New blackberry variety "Imberry"

Abstract

The present invention relates to a new blackberry variety, "Imberry," which was developed by using Rubus corchonfolius Lf as a breeding material, irradiating it with gamma rays at a dose of 70 to 90 Gy, and selecting mutants.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a new blackberry variety, "Imberry." More specifically, it relates to a new variety of blackberry bred by using wild-type velvet strawberry (Rubus corchonfolius Lf) as a breeding material through radiation mutation breeding. Compared to existing blackberries (Rubus fruticosus L.), this new variety grows much faster, has larger fruits that are easier to harvest, has a high sugar content of 12 to 18°Brix on average when ripe, has less acidity, has soft seeds, and has a unique flavor. [Background technology]

[0002] The cultivated Rubus species in Korea include Rubus coreanus, Rubus crataegifolius Bunge, and improved blackberry varieties such as Maple, Heukjinju, Heukjon, Amor, and Black V3. However, they are unable to keep up with the overseas blackberry varieties in terms of fruit size, sugar content, and flavor.

[0003] The wild strawberry that grows in Korea is a deciduous, clinging, semi-erect or erect plant of the Rubus genus in the Rosaceae family, and there are more than 20 species of it. Of these, the velvet strawberry (Rubus corchonfolius Lf) is an upright strawberry that grows mainly in sunny areas at the foot of mountains on the southwest coast of Japan, China and southern Korea. Its flowers bloom in April and ripen to a yellow-red color between mid- and late May. It has a unique fragrance, a high sugar content, and small seeds that cannot be chewed, making for an excellent texture. Only two flower stalks grow from the nodes where the leaves are attached. Unlike other Rubus species, the fruit does not have a core, so it cannot be separated from the calyx during harvesting.

[0004] Therefore, there is a need to breed a variety that utilizes the characteristics of the velvet strawberry, which has the best sugar content, flavor, and texture among the Rubus species that grow wild in Korea, and which blooms and harvests early.

[0005] Meanwhile, Korean Patent No. 1446962 discloses "a new blackberry variety 'Amo' and a composition containing its extract as an active ingredient," and Korean Patent No. 1142650 discloses "a new high-yielding plant variety of Rubus rubus," but there is no mention of the "new blackberry variety 'Imberry'" of the present invention. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Korean Patent No. 1446962 [Patent Document 2] Korean Patent No. 1142650 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] The present invention has been developed in response to the above-mentioned needs, and the inventors' objective is to solve the drawbacks of the fruits of Rubus plants cultivated in Korea so far, and to develop a new variety of blackberry that has a significantly larger fruit size, excellent sugar content and flavor, is easy to harvest, and can be harvested earlier than existing blackberry varieties, by utilizing the advantages of velvet strawberry. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] To achieve this, the present invention provides a new blackberry cultivar, "Imberry," which was developed by irradiating velvet strawberry (Rubus corchonfolius Lf) with gamma rays and selecting mutants. The plant has the following characteristics: (1) fruiting characteristics: one fruit per node; (2) number of fruits per fruiting branch: 4-8; (3) fruit weight: 15-22.0 g; (4) fruit length: 40-60 mm; (5) sugar content of fully ripe fruit: 12-18°Brix; and (6) fruit harvest time: mid-June.

[0009] The present invention also provides an F1 plant produced by artificially crossing a plant of the new blackberry variety "Imberry" with another plant of the genus Rubus.

