Peach tree named ‘Threefoldpeachone’

Botanical designation: ‘

Varietal denomination: ‘Threefoldpeachone’.

The present variety of peach tree resulted from a program of fruit tree breeding. The purpose of this program is to improve the commercial quality of deciduous fruit varieties and rootstocks by creating and releasing promising selections ofspecies. To this end, both controlled and hybrid cross pollinations are made each year to produce seedling populations from which improved progenies are evaluated and selected.

The ‘Threefoldpeachone’ peach tree originated in a population of seedlings growing in experimental orchard located near Fresno, California. The breeders pollinated an unnamed, unpatented female parent (peach,) with an unnamed, unpatented male parent (nectarine,var.). In 2010, seeds obtained from the resulting fruit were planted in pots and grown in a greenhouse as seedlings. The seedlings were later field-planted on their own roots for further growth and observation. The peach tree described and claimed herein was among those seedlings, and was of interest to the breeders because it exhibited desirable characteristics. The seedline, assigned breeder reference ‘H5.003’ and later designated ‘Threefoldpeachone’, was marked for further observation. After the 2013 fruiting season, the new peach tree was selected for advanced evaluation and repropagation.

The first asexual reproduction of the ‘Threefoldpeachone’ took place near Fowler, California in 2013, by budding onto ‘Nemaguard’ rootstock (not patented). The claimed plant has been observed to remain true-to-type over successive asexually propagated generations. The distinguishing characteristics of the original tree and its fruit are well-established and appear to be uniformly transmitted through succeeding asexual propagations.

‘Threefoldpeachone’ is a new and distinct peach tree of relatively large size and vigorous growth. The new tree is a regular and productive bearer of relatively large, firm, yellow-fleshed, non-melting clingstone fruit having desirable flavor, flesh texture and eating qualities.

The claimed peach tree has a medium-low chilling requirement of approximately 250 hours, and produces relatively uniformly-sized fruit throughout the canopy. ‘Threefoldpeachone’ peaches are typically ripe for commercial harvesting and shipment from about June 2 to about June 10 under the ecological conditions prevailing in the San Joaquin Valley of central California. The fruit exhibits good handling and shipping qualities.

The claimed plant is distinguished from its unnamed, unpatented female parent by its fruit, which exhibits non-melting flesh as compared to the melting flesh of the female parent. Additionally, fruit from the claimed plant achieves significantly more external red blush coloration as compared to the female parent. The distinguishing difference between the claimed peach tree and its male parent is that the male parent is a nectarine tree. In comparison to ‘June Time’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 23,530), the closest known yellow-fleshed peach variety, ‘Threefoldpeachone’ ripens 7 to 9 days earlier and expresses 2% to 3% higher soluble solids as compared to fruit from the ‘June Time’ peach tree.

The following detailed description has been prepared to solely comply with the provisions of 35 U.S.C. § 112 and does not constitute a commercial warranty (either expressed or implied) that the present variety will in the future display all the botanical, pomological, or other characteristics as set forth hereinafter. Therefore, this disclosure may not be relied upon to support any future legal claims including, but not limited to, breach of warranty of merchantability or fitness for any purpose, or non-infringement which is directed, in whole, or in part, to the present variety.

Referring more specifically to the details of this new and distinct variety of peach tree, the following has been observed during the sixth fruiting season on multiple replicated trees and under the ecological conditions prevailing at orchards located near Fresno, California. The described trees were grown on ‘Nemaguard’ rootstock (not patented). It should be understood that the characteristics described will vary somewhat depending upon cultural practices and climatic conditions, and will vary with location and season. Quantified measurements are expressed as an average of measurements taken from a number of individual plants of the new variety. The measurements of any individual plant or any group of plants of the new variety may vary from the stated average. All colors are described with reference to The R.H.S. Colour Chart, 4ed. (Royal Horticultural Society 2001).

Although the ‘Threefoldpeachone’ peach tree possesses the described characteristics when grown under the ecological conditions prevailing near Fowler, California, in the Central part of the San Joaquin Valley of California, variations of the usual magnitude and characteristics incident to changes in growing conditions, fertilization, nutrition, pruning, pest control, frost, climatic variables, and changes in horticultural management are to be expected.