Grapevine Plant Named ‘SUNNY HEART’

Common name: Grapevine.

Botanical classification: Vitis labrusca L. x Vitis vinifera L.

Variety denomination: ‘SUNNY HEART’.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority of Japanese plant variety rights application No. 37121 filed Nov. 13, 2023, the entire content of which is incorporated by reference herein.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW VARIETY

The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of grapevine, Vitis labrusca L. x Vitis vinifera L., which has been given the variety denomination ‘SUNNY HEART’.

This new grapevine has green young leaves, R.H.S. Colour Chart: 148C, and berries having a broad ellipsoid shape, red skin, and muscat flavor, that distinguish it, notably from its male parent ‘SHINE MUSCAT’ (berries having yellow green skin) and female parent ‘626-84’ (berries having dark red violet skin and sharp brisk flavor), as well as from reference varieties ‘SEKIREI’ (reddish young leaves, R.H.S. Colour Chart: 183B, 144A, berries having narrow ellipsoid shape and pale red skin) and ‘KOTOPY’ (greenish-red young leaves, R.H.S. Colour Chart: 148C, 178B, berries having narrow ellipsoid shape and pale red skin).

ORIGIN OF THE VARIETY

The parent varieties are ‘SHINE MUSCAT’ (male parent) (not patented in the U.S.) and ‘626-84’ (female parent) (not patented in the U.S.), respectively.

The variety was developed and propagated in Akitsu, Hiroshima, Japan.

The variety was reproduced asexually in Akitsu, Hiroshima, Japan by vegetative reproduction by grafting one-year-old cuttings on rootstocks.

In 2004, seedlings from crossing the parent varieties and collecting seeds were grown.

In 2007, they were grafted on root stock.

In 2009, the first fruit was harvested and lines were selected having fruit with good taste.

In 2016, plants were selected and named ‘Akitsu 32’ as temporary name for purposes of confidential testing for local adaptability.

In 2018-2022, growing tests were performed under confidentiality conditions at thirty-seven testing stations in Japan.

In 2022, budding and berry ripening times were measured.

On Nov. 13, 2023, an application for plant variety rights No. 37121 was filed for the present variety in the Japanese Plant Variety Protection Office of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF), Japan.

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

The variety is currently mainly intended for fruit production (table grape).

SUMMARY OF THE VARIETY

The variety is distinguished by green young leaves, R.H.S. Colour Chart: 148C, and berries having a broad ellipsoid shape, red skin, and muscat flavor, that distinguish it, notably from its male parent ‘SHINE MUSCAT’ (berries having yellow green skin) and female parent ‘626-84’ (berries having dark red violet skin and sharp brisk flavor), as well as from reference varieties ‘SEKIREI’ (reddish young leaves, R.H.S. Colour Chart: 183B, 144A, berries having narrow ellipsoid shape and pale red skin) and ‘KOTOPY’ (greenish-red young leaves, R.H.S. Colour Chart: 148C, 178B, berries having narrow ellipsoid shape and pale red skin).

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

TABLE 1

Male parent Present variety

‘SHINE ‘SUNNY

MUSCAT’ HEART’

No. Characteristics States States

59 Mature leaf: depth of medium shallow

upper lateral sinuses

63 Mature leaf: ratio length/ medium small

width of teeth

91 Berry: color of skin yellow green Red (RHS

(without bloom) (RHS 146C) 187B)

A comparison with the female parent ‘626-84’ is as follows (evaluation based on averages):

TABLE 2

Female Present variety

parent ‘SUNNY

‘626-84’ HEART’

No. Characteristics States States

91 Berry: color of skin dark red violet Red (RHS

(without bloom) (RHS 184B) 187B)

101 Berry: particular flavor sharp brisk Muscat

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

TABLE 3

Reference Present variety

variety ‘SUNNY

‘SEKIREI’ HEART’

No. Characteristics States States

8 Young shoot: prostrate absent or very very dense

hairs on tip sparse

11 Young leaf: color of dark copper-red Green (RHS

upper side of blade (RHS 183B, 148C)

144A)

12 Young leaf: prostrate absent or very very dense

hairs between main sparse

veins on lower side

of blade

57 Mature leaf: blistering weak medium to

of upper side of blade strong

59 Mature leaf: depth of medium shallow

upper lateral sinuses

90 Berry: shape narrow ellipsoid broad ellipsoid

A comparison with the reference variety ‘KOTOPY’ is as follows (average evaluation):

TABLE 4

Reference Present variety

variety ‘SUNNY

‘KOTOPY’ HEART’

