U.S. patent application number 16/699842 was filed with the patent office on 2020-04-02 for methods for breeding short celery.
The applicant listed for this patent is RIJK ZWAAN ZAADTEELT EN ZAADHANDEL B.V.. Invention is credited to Reinier Hendrik Marie Deneer, Grit Anja Glawe.
Application Number | 20200100448 16/699842 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 1000004500696 |
Filed Date | 2020-04-02 |
United States Patent
Application |
20200100448 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Deneer; Reinier Hendrik Marie ;
et al. |
April 2, 2020 |
METHODS FOR BREEDING SHORT CELERY
Abstract
The present invention relates to a celery plant (Apium
graveolens L. dulce) carrying a genetic trait that leads to a
shorter petiole and a shorter total plant length at mature harvest
stage as compared to a celery plant not carrying the said genetic
trait, wherein said genetic trait is as present in the genome of
plants grown from seed of which a representative sample was
deposited with the NCIMB under accession number NCIMB 41902.
Inventors: |
Deneer; Reinier Hendrik Marie;
(De Lier, NL) ; Glawe; Grit Anja; (De Lier,
NL) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
RIJK ZWAAN ZAADTEELT EN ZAADHANDEL B.V. |
De Lier |
|
NL |
|
|
Family ID: |
1000004500696 |
Appl. No.: |
16/699842 |
Filed: |
December 2, 2019 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
15697622 |
Sep 7, 2017 |
10492391 |
|
|
16699842 |
|
|
|
|
13798352 |
Mar 13, 2013 |
|
|
|
15697622 |
|
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A01H 5/00 20130101; A01H
6/064 20180501; A01H 1/00 20130101; A01H 5/04 20130101; A01H 5/12
20130101 |
International
Class: |
A01H 1/00 20060101
A01H001/00; A01H 5/00 20060101 A01H005/00; A01H 5/12 20060101
A01H005/12; A01H 6/06 20060101 A01H006/06; A01H 5/04 20060101
A01H005/04 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Mar 22, 2012 |
EP |
12160783.2 |
Claims
1. A method for producing an Apium graveolens L. dulce plant that
is shorter than 37 cm at mature harvest stage, comprising: (a)
crossing an Apium graveolens L. dulce plant comprising a gene that
leads to an Apium graveolens L. dulce plant that is shorter than 37
cm and is present in seed deposited as NCIMB 41902, with another
Apium graveolens L. dulce plant that is not shorter than 37 cm at
mature harvest stage; (b) crossing the F1 with itself or with
another Apium graveolens L. dulce plant; and (c) selecting in the
F2 or in a subsequent generation for an Apium graveolens L. dulce
plant that is shorter than 37 cm.
2. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the step of
(d) performing one to ten additional rounds of selfing or crossing,
and subsequently selecting for an Apium graveolens L. dulce plant
that is shorter than 37 cm.
3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the Apium graveolens
L. dulce plant comprising a gene that leads to an Apium graveolens
L. dulce plant that is shorter than 37 cm is a plant grown from
seed having been deposited with the NCIMB under accession number
41902.
4. A method for producing an Apium graveolens L. dulce F1 variety
that is shorter than 37 cm at mature harvest stage comprising
crossing of a first parent plant produced by the method of claim 1
with a second, different parent plant produced by the method of
claim 1.
5. A method for producing an Apium graveolens L. dulce plant that
is shorter than 37 cm at mature harvest stage, comprising: (a)
crossing an Apium graveolens L. dulce parent plant comprising a
gene that leads to an Apium graveolens L. dulce plant that is
shorter than 37 cm and is present in seed deposited as NCIMB 41902,
with another Apium graveolens L. dulce parent plant that is not
shorter than 37 cm at mature harvest stage; (b) backcrossing the F1
with the preferred parent; and (c) selecting in the F2 for an Apium
graveolens L. dulce plant that is shorter than 37 cm.
6. The method as claimed in claim 5, further comprising the step of
(d) performing one to ten additional rounds of selfing or crossing,
and subsequently selecting for an Apium graveolens L. dulce plant
that is shorter than 37 cm.
7. The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the Apium graveolens
L. dulce plant comprising a gene that leads to an Apium graveolens
L. dulce plant that is shorter than 37 cm is a plant grown from
seed having been deposited with the NCIMB under accession number
41902.
8. The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the preferred parent
is a plant grown from an Apium graveolens L. dulce plant that is
shorter than 37 cm, representative seed of which was deposited as
NCIMB 41902.
9. The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the preferred parent
is a plant grown from seed having been deposited as NCIMB
41902.
10. A method for producing an Apium graveolens L. dulce F1 variety
that is shorter than 37 cm at mature harvest stage comprising
crossing of a first parent plant produced by the method of claim 5
with a second, different parent plant produced by the method of
claim 5.
11. A method for producing a hybrid Apium graveolens L. dulce
plant, comprising crossing a first Apium graveolens L. dulce parent
plant with a second Apium graveolens L. dulce parent plant, wherein
the first and/or the second parent Apium graveolens L. dulce plant
is a plant that is shorter than 37 cm at mature harvest stage,
representative seed of which was deposited as NCIMB 41902, and
selecting for a plant that is shorter than 37 cm at mature harvest
stage as being a plant of the invention.
12. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the first and/or the
second parent Apium graveolens L. dulce plant is a plant grown from
seed having been deposited as NCIMB 41902.
Description
RELATED APPLICATIONS AND INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE
[0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser.
No. 15/697,622 filed Sep. 7, 2017, now allowed, which is a
continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 13/798,352 filed on Mar.
13, 2013, now abandoned, which claims priority to EP patent
application Serial No. 12160783.2 filed 22 Mar. 2012.
