Plumred VII Interspecific Tree Cross-Pollination and Fruit Quality
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a need for a new variety of plum tree that is self-unfruitful, produces larger, sweeter, and darker fruit with improved pollination characteristics to enhance shipping and market quality, while being adaptable to central California's climate and requiring cross-pollination for successful fruiting.
Innovation Solution
The development of the 'Plumred VII' interspecific tree, which is self-unfruitful, requires cross-pollination, and produces larger, darker red, clingstone fruit with improved flavor and longer picking window, utilizing 'Nemaguard' rootstock and specific pollination techniques to ensure compatibility and true-to-type reproduction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the plum tree is made self-unfruitful to require cross-pollination, then pollination characteristics and fruit quality are improved, but the tree cannot self-pollinate and requires additional pollinator management
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism (cross-pollination requirement) that mediates between the seed parent and pollen parent trees. This intermediary process ensures genetic diversity and improved fruit quality while necessitating the presence of compatible pollinator trees and bee activity during the blooming period.
2Duration of action of moving object
If the fruit is allowed to hang on the tree for up to thirty days, then the picking window is extended, but the fruit may be more susceptible to damage or deterioration
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies beforehand cushioning by developing fruit with inherently improved characteristics (firmer texture, better skin quality) that provide built-in protection against deterioration during the extended hanging period. This prior preparation of the fruit's physical properties cushiones against potential damage over the thirty-day period.
3Reliability
If the tree is grafted onto Nemaguard rootstock, then compatibility and true-to-type reproduction are ensured, but the rootstock selection process becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses grafting as a copying mechanism to reproduce the exact genetic characteristics of the selected plum tree variety. By taking scions from the desired variety and grafting them onto compatible Nemaguard rootstock, the patent creates genetic copies that ensure true-to-type reproduction of fruit quality and tree characteristics.
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, vigorous, hardy, and productive tree. Being self-unfruitful, the present variety requires cross pollination from an apricot, interspecific, or plum that blooms during the mid to late season. The present variety produces a heavy bloom with an abundant 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. 23, 2011, and can hang on the tree for up to thirty days. The fruit is uniformly large in size, dark red in skin color, clingstone in type, globose in shape, dark red in flesh color, firm in texture, and excellent flavor.