[0010] The present invention also provides processed foods produced using the fruit of the new blackberry variety "Imberry." [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] The new blackberry variety, Imberry, of the present invention grows much faster than existing blackberries (Rubus fruticosus L.), has larger fruits, and is easier to harvest. When fully ripe, the sugar content is significantly higher, averaging 15°Brix, with less acidity, soft seeds, and a distinctive flavor, making it excellent for fresh consumption and highly economically valuable. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] Photographs of the wild velvet strawberry (Rubus corchonfolius Lf) plant and fruit. [Figure 2] 1 is a photograph of a plant of the new blackberry variety "Imberry," which is the variety of the present invention. [Figure 3] 1 is a photograph of the fruit of the new blackberry variety "Imberry," which is the variety of the present invention. [Figure 4] 1 is a photograph showing the fruit weight of the new blackberry cultivar "Imberry," which is the cultivar of the present invention. [Figure 5] 1 is a photograph of the leaves of the new blackberry cultivar "Imberry," which is the cultivar of the present invention. [Figure 6] 1 is a photograph of the flower of the new blackberry variety "Imberry," which is the variety of the present invention. [Figure 7] 1 is a photograph showing fruit set on a bearing branch of the new blackberry cultivar "Imberry," which is the cultivar of the present invention. [Figure 8] These are photographs of the plant body and fruit-bearing branches of the blackberry cultivar "Blackberry (V3)." DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013] To achieve the objectives of the present invention, the present invention provides a new blackberry variety, "Imberry," which was cultivated by irradiating velvet strawberry (Rubus corchonfolius Lf) with gamma rays and selecting mutants. The plant has the following characteristics and is propagated asexually. The accession number of a sterile culture derived from the plant is KCTC14413BP. (1) Fruiting characteristics: One fruit per node (2) Number of fruits per branch: 4-8 (3) Fruit weight: 15-22.0g (4) Fruit length: 40-60 mm (5) Sugar content of fully ripe fruit: 12-18°Brix (6) Fruit harvest season: mid-June

[0014] In the present invention, the new blackberry variety "Imberry" plant is bred using velvet strawberry (Rubus corchonfolius Lf) as a breeding material, 60 The mutants were irradiated with Co gamma rays (γ-rays) at a dose of 70-90 Gy for 23-25 ​​hours, and mutants with leaves morphologically distinct from those of velvet strawberries were selected and bred. Compared to existing blackberry (Rubus fruticosus L.) varieties, the mutants were harvested about one month earlier, had fruit that was 1.6-2.4 times larger, and had a 1.6-fold increase in sugar content at full maturity.

[0015] The inventors deposited a sterile culture of the new blackberry variety "Imberry" having these characteristics with the Korea Comprehensive Biological Resource Center (KCTC) on December 18, 2020 (accession number: KCTC14413BP).

[0016] Radiation mutation breeding is a technique for developing new genetic resources by irradiating plant seeds or seedlings with radiation to induce genetic or chromosomal mutations, then selecting mutants with superior traits in the progeny and going through a genetic fixation process. This breeding technique uses radiation stimulation to increase the frequency of mutations, which occur at a low frequency even in natural conditions. Unlike genetic engineering, which artificially injects foreign genes, this method has been proven safe and is used to improve crops and develop new varieties.

[0017] The new blackberry variety "Imberry" plant of the present invention may refer to the whole plant itself, and may include parts of the plant, such as leaves, branches, roots, fruits, flowers, or pollen.

[0018] Furthermore, the asexual propagation method can be, but is not limited to, sucking, layering, stem and root cuttings, or cell culture. The term "unsexual propagation" is the same as asexual reproduction, and refers to a method in which a single individual produces a new individual by itself without the need for males and females. Asexual reproduction occurs when the reproductive cells produced by a single individual become a new individual by themselves. It refers to all propagation methods other than seed propagation (sexual reproduction).

[0019] The present invention also provides an F1 plant produced by artificially crossing a new blackberry variety, "Imberry," with a different Rubus plant. Compared to existing blackberry varieties, the new blackberry variety, "Imberry," has an earlier harvest time and superior fruit size and sugar content. Therefore, considering ease of harvesting and economic efficiency, it may be used as a primary breeding material for breeding new blackberry varieties. The artificial crossing can be carried out by conventional methods known in the art.

[0020] The present invention also provides processed foods made using the fruit of the new blackberry cultivar "Imberry." The processed foods may include, but are not limited to, jams, drinks including juice, ice cream, and dairy products.

[0021] The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to examples. However, the following examples are merely illustrative of the present invention, and the content of the present invention is not limited to the following examples.

[0022] Example 1. Mutation berry breeding using radiation The 1,500 seeds of wild velvet strawberry (Rubus corchonfolius Lf) used as breeding material were collected in May 2015 from the mountains of Sam-ri, Nasan-myeon, Hampyeong-gun, Jeollanam-do, South Korea, and stored at 4°C. The plant was identified from the National Standard Plant Catalog of the National Species Knowledge Information System of the National Arboretum. In March 2016, the seeds were irradiated in the gamma irradiation room of the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute. 60Using Co gamma rays (γ rays) as the inducing agent, 1,000 seeds stored at low temperature were irradiated with a total dose of 70 to 90 Gy of low-level radiation for 24 hours.The irradiated seeds were then sown in pots prepared indoors and checked for germination to confirm their survival rate.