[0002] The foregoing applications, and all documents cited therein
or during their prosecution ("appin cited documents") and all
documents cited or referenced in the appin cited documents, and all
documents cited or referenced herein ("herein cited documents"),
and all documents cited or referenced in herein cited documents,
together with any manufacturer's instructions, descriptions,
product specifications, and product sheets for any products
mentioned herein or in any document incorporated by reference
herein, are hereby incorporated herein by reference, and may be
employed in the practice of the invention. More specifically, all
referenced documents are incorporated by reference to the same
extent as if each individual document was specifically and
individually indicated to be incorporated by reference.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0003] The present invention relates to a new type of celery (Apium
graveolens L. dulce). The invention further relates to seeds of the
plant and to propagation material for the plant and progeny of the
plant.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0004] Apium graveolens is a plant species belonging to the
Apiaceae family, which comprises two important vegetable crops,
namely celery and celeriac. In Apium graveolens L. dulce (celery,
also known as stalk celery) the plant part that is typically
harvested for consumption is the petiole. The petiole carries a
leaf blade, and a petiole and its leaf blade together form a leaf
of the celery plant. Typically, celery plants comprise multiple
leaves. The leaves of celery are compound leaves that are composed
of a petiole or leaf stem, and a fully subdivided leaf blade. The
leaf blade consists of several pairs of leaflets and ends in a
terminal leaflet.
[0005] A single celery plant typically represents a large amount of
biomass, and for some market segments this is often a too large
portion for the consumer. Celery is a vegetable that has a
relatively large amount of unusable parts. On average 30% of the
plant length is not sold, but cut off as waste.
[0006] Another important parameter for celery plants is the
tastiness of the petioles. Commercially it would be a great
advantage to provide a tasty celery plant that is smaller in size,
such that it corresponds to a smaller portion that is more suitable
for consumption by single consumers or small households. Currently
the market offers e.g. the tender hearts of normal-sized celery
plants to accommodate the consumer's wish for smaller-sized
portions of fresh celery. However, this strategy involves the
removal of the outer leaves, which requires additional labour.
Another possible strategy would be to harvest normal celery plants
at an immature stage, and sell them when they are still smaller
than normal mature plants. However, such immature celery plants
usually have a poor flavour, as many taste components typically
only develop during maturation of a vegetable plant, resulting in
the full flavour when the crop is mature. Thus, immature celery
plants do not taste as well as larger, mature celery plants.
[0007] Citation or identification of any document in this
application is not an admission that such document is available as
prior art to the present invention.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] It is therefore the object of the present invention to
provide a new type of celery that remains much smaller in size at
the mature harvesting time than celery plants of the prior art
which are grown under comparable conditions.
[0009] The present invention thus provides a celery plant of the
species Apium graveolens L. dulce, carrying a genetic trait that
leads to a shorter petiole and a shorter total plant length at
mature harvest stage as compared to a celery plant not carrying the
said genetic trait, wherein said genetic trait is obtainable by
introgression from a plant grown from seed of which a
representative sample was deposited on 24 Nov., 2011 with the NCIMB
(NCIMB Ltd., Ferguson Building, Craibstone Estate, Bucksburn,
Aberdeen, AB21 9YA Scotland, UK) under accession number NCIMB
41902.
[0010] Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to not
encompass within the invention any previously known product,
process of making the product, or method of using the product such
that Applicants reserve the right and hereby disclose a disclaimer
of any previously known product, process, or method. It is further
noted that the invention does not intend to encompass within the
scope of the invention any product, process, or making of the
product or method of using the product, which does not meet the
written description and enablement requirements of the USPTO (35
U.S.C. .sctn. 112, first paragraph) or the EPO (Article 83 of the
EPC), such that Applicants reserve the right and hereby disclose a
disclaimer of any previously described product, process of making
the product, or method of using the product.
[0011] It is noted that in this disclosure and particularly in the
claims and/or paragraphs, terms such as "comprises", "comprised",
"comprising" and the like can have the meaning attributed to it in
U.S. Patent law; e.g., they can mean "includes", "included",
"including", and the like; and that terms such as "consisting
essentially of" and "consists essentially of" have the meaning
ascribed to them in U.S. Patent law, e.g., they allow for elements
not explicitly recited, but exclude elements that are found in the
prior art or that affect a basic or novel characteristic of the
invention.
[0012] These and other embodiments are disclosed or are obvious
from and encompassed by, the following Detailed Description.
Deposits
[0013] The Deposits with NCIMB Ltd, Ferguson Building, Craibstone
Estate, Bucksbum, Aberdeen AB21 9YA, UK, under deposit accession
number 41902 were made pursuant to the terms of the Budapest
Treaty. Upon issuance of a patent, all restrictions upon the
deposit will be removed, and the deposit is intended to meet the
requirements of 37 CFR .sctn..sctn. 1.801-1.809. The deposit will
be irrevocably and without restriction or condition released to the
public upon the issuance of a patent. The deposit will be
maintained in the depository for a period of 30 years, or 5 years
after the last request, or for the effective life of the patent,
whichever is longer, and will be replaced if necessary during that
period.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0014] FIG. 1 shows a marketable celery plant of the invention
(right) next to a marketable conventional celery plant (left), both
at mature harvest stage.
[0015] FIG. 2 illustrates the description of a celery leaf
according to UPOV TG/82/4.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0016] The present invention thus provides a celery plant of the
species Apium graveolens L. dulce, carrying a genetic trait that
leads to a shorter petiole and a shorter total plant length at
mature harvest stage as compared to a celery plant not carrying the
said genetic trait, wherein said genetic trait is obtainable by
introgression from a plant grown from seed of which a
representative sample was deposited on 24 Nov., 2011 with the NCIMB
(NCIMB Ltd., Ferguson Building, Craibstone Estate, Bucksburn,
Aberdeen, AB21 9YA Scotland, UK) under accession number NCIMB
41902.
[0017] Plants grown from the deposited seeds do not correspond to
the definition of a plant variety, as they do not comply with the
DUS criteria (Distinct, Uniform, Stable) for all traits.
