Hybrid onion variety NUN 17210 ONL

Abstract

The invention relates to the field of Allium in particular to a new variety of hybrid onion designated NUN 17210 ONL as well as plants, seeds and bulbs thereof.

Claims

1. A whole plant, a plant part or a seed of hybrid onion variety NUN 17210 ONL, wherein a representative sample of said seed has been deposited under Accession Number NCIMB 43023.

2. The plant part of claim 1, further defined as a leaf, pollen, a bulb, a scale, an ovule, a fruit, a cutting, umbel, flower or a part of any of these, or a cell.

3. A seed coat comprising maternal tissue of onion variety NUN 17210 ONL, wherein a representative sample of seed of said variety has been deposited under Accession Number NCIMB 43023.

4. A whole Allium plant which does not differ from the plant of claim 1 in any physiological or morphological characteristic when measured at the 5% significance level and when grown under the same environmental conditions, or a part of said whole Allium plant.

5. A tissue or cell culture of regenerable cells of the plant of claim 1.

6. The tissue or cell culture according to claim 5, comprising cells or protoplasts from a plant part selected from the group consisting of meristems, cotyledons, hypocotyl, pollen, leaves, bulbs, scales, anthers, roots, root tips, pistil, petiole, flower, fruit, seed, stem and stalks.

7. An onion plant regenerated from the tissue or cell culture of claim 5, wherein the plant has all of the physiological and morphological characteristics of onion variety NUN 17210 ONL when grown under the same environmental conditions and when determined at the 5% significance level, wherein a representative sample of seed of said variety has been deposited under Accession Number NCIMB 43023.

8. A vegetative propagated plant, or a part thereof, wherein the plant has all of the physiological and morphological characteristics of the plant of claim 1 when grown under the same environmental conditions and when determined at the 5% significance level.

9. A method of producing an onion plant, said method comprising crossing the plant of claim 1 with a second onion plant, and selecting progeny for a desired phenotype and/or genotype from said crossing and optionally allowing the progeny to form seed.

10. A food or feed product, comprising the plant part of claim 2.

11. A container comprising the bulb of claim 2.

12. A method of producing doubled haploids, said method comprising the step of making double haploid cells from haploid cells from the plant of claim 1 or a seed of claim 1.

13. A container comprising the seed of claim 1.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(1) The present invention relates to a Allium cepa variety, referred to as NUN 17210 ONL, which has lower bulb height than reference variety XPO0771600, lower bulb diameter than XPO0771600, lower bulb weight than reference variety XPO0771600, bulb scales (thickness) of type 3: Thin (Crystal Wax) instead of type 2: Medium (Red Creole) of XPO0771600, bulb (amount) of type 1: Few (Crystal Wax) instead of type 2: Medium (Australian Brown) of XPO0771600, lower leaf length than XPO0771600, shorter sheath column than reference variety XPO0771600, a plant type 2: intermediate instead of type 1: Erect (Spartan Gem) of XPO0771600, leaf bloom of type 4: Heavy (California early red) instead of type 3: Medium (Crystal Wax) of XPO0771600 and shorter plant height above soil line to highest point of any foliage than reference variety XPO0771600. Also encompassed by the present invention are progeny of NUN 17210 ONL and methods of producing plants in accordance with the present invention.

(2) An onion plant of NUN 17210 ONL differs from the most similar reference variety XPO0771600 in one or more characteristics (referred herein to as distinguishing characteristics or distinguishing morphological and/or physiological characteristics (or essential physiological and/or morphological characteristics) selected from 1) bulb height; 2) bulb diameter; 3) bulb weight; 4) bulb scales (thickness) of type 3: Thin (Crystal Wax); 5) bulb scales (amount) of type 1: Few (Crystal Wax); 6) Leaf length (before maturity yellowing begins); 7) Sheath column length (height from soil line to base of lowest succulent leaf); 8) Plant type 2: intermediate; 9) Leaf bloom of type 4: Heavy (California early red); and 10) Plant height above soil line to highest point of any foliage.

(3) It is understood that significant differences refer to statistically significant differences, when comparing the characteristic between two plant lines or varieties when grown under the same conditions. Preferably at least about 10, 15, 20 or more plants per line or variety are grown under the same conditions (i.e. side by side) and characteristics are measured on at least about 10, 15, 20 or more randomly selected plant or plant parts to obtain averages. Thus, physiological and morphological characteristics or traits are commonly evaluated at a significance level of 1%, 5% or 10%, when measured in plants grown under the same environmental conditions. Alternatively, physiological and morphological characteristics or traits are commonly evaluated at a significance level of p0.1, or preferably p0.05 or even more preferably p0.01 when measured in plants grown under the same environmental condition. ANOVA is a suitable method for determining the value of p (Clewer, A. G., and D. H. Scarisbrick. 2001).

