Sweet cherry tree named ‘IFG Cher-two’

Abstract

This invention is a new and distinct sweet cherry tree denominated ‘IFG Cher-two’. The new sweet cherry tree is characterized by producing large dark red fruits having broad shoulders and flat to round base. Fruits ripen early, about Apr. 14, 2014 in Delano Calif. The ‘IFG Cher-two’ has medium firm, medium acid fruit with a good cherry flavor. The tree has a medium low chilling requirement of approximately 300 to 500 hours. Fruits are tolerant of high summer temperatures and produce few doubled or spurred fruits.

Description

[0001]Latin name of the genus and species claimed: Prunus avium. [0002]Variety denomination: ‘IFG Cher-two’.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0003]The new and distinct sweet cherry tree described and claimed herein originated from open pollinated seeds collected in May 2001. The female parent is an unidentified sweet cherry tree growing in a commercial orchard located near Bakersfield, in Kern County, Calif. The male parent is unknown. The seeds were stratified, germinated and the resulting one seedling was planted in a field near Delano, Kern County, Calif. in April 2002. The present variety of sweet cherry tree was selected as a single plant in May 2005 and was first asexually propagated in February 2009 by grafting onto Prunus mahalab rootstock. It was found to reproduce true-to-type by asexual propagation. All propagation was done near Delano, Kern County Calif.BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION[0004]Sweet cherries have traditionally been grown in climates with long cold winters and cool ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0006]In comparison to the ‘Brooks’ variety, which is a major variety grown in warm regions, the present variety ripens about three to five days earlier and has more desirable darker red skin and flesh. It also has fewer undesirable doubled and spurred fruits as compared to ‘Brooks’ and has superior storage characteristics. In comparison to its female parent, the present variety has larger, firmer fruits. In comparison to the ‘Tulare’ variety (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 6,407), the ‘IFG Cher-two’ produces larger fruit that ripen approximately six to eight days before the ‘Tulare’ variety. The fruit shape of ‘IFG Cher-two’ has a more desirable flat-rounded shape with broad shoulders and flat stylar end compared to the more pointed, narrower shoulder shape of the ‘Tulare’ variety.

Problems solved by technology

Such climates provide enough cold winter temperatures to allow normal growth to resume in the spring and summer temperatures that are low enough not to induce production of unmarketable double or spurred fruit, but it limits the seasonality that cherries are available.

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