Nectarine

#The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of nectarine tree which I refer to as Diamond Jim, and which comprises a yellow fleshed, clingstone fruit, attractive in appearance in the early season, which was developed from a continued fruit breeding program.

#This invention was derived from an ongoing fruit breeding program started at Le Grand, Calif. where I was plant breeder and program manager for Mr. Fredric W. Anderson of Merced, Calif. The variety Regal Grand (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 1,751) resulted from this program and produced a mutation in the orchard of James Sorensen subsequently called Red Jim (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 4,518). Flowers from the Red Jim variety were emasculated and pollinated with pollen from the May Glow variety (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 5,245). Seed produced with this method were stratified and grown to a height of about 18 inches. These seedlings were bud grafted into dehorned orchard trees in the experimental orchard of Ito Packing Co., Inc., Reedley, Calif., for testing and selection. Each clone was budded into several limbs to make sure that it propagated true to type.

#The instant variety developed through the above method was selected because of its unique bright red color at harvest maturity. This bright color is found even in fruit growing under the foliage where little light penetrates. The fruit is very large in size and the flesh is firm so as to resist bruising often encountered in harvesting and commercial packing. Furthermore, the fruit has an exceptionally fine eating quality with approximately 14% soluble solids (taken by refractometer) at harvest maturity which increases to about 16% at eating maturity.

#The accompanying drawing illustrates typical specimens of the fruit and foliage of my new variety, as grown in the San Joaquin Valley of California. One specimen is shown in an elevation showing one of the fruit of the present variety with twig and leaves; one other specimen is a sectional elevation of one of the fruit with the stone exposed.

#The following is a detailed description of my new variety with color reference being to the Maerz and Paul Dictionary of Colors, except in instances where terminology having generally accepted meaning is employed.

#Parentage: Red Jim and May Glow (F1).

#Propagation: Maintains its distinguishing characteristics through succeeding asexual propagations.