US-20260130301-P1 - SWEET ORANGE PLANT NAMED 'OLL-DC-3-36'

Abstract

A new and distinct cultivar of sweet orange plant named ‘OLL-DC-3-36’ selected for processing and fresh market, characterized by an increased resistance to HLB. Fruit of OLL-DC-3-36′ are round.

Inventors

• Jude Grosser

Assignees

• FLORIDA FOUNDATION SEED PRODUCERS, INC.

Dates

Publication Date

20260507

Application Date

20251106

Claims (1)

1. 1 . A new and distinct sweet orange plant named ‘OLL-DC-3-36’ as illustrated and described herein.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/717,552, filed Nov. 7, 2024, entitled SWEET ORANGE PLANT NAMED ‘OLL-DC-3-36’, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF FEDERAL RESEARCH SUPPORT N/A. Genus and species: Citrus sinensis. Cultivar denomination: ‘OLL-DC-3-36’. BACKGROUND OF THE NEW CULTIVAR The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of sweet orange, botanically known as Citrus sinensis, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘OLL-DC-3-36’. Citrus sinensis is a member of Rutaceae. The new sweet orange cultivar ‘OLL-DC-3-36’ is a nucellar seedling selected from a population of over 214 nucellar seedlings grown from seed derived from previously released sweet orange cultivar ‘OLL-8’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 26,087), from an OLL (Orie and Louise Lee) series of sweet oranges. The mother plant ‘OLL-8’ is a somaclone regenerated from embryogenic callus (tissue culture) of the original unstable OLL sweet orange, with high quality fruit that usually matures in the standard ‘Valencia’ time period (not patented). The ‘OLL-8’ nucellar seedling population was planted in Dade City, Florida, in April of 2012, and all trees were planted on their own roots (no grafting). After four years in the ground, the commercial grove was devastated by huanglongbing (HLB), or citrus greening, and the grove was sold for real estate development. Thus, in spring of 2016, the entire population was assessed for HLB, and ‘OLL-DC-3-36’ was one of only two clones that were identified as having no HLB symptoms. Trees were still completely juvenile at this time, showing typical upright growth and thorniness, and the trees were not yet fruiting. Both selected trees tested negative for CLas using qPCR (the only two clones to do so), but this was unexpected because the entire population of trees were vigorously growing trees with lots of new vegetative flush to attract psyllids, and there was plenty of CLas inoculum in the adjacent collapsing commercial blocks. This suggested some higher level of HLB tolerance or possibly resistance. ‘Valencia’ is considered to be the “gold standard” of processing oranges worldwide; however, OLL oranges produce juice with better color and almost always better flavor. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The new sweet orange cultivar ‘OLL-DC-3-36’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype of the new cultivar may vary with variations in environment and cultural practices such as temperature, light intensity, fertilization, irrigation, and application of plant growth regulators without any change in genotype. The new sweet orange cultivar ‘OLL-DC-3-36’ produces round oranges with internal and external color similar to that of ‘Rhode Red Valencia’ (not patented). This cultivar is selected for processing and fresh market and has increased HLB tolerance. True-to-typeness of ‘OLL-DC-3-36’ was provided by reset trees on super-root mutant ‘UFR-1’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 27,277) clone #28 and ‘UFR-1’ clone #55 rootstocks, with 3.5-year-old trees (HLB+) planted in St. Cloud, Florida, making up to 11.9 brix 6-8 weeks prior to expected harvest date (Table 1). This is important, as there has been a brix crisis in both ‘Hamlin’ (not patented) and ‘Valencia’ (not patented) juice statewide in Florida the past two seasons, with juices from both oranges averaging less brix than what is needed for Grade A standard NFC juice. Combined with the right rootstock, young trees of ‘OLL-DC-3-36’ are capable of making Grade A level juice. ‘OLL-DC-3-36’ trees grow faster and larger than trees of ‘Valencia’ (Table 2). For the 2024harvest, fruit of both ‘OLL-DC-3-36’ and ‘OLL-DC-3-40’ passed maturity standards in mid-February, whereas standard ‘Valencia’ did not (Table 3). There are no data supporting long-term field performance or yield of the new cultivar ‘OLL-DC-3-36’, although numerous young trees observed growing on ‘US-942’ (not patented) rootstock have set very good crops the past and current season. No obvious tree-debilitating disease problems have been observed in the trees or fruit currently grown, but systematic resistance testing has not been yet explored. Trees of the new cultivar ‘OLL-DC-3-36’ are susceptible to citrus canker, similar to the mother clone ‘OLL-8’. Citrus canker lesions have been found on leaves and a few fruit of ‘OLL-DC-3-36’, suggesting that its canker tolerance is less than that of ‘Valencia’, and probably more similar to that of ‘Hamlin’. Because of its potentially enhanced HLB tolerance, ‘OLL-DC-3-36’ is suited for widespread planting in Florida. The new cultivar ‘OLL-DC-3-36’ can be compared to the commercial cultivars ‘OLL-8’ and Valencia ‘SPB-1-14-19’, but is showing better HLB tolerance. OLL clones have higher brix and color scores than standard Valencia, as well as better HLB tolerance. DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES This new sweet orange cultivar ‘OLL-