[0018] The plant of the invention may be sold in its entirety,
without the need to remove leaves and to create waste prior to
sale. The consumer may purchase a maximal portion of the celery
plant, which is much smaller and more convenient than a
conventionally sized celery plant. Such a small celery plant is
ideal for small households or single consumers. It is effectively a
"personal celery". When compared to prior art celery plants of the
same length that are harvested at an immature stage, the taste of
the personal celery is much better. Celery plants of the invention
are much smaller when harvested at maturity than prior art celery
plants that are harvested at maturity. "Maturity" as used herein is
intended to mean that plants of the invention are fully grown and
have adult dimensions (i.e. the dimensions of petioles and leaves
would not increase further if the plants would be left unharvested
for a prolonged period of time). In addition, they may have more,
stronger and thicker petioles than immature plants of the same size
lacking the trait of the invention. Maturity also may comprise a
good taste.
[0019] "Introgression" as used herein is intended to mean
introduction of a trait into a plant not carrying the trait by
means of crossing and selection in the first generation in which
the trait becomes visible. For a dominant trait this is in the F1
generation of a cross between a plant with the trait and a plant
without the trait. For a recessive trait this is suitably the F2
generation.
[0020] The invention relates to a celery plant carrying the genetic
determinant as present in the genome of seeds deposited as NCIMB
41902, which determinant is obtainable by introgression from a
plant grown from seed, a representative sample of which was
deposited with the NCIMB under accession number NCIMB 41902.
[0021] It should be noted that if the selection criterion (or
criteria) is (or are) clearly defined, the skilled person will be
able to identify the descendants that carry the trait in any
further generation. With respect to the determinant of the
invention that underlies the smaller size of a celery plant of the
present invention, plants that carry the determinant may suitably
be identified among descendants from a cross between a plant not
carrying the determinant, and a plant that does carry the said
determinant and of which representative seed was deposited under
accession numbers NCIMB 41902, by growing F2 plants from seeds that
are the result from the initial cross and a selfing step, and
selecting plants showing the desired trait. The said genetic trait
is inherited in celery plants in a recessive fashion, as
illustrated by example 2.
[0022] In one embodiment, the invention relates to a celery plant
carrying a genetic trait that leads to a shorter petiole and a
shorter total plant length at mature harvest stage as compared to a
celery plant not carrying the said genetic trait, wherein said
genetic trait is obtainable by: [0023] a) growing plants from seed
that was deposited with the NCIMB under accession number NCIMB
41902; [0024] b) crossing the said plant with a plant not showing
the trait to obtain an F1 population; [0025] c) selfing plants from
the F1 to obtain an F2 population; [0026] d) selecting plants that
have shorter petioles and a shorter total plant length at mature
harvest stage as being plants of the invention; and [0027] e)
optionally repeating steps b) to d)
[0028] Plants of the invention are significantly smaller at mature
harvest stage than existing celery types (as illustrated by Table 1
and FIG. 1), and in a preferred embodiment they have a good taste.
The advantage thereof is that celery plants of the
invention--herein referred to as "personal celery plants"--are
particularly suited for single consumers or small households, for
whom existing celery plants are often too large to be conveniently
stored and/or timely consumed. The commercial use of personal
celery plants thus leads to less waste during the production,
packaging, sale and consumption processes.
[0029] The "petiole length" is the distance between the leaf base
and the first joint as is indicated in FIG. 2 with the numeral 16.
The "leaf length" is the total mature leaf length of individual
leaves, which is the leaf length at the stage of full leaf
expansion, as is indicated in FIG. 2 with the numeral 8. The "total
plant length" is the total length of a celery plant prior to the
removal of the individual leaves.
[0030] Celery plants of the invention are obtainable by crossing a
first celery parent plant with a second celery parent plant,
wherein one of the parents is a plant grown from seed of which a
representative sample was deposited with the NCIMB under deposit
accession number NCIMB 41902 or a progeny plant thereof, and
selecting for plants that have shorter petioles and a shorter total
plant length than a celery plant not carrying the said genetic
determinant at maturity.
[0031] In this respect the shorter petioles in particular are
petioles shorter than 19 cm, preferably shorter than 17 cm, more
preferably shorter than 15 cm, even more preferably shorter than 13
cm, even more preferably shorter than 11 cm, most preferably
shorter than 9 cm. In this respect the shorter total plant length
in particular is a total plant length shorter than 37 cm,
preferably shorter than 36 cm or shorter than 35 cm, more
preferably shorter than 34 cm or shorter than 33 cm, even more
preferably shorter than 32 cm, most preferably shorter than 31
cm.
[0032] The petioles of plants of the invention are solid and
crunchy at mature harvest stage.
[0033] The invention relates to celery plants in all stages of
development, even though the characteristics recited above may not
be perceivable in all developmental stages. The plant does however
contain in all developmental stages the genetic information that
leads to the said characteristics in the ready-to-harvest
stage.
[0034] The invention furthermore relates to a cell of a celery
plant as claimed. Such a cell may be either in isolated form, or
may be part of the complete celery plant or parts thereof, and then
such a cell still constitutes a cell of the invention, because such
a cell harbours in its genetic constitution the genetic information
that leads to the said characteristics. Each cell of celery plants
of the invention carries the genetic information that leads to
phenotypic expression of said trait. Such a cell of the invention
may also be a regenerable cell that may be used to regenerate a new
celery plant of the invention.
[0035] The invention also relates to tissue of a plant as claimed.
The tissue may be undifferentiated tissue or already differentiated
tissue. Undifferentiated tissues are for example stem tips or other
meristematic tissues, anthers, petals, pollen. They may be used in
micropropagation to obtain new plantlets that are grown into new
plants of the invention. The tissue may also be grown from a cell
of the invention.
