Grapevine plant named ‘SUGRA69’

Latin name of the genus and species claimed:

Variety denomination: ‘SUGRA69’.

This application claims the benefit of Peruvian Application No. 540-2024/DIN, filed on Mar. 22, 2024, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

This application relates to the discovery and asexual propagation of a new and distinct variety of grapevine, ‘SUGRA69’, as herein described and illustrated. The new variety was first selected as breeder number ‘GR969W’ by Terry A. Bacon and Terrence J. Frett in Wasco, Kern County, California in July 2020. The variety was originated by controlled hybridization.

The new variety ‘SUGRA69’ is characterized by the production of a large-sized, green and obtuse ovate berry with an early season ripening date. The berries of ‘SUGRA69’ are moderately firm and very juicy.

The seed parent is ‘GR548W’ (Unpatented) and the pollen parent is ‘GR617R’ (Unpatented). The parent varieties were first crossed in April 2018. The date of first sowing is March 2019, and the date of first flowering is April 2020.

The new variety ‘SUGRA69’ was first asexually propagated in December 2020 in Wasco, Kern County, California, by Terry A. Bacon and Terrence J. Frett using hardwood cuttings.

The fruit of the new variety ‘SUGRA69’ is distinguished from its seed parent ‘GR548W’ (Unpatented) in that while both have green colored berries with rudimentary seed traces, the new variety ‘SUGRA69’ has an obtuse ovate berry shape compared to a broad elliptic berry shape for ‘GR548W’. Additionally, the new variety ‘SUGRA69’ has a larger berry weight at 7.6 g with a cluster weight of 625 g compared to a berry weight of 6 g and a cluster weight of 400 g for ‘GR548W’.

The new variety ‘SUGRA69’ is distinguished from its pollen parent ‘GR617R’ (Unpatented) in that while the berries of the varieties begin ripening at a similar time, the new variety ‘SUGRA69’ has green berries while ‘GR548W’ has red berries. Additionally, the new variety ‘SUGRA69’ has an obtuse ovate berry shape compared to the broad elliptic berry shape for ‘GR617R’.

The berries of the new variety ‘SUGRA69’ being ripening at a similar time as the berries of ‘Sheegene-21’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 23,837), but the berries of the new variety ‘SUGRA69’ have an obtuse ovate shape compared to the broad elliptic berry shape of ‘Sheegene-21’.

The fruit of the new variety ‘SUGRA69’ has rudimentary seed traces like ‘Sugrathirtyfive’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 20,491), but the berries of the new variety ‘SUGRA69’ have an obtuse ovate shape compared to the broad elliptic berry shape of ‘Sugrathirtyfive’. Additionally, the new variety ‘SUGRA69’ has an earlier berry ripening of July 18 compared to September 1 for ‘Sugrathirtyfive’. Further, the new variety ‘SUGRA69’ has a smaller berry weight at 7.6 g, compared to 11 g for ‘Sugrathirtyfive’.

The new variety ‘SUGRA69’ has green berries with rudimentary seed traces like ‘Autumn King’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 16,284), but the ripening of the berries of the new variety ‘SUGRA69’ begins earlier, on July 18, compared to September 3 for ‘Autumn King’. Additionally, the new variety ‘SUGRA69’ has a smaller berry weight at 7.6 g, compared to 12 g for ‘Autumn King’.

The new variety ‘SUGRA69’ has been shown to maintain its distinguishing characteristics through successive asexual propagations by, for example, cuttings and grafting.

Variations of the usual magnitude from the characteristics described herein may occur with changes in any of a variety of factors such as growing conditions, irrigation, fertilization, pruning, management and climatic variation.

Throughout this specification, color names beginning with a small letter signify that the name of that color, as used in common speech, is aptly descriptive. Color names beginning with a capital letter designate values based upon The R.H.S. Colour Chart, published by The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England, sixth edition, 2015.

Many of the descriptive values in this specification are based on and conform to those set forth by the International Board for Plant Genetic Resources Institute Grape Descriptors (spp.) of 1983 and/or 1997, which was developed in collaboration with the Office International de la Vigne et du Vin (OIV) and the International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV).

The descriptive matter which follows pertains to three-year-old ‘SUGRA69’ plants grown in the vicinity of Wasco, Kern County, California during 2022, and is believed to apply to plants of the variety grown under similar conditions of soil and climate elsewhere.