The present invention relates to a modified FBXL13 gene which leads to a plant showing resistance to a virus belonging to the Torradovirus genus. The invention also relates to a plant belonging to the Solanaceae family comprising the modified FBXL13 gene. The modified FBXL13 gene of the invention provides a plant showing resistance to a virus belonging to the Torradovirus genus when compared to plants not comprising the modified FBXL13 gene. The invention further relates to the use of the modified FBXL13 gene for the identification and development of a plant belonging to the Solanaceae family showing resistance to a virus belonging to the Torradovirus genus.

A tree eggplant and a cultivation method, a rapid propagation method and an application thereof are provided by the present disclosure. In the present disclosure, the Solanum wrightii is specifically selected as the female parent, and the Solanum torvum is used as the male parent, and the tree eggplant variety obtained by hybridization has fast growth, developed trunk, strong growth potential, and is perennial, and is strong in photosynthesis, strong in nutrient and water absorption capacity, high in affinity with the scion, fast in healing at the scion interface of the rootstock and good in healing; and has good resistance to soil-borne diseases such as fusarium wilt, verticillium wilt, bacterial wilt and root knot nematode; and the rapid propagation method of the tree eggplant has strong operability and high efficiency, and is easy to popularize in practical application.

The present invention relates to an eggplant seed that is capable of growing into a plant that is cytoplasmic male sterile and can produce eggplant fruits without fertilization. The present invention also relates to a plant produced by growing the eggplant. The invention further relates to methods for producing the seedless eggplant fruits.

The present invention relates to an eggplant plant, in particular a Solanum melongena plant comprising a QTL, which leads to the plant producing seeds that have a novel color, wherein said QTL is obtainable by introgression from a plant grown from seed of which a representative sample was deposited with the NCIMB under deposit number NCIMB 42507. The invention also relates to seeds and other propagation material of the plant and to its progeny as well as to food products that comprise the consumable parts of the plant.

The present invention relates to an eggplant, in particular a Solanum melongena plant, comprising a genetic determinant, which when present confers a reduced number of trichomes on vegetative plant parts, and which is as found in plants grown from seed of which representative samples were deposited under NCIMB accession numbers NCIMB 41756 and NCIMB 42013. When the genetic determinant is homozygously present the number of trichomes is strongly reduced.