(4) Thus, in one aspect, the invention provides seeds of the onion variety designated NUN 17210 ONL wherein a representative sample of seeds of said variety was deposited under the Budapest Treaty, with Accession number NCIMB 43023. Seeds of NUN 17210 ONL are obtainable by crossing the male parent with the female parent and harvesting the seeds produced on the female parent. The resultant NUN 17210 ONL seeds can be grown to produce NUN 17210 ONL plants. In one embodiment a plurality of NUN 17210 ONL seeds are packaged into small and/or large containers (e.g., bags, cartons, cans, etc.). The seeds may be disinfected, primed and/or treated with various compounds, such as seed coatings or crop protection compounds.

(5) Also provided are plants of onion variety NUN 17210 ONL, or a bulb or other plant part thereof, produced from seeds, wherein a representative sample of said seeds has been deposited under the Budapest Treaty, with Accession Number NCIMB 1143023. Also included is a cell culture or tissue culture produced from such a plant It is understood that such tissue or cell culture comprising cells or protoplasts from the plant of the invention can be obtained from a plant part selected from the group consisting of embryos, meristems, cotyledons, hypocotyl, pollen, leaves, anthers, roots, root tips, bulbs, scales, pistil, petiole, flower, fruit, seed, stem and stalks. In one embodiment a plant regenerated from such a cell or tissue culture said plant expressing all the morphological and physiological characteristics of NUN 17210 ONL.

(6) In one embodiment the invention provides a onion plant regenerated from the tissue or cell culture of NUN 17210 ONL, wherein the plant has all of the physiological and morphological characteristics of NUN 17210 ONL as listed in Table 1 and/or 2 when determined at the 5% significance level. In another embodiment, the invention provides a onion plant regenerated from the tissue or cell culture of NUN 17210 ONL, wherein the plant has all of the physiological and morphological characteristics of NUN 17210 ONL when determined at the 5% significance level.

(7) Plants of NUN 17210 ONL can be produced by seeding directly in the ground (e.g., field) or by germinating the seeds in controlled environment conditions (e.g., greenhouses) and then transplanting the seedlings into the field. For example, the seed can be sown into prepared seed beds where they will remain for the entire production of the crop. Alternatively, the onion seed may be planted or transplanted in prepared mounds.

(8) In another aspect, the invention provides for a onion plant of variety NUN 17210 ONL, a representative sample of seed from said variety has been deposited under the Budapest Treaty, with Accession number NCIMB 43023.

(9) In other aspects, the invention provides for a bulb or parts thereof of onion variety NUN 17210 ONL, or a plant part, such as pollen, flowers, shoots or cuttings of variety NUN 17210 ONL or parts thereof.

(10) In one embodiment any plant of the invention comprises at least 3, 4, 5 or more, e.g. 6, 7, 8, 9 or all of the following morphological and/or physiological characteristics (i.e. distinguishing characteristics (average values; measured at harvest or market maturity, as indicated on the USDA Objective description of varietyOnion (unless indicated otherwise), when grown under the same environmental conditions): 1) bulb height; 2) bulb diameter; 3) bulb weight; 4) bulb scales (thickness) of type 3: Thin (Crystal Wax); 5) bulb scales (amount) of type 1: Few (Crystal Wax); 6) Leaf length (before maturity yellowing begins); 7) Sheath column length (height from soil line to base of lowest succulent leaf); 8) Plant type 2: intermediate; 9) Leaf bloom of type 4: Heavy (California early red); and 10) Plant height above soil line to highest point of any foliage.

(11) In still another aspect the invention provides a method of producing a onion plant, comprising crossing a plant of onion variety NUN 17210 ONL with a second onion plant one or more times, and selecting progeny from said crossing.

(12) In yet another aspect the invention provides a method of producing a onion plant, comprising selfing a plant of onion variety NUN 17210 ONL one or more times, and selecting progeny from said selfing.

(13) In other aspects, the invention provides for progeny of variety NUN 17210 ONL such as progeny obtained by further breeding NUN 17210 ONL. Further breeding NUN 17210 ONL includes selfing NUN 17210 ONL one or more times and/or cross-pollinating NUN 17210 ONL with another onion plant or variety one or more times. In particular, the invention provides for progeny that retain all the essential morphological and physiological characteristics of NUN 17210 ONL or that retain one or more (e.g. 1) to 5) or 1) to 9) or all) of the distinguishing characteristics of the onion type described further above, or, in another embodiment, progeny that retain all morphological and physiological characteristics of NUN 17210 ONL as listed in Table 1 and/or 2; when grown under the same environmental conditions, when determined at the 5% significance level. In another aspect, the invention provides for vegetative reproductions of the variety and plants having all but 1, 2, or 3 of the physiological and morphological characteristics of NUN 17210 ONL (e.g. as listed in Table 1 and/or 2).