[0036] According to a further aspect the invention relates to seeds
of a plant as claimed. Although the seeds do not show the
characteristics of the celery of the invention, they harbour the
genetic information that--when a plant is grown from the
seeds--makes this plant a plant of the invention.
[0037] The invention also relates to progeny of the plants, cells,
tissues and seeds of the invention. Such progeny may in itself be
plants, cells, tissues or seeds.
[0038] As used herein the word "progeny" is intended to mean the
first and all further descendants from a cross with a plant of the
invention that shows shorter petioles and a shorter total plant
length as compared to a celery plant not carrying the genetic
determinant of the invention. Progeny of the invention are
descendants of any cross with a plant of the invention that carries
the determinant that leads to shorter petioles and a shorter total
plant length. In one embodiment, the progeny plant has the novel
and inventive combination of morphological and physiological
characteristics of the claimed plant, representative seed of which
was deposited under NCIMB Accession No. 41902. Such progeny has the
same characteristics as claimed for the plant of the invention and
may be modified in one or more other characteristics. Such
additional modifications are for example effected by mutagenesis or
by transformation with a transgene. "Progeny" also encompasses
plants that carry the determinant of the invention and that are
obtained from other plants or progeny of plants of the invention by
vegetative propagation or multiplication.
[0039] The invention further relates to seed of the claimed plant
and to parts of the plant that are suitable for sexual
reproduction. Such parts are for example selected from the group
consisting of microspores, pollen, ovaries, ovules, embryo sacs and
egg cells. In addition, the invention relates to parts of the plant
that are suitable for vegetative reproduction, in particular
cuttings, roots, stems, cells, protoplasts.
[0040] According to a further aspect of the invention, the
invention provides a tissue culture of a plant carrying the genetic
determinant of the invention. The tissue culture may comprise
regenerable cells. Such tissue culture may be derived from leaves,
pollen, embryos, cotyledons, hypocotyls, meristematic cells, roots,
root tips, anthers, flowers, seeds and stems. The tissue culture
may be regenerated into a plant carrying the genetic determinant of
the invention. Suitably a regenerated plant expresses the phenotype
of shorter petioles and a shorter total plant length as compared to
celery plants not carrying the genetic determinant.
[0041] According to another aspect of the present invention, plants
are provided that have all of the morphological and physiological
characteristics of plants of the invention, representative seed of
which was deposited under NCIMB Accession No. 41902, which plants
are grown from seeds of the plant of the invention or regenerated
from parts thereof, or from a tissue culture.
[0042] The term "genetic determinant" as used herein encompasses
one or more genes or alleles. These terms are used interchangeably.
The "genetic trait" is the trait or characteristic that is
conferred by the genetic determinant. The genetic trait may be
identified phenotypically. However, also plant stages in which no
phenotypic observation is possible do carry the genetic information
that leads to the genetic trait. "Trait" or "phenotypic trait" may
be used instead of "genetic trait".
[0043] The trait of the invention as used herein is referred to as
shorter petioles and a shorter total plant length. The mention of
this trait is always intended to be compared to a reference.
Therefore, as used herein, these are shorter petioles and a shorter
total plant length as compared to celery plants not carrying the
genetic determinant of the invention.
[0044] In the absence of molecular markers, equivalence of genetic
determinants may be determined by an allelism test. To perform an
allelism test, material that is homozygous for the known
determinant is crossed with material that is homozygous for the
phenotypic trait to be tested. When no segregation for the trait to
be observed is present in the F2 of the cross, the genetic
determinants resulting in the phenotypic trait have been proven to
be the same. When more than one gene is responsible for a certain
trait, and an allelism test is done to determine equivalence, the
skilled person doing the test has to ascertain that all relevant
genes are present in a homozygous state, in order for the test to
work properly.
[0045] The invention furthermore relates to hybrid seed and to a
method of producing hybrid seed, which may comprise crossing a
first parent plant with a second parent plant and harvesting the
resulting hybrid seed, wherein said first parent plant and/or said
second parent plant is a plant as claimed. Suitably a hybrid plant
expresses the phenotype of shorter petioles and a shorter total
plant length as compared to celery plants not carrying the genetic
determinant. The invention also relates to inbreds and doubled
haploids.
[0046] In one embodiment, the invention relates to a celery plant
which may comprise the trait of the invention, which plant is
obtainable by: [0047] a) crossing a plant, representative seed of
which was deposited with the NCIMB under accession number NCIMB
41902, with a plant not showing the trait to obtain an F1
population; [0048] b) selfing plants from the F1 population to
obtain an F2 population; [0049] c) selecting in said F2 for plants
that have the trait of the invention; and [0050] d) optionally
performing one or more additional rounds of selfing or crossing,
and subsequently selecting, for the trait.
[0051] In one embodiment, the invention relates to celery plants
that carry the determinant of the invention and that have acquired
said determinant by introduction of the genetic information that is
responsible for the trait from a suitable source, either through
conventional breeding, or through genetic modification, in
particular through cisgenesis or transgenesis. Cisgenesis is
genetic modification of plants with a natural gene, coding for an
(agricultural) trait, from the crop plant itself or from a sexually
compatible donor plant. Transgenesis is genetic modification of a
plant with a gene from a non-crossable species, or with a synthetic
gene.
[0052] In one embodiment, the source from which the genetic
information is acquired is formed by plants grown from seeds of
which a representative sample was deposited under accession number
NCIMB 41902, or from the deposited seeds or sexual or vegetative
descendants thereof. The invention also relates to the germplasm of
plants of the invention. The germplasm is constituted by all
inherited characteristics of an organism and--according to the
invention--encompasses at least the trait of the invention.
[0053] The invention also relates to the celery petioles (also
known as sticks or stalks) that are produced by the plants of the
invention. In addition, the invention relates to parts of the
leaves and processed products produced from the leaves, and to the
entire marketable celery plant without the roots. A marketable
celery plant that carries the trait of the invention is much
smaller than any marketable celery plant in the prior art,
resulting in a niche market for single consumers and small
households, a higher convenience, and less waste.
