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.

A method for culturing a microbial or cellular seed culture includes positioning a first flexible bag within a chamber of a first retainer, the first retainer being secured to a mixer table. A culture is produced within a compartment of the flexible bag, the culture comprising a growth media and a microbial or cellular starter culture added thereto. The mixer table is activated so that the culture is mixed within the compartment of the first flexible bag while the microbes or cells of the culture grow, the culture having a maximum volume of less than 10 liters.

The present application relates generally to the field of plant propagation. In particular, the present invention relates to a method for the propagation of vegetatively reproducing plants and plants and plant parts produced by such methods. The invention also provides encapsulated propagules. The invention also provides various end uses for the encapsulated propagules and for plants grown from the same. The invention also provides a method for the modification of the architecture of rhizomes and rhizomes having modified architecture and a method for the modification of the architecture of stem cuttings and stem cuttings having modified architecture. The invention also provides a coating for a propagule and a propagule coated therewith.

The problem to be solved by this invention is to provide a method of gene introduction for a genus Sorghum plant and a method for producing a transformed genus Sorghum plant with a higher efficiency than the conventionally known Agrobacterium method. This invention provides a gene introduction method of a genus Sorghum plant characterized by using a medium with an increased concentration of a nitrogen source and/or an increased concentration of inorganic ions selected from magnesium ion, potassium ion, calcium ion and sodium ion, in a step of preparing a plant tissue material of a genus Sorghum plant, a step of inoculation with Agrobacterium and/or a co-cultivation step. This invention also provides a method for producing a transformed plant using the gene introduction method of this invention.

This invention relates to an agent for inducing a callus comprising a compound represented by Formula (I) or a hydrolysis product of an amide bond thereof:

##STR00001##

wherein Ar.sup.1 represents phenyl substituted with substituent or substituents selected from alkoxy and methylenedioxy; Ar.sup.2 represents phenyl substituted with halogen; R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 each represent hydrogen, alkyl, cyano, or carboxyl; R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 may together form oxo; R.sup.3 to R.sup.10 each represent hydrogen or methyl; and R.sup.3 and R.sup.4, R.sup.5 and R.sup.6, R.sup.7 and R.sup.8, and/or R.sup.9 and R.sup.10 may together form oxo; a method for inducing a callus and a method for plant transformation using such agent for inducing a callus.

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.

An aspect of the present invention provides a method of forming a plant body having a desired three dimensional shape. A method of producing a plant body in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention includes the step of forming a three-dimensional body which contains plant cells having differentiation ability.

The present invention is directed to a system and method for producing a vitamin B12 enriched Duckweed Bacterial Culture (DBC) composition. The present invention further discloses a composition comprising a vitamin B12 enriched DBC, wherein said composition comprises at least one Lemnoideae species and at least one vitamin B12 producing bacteria species, further wherein said vitamin B12 content in said composition is in the range of between about 0.01 and about 100 g per 100 g of said DBC.

The present invention relates to a method for producing trees or wood from fully mature cotyledonary somatic embryos (SE) of conifer species within the genus Abies and to the use of plants thus obtained. The invention concerns a method for treating and growing somatic embryos under conditions that induce and stimulate root growth, that induce and stimulate shoot formation and increases the survival rate of the embryos, plantlets and emblings. The emblings can subsequently be grown into trees. Trees derived from somatic embryogenesis and grown according to the method of the invention are of a very homogeneous appearance and quality, which is preferred in the production of trees such as Christmas trees thereby reducing the wastage rate.

A method for isolating and/or culturing cambium stem cells of panax ginseng is disclosed. The method comprises a step of treating tissues containing panax ginseng cambium with a compound of formula I. The present application further relates to cambium stem cells of panax ginseng obtained according to the method and use of such cambium stem cells in preparing a product for a suspension culture of panax ginseng. The method for isolating and/or culturing cambium stem cells of panax ginseng according to the present application can effectively separate the cambium stem cells of the panax ginseng which have unlimited cytodieresis ability and strong anti-adversity ability, can provide a basis for ultra-large volume liquid culture, which can significantly reduce production costs.