(14) The morphological and/or physiological differences between plants according to the invention, i.e. NUN 17210 ONL or progeny thereof, or plants having all but 1, 2, or 3 of the physiological and morphological characteristics of NUN 17210 ONL (as listed in Table 1 and/or 2); and other known varieties can easily be established by growing NUN 17210 ONL next to the other varieties (in the same field, under the same environmental conditions), preferably in several locations which are suitable for said onion cultivation, and measuring morphological and/or physiological characteristics of a number of plants (e.g., to calculate an average value and to determine the variation range/uniformity within the variety). For example, trials can be carried out in Acampo Calif., USA (N 38 degrees 07261/W 121 degrees 18807, USA, whereby maturity, leaf shape, leaf color, flower size and color, bulb type, bulb color, bulb size, bulb shape, onion sweetness and pungency, disease resistance, insect resistance, can be measured and directly compared for species of Allium cepa.

(15) The morphological and physiological characteristics (and distinguishing characteristics) of NUN 17210 ONL, are provided in Table 1 and/or 2. Encompassed herein are also plants derivable from NUN 17210 ONL (e.g. by selfings and/or crossing and/or backcrossing with NUN 17210 ONL and/or progeny thereof) comprising all the physiological and morphological characteristics of NUN 17210 ONL listed in Table 1 and/or 2 as determined at the 5% significance level when grown under the same environmental conditions and/or comprising one or more (or all; or all except one, two or three) of the distinguishing characteristics as determined at the 5% significance level when grown under the same environmental conditions.

(16) Also at-harvest and/or post-harvest characteristics of bulbs can be compared, such as storage holding quality or scale retention, can be measured using known methods.

(17) The morphological and/or physiological characteristics may vary somewhat with variation in the environment (such as temperature, light intensity, day length, humidity, soil, fertilizer use), which is why a comparison under the same environmental conditions is preferred. Colors can best be measured against The Munsell Book of Color (Munsell Color Macbeth Division of Kollmorgan Instruments Corporation) or using the Royal Horticultural Society Chart (World wide web at rhs.org.uk/Plants/RHS-Publications/RHS-colour-charts).

(18) In a preferred embodiment, the invention provides for onion bulbs of variety NUN 17210 ONL, or a part of the bulb. In another embodiment, the invention provides for a container comprising or consisting of a plurality of harvested onion bulbs of NUN 17210 ONL, or progeny thereof. In yet a further embodiment, the invention provides for a method of producing a new onion plant. The method comprises crossing a plant of the invention NUN 17210 ONL, or a plant comprising all but 1, 2, or 3 of the morphological and physiological characteristics of NUN 17210 ONL (as listed in Table 1 and/or 2), or a progeny plant thereof, either as male or as female parent, with a second onion plant (or a wild relative of onion) one or more times, and/or selfing a onion plant according to the invention i.e. NUN 17210 ONL, or a progeny plant thereof, one or more times, and selecting progeny from said crossing and/or selfing. The second onion plant may for example be a line or variety of the species Allium cepa, or other Allium species.

(19) Progeny are a later generation (of seeds) produced from the first cross of the F1 hybrid with another plant (F2) or with itself (S2), or any further generation produced by crossing and/or selfing (F3, F4, etc.) and/or backcrossing (BC2, BC3, etc.) one or more selected plants of the F2 and/or S2 and/or BC2 generation (or plants of any further generation, e.g. the F3) with another onion plant (and/or with a wild relative of onion). Progeny may have all the physiological and morphological characteristics of onion variety NUN 17210 ONL when grown under the same environmental conditions and/or progeny may have (be selected for having) one or more of the distinguishing characteristics of onion of the invention. Using common breeding methods such as backcrossing or recurrent selection, one or more specific characteristics may be introduced into NUN 17210 ONL, to provide or a plant comprising all but 1, 2, or 3 or more of the morphological and physiological characteristics of NUN 17210 ONL (as listed in Table 1 and/or 2).

(20) The invention provides for methods of producing plants which retain all the morphological and physiological characteristics of NUN 17210 ONL. The invention provides also for methods of producing a plant comprising all but 1, 2, or 3 or more of the morphological and physiological characteristics of NUN 17210 ONL (e.g. as listed in Table 1 and/or 2), but which are still genetically closely related to NUN 17210 ONL. The relatedness can, for example be determined by fingerprinting techniques (e.g., making use of isozyme markers and/or molecular markers such as SNP markers, AFLP markers, microsatellites, minisatellites, RAPD markers, RFLP markers and others). A plant is closely related to NUN 17210 ONL if its DNA fingerprint is at least 80%, 90%, 95% or 98% identical to the fingerprint of NUN 17210 ONL. In a preferred embodiment AFLP markers are used for DNA fingerprinting (Vos et al. 1995, Nucleic Acid Research 23: 4407-4414). A closely related plant may have a Jaccard's Similarity index of at least about 0.8, preferably at least about 0.9, 0.95, 0.98 or more (SANTOS, C A F et al. Hortic. Bras. [online]. 2011, vol. 29, n. 1, pp. 32-37.). The invention also provides plants and varieties obtained by these methods. Plants may be produced by crossing and/or selfing, or alternatively, a plant may simply be identified and selected amongst NUN 17210 ONL plants, or progeny thereof, e.g. by identifying a variant within NUN 17210 ONL or progeny thereof (e.g. produced by selfing) which variant differs from NUN 17210 ONL in one, two or three of the morphological and/or physiological characteristics (e.g. in one, two or three distinguishing characteristics), e.g. those listed in Table 1 and/or 2 or others. In one embodiment the invention provides a onion plant having a Jaccard's Similarity index with NUN 17210 ONL of at least 0.8, e.g. at least 0.85, 0.9, 0.95, 0.98 or even at least 0.99.