[0054] The trait of the invention is recognizable in a celery plant
when the petioles are significantly shorter than those of celery
plants that are not according to the invention, and when the total
plant length is significantly shorter than those of celery plants
that are not according to the invention. Significantly shorter or
short petioles means, in increasing order of preference, at least
20% shorter, at least 25% shorter, at least 30% shorter, at least
35% shorter, at least 40% shorter, at least 45% shorter, at least
50% shorter, at least 55% shorter, at least 60% shorter, at least
65% shorter, at least 70% shorter, at least 75% shorter, at least
80% shorter at mature harvest stage, when compared to a celery
plant not carrying the genetic determinant of the invention. For
optimal comparison, celery plants of the invention and other celery
plants to which they are compared need to be planted at similar
distances (at a similar plant density), because when celery plants
grow closely together they usually grow taller than normally. In
addition, comparison is suitably made with an isogenic celery plant
that differs only from the celery plants of the invention in the
absence of the genetic determinant underlying the trait of the
invention.
[0055] In one aspect the invention relates to a method for
production of a celery plant which may comprise shorter petioles
and a shorter total plant length, which may comprise: [0056] a)
crossing a plant which may comprise the genetic determinant that
leads to expression of shorter petioles and a shorter total plant
length with another plant; [0057] b) selfing the resulting F1 for
obtaining F2 plants; [0058] c) selecting plants which may comprise
shorter petioles and/a shorter total plant length in the F2
generation; [0059] d) optionally performing one or more additional
rounds of selfing or crossing, and subsequently selecting for a
plant which may comprise shorter petioles and a shorter total plant
length.
[0060] It is clear that the parent that provides the trait of the
invention is not necessarily a plant grown directly from the
deposited seeds. The parent may also be a progeny plant from the
deposited seed, or a progeny plant from seeds that are identified
to have the trait of the invention by other means.
[0061] In one aspect, the invention relates to a method for
production of a celery plant which may comprise shorter petioles
and a shorter total plant length, which may comprise: [0062] a)
crossing a plant which may comprise the genetic determinant that
leads to expression of shorter petioles and a shorter total plant
length with another plant; [0063] b) optionally backcrossing the
resulting F1 with the preferred parent; [0064] c) selecting for
plants which may comprise shorter petioles and a shorter total
plant length in the F2 generation; [0065] d) optionally performing
one or more additional rounds of selfing or crossing, and
subsequently selecting for a plant which may comprise shorter
petioles and a shorter total plant length.
[0066] The invention additionally provides a method of introducing
a desired trait into a celery plant which may comprise shorter
petioles and a shorter total plant length, which may comprise:
[0067] a) crossing a celery plant which may comprise shorter
petioles and a shorter total plant length, representative seed of
which were deposited with the NCIMB under deposit number NCIMB
41902, with a second celery plant that may comprise a desired trait
to produce F1 progeny; [0068] b) selecting an F1 progeny that may
comprise shorter petioles and a shorter total plant length and the
desired trait; [0069] c) crossing the selected F1 progeny with
either parent, to produce backcross progeny; [0070] d) selecting
backcross progeny which may comprise the desired trait and shorter
petioles and a shorter total plant length; and [0071] e) optionally
repeating steps (c) and (d) one or more times in succession to
produce selected fourth or higher backcross progeny that may
comprise the desired trait and shorter petioles and a shorter total
plant length. The invention includes a celery plant produced by
this method.
[0072] In one embodiment selection for plants which may comprise
shorter petioles and a shorter total plant length is done in the
F1. Alternatively, selection for the trait of the invention is
started in the F2 of a cross or alternatively of a backcross. In
another embodiment selection for plants which may comprise shorter
petioles and a shorter total plant length is started in the F3 or a
later generation.
[0073] In one embodiment the plant which may comprise the genetic
determinant is a plant of an inbred line, a hybrid, a doubled
haploid, or of a segregating population. The invention further
provides a method for the production of a celery plant which may
comprise shorter petioles and a shorter total plant length by using
a doubled haploid generation technique to generate a doubled
haploid line, which may comprise the said shorter petioles and a
shorter total plant length.
[0074] The invention furthermore relates to hybrid seed and to a
method for producing hybrid seed, which may comprise crossing a
first parent plant with a second parent plant and harvesting the
resulting hybrid seed, wherein said first parent plant and/or said
second parent plant is a plant of the invention as claimed.
[0075] In one embodiment, the invention relates to a method for
producing a hybrid celery plant which may comprise crossing a first
parent celery plant with a second parent celery plant and
harvesting the resulting hybrid celery seed, in which the first
parent celery plant and/or the second parent celery plant may
comprise shorter petioles and a shorter total plant length.
[0076] The invention also relates to a method for the production of
a celery plant which may comprise shorter petioles and a shorter
total plant length, by using a seed that may comprise a genetic
determinant in its genome that leads to shorter petioles and a
shorter total plant length for growing the said celery plant. The
seeds are suitably seeds of which a representative sample was
deposited with the NCIMB under deposit number NCIMB 41902, or seeds
that carry the same or essentially the same genetic determinant as
the deposited seeds.
[0077] The invention also relates to a method for seed production
which may comprise growing celery plants from seeds of which a
representative sample was deposited with the NCIMB under deposit
number NCIMB 41902, allowing the plants to produce seeds, and
harvesting those seeds. Production of the seeds is suitably done by
crossing or selfing.
