Strawberry Plant Named ‘CBC017’

Latin name of the genus and species of the plant claimed: Botanical classification: Fragaria x ananassa.

Variety denomination: The new strawberry variety denomination is ‘CBC017’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a new and distinctive day-neutral type cultivar designated as ‘CBC017’. The new cultivar was the result of a controlled cross performed in 2017 in Huelva, Spain between the cultivar ‘Fronteras’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 26,709) and the cultivar ‘Cabrillo’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 27830). ‘CBC017’ was first fruited at an experimental orchard near French Camp, Calif. in 2017, where it was selected, originally designated 117.059-118, and propagated asexually by runners. Following selection and during testing, the plant of this selection was later designated ‘CBC017’. Asexual propagules from this original source have been tested in Watsonville, Calif., in Oxnard, Calif., and to a limited extent in grower fields starting in 2022. The cultivar is stable and reproduces true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

COMPARISON WITH PARENTS

‘Fronteras’ is a short-day cultivar that was selected for its overall high appearance score, large fruit, and high yield. Plants of the parent ‘Fronteras’ are larger than ‘CBC017’. The parent ‘Cabrillo’ is a day-neutral cultivar that was selected for its high yield and firm fruit. Plants of ‘Cabrillo’ are similar in size to ‘CBC017’.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

‘CBC017’ is a day-neutral cultivar that produces fruit over an extended period when treated appropriately in arid, sub-tropical climates. When treated with appropriate planting regimes, ‘CBC017’ has larger fruit and produces individual plant yields greater than that of either parent. The following traits have been repeatedly observed over multiple testing years and locations and are determined to be unique characteristics of ‘CBC017’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘CBC017’ as a new and distinct Strawberry plant:

•

• 1. Medium sized plant with open canopy. • 2. Day-neutral flowering habit. • 3. Large glossy red fruit. • 4. Fruit postharvest longevity is good. • 5. High yields.

The cultivar ‘CBC017’, when planted under appropriate conditions, follows a typical day-neutral fruiting pattern, with fruit production occurring regardless of day length and temperature. Fruit quality is good with excellent flavor. Total yield is of increased interest to fresh market strawberry sales companies as increased yields result in increased profits. In addition to its early yield performance, ‘CBC017’ is resistant to Fusarium oxysporum f . sp fragariae , the causal agent of Fusarium wilt.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

The accompanying color photographs, identified as FIGS. 1 through 5 , show the appearance of typical specimens of the new strawberry cultivar designated ‘CBC017’. These Figures depict the colors, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible given differences in color illustrations of this character. Accordingly, color in the photographs may differ slightly from the colors discussed in the botanical description.

FIG. 1 shows a typical leaf and petiole structure.

FIG. 2 shows a typical plant and fruit early season.

FIG. 3 shows typical fruit in a box.

FIG. 4 shows a cross-section of representative fruit mid-season.

FIG. 5 shows a typical plot in the field of plants and fruit.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

‘CBC017’ is a new and distinct day-neutral cultivar of strawberry, genus and species Fragaria x ananassa . It is the result of a controlled cross between the cultivar ‘Fronteras’ and the cultivar ‘Cabrillo’. Plants of ‘CBC017’ bloom continuously in higher elevation plantings, and bloom in the heat of low elevation nursery locations such as French Camp, CA, consistent with other day-neutral varieties. The plants of the new cultivar have a moderate vigor and produce multiple crowns during the growing season. ‘CBC017’ exhibits several characteristics which are improvements over one or both of its parent varieties, and other cultivars known to the Inventor. These characteristics are compared with other cultivars in Table 2, 3, and 4.

The fruit size of ‘CBC017’ is large, with a seasonal average of 36.4 g, larger than its parents. The fruit size of ‘CBC017’ is ideal since it is not too large to be damaged in shipping containers, but not too small to allow for efficient picking and packing. The ‘CBC017’ plant canopy also remains open throughout the season, which makes for greater visibility and ease of picking. Storability of the fruit has not been measured but in informal observations the fruit retains good physical characteristics and appearance for several days after harvest at room temperature and up to at least a week in common refrigerator conditions of roughly 3° C.

‘CBC017’ produces conic to slightly round fruit like its parent ‘Cabrillo’, while the fruit of ‘Fronteras’ is a longer conic shape that often suffers for color problems late in the season. The fruit of ‘CBC017’ generally ripens evenly from the tip to the shoulders of the berry, resulting in a uniform light red color over the whole fruit. In contrast, the fruit of ‘Cabrillo’ has darker fruit and can produce fruit with white shoulders early in the season. The fruit of ‘CBC017’ is firmer than its parent ‘Fronteras’.

The data set for ‘CBC017’ set forth below was collected in May 2023 from plants grown at a test plot in Watsonville, CA. Yield, size, and firmness data is either averaged over the entire 2022-2023 growing season or presented as monthly totals at the same location. As a day-neutral everbearing variety, ‘CBC017’ begins flowering immediately after planting and continues year-round, producing fruit continuously. Time to the first marketable fruit is roughly five months from planting. Description data was collected on five-month-old plants.