(21) By crossing and/or selfing also (one or more) single traits may be introduced into the variety of the invention i.e. NUN 17210 ONL (e.g., using backcrossing breeding schemes), while retaining the remaining morphological and physiological characteristics of NUN 17210 ONL and/or while retaining one or more distinguishing characteristics. A single trait converted plant may thereby be produced. For example, disease resistance genes may be introduced, genes responsible for one or more quality traits, yield, etc. Both single genes (dominant or recessive) and one or more QTLs (quantitative trait loci) may be transferred into NUN 17210 ONL by breeding with NUN 17210 ONL.

(22) Any pest or disease resistance genes may be introduced into a plant according to the invention, i.e. NUN 17210 ONL, progeny thereof or into a plant comprising all but 1, 2, or 3 or more of the morphological and physiological characteristics of NUN 17210 ONL (e.g. as listed in Table 1 and/or 2). Resistance to one or more of the following diseases is preferably introduced into plants of the invention: Black Mold, Neck Mold, Purple Blotch, Smut, Mildew, Pink root, Smudge, Yellow dwarf and Thrips. Other resistance genes, against pathogenic viruses, fungi, bacteria, nematodes, insects or other pests may also be introduced.

(23) Thus, invention also provides a method for developing a onion plant in a onion breeding program, using a onion plant of the invention, or its parts as a source of plant breeding material. Suitable plant breeding techniques are recurrent selection, backcrossing, pedigree breeding, mass selection, mutation breeding and/or genetic marker enhanced selection. For example, in one aspect, the method comprises crossing NUN 17210 ONL or progeny thereof, or a plant comprising all but 1, 2, or 3 or more of the morphological and physiological characteristics of NUN 17210 ONL (e.g. as listed in Table 1 and/or 2), with a different onion plant, and wherein one or more offspring of the crossing are subject to one or more plant breeding techniques selected from the group consisting of recurrent selection, backcrossing, pedigree breeding, mass selection, mutation breeding and genetic marker enhanced selection (see e.g. McCallum et al., Theor Appl Genet (2006) 112: 958-967). For breeding methods in general see Principles of Plant Genetics and Breeding, 2007, George Acquaah, Blackwell Publishing, ISBN-13: 978-1-4051-3646-4.

(24) The invention thus also provides a method of introducing a single locus conversion, or single trait conversion or introducing a desired trait, into a onion plant according to the invention and/or into NUN 17210 ONL comprising: (a) crossing a onion plant of variety NUN 17210 ONL, a representative sample of seed of said variety having been deposited under Accession Number NCIMB NCIMB 43023, with a second onion plant comprising a desired single locus to produce F1 progeny plants; (b) selecting F1 progeny plants that have the single locus; (c) crossing the selected progeny plants with a plant of NUN 17210 ONL, to produce backcross progeny plants; (d) selecting backcross progeny plants that have the single locus and one or more (or all) distinguishing characteristics of onion according to the invention and/or all the physiological and morphological characteristics of NUN 17210 ONL to produce selected backcross progeny plants; and (e) optionally repeating steps (c) and (d) one or more times in succession to produce selected second, third or fourth or higher backcross progeny plants that comprise the single locus and otherwise one or more (or all) the distinguishing characteristics of the onions according to the invention and/or comprise all of the physiological and morphological characteristics of NUN 17210 ONL, when grown in the same environmental conditions. The invention further relates to plants obtained by this method.

(25) The above method is provided, wherein the single locus confers a trait, wherein the trait is pest resistance or disease resistance.

(26) In one embodiment the trait is disease resistance and the resistance is conferred to Black Mold, Neck Mold, Purple Blotch, Smut, Mildew, Pink root, Smudge, Yellow dwarf and Thrips.

(27) The invention also provides a onion plant comprising at least a first set of the chromosomes of onion variety NUN 17210 ONL, a sample of seed of said variety having been deposited under Accession Number NCIMB 43023; optionally further comprising a single locus conversion, wherein said plant has essentially all of the morphological and physiological characteristics of the plant comprising at least a first set of the chromosomes of onion NUN 17210 ONL. In another embodiment, this single locus conversion confers a trait selected from the group consisting of male sterility, herbicide tolerance, pathogen resistance (e.g., insect resistance, nematode resistance, resistance to bacterial, fungal, and viral disease), environmental stress tolerance, modified carbohydrate metabolism, modified protein metabolism improved harvest characteristics, enhanced nutritional quality, increased antioxidant content, improved processing characteristics, high yield, improved characteristics related to the bulb flavor, texture, size, shape, durability, shelf life, and yield, increased soluble solids content, uniform ripening, delayed or early ripening, adaptability for soil conditions, and adaptability for climate conditions.