[0078] In one embodiment, the invention relates to a method for the
production of a celery plant which may comprise shorter petioles
and a shorter total plant length by using tissue culture. The
invention furthermore relates to a method for the production of a
celery plant which may comprise shorter petioles and a shorter
total plant length by using vegetative reproduction. In another
embodiment, the invention relates to a method for the production of
a celery plant which may comprise shorter petioles and a shorter
total plant length by using a method for genetic modification to
introgress shorter petioles and a shorter total plant length into
the celery plant. Genetic modification may comprise transgenic
modification or transgenesis, using a gene from a non-crossable
species or a synthetic gene, and cisgenic modification or
cisgenesis, using a natural gene, coding for an (agricultural)
trait, from the crop plant itself or from a sexually compatible
donor plant. The gene to be introgressed is suitably the gene
underlying the genetic determinant of the invention.
[0079] The invention also relates to a breeding method for the
development of celery plants that may comprise shorter petioles and
a shorter total plant length wherein germplasm which may comprise
the genetic determinant underlying the shorter petioles and a
shorter total plant length of plants of the invention is used.
Representative seed of said plant which may comprise the genetic
determinant and being representative for the germplasm was
deposited with the NCIMB under deposit number NCIMB 41902.
[0080] In a further embodiment the invention relates to a method
for the production of a celery plant which may comprise shorter
petioles and a shorter total plant length wherein progeny or
propagation material of a plant which may comprise the genetic
determinant conferring said shorter petioles and a shorter total
plant length is used as a source to introgress shorter petioles and
a shorter total plant length into another celery plant.
Representative seed of said plant which may comprise the genetic
determinant was deposited with the NCIMB under deposit number NCIMB
41902. The invention provides preferably a celery plant showing
shorter petioles and a shorter total plant length, which plant is
obtainable by any of the methods herein described.
[0081] Although the present invention and its advantages have been
described in detail, it should be understood that various changes,
substitutions and alterations can be made herein without departing
from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the
appended claims.
[0082] The present invention will be further illustrated in the
following Examples which are given for illustration purposes only
and are not intended to limit the invention in any way.
EXAMPLES
Example 1
Characterization of Celery Plants of the Invention
[0083] Celery plants of the invention grown from seeds of NCIMB
accession 41902 were compared with existing celery plants. Table 1
shows the results of this comparison. FIG. 1 shows a marketable
celery plant of the invention (right) next to a marketable
conventional celery plant (left), both at their mature harvest
stage.
[0084] Table 1 shows a comparison of celery plants of the invention
(NCIMB 41902) to other celery plants (NCIMB 41513 and three
commercial celery varieties: Victoria, Monterey and Tango). For
each celery line all sticks and leaf blades of 10 plants were
measured. The word "sticks" is herein used as a synonym for
"petioles" or "leaf stalks", and the word "stick" is typically used
to specify the product after the leaf blades are removed. The total
weight of the 10 plants is indicated, along with the total length
of each plant, the average length of the sticks from each plant,
the average length of the leaf blades from each plant, and the
average total leaf length.
[0085] The total plant length differs slightly from the average
leaf length because it is measured from the tip of the longest
leaf, before removal of individual leaves, and hence total plant
length is usually slightly longer than the average leaf length. The
standard deviation of the stick length (per plant) is also
included. The length of the sticks is the distance between the leaf
base and the first joint as is indicated in FIG. 2 with the numeral
16. What was measured here is the mature stem length, which is the
stem length at the stage of full leaf expansion.
[0086] Celery plants of the invention show a smaller mature stem
length and a smaller mature stem length distribution than celery
plants that do not carry the genetic determinant of the invention.
A smaller mature stem length distribution means that the
differences between the lengths of the individual stems are
small.
[0087] The leaf blade is the part of the leaf excluding the
petiole, and this part is indicated in FIG. 2 as (length 8) minus
(length 16). The word "leaf blade" is synonymous to "subdivided
leaf blade" or "blade". The bottom row of the sub-table for each
individual celery line lists the average values (total plant
length, average stick length and average leaf blade length) for the
10 plants of the celery line that were measured.
[0088] It is clear from the results in Table 1 and from FIG. 1 that
the celery plants of the invention have significantly shorter
petioles, significantly shorter total leaf lengths and a
significantly shorter total plant length at mature harvest stage
than marketable celery plants at mature harvest stage not carrying
the genetic determinant of the invention. Celery plants in the
prior art have much longer petioles and leaves than celery plants
of the invention. The average petiole (stick) length of prior art
celery plants is (25.2.+-.3.5) cm for Victoria, (24.5 cm.+-.3.2)
for Monterey and (26.4.+-.4.2) cm for Tango, compared to
(9.8.+-.0.8) cm for celery plants of the invention. The average
total leaf length (=stick+leaf blade) of prior art celery plants is
also much longer than that of celery plants of the present
invention: the total leaf length of Victoria is on average 61.6 cm,
that of Monterey is 60.3 cm and that of Tango is 56.0 cm, compared
to only 28.3 cm for celery plants of the present invention. The
average total plant length of prior art celery plants is 72.9 cm
for Victoria, 69.6 cm for Monterey and 63.8 cm for Tango, compared
to 31.1 cm for celery plants of the present invention.
TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Total Average Average st. dev. Average
product Total stick leaf blade stick total weight # sticks length
length length length leaf (kg) per plant (cm) (cm) (cm) (cm) length
NCIMB 41902 (personal celery) plant 1 4.4 kg 8 33.0 9.8 20.2 0.8
30.0 plant 2 10 28.0 9.4 18.1 0.8 27.5 plant 3 11 31.0 9.4 16.9 0.8
26.3 plant 4 9 31.0 10.2 19.3 0.8 29.6 plant 5 10 30.0 9.3 18.3 0.7
27.5 plant 6 9 31.5 10.2 19.4 0.8 29.6 plant 7 10 30.0 9.9 16.9 0.9
26.8 plant 8 10 30.0 9.8 16.9 0.9 26.7 plant 9 8 31.0 9.9 19.6 0.7
29.5 plant 10 8 35.0 10.3 19.7 1.1 30.0 Average 31.1 9.8 18.5 0.8
28.3 NCIMB 41513 plant 1 5.8 kg 15 39.0 22.4 16.2 1.2 38.6 plant 2
18 38.5 21.5 14.7 1.0 36.2 plant 3 14 39.0 21.8 15.8 1.2 37.6 plant
4 14 42.0 23.1 17.5 1.4 40.6 plant 5 13 39.0 21.4 14.5 1.3 35.9
plant 6 14 38.0 21.2 15.3 1.1 36.5 plant 7 19 41.0 22.1 15.9 1.3
37.9 plant 8 15 39.0 21.7 14.5 1.3 36.2 plant 9 15 40.0 21.7 15.9
1.3 37.6 plant 10 16 39.5 20.5 14.5 2.4 35.0 Average 39.5 21.7 15.5
1.3 37.2 Victoria plant 1 8.6 kg 11 70.0 24.5 38.8 2.6 63.3 plant 2
11 72.5 23.7 35.0 3.9 58.8 plant 3 11 76.0 26.3 38.5 3.3 64.8 plant
4 13 71.0 23.3 35.6 2.5 59.0 plant 5 12 71.0 25.0 34.7 3.5 59.7
plant 6 13 69.0 24.5 35.8 2.7 60.3 plant 7 12 69.5 23.6 36.5 2.9
60.1 plant 8 13 75.0 27.3 37.0 4.8 64.3 plant 9 13 78.0 27.0 36.3
4.8 63.3 plant 10 12 76.5 26.2 36.3 3.8 62.5 Average 72.9 25.2 36.5
3.5 61.6 Monterey plant 1 7.3 kg 10 68.0 24.0 35.1 3.1 59.1 plant 2
10 69.0 23.9 34.6 2.3 58.4 plant 3 10 70.0 24.2 35.7 3.3 59.9 plant
4 10 68.0 24.2 35.7 3.2 59.9 plant 5 11 68.0 23.6 35.6 3.0 59.2
plant 6 10 73.0 25.5 35.7 3.8 61.2 plant 7 10 70.0 25.1 35.5 2.8
60.6 plant 8 9 72.0 25.5 37.8 4.1 63.3 plant 9 8 69.0 24.6 34.9 3.9
59.5 plant 10 9 69.0 24.2 37.8 2.9 62.0 Average 69.6 24.5 35.8 3.2
60.3 Tango plant 1 9.4 kg 11 66.0 25.3 31.0 3.9 56.3 plant 2 11
67.0 25.2 30.4 4.1 55.6 plant 3 11 64.0 26.3 28.5 4.0 54.8 plant 4
11 63.5 27.9 29.3 4.5 57.2 plant 5 10 66.0 26.8 31.9 3.7 58.7 plant
6 12 60.0 26.7 28.5 3.4 55.1 plant 7 11 62.0 25.9 29.0 3.9 54.9
plant 8 11 60.5 26.0 27.3 5.6 53.4 plant 9 10 64.0 25.2 31.6 4.7
56.8 plant 10 10 65.0 28.4 28.8 4.0 57.2 Average 63.8 26.4 29.6 4.2
56.0
[0089] The prior art celery plant termed "NCIMB 41513" in Table 1
was deposited with NCIMB on 22 Oct. 2007 and carries a genetic
trait (different from the genetic trait of the current invention)
that leads to short leaf blades and/or a more uniform distribution
of stem lengths as compared to celery plants not carrying the said
genetic trait. Plants of NCIMB 41513 have petioles with an average
length of 21.7.+-.1.3 cm, compared to 9.8.+-.0.8 cm for celery
plants of the present invention, and the plants have an average
total length of 39.5 cm, compared to 31.1 cm for celery plants of
the present invention.
Example 2
[0090] Introduction of the New Trait into Other Celery Plants
[0091] Plants of the invention that were deposited under NCIMB
accession number 41902 were crossed with normal celery plants. The
F2 progeny segregated for plants that showed the same
characteristics as the parent plants of NCIMB accession number
41902, and the trait of the invention segregated in a recessive
fashion. Further development of these plants resulted in lines with
the same trait of the invention, as found in NCIMB accession number
41902.
[0092] To further characterize the genetic basis of the trait of
the invention, a celery plant of the invention was crossed to a
normal celery plant, giving rise to an F1 population that did not
phenotypically exhibit the trait of the invention. this observation
already demonstrated that the trait of the invention is recessive
in nature. An F1 plant from this cross was subsequently backcrossed
to a celery plant of the invention (a recurrent parent), which did
show the phenotype of the invention. From the progeny of this
backcross 179 plants were grown to maturity, and their stick length
(petiole length) was measured. It was observed that this population
of progeny plants comprised plants of two distinct size categories.
The first size category comprised 76 plants with a stick length
between 10 cm and 14 cm, and with an average stick length of
(12.0.+-.0.9) cm. The second size category comprised the remaining
103 plants, which had a stick length between 19 cm and 32 cm, and
an average stick length of (24.1.+-.2.7) cm.
[0093] In parallel, selfing of the recurrent parent (which was a
celery plant of the invention, as deposited under NCIMB accession
number 41902) was performed. From among the progeny of this selfing
a population of 46 celery plants was grown to maturity, and
measurements revealed that they had stick lengths ranging from 10.5
cm to 13.5 cm, with an average stick length of (12.2.+-.0.7)
cm.
[0094] It is therefore apparent that the first size category (which
may comprise 76 plants of the backcross population of 179 plants)
corresponded to plants that phenotypically exhibited the trait of
the invention, i.e. they had the same characteristics as the plants
of NCIMB accession number 41902. The other size category
corresponded to celery plants with a wildtype stick length. The
phenotype of the invention was thus observed in 42.5% of the 179
progeny plants of the backcross.
