Novel melon plants

Abstract

The present invention relates to novel plants, in particular to melon plants capable of producing fruits with a new pleasant taste and to seeds thereof. The present invention further relates to fruits of melon plants of the present invention, wherein such fruits have organic acid content, low pH and high sugar contents. The present invention further relates to methods of making and using plants and fruits disclosed herein.

1 . A  C. melo  plant capable of producing fruit, wherein said fruit comprises at maturity: 
 a) at least about 400 mg citric acid per 100 g fwt;    b) pH of about 4.2 to about 5.6; and    c) at least about 5.0 g sugar per 100 g fwt.    
     
     
         2 . The  C. melo  plant according to  claim 1 , wherein the ratio of citric acid to malic acid in said fruit is greater than 4.4.  
     
     
         3 . The  C. melo  plant according to  claim 1 , wherein said fruit comprises less than about 85 mg malic acid per 100 g fwt.  
     
     
         4 . The  C. melo  plant according to  claim 1 , wherein said fruit comprises an average acid savor of about 1.6 to about 3.8 and an average sugar savor of about 4.3 to about 5.8.  
     
     
         5 . The  C. melo  plant according to  claim 4 , wherein said fruit comprises an average acid savor of about 2.5 to about 3.8 and an average sugar savor of about 4.3 to about 5.6.  
     
     
         6 . The  C. melo  plant according to  claim 4 , wherein said fruit comprises an average acid savor of about 1.6 to about 3.0 and an average sugar savor of about 5.2 to about 5.8.  
     
     
         7 . The  C. melo  plant according to  claim 1 , wherein a DNA fragment of about 168 bp to about 178 bp is amplified from DNA of said plant when the primers of marker CMAT141 are used.  
     
     
         8 . The  C. melo  plant according to  claim 7 , wherein said DNA fragment is 168 bp, 173 bp, 169 bp, 172 bp or 178 bp long.  
     
     
         9 . The  C. melo  plant according to  claim 1 , wherein a DNA fragment of about 218 bp to about 253 bp is amplified from DNA of said plant when the primers of marker NE0585 are used.  
     
     
         10 . The  C. melo  plant according to  claim 9 , wherein said DNA fragment is of 230 bp, 232 bp, 218 bp, 229 bp, 234 bp or 239 bp long.  
     
     
         11 . The  C. melo  plant according to  claim 1 , wherein a DNA fragment of about 121 bp to about 145 bp is amplified from DNA of said plant when the primers of marker NE1746 are used.  
     
     
         12 . The  C. melo  plant according to  claim 11 , wherein said DNA fragment is 124 bp, 127 bp, 133 bp, 142 bp or 145 bp long.  
     
     
         13 . The  C. melo  plant according to  claim 1 , wherein the pH of said fruit remains within said range of about 4.2 to about 5.6 for at least 2 days after said fruit reaches maturity when said fruit is kept on the plant.  
     
     
         14 . The  C. melo  plant according to  claim 1 , wherein the pH of said fruit remains within said range of about 4.2 to about 5.6 for at least 3 days after said fruit reaches maturity when said fruit is kept on the plant.  
     
     
         15 . The  C. melo  plant according to  claim 1 , wherein the pH of said fruit remains within said range of about 4.2 to about 5.6 when said fruit is harvested and kept in storage for at least 5 days at 20° C. or for at least 7 days at 8-12° C. followed by 3 days at 20° C.  
     
     
         16 . The  C. melo  plant according to  claim 1 , wherein the pH of said fruit remains within said range of about 4.2 to about 5.6 when said fruit is harvested and kept in storage for at least 7 days at 20° C. or for at least 12 days at 8-12° C. followed by 3 days at 20° C.  
     
     
         17 . The  C. melo  plant according to  claim 1 , wherein the citric acid of said fruit remains at or above about 400 mg per 100 g fwt for at least 2 days after said fruit reaches maturity when said fruit is kept on the plant.  
     
     
         18 . The  C. melo  plant according to  claim 1 , wherein the citric acid of said fruit remains at or above about 400 mg per 100 g fwt for at least 3 days after said fruit reaches maturity when said fruit is kept on the plant.  
     
     
         19 . The  C. melo  plant according to  claim 1 , wherein the citric acid of said fruit remains at or above about 400 mg per 100 g fwt when said fruit is harvested and kept in storage for at least 5 days at 20° C. or for at least 7 days at 8-12° C. followed by 3 days at 20° C.  
     
     
         20 . The  C. melo  plant according to  claim 1 , wherein the citric acid of said fruit remains at or above about 400 mg per 100 g fwt when said fruit is harvested and kept in storage for at least 7 days at 20° C. or for at least 12 days at 8-12° C. followed by 3 days at 20° C.  
     
     
         21 . The  C. melo  plant according to  claim 2 , wherein the ratio of citric acid to malic acid of said fruit remains greater than 4.4 for at least 2 days after said fruit reaches maturity when said fruit is kept on the plant.  
     
     
         22 . The  C. melo  plant according to  claim 2 , wherein the ratio of citric acid to malic acid of said fruit remains greater than 4.4 for at least 3 days after said fruit reaches maturity when said fruit is kept on the plant.  
     
