Plumsweet XVIII Plum Tree Self-Unfruitful Cross-Pollination
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a need for a new plum tree variety that is self-unfruitful, requires cross-pollination, and produces fruit that is firm, juicy, sweet, and has specific skin and flesh color characteristics, as existing plum varieties either lack these traits or are not well-suited for commercial orchards due to factors like heat and drought tolerance.
Innovation Solution
The development of the 'Plumsweet XVIII' plum tree variety, which is self-unfruitful, requires cross-pollination, and produces yellow fruit with heavy red dappling, firm and sweet, and is well-suited for commercial orchards with its heat and drought tolerance, and is characterized by its large size, vigorous growth, and productive nature.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a plum variety is self-fruitful (can self-pollinate), then it can produce fruit without cross-pollination, but it cannot ensure the desired fruit quality characteristics and genetic diversity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the conventional approach by creating a self-unfruitful variety that requires cross-pollination. Instead of selecting for self-fruitfulness, the invention deliberately chooses self-unfruitfulness to ensure genetic diversity and consistent high-quality fruit characteristics through mandatory cross-pollination with compatible varieties.
2Stability of the object's composition
If a plum variety produces solid red to purple skin color, then it has traditional appearance, but it lacks the distinctive yellow skin with heavy red dappling characteristic
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by modifying the skin color parameters from traditional solid red-purple to a novel combination of yellow background with heavy red dappling. This color parameter change creates a distinctive appearance that differentiates the variety while maintaining consistent color development through the self-unfruitful breeding system.
3Ease of manufacture
If a plum variety is selected from a group of seedlings, then it can be reproduced asexually, but it requires extensive screening and selection process
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by establishing the self-unfruitful genetic characteristic in the parent variety before mass reproduction. This preliminary genetic selection ensures that all subsequently propagated trees will consistently produce the desired fruit qualities, eliminating the need for continuous screening and reducing the time loss associated with selection processes.
4Loss of time
If a plum variety matures early in the season, then it can be harvested sooner, but it may not have sufficient time to develop full size and quality characteristics
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by shifting the maturity parameter from early season to mid-season timing. This change allows sufficient growing time for the fruit to develop full size and quality characteristics including the distinctive yellow skin with heavy red dappling, while still maintaining a competitive harvest timeline.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a plum tree and more particularly to a new and distinct variety broadly characterized by a large 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 season, such as ‘September Yummy’ plum (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 14,220). The present variety's abundance of blossoms and moderate pollen production entices strong bee activity to facilitate pollination. The fruit matures under the ecological conditions described during late June, with first picking on Jun. 29, 2015, and will hang on the tree for at least fifteen more days. The fruit is uniformly large in size, yellow with heavy red dappling skin color, clingstone in type, heart shaped, full red in flesh color, very firm and crisp in texture, and very good in flavor.