Burnectthirtyone Nectarine Tree Heat Stress Corking Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current nectarine tree varieties face challenges such as heat stress-induced 'corking' leading to non-commercial fruit, irregular fruit shape, and reduced packable volumes, which affect commercial harvesting and shipping efficiency.
Innovation Solution
The development of the 'Burnectthirtyone' nectarine tree variety, which exhibits vigorous growth, regular fruiting, and a medium chilling requirement, producing large, firm, white-fleshed, clingstone fruits with high red skin coloration and low 'corking', resulting in improved handling and shipping qualities, achieved through asexual reproduction on 'Nemaguard' rootstock.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If nectarine trees are grown in hot climates, then fruit production continues, but heat stress causes corking that renders fruit non-commercial
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by selecting and breeding a nectarine variety with modified physiological parameters - specifically a medium chilling requirement of approximately 550 hours that enables the tree to produce commercial-quality fruit in hot climates without developing corking defects. This genetic parameter change allows the fruit to tolerate heat stress conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes 'Nemaguard' rootstock as a disposable, disease-resistant foundation that supports the scion variety. The rootstock provides a robust, short-living protective base that enhances overall tree vigor and productivity while protecting against soil-borne diseases, allowing the fruit-bearing scion to thrive in hot conditions.
2Adaptability or versatility
If nectarine varieties produce irregularly shaped fruit, then genetic diversity is maintained, but packable volume and shipping efficiency are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by selecting for a specific morphological parameter - uniformly rounded fruit shape - while maintaining other genetic characteristics. This shape parameter optimization increases packable volume and shipping efficiency without requiring complete genetic uniformity across the variety.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by optimizing only the critical fruit shape parameter (rounded form for packing) while maintaining genetic diversity in other traits. This selective optimization of local fruit characteristics achieves commercial packing efficiency without sacrificing overall genetic versatility.
3Reliability
If nectarine trees have high chilling requirements, then fruit quality is maintained in cool climates, but productivity in warmer climates is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by modifying the chilling requirement parameter to a medium level of approximately 550 hours. This intermediate parameter value allows the variety to maintain fruit quality standards while adapting to warmer climate conditions, enabling productivity in regions where high-chilling varieties would fail.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies dynamics by creating a variety with flexible chilling requirements that can adapt to varying climate conditions. The medium chilling requirement of 550 hours provides dynamic adaptability, allowing the tree to produce quality fruit in both moderately cool and warm climates, unlike fixed high-chilling varieties.
Data Source
AI summary
A new and distinct variety of nectarine tree (Prunus persica sub species nuciperisica), and which is denominated varietally as ‘Burnectthirtyone’, and which further produces an attractively colored firm-fleshed, low-acid, white clingstone nectarine, which is mature for harvesting and shipment approximately July 21 to July 28 under ecological conditions prevailing in the San Joaquin Valley of central California.