(28) In one embodiment, NUN 17210 ONL may also be mutated (by e.g. irradiation, chemical mutagenesis, heat treatment, etc.) and mutated seeds or plants may be selected in order to change one or more characteristics of NUN 17210 ONL. Methods such as TILLING may be applied to onion populations in order to identify mutants. Similarly, NUN 17210 ONL may be transformed and regenerated, whereby one or more chimeric genes are introduced into the variety or into a plant comprising all but 1, 2, 3, or more of the morphological and physiological characteristics (e.g. as listed in Table 1 and/or 2). Transformation can be carried out using standard methods, such as Agrobacterium tumefaciens mediated transformation or biolistics, followed by selection of the transformed cells and regeneration into plants. A desired trait (e.g. genes conferring pest or disease resistance, herbicide, fungicide or insecticide tolerance, etc.) can be introduced into NUN 17210 ONL, or progeny thereof, by transforming NUN 17210 ONL or progeny thereof with a transgene that confers the desired trait, wherein the transformed plant retains all the phenotypic and/or morphological and/or physiological characteristics of NUN 17210 ONL or the progeny thereof and contains the desired trait.

(29) The invention also provides for progeny of onion hybrid (F1) variety NUN 17210 ONL obtained by further breeding with NUN 17210 ONL. In one aspect progeny are F2 progeny obtained by crossing NUN 17210 ONL with another plant or S2 progeny obtained by selfing NUN 17210 ONL. Also encompassed are F3 progeny obtained by selfing the F2 plants. Further breeding encompasses traditional breeding (e.g., selfing, crossing, backcrossing), marker assisted breeding, and/or mutation breeding. In one embodiment, the progeny have one or more (or all) of the distinguishing characteristics mentioned further above when grown under the same environmental conditions. In a further embodiment the progeny have all the physiological and morphological characteristics of variety NUN 17210 ONL when grown under the same environmental conditions. In another embodiment the progeny have one, two, or three distinct traits (qualitative or quantitative) introduced into NUN 17210 ONL, while retaining all the other physiological and morphological characteristics of variety NUN 17210 ONL when grown under the same environmental conditions.

(30) The invention also provides a plant having one, two or three physiological and/or morphological characteristics which are different from those of NUN 17210 ONL and which otherwise has all the physiological and morphological characteristics of NUN 17210 ONL, wherein a representative sample of seed of variety NUN 17210 ONL has been deposited under Accession Number NCIMB 43023. In particular plants which differ from NUN 17210 ONL in none, one, two or three of the characteristics mentioned in Table 1 and/or 2 are encompassed.

(31) In one aspect, the plant having one, two or three physiological and/or morphological characteristics which are different from those of NUN 17210 ONL and which otherwise has all the physiological and morphological characteristics of NUN 17210 ONL differs from NUN 17210 ONL in one, two or three of the distinguishing morphological and/or physiological characteristics selected from 1) bulb height; 2) bulb diameter; 3) bulb weight; 4) bulb scales (thickness) of type 3: Thin (Crystal Wax); 5) bulb scales (amount) of type 1: Few (Crystal Wax); 6) Leaf length (before maturity yellowing begins); 7) Sheath column length (height from soil line to base of lowest succulent leaf); 8) Plant type 2: intermediate; 9) Leaf bloom of type 4: Heavy (California early red); and 10) Plant height above soil line to highest point of any foliage.

(32) In another embodiment the plant having one, two or three physiological and/or morphological characteristics which are different from those of NUN 17210 ONL and which otherwise has all the physiological and morphological characteristics of NUN 17210 ONL differs from NUN 17210 ONL in one, two or three morphological or physiological characteristic other than the distinguishing morphological and/or physiological characteristics (or essential physiological and/or morphological characteristics) of NUN 17210 ONL selected from: 1) bulb height; 2) bulb diameter; 3) bulb weight; 4) bulb scales (thickness) of type 3: Thin (Crystal Wax); 5) bulb scales (amount) of type 1: Few (Crystal Wax); 6) Leaf length (before maturity yellowing begins); 7) Sheath column length (height from soil line to base of lowest succulent leaf); 8) Plant type 2: intermediate; 9) Leaf bloom of type 4: Heavy (California early red); and 10) Plant height above soil line to highest point of any foliage.

(33) Onions according to the invention, such as the variety NUN 17210 ONL, or its progeny, or a plant having all physiological and/or morphological characteristics but one, two or three which are different from those of NUN 17210 ONL, can also be reproduced using vegetative reproduction methods. Therefore, the invention provides for a method of producing plants, or a part thereof, of variety NUN 17210 ONL, comprising vegetative propagation of variety NUN 17210 ONL. Vegetative propagation comprises regenerating a whole plant from a plant part of variety NUN 17210 ONL (or from its progeny or from or a plant having all physiological and/or morphological characteristics but one, two or three, which are different from those of NUN 17210 ONL), such as a cutting, a cell culture or a tissue culture.

