47. Volume 14- Number 2 - IP Australia

PLANT VARIETIES JOURNAL 2001 VOL 14 NO. 2
Table 40 continued
INTERNODE LENGTH (mm)
mean 34.6 33.4 15.6
std deviation 7.3 8.6 2.4
LSD/sig 7.62 ns P≤0.01
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LEAF LENGTH (mm)
mean 33.7 32.4 15.1
std deviation 3.1 6.3 2.1
LSD/sig 4.84 ns P≤0.01
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LEAF WIDTH (mm)
mean 14.9 19.5 9.8
std deviation 2.2 3.0 1.6
LSD/sig 2.68 P≤0.01 P≤0.01
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INFLORESCENCE DIAMETER (mm)
mean 56.0 50.7 37.6
std deviation 6.0 3.6 2.3
LSD/sig 4.84 P≤0.01 P≤0.01
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FLOWER DIAMETER (mm)
mean 18.5 17.5 12.9
std deviation 1.5 1.8 0.6
LSD/sig 1.61 ns P≤0.01
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FLOWER COLOURS (RHS, 1995)
main petal ca 45B ca 45B ca 45B
(brighter) (brighter) (brighter)
reverse 46D mixed 46D mixed 46D mixed
with white with white with white
eye absent absent absent
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‘Vertis’
Application No: 2000/228 Accepted: 27 Nov 2000.
Applicant:
Netherlands.
Syngenta Seeds B.V., Enkhuizen, The
Agent: Ramm Pty Ltd, Macquarie Fields, NSW.
Characteristics (Table 41, Figure 15) Plant: habit,
spreading-semi erect, (average height 16cm, average main
stem length 36cm), many branches, highly floriferous.
Stem: internodes short (average length 25mm), anthocyanin
absent, pubescence medium, colour yellow green (RHS
144A). Leaf: size medium, (average length 26mm, average
width 14mm), shape hastate, margin incised-bipinnatisect,
lobe size broad, incisions deep, apex acute, upper side
colour green (RHS 137A), lower side colour yellow green
(RHS 147B), pubescence weak. Inflorescence: spike,
diameter medium (average 45mm), average 48 flowers per
spike, peduncle long (average length 33mm). Flower:
single, upward facing, diameter medium (average 14.3mm),
main and reverse colour circa white (RHS 155D, whiter),
eye zone colour green yellow (RHS 1C), corolla lobes
separate, calyx colour green (RHS 137B). (Note: all RHS
colour chart numbers refer to 1995 edition).
Origin and Breeding Controlled pollination: seed parent
‘U1022’ x pollen parent ‘T1183’ The parents have a white
flower colour and a semi-erect growth habit. Both parents
are breeding stock plants within breeder’s private
collection. Hybridisation took place in Enkhuizen, The
74
Netherlands in 1995 and first flowers were observed on the
new variety in 1995. Selection criteria: flower colour and
size, earliness, floriferous and growth vigour. Propagation:
mature stock plants were generated from this seedling
through tissue culture and were found to be uniform and
stable. ‘Vertis’ will be commercially propagated by
vegetative cuttings from elite stock plants from disease
indexed tissue cultures. Marketed in Australia under the
Babylon brand name and with the commercial synonym
‘Fantasena’. Breeder: H. Stemkens,. Enkhuizen, The
Netherlands.
Choice of Comparators Initially ‘White Sensation’,
‘Pearl’ (previously known as ‘White Lightning’, ‘Cleopatra
White’ and an un-named white fine leaf form were selected
as potential comparators in the white colour group of
Verbena. ‘White Sensation’ was rejected as it has a broad
hastate leaf shape with fine margin incisions. The un-named
white fine leaf form was rejected due to small inflorescence
and flower size, low flower count and trailing growth habit.
‘Cleopatra White’ was excluded because of its non-incised
leaves. ‘Pearl’ was retained due to its overall combination of
growth habit and flower colour grouping. The parents were
not included for reasons stated above. No other similar
varieties were identified.
Comparative Trial Location: Macquarie Fields, summer
2000-2001. Conditions: trial conducted in open beds
initially and transferred to a polyhouse for rain protection
during flowering, plants propagated from cutting, rooted
cuttings planted into 125mm standard pots filled with
soilless potting mix, nutrition maintained with slow release
and liquid fertilisers, pest and disease treatments applied as
required. Trial design: fifteen pots of each variety arranged
in a completely randomised design. Measurements: from
ten plants at random. One sample per plant.
Prior Applications and Sales
Country Year Current Status Name Applied
Canada 2000 Applied ‘Vertis’
EU 2000 Applied ‘Vertis’
First sold in The Netherlands in Jan 2000.
Description: Ian Paananen, Crop & Nursery Services, Central Coast,
NSW.
Table 41 Verbena varieties
‘Vertis’ *‘Pearl’
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PLANT HABIT
spreading, trailing, low,
semi-erect compact
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PLANT HEIGHT (mm)
mean 16.3 7.8
std deviation 1.7 1.9
LSD/sig 2.04 P≤0.01
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STEM LENGTH (mm)
mean 36.4 64.5
std deviation 5.7 9.5
LSD/sig 8.90 P≤0.01
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