No. Characteristics States States

11 Young leaf: color of light copper-red Green (RHS

upper side of blade (RHS 148C, 148C)

178B)

12 Young leaf: prostrate dense very dense

hairs between main

veins on lower side

59 Mature leaf: depth of medium shallow

upper lateral sinuses

66 Mature leaf: prostrate medium dense

hairs between main

veins on lower side

90 Berry: shape narrow ellipsoid broad ellipsoid

A comparison with both ‘SEKIREI’ and ‘KOTOPY’ is as follows (average evaluation):

TABLE 5

Present

Reference Reference variety

variety variety ‘SUNNY

‘SEKIREI’ ‘KOTOPY’ HEART’

No. Characteristics States States States

12 Young leaf: color dark copper- light copper- green (RHS

of upper side of red (RHS red (RHS 148C)

blade 183B, 144A) 148C, 178B)

13 Young leaf: pro- absent or very dense very dense

strate hairs between sparse

main veins on

lower side of blade

59 Mature leaf: depth medium medium shallow

of upper lateral

sinuses

90 Berry: shape narrow narrow broad

ellipsoid ellipsoid ellipsoid

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 grapevine named ‘SUNNY HEART’ bearing vine;

FIG. 2 is a color photograph showing a bunch of grapes on the vine of ‘SUNNY HEART’;

FIG. 3 is a color photograph showing flower clusters of ‘SUNNY HEART’;

FIG. 4 is a color photograph showing flowers of ‘SUNNY HEART’;

FIG. 5 is a color photograph showing the flowers and separated organs of ‘SUNNY HEART’;

FIG. 6 is a color photograph showing a bunch of grapes cut from a vine of ‘SUNNY HEART’;

FIG. 7 is a color photograph showing berries of ‘SUNNY HEART’;

FIG. 8 is a color photograph showing cross-sections of berries of ‘SUNNY HEART’;

FIG. 9 is a color photograph showing berry shapes of ‘SUNNY HEART’ as well as ‘SEKIREI’ and ‘KOTOPY’ for comparison purposes;

FIG. 10 is a color photograph showing the upper and lower sides of young leaves of ‘SUNNY HEART’ as well as ‘SEKIREI’ and ‘KOTOPY’ for comparison purposes;

FIG. 11 is a color photograph showing the lower sides of mature leaves of ‘SUNNY HEART’ as well as ‘SEKIREI’ and ‘KOTOPY’ for comparison purposes.

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 ‘SUNNY HEART’ plants evaluated in 2022 (including for the comparison with the reference plants ‘SEKIREI’ and ‘KOTOPY’. Values as provided are averages.

The plants shown on the photographs were grown at Akitsu, Hiroshima, Japan. The plant is a 5-year grown plant. The young leaf and flower were photographed on May 29, 2023, the mature leaf was photographed on Jun. 29, 2023, and the bunch and berry was photographed on Sep. 15, 2023.

Colors are given according to The R.H.S. (Royal Horticultural Society) Color Chart, Sixth Edition (2015).

BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

TABLE 6

No. Characteristics States Values

Tree

1 Average height 180 cm

2 Average width 60 cm

3 Vigor strong

4 Trunk diameter (at a 19.8 mm

given height above (at 20 cm

soil line) above soil

line)

5 Grown on rootstock Yes Teleki

selectia

Kober 5BB

6 Time of bud burst early early April

(approx.

Apr. 7)

Young shoot

7 Openness of tip wide open

8 Prostrate hairs on tip very dense

9 Anthocyanin coloration absent or

of prostrate hairs on tip very weak

10 Erect hairs on tip absent or

very sparse

Young leaf

11 Color of upper side of green 148C (RHS)

blade

12 Prostrate hairs between very dense

main veins on lower

side of blade

13 Erect hairs on main absent or

veins on lower side of very sparse

blade

Shoot

14 Average length of stem 186 cm

15 Average diameter of 22.0 mm

stem

16 Texture of stem rough

17 Color of stem brown N200C,

200C (RHS)

18 Average length of 88 cm

branches

19 Average diameter of 16.0 mm

branches

20 Texture of branches intermediate

21 Color of branches grey-brown 199C,

N199C

(RHS)

22 Average length of 5.9 m

shoots

23 Average diameter of 9.8 mm

shoots

24 Texture of shoots smooth

25 Color of shoots green 144A (RHS)

26 Attitude (before tying) semi-erect

27 Color of dorsal side green and 144A, 183B

of internodes red (RHS)