(34) The invention also concerns methods of vegetatively propagating a plant of the invention. In certain embodiments, the method comprises the steps of: (a) collecting tissue or cells capable of being propagated from a plant of the invention; (b) cultivating said tissue or cells to obtain proliferated shoots; and (c) rooting said proliferated shoots, to obtain rooted plantlets. Steps (b) and (c) may also be reversed, i.e. first cultivating said tissue to obtain roots and then cultivating the tissue to obtain shoots, thereby obtaining rooted plantlets. The rooted plantlets may then be further grown, to obtain plants. In one embodiment, the method further comprises step (d) growing plants from said rooted plantlets

(35) The invention also provides for a vegetatively propagated plant of variety NUN 17210 ONL (or from its progeny or from or a plant having all but one, two or three physiological and/or morphological characteristics which are different from those of NUN 17210 ONL, or a part thereof, having one or more distinguishing characteristics and/or all the morphological and physiological characteristics of NUN 17210 ONL (except for the characteristics differing), when grown under the same environmental conditions.

(36) Parts of NUN 17210 ONL (or of its progeny or of a plant having all physiological and/or morphological characteristics but one, two or three which are different from those of NUN 17210 ONL) encompass any cells, tissues, organs obtainable from the seedlings or plants, such as but not limited to: onion bulbs or parts thereof, cuttings, hypocotyl, cotyledon, pollen, scales and the like. Such parts can be stored and/or processed further. Encompassed are therefore also food or feed products comprising one or more of such identifiable parts, such as canned, chopped, cooked, roasted, preserved, frozen, fried, dried, pickled, or pureed onion bulbs from NUN 17210 ONL or from progeny thereof, such as a plant having all but one, two or three physiological and/or morphological characteristics which are different from those of NUN 17210 ONL.

(37) In one aspect haploid plants and/or double haploid plants of NUN 17210 ONL, or a plant having all but one, two or three physiological and/or morphological characteristics which are different from those of NUN 17210 ONL, or progeny of any of these, are encompassed herein. Haploid and double haploid (DH) plants can, for example, be produced by cell or tissue culture and chromosome doubling agents and regeneration into a whole plant. For DH production chromosome doubling may be induced using known methods, such as colchicine treatment or the like.

(38) Also provided are plant parts derived from variety NUN 17210 ONL (or from its progeny or from a plant having all but one, two or three physiological and/or morphological characteristics which are different from those of NUN 17210 ONL D), or from a vegetatively propagated plant of NUN 17210 ONL (or from its progeny or from a plant having all but one, two or three physiological and/or morphological characteristics which are different from those of NUN 17210 ONL), being selected from the group consisting of: harvested bulbs or parts thereof, pollen, cells, leaves or parts thereof, petioles, cotyledons, hypocotyls, shoots or parts thereof, stems or parts thereof, or vines or parts thereof, roots or parts thereof, cuttings, or flowers.

(39) In one embodiment, the invention provides for extracts of a plant described herein and compositions comprising or consisting of such extracts. In a preferred embodiment, the extract consists of or comprises tissue of a plant described herein or is obtained from such tissue.

(40) In still yet another aspect, the invention provides a method of determining the genotype of a plant of the invention comprising detecting in the genome (e.g., a sample of nucleic acids) of the plant at least a first polymorphism. The method may, in certain embodiments, comprise detecting a plurality of polymorphisms in the genome of the plant, for example by obtaining a sample of nucleic acid from a plant and detecting in said nucleic acids a plurality of polymorphisms. The method may further comprise storing the results of the step of detecting the plurality of polymorphisms on a computer readable medium.

(41) The invention also provides for a food or feed product comprising or consisting of a plant part described herein wherein the plant part can be identified as a part of the plant of the invention. Preferably, the plant part is a onion bulb or part thereof and/or an extract from a bulb or another plant part described herein. The food or feed product may be fresh or processed, e.g., dried, grinded, powdered, pickled, chopped, cooked, juiced, preserved, pickled, fried, canned, steamed, boiled, blanched and/or frozen, etc.

(42) In a preferred embodiment, the present invention and/or embodiments thereof relate to food and o/or a food product (or a feed) comprising a part of the onion plant of the invention NUN 17210 ONL (e.g. a bulb or a part thereof or a seed) wherein the genotype of the plant of the invention is present so that the plant or plant part of the invention can still be identified. A plant part can for example be identified by isolating DNA of the plant part and comparing the DNA sequence with that of a plant of NUN 17210 ONL (e.g. by alignment, if at least 99% of the DNA is identical (e.g. 99.5, 99.8 or even 99.9%) then the skilled person will recognize the plant part as a part of NUN 17210 ONL). The skilled person will know how to apply DNA sequence alignment techniques that are known in the art. Alternatively, he may use a set of SNP markers that are unique for NUN 17210 ONL to identify plant parts as part NUN 17210 ONL.

