mikanken4’ from its female parent ‘Kiyomi’.

Further, the new mandarin plant ‘Mikanken4’ has fruit with an absence of neck, which distinguishes it notably from its male parent ‘MINEOLA’.

Also, the new mandarin plant ‘Mikanken4’ having leaf blades with very small length/width ratio, and late maturity for consumption (typically May), and its fruit having a proximal part with a flattened general shape, distinguish it notably from the comparative variety ‘Ehimekashi48’,

A comparison with the female parent ‘KIYOMI’ is as follows (evaluation based on averages):

TABLE 1
		Female parent	Present variety
No.	Characteristics	‘KIYOMI’	‘Mikanken4’
16	Leaf blade: ratio length/width	Small (2.2)	Very small (1.9)
83	Fruit surface: predominant	Yellow orange	Orange
	color(s)	RHS 17A	RHS N25C
119	Time of maturity of fruit for	Medium (March)	Late (May)
	consumption

A comparison with the male parent ‘MINEOLA’ is as follows (evaluation based on averages):

TABLE 2
		Male parent	Present variety
No.	Characteristics	‘MINEOLA’	‘Mikanken4’
66	Fruit: presence of neck	Present	Absent

A comparison with the reference variety ‘Ehimekashi48’ is as follows (evaluation based on averages):

TABLE 3
		Reference variety	Present variety
No.	Characteristics	‘Ehimekashi48’	‘Mikanken4’
16	Leaf blade: ratio length/width	Small (2.2)	Very small (1.9)
65	Fruit: general shape of	Strongly rounded	Flattened
	proximal part
119	Time of maturity of fruit for	Medium (March)	Late (May)
	consumption

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the accompanying drawings, which are as nearly true as is reasonable possible to make in a color illustration of this type:

FIG. 1 is a color photograph showing a general view of the mandarin plant ‘Mikanken4’ bearing fruits;

FIG. 2 is a color photograph showing leaves of ‘Mikanken4’

FIG. 3 is a color photograph showing flowers of ‘Mikanken4’;

FIG. 4 is a color photograph showing fruits of ‘Mikanken4’;

FIG. 5 is a color photograph showing the leaves of ‘Mikanken4’ and its female parent ‘KIYOMI’, illustrating the difference in the predominant color of fruit surface;

FIG. 6 is a color photograph showing fruits of ‘Mikanken4’ and the comparative variety ‘Ehimekashi48’, illustrating the difference in the general shape of the proximal part.

Due to chemical and/or digital development, processing and printing, the plants or portions of plants depicted in the photographs may or may not be precisely accurate, when compared to the actual botanical specimens.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The botanical description and the photographs are of the ‘Mikanken4’ plants evaluated in 2024 (including for the comparison with the reference plants ‘KIYOMI’ and ‘Ehimekashi48’). Values as provided are averages.

The plants shown on the photographs were grown at Uwajima, Ehime, Japan. The plant is a 15-year grown after top grafting. The tree was photographed on Mar. 25, 2024, the flowers were photographed on Apr. 25, 2024, the mature leaves were photographed on Mar. 25, 2024, and the fruit were photographed on Mar. 29, 2024.

Colors are given according to the RHS (Royal Horticultural Society) Colour Chart (Fourth Ed., 2001).

BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

TABLE 4
No.	Characteristics	States	Values

1.	Ploidy	Diploid
2.	Tree: growth habit	Spreading
3.	Tree: density of spines	Intermediate
4.	Tree: length of spines	Short	2.2 cm
5.	Tree height		2.7 m
6.	Tree spread		3.2 m
7.	Trunk diameter		27.7 cm
8.	Trunk texture	Rough
9.	Trunk color	Green brown	RHS 152B
10.	Crotch angle		47.5°
11.	Branch length	Short	9.8 cm
12.	Branch texture	Smooth
13.	Branch color	Brown green	RHS 146A
14.	Leaf blade: length (apical leaflet in case	Medium	8.0 cm
	of compound leaf)
15.	Leaf blade: width (as for 5)	Medium	4.3 cm
16.	Leaf blade: ratio length/width (as for 5)	Very small	1.9
17.	Leaf blade: shape in cross section	Intermediate
	(as for 5)
18.	Leaf blade: twisting	Absent or
		weak
19.	Leaf blade: blistering	Absent or
		weak
20.	Leaf blade: green color	Medium
21.	Leaf blade: undulation of margin	Intermediate
22.	Leaf blade: incisions of margin	Absent
23.	Leaf blade: shape of apex	Acute
24.	Leaf blade: emargination at tip	Present
25.	Leaf blade size	Medium	22.4 cm2
			(length 8.0
			cm, width
			4.3 cm)
26.	Leaf arrangement	Alternate
27.	Leaf type	Simple leaf
28.	Leaf shape	Fusiform
29.	Leaf color: upper surface	Dark green	RHS 141A
30.	Leaf color: lower surface	Brown green	RHS 137D
31.	Petiole: length	Medium	1.8 cm
32.	Petiole: presence of wings	Present
33.	Petiole diameter	Medium	1.8 mm
34.	Petiole color	Dark green	RHS 141A
35.	Petiole wings	Present
36.	Petiole attachment		(Not
			examined)
37.	Petiole texture	Smooth
38.	Varieties with petiole wings present	Narrow	3.3 mm
	only:
	Petiole: width of wings
39.	Flower: type	Single
40.	Flower: diameter of calyx	—	0.9 cm
41.	Flower: number of petals		5
42.	Flower: sepal size		length 0.55
			cm, width
			0.93 cm
43.	Flower: sepal shape	Synsepalous
		calyx
44.	Flower: sepal color	Light green	RHS 144D
45.	Flower: length of petal	Short	13.7 mm
46.	Flower: width of petal	Medium	6.0 mm
47.	Flower: ratio length/ width of petal	—	2.3
48.	Petal color: upper surface	White	RHS 155A
49.	Petal color: lower surface	White	RHS 155A
50.	Petal texture	Smooth
51.	Flower: length of stamens	—	9.2 mm
52.	Flower: blooming period	Medium	May 1-10
53.	Flower: fragrance	Present
54.	Flower: fertility	Present
55.	Pollen abundance	Absent
56.	Pollen color		(Not
			examined)
57.	Anther: color	Light yellow	RHS 8D
58.	Style: length	—	6.7 mm
59.	Infructescence: clustering of fruits	Present
60.	Fruit: length	—	7.4 cm
61.	Fruit: diameter	—	8.6 cm
62.	Fruit: ratio length/diameter	Medium	1.16
63.	Fruit: position of broadest part	At middle
64.	Fruit: shape in transverse section	Circular
65.	Fruit: general shape of proximal part	Flattened
	(excluding neck, collar and depression
	at stalk end)
66.	Fruit: presence of neck	Absent
67.	Fruit: presence of depression at stalk	Present
	end
68.	Fruit: depth of depression at stalk end	—	2.0 mm
69.	Fruit: presence of constriction at stalk	Absent
	end
70.	Fruit: number of radial grooves at	Intermediate
	stalk end
71.	Fruit: length of radial grooves at stalk	Short to	10.1
	end	medium
72.	Fruit: presence of collar	Absent
73.	Fruit: abscission layer between floral	Absent or
	disc and fruit	weakly
		developed
74.	Fruit: general shape of distal part	Flattened
	(excluding nipple, bulging of navel
	and depression at distal end)
75.	Fruit: presence of depression at distal	Present
	end
76.	Fruit: depth of depression at distal end	—	2.6 mm
77.	Fruit: diameter of depression at distal	—	14.5 mm
	end
78.	Fruit: presence of areola	Absent
79.	Fruit: diameter of stylar scar	—	2.1 mm
80.	Fruit: persistence of style	None
81.	Fruit: presence of navel opening	Absent
82.	Fruit: presence of radial grooves at	Absent
	distal end
83.	Fruit surface: predominant color(s)	Orange	RHS N25C
84.	Fruit surface: glossiness	Medium
85.	Fruit surface: roughness	Smooth
86.	Fruit surface: size of oil glands	All more or
		less the same
		size
87.	Fruit surface: size of larger oil glands	Small
88.	Fruit surface: conspicuousness of larger	Strong
	oil glands
89.	Fruit surface: presence of pitting and	Pitting and
	pebbling on oil glands	pebbling
		absent
90.	Fruit rind: thickness	Medium	3.5 mm
91.	Fruit weight	Heavy	286 g
92.	Fruit rind: adherence to flesh	Weak
93.	Fruit rind: strength	Weak
94.	Fruit rind: oiliness	Dry
95.	Fruit rind: conspicuousness of oil	Absent or
	glands on inner surface	weakly
		conspicuous
96.	Fruit: color of albedo	Light yellow	RHS 8C
97.	Fruit: density of albedo	Medium
98.	Fruit: amount of albedo adhering to	Small
	flesh (strands excluded)
99.	Fruit: presence of albedo strands	Absent
100.	Fruit: main color of flesh	Dark orange	RHS N25C
101.	Fruit: filling of core	Absent or
		very sparse
102.	Fruit: diameter of core	Very small	10.9 mm
103.	Fruit: presence of rudimentary	Absent or
	segments	very weak
104.	Fruit: number of well-developed	—	12
	segments
105.	Fruit: coherence of adjacent segment	Strong
	walls
106.	Fruit: strength of segment walls	Weak
107.	Fruit: length of juice vesicle	—	6.2 mm
108.	Fruit: thickness of juice vesicles	—	2.6 mm
109.	Fruit; conspicuousness of juice	High
	vesicle walls
110.	Fruit: coherence of juice vesicles	Medium
111.	Fruit: presence of navel (viewed	Absent or
	internally)	very rare
112.	Fruit: juiciness	High
113.	Fruit juice: total soluble solids	High	12.8 (Brix)
114.	Fruit juice: acidity	High	1.95
			mg/100 ml
115.	Fruit: strength of fiber	Weak
116.	Fruit: number of seeds (controlled	Absent or	0
	manual self-pollination)	very few
117.	Fruit: number of seeds (open	Absent or	0
	pollination)	very few
118.	Seed: polyembryony	Absent
119.	Time of maturity of fruit for	Late	May
	consumption
120.	Productivity (pounds or bushels per		(Not
	acre)		examined)
121.	Fruit: parthenocarpy	Present

Other features of the plant are as follows:

• Disease and Pest resistance: Normal resistance was observed for pests and diseases in Uwajima, Ehime, Japan.
• Tree hardiness: USDA Hardiness Zone Pa-9b.
• Fruit ship ability: medium, slightly inferior compared to the variety ‘IYOKAN’ which has excellent storage ability.
• Fruit storage ability: medium.

Claims (1)

The invention claimed is:

1. A new and distinct variety of citrus named ‘Mikanken4’, substantially as described and illustrated herein.

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