     
         23 . The  C. melo  plant according to  claim 2 , wherein the ratio of citric acid to malic acid of said fruit remains greater than 4.4 when said fruit is harvested and kept in storage for at least 5 days at 20° C. or for at least 7 days at 8-12° C. followed by 3 days at 20° C.  
     
     
         24 . The  C. melo  plant according to  claim 2 , wherein the ratio of citric acid to malic acid of said fruit remains greater than 4.4 when said fruit is harvested and kept in storage for at least 7 days at 20° C. or for at least 12 days at 8-12° C. followed by 3 days at 20° C.  
     
     
         25 . The  C. melo  plant according to  claim 1 , wherein said plant is capable of producing a low-turning or a non-turning fruit.  
     
     
         26 . The  C. melo  plant according to  claim 1 , wherein said plant is capable of producing a low-climacteric or a non-climacteric fruit.  
     
     
         27 . The  C. melo  plant according to  claim 1 , wherein the flesh of said fruit is orange, white, green or yellow.  
     
     
         28 . The  C. melo  plant according to  claim 1 , wherein the mesocarp of said fruit represents more than 50% of the total fresh weight of said fruit.  
     
     
         29 . The  C. melo  plant according to  claim 1 , wherein said  C. melo  plant comprises a low pH gene.  
     
     
         30 . The  C. melo  plant according to  claim 1 , wherein said low pH gene is homozygous or heterozygous in said plant.  
     
     
         31 . The  C. melo  plant according to  claim 1 , wherein said low pH trait is obtainable from a plant of line IND-35, representative seeds of which is deposited under Accession number NCIMB 41202, or a descendent of said line IND-35.  
     
     
         32 . The  C. melo  plant according to  claim 1 , wherein said fruit comprises at maturity: 
 a) about 600 mg to about 1,200 mg citric acid per 100 g fwt;    b) pH of about 4.2 to about 5.1;    c) about 5.0 g to about 15.0 g sugar per 100 g fwt.    
     
     
         33 . The  C. melo  plant according to  claim 1 , wherein said fruit comprises at maturity: 
 a) about 400 mg to about 650 mg citric acid per 100 g fwt;    b) pH of about 4.6 to about 5.6; and    c) about 5.0 g to about 15.0 g sugar per 100 g fwt.    
     
     
         34 . The  C. melo  plant according to  claim 1 , wherein said plant is an inbred line.  
     
     
         35 . The  C. melo  plant according to  claim 1 , wherein said plant is a hybrid.  
     
     
         36 . The  C. melo  plant according to  claim 1 , wherein said plant is a dihaploid.  
     
     
         37 . Seed of a  C. melo  plant according to  claim 1 .  
     
     
         38 . Fruit of a  C. melo  plant according to  claim 1 .  
     
     
         39 . Flesh of a  C. melo  plant according to  claim 1 .  
     
     
         40 . A method of increasing the citric acid content of a fruit of a first  C. melo  plant comprising: 
 a) obtaining a first  C. melo  plant;    b) crossing said first  C. melo  plant with a second  C. melo  plant comprising a low pH trait;    c) obtaining a progeny  C. melo  plant;    d) determining the pH of a fruit of said progeny  C. melo  plant, and    e) selecting a fruit of said progeny  C. melo  plant which has increased citric acid content and lower pH, when compared to a fruit of said first  C. melo  plant.    
     
     
         41 . The method according to  claim 40 , wherein the citric acid content of a fruit of said progeny  C. melo  plant is increased by about 1.5 to about 3 times and the pH of said fruit reduced by about 1 to about 2.5 pH units, when compared to a fruit of said first  C. melo  plant.  
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein said second  C. melo  plant is a plant of line IND-35, representative seeds of which is deposited under Accession number NCIMB 41202, or a descendent of said line IND-35.  
     
     
         43 . A  C. melo  plant capable of producing a fruit, wherein said fruit comprises at maturity an average acid savor of about 1.6 to about 3.8 and an average sugar savor of about 4.3 to about 5.8.  
     
     
         44 . The  C. melo  plant according to  claim 43 , wherein said fruit comprises at maturity an average acid savor of about 2.5 to about 3.8 and an average sugar savor of about 4.3 to about 5.6.  
     
     
         45 . The  C. melo  plant according to  claim 43 , wherein said fruit comprises at maturity an average acid savor of about 1.6 to about 3.0 and an average sugar savor of about 5.2 to about 5.8.  
     
     
         46 . The  C. melo  plant according to  claim 43 , wherein said fruit has a pH of about 4.2 to about 5.6.  
     
     
         47 . The plant according to  claim 43 , wherein said fruit has a citric acid content of at least about 400 mg per 100 g fwt.  
     
     
         48 . The plant according to  claim 43 , wherein said fruit has a sugar content of at least about 5.0 g sugar per 100 g fwt.  
     
     
         49 . Seed of a  C. melo  plant according to  claim 43 .  
     
     
         50 . Fruit of a  C. melo  plant according to  claim 43 .  
     
     
         51 . Flesh of a  C. melo  plant according to  claim 43.