Latin name of the genus and species:Rubus ideaus.

Variety denomination: ‘BT RASFOUR’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The newRubuscultivar is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the inventor in Baselgia di Pine, Italy. The objective of the breeding program was to produce newRubus ideausvarieties for commercial applications. The cross resulting in this new variety was made during September of 2017.

The seed parent is the, unpatented variety referred to asRubus‘BP1550’. The pollen parent is the unpatented varietyRubus‘BPREG’. The new variety was selected during the Fall of 2018 by the inventor in a group of seedlings resulting from the 2017 crossing, in a research greenhouse in Baselgia di Pine, Italy.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar was performed by vegetative suckers. This was first performed at a research greenhouse in Baselgia di Pine, Italy during February of 2019 and has shown that the unique features of this cultivar are stable and reproduced true to type in multiple successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar ‘BT RASFOUR’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, day length, and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘BT RASFOUR’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘BT RASFOUR’ as a new and distinctRubuscultivar:1. Very high productivity both on primocane and on floricane (production on the second year cane).2. Branching of the cane is high to very high.3. Fruit color is pure Red 44B even at fully ripe stage and doesn't darken.4. High vigor.5. Very easy fruit harvest even at not completely ripe stage.

PARENT COMPARISON

Plants of the new cultivar ‘BT RASFOUR’ are similar to plants of the seed parent, in most horticultural characteristics, however, plants of the new cultivar ‘BT RASFOUR’ differ in the following:1. The new variety is more productive both on primocane and on floricane harvest.2. The new variety has a more pure red colored fruit at full ripe stage, without color change.3. The new variety has higher canes and more vigorous.4. The new variety produces larger fruits.5. Color of the fruit is more consistent compared to fruit of the seed parent.

Plants of the new cultivar ‘BT RASFOUR’ are similar to plants of the pollen parent, in most horticultural characteristics, however, plants of the new cultivar ‘BT RASFOUR’ differ in the following:1. The new variety is more productive both on primocane and on floricane harvest.2. The new variety has a more pure red colored fruit at full ripe stage.3. The new variety has higher canes and more vigorous.4. The new variety is less thorny on canes and leaf petioles.5. The new variety is more resistant to warm growing conditions

COMMERCIAL COMPARISON

Plants of the new cultivar ‘BT RASFOUR’ are comparable to the varietyRubus‘BT RASTWO’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 33,447. The twoRubusvarieties are similar in most horticultural characteristics, however, the new variety ‘BT RASFOUR’ differs in the following:1. The new variety is more productive both on primocane and on floricane harvest.2. The new variety produces more branching canes.3. The new variety produces higher canes and more vigorous.4. The new variety is slightly earlier (about 5 days) in primocane fruiting5. The new variety is less thorny on canes and leaves petiole

Plants of the new cultivar ‘BT RASFOUR’ can also be compared to the commercial varietyRubus‘Amira’ (unpatented). These varieties are similar in most horticultural characteristics however, the new variety ‘BT RASFOUR’ differs in the following:1. The new variety is more productive both on primocane and on floricane harvest.2. The new variety produces a more pure red, colored fruit at full ripe stage.3. The new variety produces higher canes and more vigorous.4. The new variety is less thorny on canes and leaf petioles.5. The new variety is later in production (about 17 days) in primocane fruiting.