[0023] The survival rate of irradiated seeds was confirmed to be around 40%, and among the germinated individuals, the true leaf shape showed a characteristic of separating into three leaves (initial) or five leaves (later in maturity), unlike the single heart-shaped leaf of the velvet strawberry (see Figure 1) used as breeding material. 20 mutant individuals with excellent growth were initially selected. The selected mutant individuals were then cultivated in a greenhouse at San 12, Nasan-myeon, Hampyeong-gun, Jeollanam-do, from 2017 to 2019, and each mutant individual was propagated by stem cuttings, confirming that the same morphological characteristics were maintained. In 2019, one individual was selected from the 20 mutant individuals for its dark red color, large size, and high sugar content. It was confirmed to be classified as a blackberry (Rubus fruticosus L.) in the National Standard Plant Catalog of the National Arboretum's National Species Knowledge Information System, and named the new blackberry variety "Imberry."

[0024] Example 2: Investigation of plant characteristics of the new blackberry variety "Imberry" The inventors analyzed the main morphological characteristics of the new blackberry variety 'Imberry' in comparison with Velvet Strawberry and the commercial blackberry variety Blackberry (V3) (Variety Protection Publication No. 2003-497). The 'Imberry' plants used in the morphological analysis were plants sown in pots and cultivated in 2016, the Velvet Strawberry plants were plants growing wild in the mountains of Sam-ri, Nasan-myeon, Hampyeong-gun, Jeollanam-do, and the Blackberry (V3) plants were purchased from a farm that cultivated the original plants and planted in a separate area of ​​the greenhouse where 'Imberry' was grown. The morphological analysis was conducted in 2020.

[0025] [Table 1]

[0026] As can be seen from Table 1 above, the new blackberry variety 'Imberry' of the present invention possesses the advantages of the early harvest and fruit-bearing characteristics of the wild velvet strawberry. Therefore, compared to the existing blackberry variety (Blackberry (V3)), the harvest period is more than one month earlier, the plant bears one fruit per node, and the fruit size (40-60 mm in length) is 1.6-2.4 times larger than that of other blackberry varieties, making harvesting easier. Furthermore, the new blackberry variety 'Imberry' has an average sugar content of 15°Brix in fully ripe fruit, which is significantly higher than the 9°Brix of existing blackberry varieties, and has a distinctive aroma. Therefore, it has been determined that the new blackberry variety is excellent for fresh consumption, has economic value, and has great industrial applicability.

[0027] The inventors cut new shoots of the new blackberry variety "Imberry" into 1 cm pieces, disinfected them in running water for at least 1 hour, disinfected them in 80% alcohol for 1 minute and in a 2% sodium hypochlorite solution for 20 minutes, and washed them at least three times with sterile distilled water. They then placed them in a medium [3.6 g of MB Agar (cat. no. A5112, N Biolab, Korea), 15 g of sugar, 500 ml of sterile distilled water, 2.24 g of M&S Basal Medium with Vitamins (cat. no. MB-M4531, Xan Biotech, Korea), 0.1 ml of BAP, pH 5.8] and cultured them at 24 to 29°C under a 16-hour light / 8-hour dark photoperiod to produce axenic cultures, which they deposited with the Korea Comprehensive Biological Resource Center (KCTC) on December 18, 2020 (accession number: KCTC14413BP).

[0028] <Accession number> Depository institution name: Korea Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology Accession number: KCTC14413BP Date of acceptance: 20201218

[0029] [Table 2]

Claims

1. A new blackberry variety, "Imberry," was cultivated by using velvet strawberry (Rubus corchoconfolius L.f.) as a breeding material, irradiating it with gamma rays, and selecting mutants. The plant has the following characteristics and is propagated asexually. The accession number of a sterile culture derived from the plant is KCTC14413BP. (1) Fruiting characteristics: One fruit per node (2) Number of fruits per branch: 4-8 (3) Fruit weight: 15-22.0g (4) Fruit length: 40-60 mm (5) Sugar content of fully ripe fruit: 12-18°Brix (6) Fruit harvest season: mid-June

2. 2. The plant of claim 1, wherein the asexual propagation method is sucking, layering, stem cuttings, root cuttings, or cell culture.

3. 1. A blackberry new variety "Imberry" plant produced by artificially crossing the plant of claim 1 with another Rubus plant. １ plant body.

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