Example 3
Biochemical Measurements
[0095] The concentration of various sugars was measured in plants
of the invention and in three prior art celery plants. It was found
that celery plants of the invention had a higher calculated
sweetness index than the other celery varieties. A tasting panel
perceived the celery plants of the invention as being particularly
tasty, and had a significantly higher liking for celery plants of
the invention than for commercial varieties Imperial, Tango and
Victoria. Generally, celery plants that are more sweet and more
crunchy are more appreciated by consumers.
[0096] The "calculated sweetness" or sweetness index is calculated
as the sum of the concentrations of sucrose, mannitol, glucose and
fructose, each multiplied by a specific sweetness factor. For
sucrose this empirical factor is 1.0, for mannitol 0.6, for glucose
0.7, and for fructose 1.7. This index gives a numerical indication
of the sweetness of the celery as it is perceived by the average
consumer.
TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 Sum Sum sugars + mannitol glucose fructose
sucrose glc/fru sugars mannitol calculated % Brix (g/100 ml) (g/100
ml) (g/100 ml) (g/100 ml) ratio (g/100 ml) (g/100 ml) sweetness
personal celery 3.8 0.64 0.87 0.82 0.06 1.1 1.75 2.39 2.4 Imperial
3.6 0.63 0.74 0.68 0.00 1.1 1.42 2.05 2.1 Monterey 3.9 0.77 0.65
0.69 0.01 0.9 1.35 2.12 2.1 Victoria 3.4 0.59 0.64 0.61 0.01 1.0
1.26 1.86 1.9
[0097] Table 2 shows biochemical measurements in celery plants of
the invention ("personal celery") in comparison to three commercial
celery varieties. All measurements were done on fresh plant
material at the mature harvest stage (ready-to-eat sticks). Per
celery line nine individual plants were measured, and Table 2 shows
average values per celery line. Table 2 illustrates that the
calculated sweetness (and the total sugar content) of celery plants
of the invention is higher than that of commercial celery
varieties.
[0098] The invention is further described by the following numbered
paragraphs:
[0099] 1. Celery plant (Apium graveolens L. dulce) carrying a
genetic trait that leads to a shorter petiole and a shorter total
plant length at mature harvest stage as compared to a celery plant
not carrying the said genetic trait, wherein said genetic trait is
as present in the genome of plants grown from seed of which a
representative sample was deposited with the NCIMB under accession
number NCIMB 41902.
[0100] 2. A celery plant of paragraph 1, wherein the trait is
introgressed from a plant grown from seed of which a representative
sample was deposited with the NCIMB under accession number NCIMB
41902.
[0101] 3. A celery plant according to paragraph 1 or 2, obtainable
by: [0102] growing plants from seed that was deposited with the
NCIMB under accession number NCIMB 41902; [0103] crossing the said
plant with a plant not showing the trait to obtain an F1
population; [0104] selfing plants from the F1 to obtain an F2
population; [0105] selecting plants that have a shorter petiole and
a shorter total plant length at mature harvest stage as being
plants of the invention; and [0106] optionally repeating steps b)
to d)
[0107] 4. Celery plants of any one of paragraphs 1-3, wherein the
shorter petioles are in increasing order of preference at least 20%
shorter, at least 25% shorter, at least 30% shorter, at least 35%
shorter, at least 40% shorter, at least 45% shorter, at least 50%
shorter, at least 55% shorter, at least 60% shorter, at least 65%
shorter, at least 70% shorter, at least 75% shorter, at least 80%
shorter at mature harvest stage, when compared to a celery plant
not carrying the genetic determinant of the invention.
[0108] 5. Celery plants of any one of paragraphs 1-4, wherein at
mature harvest stage the shorter petioles are shorter than 19 cm,
preferably shorter than 17 cm, more preferably shorter than 15 cm,
even more preferably shorter than 13 cm, even more preferably
shorter than 11 cm, most preferably shorter than 9 cm.
[0109] 6. Celery plants of any one of paragraphs 1-5, wherein at
mature harvest stage the plants are shorter than 37 cm, preferably
shorter than 36 cm or shorter than 35 cm, more preferably shorter
than 34 cm or shorter than 33 cm, even more preferably shorter than
32 cm, most preferably shorter than 31 cm.
[0110] 7. A celery plant of any one of the paragraphs 1-6, wherein
the celery plant is a hybrid, doubled haploid, or inbred.
[0111] 8. Seed of a celery plant of any one of the paragraphs
1-7.
[0112] 9. Propagation material suitable for producing a plant of
any one of the paragraphs 1-9, wherein the propagation material is
suitable for sexual reproduction, and is in particular selected
from microspores, pollen, ovaries, ovules, embryo sacs and egg
cells, or is suitable for vegetative reproduction, and is in
particular selected from cuttings, roots, stems, cells,
protoplasts, or is suitable for tissue cultures of regenerable
cells, and is in particular selected from leaves, pollen, embryos,
cotyledon, hypocotyls, meristematic cells, roots, root tips,
anthers, flowers, seeds and stems, wherein a plant produced from
the propagation material has short petioles and a short total leaf
length than a celery plant of the same age not carrying the said
genetic determinant.
[0113] 10. A celery plant produced from the propagation material of
paragraph 9, which plant has short petioles and a short total leaf
length as compared to a celery plant not carrying the said genetic
determinant.
[0114] 11. Progeny of a plant of any one of the paragraphs 1-8 and
10, wherein the progeny plant has short petioles and a short total
leaf length as compared to a celery plant not carrying the said
genetic determinant.
[0115] 12. Food product, comprising the stalks of a celery plant of
any one of the paragraphs 1-7, or parts thereof.
[0116] Having thus described in detail preferred embodiments of the
present invention, it is to be understood that the invention
defined by the above paragraphs is not to be limited to particular
details set forth in the above description as many apparent
variations thereof are possible without departing from the spirit
or scope of the present invention.
* * * * *