(43) Containers such as cans, boxes, crates, bags, cartons, Modified Atmosphere Packagings, films (e.g. biodegradable films), etc. comprising plant parts of plants of NUN 17210 ONL (fresh and/or processed) described herein are also provided herein.

(44) Marketable onion bulbs are generally sorted by size and quality after harvest. Alternatively the onion bulbs can be sorted by pungency or sugar content.

(45) Using methods known in the art like reverse breeding, it is possible to produce parental lines for a hybrid plant such as NUN 17210 ONL; where normally the hybrid is produced from the parental lines. Such methods are based on the segregation of individual alleles in the spores produced by a desired plant and/or in the progeny derived from the self-pollination of that desired plant, and on the subsequent identification of suitable progeny plants in one generation, or in a limited number of inbred cycles. Such a method is known from WO2014076249 or from Nature Protocols Volume: 9, Pages: 761-772 (2014) DOI: doi:10.1038/nprot.2014.049, which are enclosed by reference. Such method for producing parental lines for a hybrid organism, comprises the steps of: a) defining a set of genetic markers that are present in a heterozygous form (H) in a partially heterozygous starting organism; b) producing doubled haploid lines from spores of the starting organism: c) genetically characterizing the doubled haploid lines thus obtained for the said set of genetic markers to determine whether they are present in a first homozygous form (A) or in a second homozygous form (B); d) selecting at least one pair of doubled haploid lines that have complementary alleles for at least a subset of the genetic markers, wherein each member of the pair is suitable as a parental line for a hybrid organism.

(46) Thus in one aspect, the invention relates to a method of producing a combination of parental lines of a plant of the invention (NUN 17210 ONL) comprising the step of making double haploid cells from haploid cells from the plant of the invention (NUN 17210 ONL) or a seed of that plant; and optionally crossing these parental lines to produce and collect seeds. In another aspect, the invention relates to a combination of parental lines produced by this method. In still another aspect said combination of parental lines can be used to produce a seed or plant of NUN 17210 ONL when these parental lines are crossed. In still another aspect, the invention relates to a combination of parental lines from which a seed or plant having all but one, two or three physiological and/or morphological characteristics of NUN 17210 ONL can be produced; or in another aspect, wherein a seed or plant having the distinguishing characteristics 1)-5) or 1)-9) of NUN 17210 ONL, as herein defined, can be produced when grown under the same environmental conditions. In still another aspect, the invention relates to a combination of parental lines from which a seed or plant having all the characteristics of NUN 17210 ONL as defined in Table 1 and/or 2 can be produced when grown under the same conditions.

REFERENCES

(47) The following references, to the extent that they provide exemplary procedural or other details supplementary to those set forth herein, are specifically incorporated herein by reference: Choi et al., Plant Cell Rep., 13: 344-348, 1994. Dunstan and Short (1977) Physiol, Plant, 41: 70-72 SANTOS, C A F et al. Genetic similarity among onion cultivars of different types and origins, based on AFLP markers. Hortic. Bras. [online] 2011, vol. 29, n. 1, pp. 32-37. ISSN 0102-0536. dx.doi.org/10.1590/S0102-05362011000100006. Pike and Yoo, Scientia Horticulturae, 45 (1990) 31-36 Ellul et al., Theor. Appl. Genet., 107:462-469, 2003.

DEPOSIT INFORMATION

(48) A total of 2500 seeds of the hybrid variety NUN 17210 ONL were deposited according to the Budapest Treaty by Nunhems B.V. on Apr. 12, 2018, at the NCIMB Ltd., Ferguson Building, Craibstone Estate, Bucksburn, Aberdeen AB21 9YA, United Kingdom (NCIMB). The deposit has been assigned Accession Number NCIMB 43023.

(49) A deposit of NUN 17210 ONL and of the male and female parent line is also maintained at Nunhems B.V. Access to the deposit will be available during the pendency of this application to persons determined by the Director of the U.S. Patent Office to be entitled thereto upon request. Subject to 37 C.F.R. 1.808(b), all restrictions imposed by the depositor on the availability to the public of the deposited material will be irrevocably removed upon the granting of the patent. The deposit will be maintained for a period of 30 years, or 5 years after the most recent request, or for the enforceable life of the patent whichever is longer, and will be replaced if it ever becomes nonviable during that period. Applicant does not waive any rights granted under this patent on this application or under the Plant Variety Protection Act (7 USC 2321 et seq.).

(50) All references cited herein are hereby expressly incorporated herein by reference.

(51) Characteristics of NUN 17210 ONL

(52) XPO0771600 is considered to be the most similar variety to NUN 17210 ONL. XPO0771600 is a commercial variety from Nunhems. In Table 1 and 2 a comparison between NUN 17210 ONL and XPO0771600 is shown based on a trial in the USA. Trial location: Parma, Id., USA (43748539-116986286). Planting date: Mar. 18, 2015, harvest date Aug. 20, 2015.

