Dark stem cucumber plants

Abstract

The present invention relates to a cucumber plant of the species Cucumis sativus carrying a genetic determinant that leads to a darker green stem in the seedling stage that is predictive of a darker green color of the fruits as compared to an isogenic cucumber plant not carrying the said genetic determinant, which genetic determinant is as comprised in a cucumber plant representative seed of which was deposited with the NCIMB under deposit number NCIMB 41859. The genetic determinant is suitably introgressed into the cucumber plant from a cucumber plant of which representative seed has been deposited with the NCIMB under deposit number NCIMB 41859.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A cucumber plant of the species  Cucumis sativus  carrying a genetic determinant that leads to a darker green stem in the seedling stage that is predictive of a darker green color of the fruits as compared to an isogenic cucumber plant not carrying the said genetic determinant, which genetic determinant is as comprised in a cucumber plant representative seed of which was deposited with the NCIMB under deposit number NCIMB 41859. 
     
     
         2 . The cucumber plant as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the genetic determinant is introgressed from a cucumber plant of which representative seed has been deposited with the NCIMB under deposit number NCIMB 41859. 
     
     
         3 . The cucumber plant as claimed in  claim 1 , obtainable by crossing a first cucumber plant with a second cucumber plant, wherein at least one of the said plants is grown from seed of which a representative sample was deposited under deposit number NCIMB 41859, or a progeny plant thereof, optionally selfing the resulting F1, and selecting for plants that have one or more of the following characteristics:
 a) having at the seedling stage a darker green stem as compared to the stem of a seedling of an isogenic cucumber plant not carrying the said genetic determinant, wherein a darker green stem is predictive of the production of fruits having a darker green color at harvest stage as compared to the fruits of an isogenic cucumber plant not carrying the said genetic determinant under the same conditions, and/or   b) having at the seedling stage an increase in the content of chlorophyll in the stem as compared to the stem of a seedling of an isogenic cucumber plant not carrying the said genetic determinant, wherein an increase in the content of chlorophyll is predictive of the production of fruits having a darker green color at harvest stage as compared to the fruits of an isogenic cucumber plant not carrying the said genetic determinant under the same conditions.   
     
     
         4 . The cucumber plant as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the chlorophyll content in the stem of the plant at seedling stage is at least 40 μg/g higher than the chlorophyll content in the stem of an isogenic cucumber plant at seedling stage not carrying the said genetic determinant, that is grown under the same conditions. 
     
     
         5 . The cucumber plant as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the chlorophyll content in the stem of the plant at seedling stage is at least 30% higher than the chlorophyll content in the stem of an isogenic cucumber plant at seedling stage not carrying the said genetic determinant, that is grown under the same conditions. 
     
     
         6 . The cucumber plant as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the green color of the fruit from harvest stage until at least 14 days after storage and is at least 2 grades darker on a scale of 1-9, than the color of the fruit of an isogenic cucumber plant not carrying the said genetic determinant, that is grown and stored under the same conditions. 
     
     
         7 . The cucumber plant as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the darker green color of the fruit relates to an increase in the chlorophyll content of the skin of the fruit of at least 100 μg/g as compared to the fruit of an isogenic cucumber plant not carrying the said genetic determinant, that is grown under the same conditions. 
     
     
         8 . The cucumber plant as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the darker green color of the fruit at harvest stage relates to an increase in the chlorophyll content of the skin of the fruit of at least 30% as compared to the fruit of an isogenic cucumber plant not carrying the said genetic determinant, that is grown under the same conditions. 
     
     
         9 . The cucumber plant as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the said genetic determinant is genetically linked with any of the molecular markers E13/M51-143.48 and/or E13/M51-154.68 and/or E16/M60-086.74 in seed of deposit number NCIMB 41859 and optionally in the plant as claimed. 
     
     
         10 . A cucumber seed, wherein the plant that can be grown from the seed comprises the genetic determinant as defined in  claim 1 . 
     
     
         11 . A progeny of a cucumber plant as claimed in  claim 1 , comprising a genetic determinant that leads to a darker green stem in the seedling stage that is predictive of a darker green color of the fruits as compared to an isogenic cucumber plant not carrying the said genetic determinant, which genetic determinant is as comprised in a cucumber plant representative seed of which was deposited with the NCIMB under deposit number NCIMB 41859. 
     
     
         12 . A progeny of a cucumber plant grown from the plant of  claim 10 , comprising a genetic determinant that leads to a darker green stem in the seedling stage that is predictive of a darker green color of the fruits as compared to an isogenic cucumber plant not carrying the said genetic determinant, which genetic determinant is as comprised in a cucumber plant representative seed of which was deposited with the NCIMB under deposit number NCIMB 41859. 
     
     
         13 . A propagation material suitable for producing a plant as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the propagation material is suitable for sexual reproduction and wherein the plant produced from the propagation material comprises the genetic determinant as defined in  claim 1 . 
     
     
         14 . The propagation material of  claim 13 , wherein the propagation material comprises a microspore, pollen, ovary, ovule, embryo sac or egg cell. 
     
     
         15 . A propagation material suitable for producing a plant as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the propagation material is suitable for vegetative reproduction and wherein the plant produced from the propagation material comprises the genetic determinant as defined in  claim 1 . 
     
     
         16 . The propagation material of  claim 15 , wherein the propagation material comprises a cutting, root, stem, cell or protoplast. 
     
     
         17 . A propagation material suitable for producing a plant as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the propagation material is suitable for tissue cultures of regenerable cells and wherein the plant produced from the propagation material comprises the genetic determinant as defined in  claim 1 . 
     
     
         18 . The propagation material of  claim 17 , wherein the propagation material comprises a leaf, pollen, embryo, cotyledon, hypocotyl, meristematic cell, root, root tip, anther, flower, seed or stem. 
     
     
         19 . A food product comprising the cucumber fruit of a plant as claimed in  claim 1 , or parts thereof, optionally in processed form. 
     
     
         20 . The germplasm of the plant of  claim 1 .