July 2008 Fruit Patent Round Up

Fruit cultivar patent applications published last month....

KIWI:
'Skelton A16' - A moderately early, small-fruited kiwi variety from New Zealand. (You know, my company does it too, but doesn't it defeat the purpose of the patent comparing the new variety to other varieties if you compare it only to your own proprietary varieties, or in this case, breeding selections? I mean, the point is that you can establish identity by making comparisons--but if one interested party controls all plants of the relevant standards, doesn't that make it kind of pointless? (Not that the whole exercise isn't rendered about 98% moot by DNA fingerprinting...)
'Skelton A19' - Another moderately early New Zealand kiwi variety from the same program.
'Skelton X78' - Midseason kiwi variety, also from New Zealand from the same cross as A19.

APPLE:
'Lady Laura' - A limb mutant of 'Cripps Pink' featuring more intense and early coloration.
'Orion' - A Czech triploid variety from the cross of 'Golden Delicious' x 'Otava'.

SWEET CHERRY:
Royal Lynn - An early, low chill, cherry from the Zaiger program in Modesto, CA. From a cross between a proprietary selection and 'Royal Lee'.
PC8007-2 - A firm and flavorful sweet cherry variety from Washington State University.

PRUNUS (COMPLEX HYBRID):
'Coral-Cot' - Another Zaiger hybrid. Talk about complex! [[Prunus armeniaca x ((Prunus salicina x (Prunus salicina x Prunus armeniaca) x (Prunus salicina x Prunus armeniaca))] x Prunus armeniaca] Assuming I transcribed that right. It's something like that, anyhow. Basically, it's a pluot.

NECTARINE:
'Red Ryan' - A low chill Zaiger nectarine from a cross of a breeding selection and 'Red Roy'.

GRAPE:
'Sugrathirtythree- A seedless proprietary variety from the SunWorld program.

STRAWBERRY:
'Palomar' - A short day variety from UC, intended for the southern California production district. A cross of 'Camino Real' x 'Ventana'.

PEAR:
'Todd' - A russetted limb sport of 'Bosc'.