The observed characteristics of ‘CBC017’ are set forth in Table 1, 2, 3, and 4 below. Color terminology, where noted, is in accordance with the Munsell Colorchart. The observed characteristics of ‘CBC017’ are also compared to parent cultivars ‘Fronteras’ and ‘Cabrillo’ and to ‘Monterey’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 19,767), the closest cultivar known to the Inventor, in Table 2, 3, and 4. Table 5 sets forth the test results of DNA fingerprinting using eight SSR markers.

TABLE 1

Detailed Description of Characteristics of ‘CBC017’

SPECIFICATION:

Genus/Species Fragaria X ananassa

Market Name Strawberry

PARENTS:

Female ‘Fronteras’

Male ‘Cabrillo’

PLANT:

Type Day-neutral, everbearing

Growth Habit Semi-upright

Foliage density Moderate to light

Vigor Moderate

Height Average 30 cm; range 28-32 cm

Width Average 43 cm; range 35-50 cm

Disease tolerance Test plots have shown tolerance to

Fusarium oxysporum f. sp fragariae

LEAF:

Width Average 11 cm; range 10-12 cm

Color Adaxial surface: 2.5 GY 4/3

Abaxial surface: 5 GY 5/6

Adaxial Pubescence Medium density

Adaxial Glossiness Medium

Rugosity Not present

Variegation Not present

TERMINAL

LEAFLET

Length Average 82 mm; range 80-85

Width Average 81 mm; range 73-86

Ratio (length/width) 1.0

Margins Serrate

Leaflet shape Round

Base shape Cuneate

Cross-section shape Concave

PETIOLE

Pubescence Medium density

Attitude Upwards

Petiole color 5 GY 6/8

Petiole length Average 20 cm; range 14-23 cm

Petiole diameter Average 4.2 mm; range 4.0-4.6 mm

STIPULE

Anthocyanin Light

coloration

Length Average 38.5 mm; range 34-42 mm

Width Average 7 mm, range 6.4-8.1 mm

INFLORESCENCE:

Flowering Everbearing

Position Mostly at or above canopy

Petal arrangement Slightly overlapping

Petal shape Actinomorphic and Rotate

Calyx size Larger than corolla

Sepal shape Acute

Number of blooms 8

Length 3.5 cm

Flower diameter Average 35 mm; range 32-37 mm

Petal number Average 5; range 4-6

Petal length Average 10 mm; range 9-11 mm

Petal width Average 10 mm; range 9-11 mm

Ratio (length/width) 1.0

Calyx color Adaxial surface: 5 GY 8/8

Abaxial surface: 5 GY 6/8

Stamens length Average 25 mm; range 21-28 mm

PEDICEL

Pubescence Medium density

Length 167 mm

Width 4.1 mm

Ratio (length/width) 41

Color 2.5 GY 8/9

FRUIT:

Bearing Day-neutral, everbearing

Individual fruit Seasonal average: 37.8 g

weight

Shape Mostly conic, some slightly round

Size Width: 5 cm avg; range 4 to 6 cm

(See FIG. 4)

Length: 8 cm avg; range 7.5 to

9 cm (see FIG. 4)

Achenes Just below fruit surface

Glossiness Medium/high

External color Even

evenness

External color 7.5 R 4/11

Internal color 7.5 R 5/13

Band at top Narrow width

without achenes

Fruit Yield Grams per plant: 2922 g

Firmness 0.48 kg/force

Achene color 7.5 R 4/11

Achene density Medium

Fruit center hollowness Small

Calyx attachment Level with fruit

Calyx adherence Adheres when fully ripe

Calyx size to fruit Smaller than fruit

TABLE 2

Marketable yield of ‘CBC017’ compared to the cultivars known to the

Inventor in Watsonville, CA during the 2022-2023 season.

Marketable yield (g/plant)

Cultivar April May June July August Total

‘Fronteras’ 390 624 901 309 87 2311

‘Cabrillo’ 205 464 1039 473 197 2378

‘Monterey’ 290 522 957 399 205 2373

‘CBC017’ 305 621 1236 503 256 2922

TABLE 3

Size of ‘CBC017’ compared to the cultivars known to the Inventor

in Watsonville, CA during the 2022-2023 season.

Fruit size (g/fruit)

Cultivar April May June July August Average

‘Fronteras’ 43.4 40.8 31.0 23.7 23.9 32.6

‘Cabrillo’ 38.2 43.9 35.0 27.1 24.9 33.8

‘Monterey’ 37.5 40.1 33.7 25.4 23.2 32.0

‘CBC017’ 48.1 49.9 38.1 28.1 25.0 37.8

Firmness (kg/force)

Cultivar May June July Average

‘Fronteras’ 0.49 0.39 0.37 0.41

‘Cabrillo’ 0.59 0.49 0.48 0.52

‘Monterey’ 0.55 0.51 0.46 0.51

‘CBC017’ 0.54 0.45 0.45 0.48

TABLE 5

DNA finger printing results of eight SSR markers.

Allelic Fingerprint Analysis

Cultivar M1 M2 M3 M4 M5 M6 M7 M8

‘CBC017’ 204, 259, 188, 279, 156 238, 121, 213,

212, 264, 232 281, 242, 214, 215,

224 269, 289 257, 130, 228

271, 262 139

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