28 Color of ventral side green 144A (RHS)

of internodes

29 Shoot: color of green and 144A, 183B

dorsal side of nodes red (RHS)

30 Shoot: color of ventral green 144A (RHS)

side of nodes

31 Erect hairs on inter- absent or

nodes very sparse

32 Length of tendrils medium 19.4 cm

Flower

33 Average size of Width 1.5 mm,

flower buds Length 2 mm

34 Color of flower buds green 144A (RHS)

35 Inflorescence panicle

36 Average number of 5

petals on the flower

37 Color of petals (top green 144A (RHS)

surface)

38 Color of petals green 144B (RHS)

(bottom surface)

39 Average petal size Width 0.4 mm,

Length 2 mm

40 Length of flower medium 19.3 cm

clusters

Sexual organs

41 Sexual organs fully

developed

stamens

and fully

developed

gynoecium

42 Average size of Width 6.0 mm,

seeds Length 8.3 mm

43 Average number 2.4

of seeds

44 Average color of greyed- 165B (RHS)

seeds orange

Mature leaf

45 Leaf arrangement Alternate

46 Color of leaf green 137B (RHS)

(top surface)

47 Color of leaf yellow- 148C (RHS)

(bottom surface) green

48 Shape of leaf wedged-

shaped

49 Texture of leaf medium to

(top surface) strong

blistering

50 Texture of leaf rough

(bottom surface)

51 Vein color yellow- 145C (RHS)

52 Average length green 121 mm

of petiole

53 Average diameter 3.9 mm

of petiole

54 Color of petiole yellow- 145B(RHS),

green and 183D(RHS)

greyed-

purple

55 Size of blade Small to 267 cm 2

medium

56 Shape of blade wedged-

shaped

57 Blistering of upper medium to

side of blade strong

58 Number of lobes five

59 Depth of upper shallow 3.4 cm

lateral sinuses

60 Arrangement of open

lobes of upper

lateral sinuses

61 Arrangement of slightly

lobes of petiole open

sinus

62 Length of teeth medium 4.8 mm

63 Ratio length/ small 0.56

width of teeth

64 Shape of teeth mixture of

both sides

straight and

both sides

convex

65 Proportion of absent or

main veins on very low

upper side of blade

with anthocyanin

coloration

66 Prostrate hairs dense

between main veins

on lower side of

blade

67 Erect hairs on main absent or

veins on lower side very sparse

of blade

68 Length of petiole much 0.55

compared to length shorter

of middle vein

Fruit ripening

69 Date of first pick in approx.

specific location Sep. 5

70 Date of last pick in approx.

specific location Sep. 20

71 Time of beginning medium early August

of berry ripening to late (approx.

Aug. 5)

72 Pounds per bushels About 890

per acre pounds/acre

73 Storability of fruit 12 days

Bunch

74 Average bunches 5

per plant

75 Average length of large 183 mm

bunch

76 Average width of 72 mm

bunch

77 Average weight of 222.2 g

bunch

78 Average number of 27.2

grapes per bunch

79 Average length of medium 58 mm

peduncle

80 Average diameter 3.2 mm

of peduncle

81 Average color of light red 144A,

peduncle 184D (RHS)

82 Size (peduncle large 183 mm

excluded)

83 Density medium

84 Length of peduncle medium 58 mm

primary bunch

85 Color of peduncle light red 144A, 184D

(RHS)

Berry

86 Average size of Width 24.8 mm,

berry Length 26.0 mm

87 Color of berry skin red 187B (RHS)

88 Color of berry flesh 144D (RHS)

89 Size large 9.5 g

90 Shape broad

ellipsoid

91 Color of skin (with- red 187B (RHS)

out bloom)

92 Bloom many

93 Ease of detachment medium

from pedicel

94 Thickness of skin thin to

medium

95 separation of skin difficult

and flesh

96 Anthocyanin color- absent or

ation of flesh very weak

97 Firmness of flesh medium

98 Character of flesh collapse

99 Sweetness of flesh high 20.7%

juice

100 Juiciness of flesh very juicy

101 Particular flavor Muscat

102 Formation of seeds complete

Woody shoot

103 Main color orange 177B (RHS)

brown

Ecotype

104 Flower shatter medium

• Other features of the plant are as follows:

•

• Disease resistance .—Normal resistance was observed for pests and diseases in Akitsu, Hiroshima, Japan. Fungicide treatment was considered necessary against the following diseases: Peronospora ( Plasmopara ), Oidium, Botrytis.