(53) Two replications of 15 plants each, from which 20 plants or plant parts were randomly selected, were used to measure characteristics. In Table 1 the USDA descriptors of NUN 17210 ONL (this application) and reference XPO0771600 (commercial variety) are listed. In Table 2, additional descriptors of NUN 17210 ONL and reference XPO0771600 are summarized.

(54) TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Comparison of USDA descriptors between NUN 17210 ONL and XPO0771600 Application Comparison Variety Variety Descriptor NUN 17210 ONL XPO0771600 1. TYPE: 1 = Bulb 2 = Bunching 1 1 1 = short day; 2 = long day 2 2 Adaptation range (degree mean latitude) 44-48 40-48 Maturity (days): 1 = early (75-90); 2 = medium 2 (105) 2 (112) (100-120); 3 = late (>130) 2. PLANT: Height above soil line to highest point of any foliage 57.4 cm 88 cm Shorter than comparison variety 30 cm Plant 1 = erect (Spartam Gem); 2 = intermediate; 2 1 3 = floppy (Epoch) 3. LEAF: Length (before maturity yellowing begins) cm 62.1 66.5 Width mm 30.6 27.7 Thickness (at mid-length of longest leaf) mm 2.0 2.7 Color: 1 = light green (Early Grano); 2 = medium 2 2 green (Yellow Bermuda); 3 = blue green (Australian Brown U.C. No. 1) Color Chart Code (RHS Color Chart) Green N 137D Green N 137D Bloom: 1 = none-glossy; 2 = light (Early Grano); 4 3 3 = medium (Crystal Wax); 4 = heavy (California Early Red) 4. SHEATH: Column length mm (height from soil line to base of 20.9 41.4 lowest succulent leaf) Diameter mm (at mid-length) 20.4 23 Scape: cm (From soil line to base of inflorescence) NA NA Scape: mm (diameter at mid-length) NA NA 5. INFLORESCENCE: Pollen Viability (1 = sterile; 2 = fertile) 1 n.r. 6. BULB: Average number bulbs per meter n.r. n.r. Size (harvested): 1 = small (Red Creol); 2 = medium 2 3 (Australian Brown U.C. No. 1); 3 = large (Early Grano) Shape: 1 = Globe (White Sweet Spanish); 2 = Deep 1 (blocky 1 Globe (Abundance); 3 = Flt. Globe (Australian Brn. globe) U.C. No. 1); 4 = Top Shape (Texas Grano 502); 5 = Deep Flat (Granex); 6 = Thick Flat (Ebenezer); 7 = Flat (Crystal Wax); 8 = Torpedo-Long Oval (Italian Red) Height: cm 7.1 9.1 Diameter: cm 7.6 9.4 Shape Index 0.934 0.968 1 = invaginate; 2 = evaginate n.r. n.r. Color (skin): 01 = Brown (Australian Brn. U.C. No. 01 (RHS 01 (RHS RHS 1); 02 = Purplish Red (Italian Red); 03 = Buff Red Greyed Orange Greyed Orange (Red Creole); 04 = Pinkish Yellow (Ebenezer); 05 = 167C) 164A) Brownish Yellow (Mt. Danvers); 06 = Deep Yellow (Brigham Yellow Globe); 07 = Medium Yellow (Early Yellow Globe); 08 = Pale Yellow (Yellow Bermuda); 09 = White (White Sweet Spanish); 10 = Other (Specify) .sub. Color (interior): 1 = Pink; 2 = Red; 3 = Purplish Red; 6 (RHS 6 (RHS 4 = White; 5 = Cream; 6 = Light Green-Yellow; 7 = yellow-white yellow-white Dark Green-Yellow 158A) 158A) Scales: 1 = Few (Crystal Wax); 2 = Medium 1 2 (Australian Brown U.C. No. 1); 3 = Many (Sweet Spanish) Scales: 1 = Thick (Australian Brown U.C. No. 1); 3 2 2 = Medium (Red Creole); 3 = Thin (Crystal Wax) Scale retention: 1 = Very Good (Australian Brn. U.S. 3 2 No. 1); 2 = Good (Ebenezer); 3 = Fair (Red Wethersfield); 4 = Poor (Crystal Wax) Pugence: 1 = Mild (Early Grano); 2 = Medium 1 3 (Crystal Wax); 3 = Strong (White Creole) Storage: 1 = Good (Ebenezer); 2 = Fair (Yellow 2 1 Globe Danvers); 3 = Poor (Crystal Wax) 7. DISEASE RESISTANCE 0 = not tested; 1 = susceptible 2 = resistant 8. INSECT RESISTANT 0 = not tested; 1 = susceptible 2 = resistant

(55) TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 Comparison of non-USDA descriptors between NUN 17210 ONL and XPO0771600 Application Comparison Variety Variety Descriptor NUN 17210 ONL XPO0771600 Bulb weight (gram) 205.1 408.3
Table 1 and 2 contain typical values. Values may vary due to environment. Other values that are substantially equivalent are also within the scope of the invention. N.A.=not applicable; n.r.=not recorded.