Plant Patent #09895 issued 5/20/1997.
ORIGIN OF VARIETY
The new peach tree (herreinafter referred to as the P.F. 24-007 peach tree) was originated by Paul Friday in the experimental orchard, which is maintained for the purpose of breeding peach trees, at Paul Friday Farms Inc., located in Coloma, Mich. Coloma is located in the southwest section of Michigan.
In an ongoing mass selection breeding program, superior seedlings of unrecorded parentage are maintained as seed sources for the production of seeds which are collected and planted in mass. The seed producing parent trees are maintained solely as proprietary trees for breeding purposes and have not been released from the experimental orchard, where such trees can be evaluated for their adaptability to local and regional growing conditions. Seeds resulting from open pollination of the trees in the experimental orchard are regularly planted in mass to produce new populations of seedlings which are cultured and monitored to maturity. Trees with superior attributes are retained for further observation and testing, and contribute seeds to advancing generations of new populations of seedlings.
The tree of this applications, P.F. 24-007, was a selection from one such a seedling population, and was based on the numerous superior genetic attributes of this tree which are described in the botanical descriptions to follow. While not exhaustive, the botanical descriptions to follow are believed to represent a reasonably complete botanical description of the new peach tree which is sufficiently detailed to distinguish the tree from the most closely related trees within the same market class.
ASEXUAL REPRODUCTION OF THE VARIETY
The new and distinct variety of peach tree was asexually propagated by budding as performed in the experimental orchard of Paul Friday Farms Inc., located in Coloma, Mich. The asexual propagation demonstrates that such reproduction of the characteristics of the tree are consistent and are established and transmitted through succeeding propagation.
SUMMARY OF THE VARIETY
The new and distinct variety of peach tree is of large upright growth and a regular and productive bearer of peaches. A distinct characteristic of the P.F. 24-007 peach tree is its vigorous growth. The blossoms are characterized by being contracted or partially spread when in full bloom. At the same time the petals of the blossoms are of lesser length than the length of petals of the normal showy blossom as exemplified by the Loring peach blossom.
The blossoms of the present peach tree at full bloom may be characterized as being partially non-showy.
The fruit at maturity is large, having flesh of very clear yellow with red around the pit and slight red color into the flesh.
The skin is smooth having moderate down and is of slightly lavender to purple-red color overlying light or whitish yellow. At maturity the peach is spherical having an average diameter ranging between about 21/2" to 3".
The fruit has a firm flesh and may be described as resilient to the extent that the flesh is yieldable and restorable to its original state when subjected to impact forces which may cause permanent deformities in peaches of the commercial varieties. The firmness of the fruit facilitates handling and packaging of the peaches without damaging the same for shipment. This results in less spoilage and also increases the shelf life.
The fruit matures in the mid-part of the peach growing season of southwestern Michigan. The fruit as mentioned heretofore is of slightly lavender to purple-red color overlying light or whitish yellow and has a very attractive appearance.
Key
Evaluations are based on a 1-8 scale (6=OK,7=Commercially acceptable, 8=Excellent)
Size is in inches
Shape: round is assumed, T=tip, P=point, S=suture, OB=oblate, OV=ovate
Pubescence: 10=nectarine
Blush: presented as percentage of ground color cover with red or similar
Freeness: 3=early cling, 8=completely free
Status: 0=discard, 1=keep
Notes: SOS=soft on suture, SOT=soft on tip, RIF=red in flesh, GAS=green around stem
RAP=red around pit, GGC=green ground color, sz=size, wh=white, yt=young tree, CCT=concave tip
Bloom date is when approx. 90% of blooms are open (full bloom)
The description of each variety of peach or nectarine fruit under each group is in different formats as this information is collected from varied sources and hence is not consistent