Plumred VI Interspecific Plum Tree Cross-Pollination
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a need for a new variety of plum tree that is self-unfruitful and requires cross-pollination, producing fruit that is larger, sweeter, and matures later than existing plum varieties, with improved pollination efficiency and shipping quality.
Innovation Solution
The development of the 'Plumred VI' interspecific plum tree, which is self-unfruitful and requires cross-pollination, produces fruit that is larger, sweeter, and matures later, with improved pollination efficiency and shipping quality, achieved through specific breeding techniques involving 'Fortune' plum as the seed parent and apricot and plum-apricot hybrid trees for pollination, resulting in fruit that is full red in flesh color, clingstone, and globose in shape.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a plum tree variety is developed that is self-unfruitful and requires cross-pollination, then fruit quality and variety can be improved through controlled breeding, but pollination efficiency and fruit production may be reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces apricot and plum-apricot hybrid trees as intermediary pollen sources to enable cross-pollination of the self-unfruitful 'Plumred VI' plum variety. These intermediary trees produce pollen that facilitates successful cross-pollination, resolving the contradiction between requiring cross-pollination for quality improvement and maintaining pollination efficiency.
2Manufacturing precision
If fruit is selected to be larger and sweeter with later maturation, then eating quality is improved, but shipping timing and market availability may be affected
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs parameter changes in the breeding process, crossing 'Fortune' plum (seed parent) with apricot and plum-apricot hybrid trees (pollen parents) to produce fruit with modified parameters - specifically larger size, sweeter flavor, and later maturation. This controlled parameter change achieves improved eating quality while accepting the trade-off of later market availability.
3Manufacturing precision
If a new plum variety is developed through hybridization, then fruit characteristics can be improved, but breeding complexity and time required increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the breeding process into distinct phases: selecting 'Fortune' plum as seed parent, choosing specific apricot and plum-apricot hybrid trees as pollen parents, controlled pollination during bloom, seed collection and stratification, and germination. This segmentation of the complex breeding process into manageable steps reduces the overall complexity and time required to develop the new variety.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The 'Plumred VI' tree is moderately vigorous, productive, and hardy, with fruit that is uniformly large, full red in skin color, firm in texture, and very good in flavor, maintaining quality during shipping and storage, and is suitable for fresh market and long-distance shipping.
Implementation Method 1
The present variety requires cross pollination from an apricot, interspecific, or plum that blooms during the late season
Implementation Method 2
the seeds were removed, cracked, stratified and germinated as a group
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to an interspecific tree and more particularly to a new and distinct variety broadly characterized by a medium size, moderately vigorous, hardy, and productive tree. Being self-unfruitful, the present variety requires cross pollination from an apricot, interspecific, or plum that blooms during the late season. The present variety produces a moderate bloom with an average amount of pollen to entice good bee activity to facilitate pollination. The fruit matures under the ecological conditions described during the last half of July, with first picking on Jul. 21, 2008. The fruit is uniformly large in size, full red in skin color, clingstone in type, globose in shape, full red in flesh color, firm in texture, and very good in flavor.