Type of Lettuce and Methods of Production

Abstract

The present invention relates to an iceberg lettuce having one or more romaine lettuce characteristics. The invention further relates to methods for producing iceberg lettuce varieties containing one or more romaine lettuce characteristics.

1 .- 37 . (canceled) 
     
     
         38 . A method of producing a lettuce plant, or part thereof, with iceberg lettuce and romaine lettuce characteristics, said method comprising the steps of:
 a) crossing an iceberg lettuce with a romaine lettuce;   b) selecting a progeny lettuce plant comprising a leaf length to leaf width ratio between about 1.2 and about 2.7 and further comprising:
 i) at least one morphological characteristic of an iceberg lettuce type selected from the group consisting of crisp texture, bland taste, high water content, and firm density; and 
 ii) at least one morphological characteristic selected from the group consisting of an elliptical leaf stature, a spatulate leaf shape, and a semi open head formation. 
   
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 38 , further comprising the steps of:
 c) crossing said selected progeny lettuce plant with itself or another romaine or iceberg lettuce plant to yield progeny seed;   d) growing said progeny seed of step c) to yield F 2  progeny plants; and   e) repeating the crossing and growing steps of c) and d) from 0 to 7 times to generate a lettuce plant comprising a leaf length to leaf width ratio between about 1.2 and about 2.7 and further comprising:
 i) at least one morphological characteristic of an iceberg, lettuce type selected from the group consisting of crisp texture, bland taste, high water content, and firm density; and 
 ii) at least one morphological characteristic selected from the group consisting of an elliptical leaf stature, a spatulate leaf shape, and a semi open head formation. 
   
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein said progeny lettuce plant comprises a leaf length to leaf width ratio that is between about 1.2 and about 2.1. 
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein said progeny lettuce plant comprises a leaf length to leaf width ratio that is between about 1.2 and about 1.8. 
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein said progeny lettuce plant comprises a firm texture. 
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein said progeny lettuce plant comprises a bland taste. 
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein said progeny lettuce plant comprises a high water content. 
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein said progeny lettuce plant comprises a firm density. 
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein said progeny lettuce plant comprises an elliptical leaf stature. 
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein said progeny lettuce plant comprises a spatulate leaf shape. 
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein said progeny lettuce plant comprises a semi open head formation. 
     
     
         49 . The progeny lettuce plant, or part thereof, produced by the method of  claim 38 , wherein said plant part is a seed, head, leaf, pollen, protoplast, ovule, or cell. 
     
     
         50 . A method of producing a lettuce plant, or part thereof, with iceberg lettuce and romaine lettuce characteristics, said method comprising the steps of:
 a) crossing an iceberg lettuce with a romaine lettuce;   b) selecting a progeny plant comprising:
 i) at least one morphological characteristic of an iceberg lettuce type selected from the group consisting of crisp texture, bland taste, high water content, and firm density: and 
 ii) at least one morphological characteristic selected from the group consisting of an elliptical leaf stature, a spatulate leaf shape, and a semi open head formation. 
   
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 48 , further comprising the steps of:
 c) crossing said selected progeny plant with itself or another romaine or iceberg lettuce plant to yield progeny seed;   d) growing said progeny seed of step c) to yield F 2  progeny plants; and   e) repeating the crossing and growing steps of c) and d) from 0 to 7 times to generate a lettuce plant comprising:
 i) at least one morphological characteristic of an iceberg lettuce type selected from the group consisting of crisp texture, bland taste, high water content, and firm density; and 
 ii) at least one morphological characteristic selected from the group consisting of an elliptical leaf stature, a spatulate leaf shape, and a semi open head formation. 
   
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 50 , wherein said progeny lettuce plant comprises a leaf length to leaf width ratio that is between about 1.2 and about 2.1. 
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 50 , wherein said progeny lettuce plant comprises a leaf length to leaf width ratio that is between about 1.2 and about 1.8. 
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 50 , wherein said progeny lettuce plant comprises a firm texture. 
     
     
         55 . The method of  claim 50 , wherein said progeny lettuce plant comprises a bland taste. 
     
     
         56 . The method of  claim 50 , wherein said progeny lettuce plant comprises a high water content. 
     
     
         57 . The method of  claim 50 , wherein said progeny lettuce plant comprises a firm density. 
     
     
         58 . The method of  claim 50 , wherein said progeny lettuce plant comprises an elliptical leaf stature. 
     
     
         59 . The method of  claim 50 , wherein said progeny lettuce plant comprises a spatulate leaf shape. 
     
     
         60 . The method of  claim 50 , wherein said progeny lettuce plant comprises a semi open head formation. 
     
     
         61 . The progeny lettuce plant, or part thereof, produced by the method of  claim 50 , wherein said plant part is a seed, head, leaf, pollen, protoplast, ovule, or cell.