Non-transgenic tomato varieties having increased shelf life post-harvest due to alterations in β-galactosidase 4

摘要

The present invention provides a series of independent human-induced, non-transgenic mutations found in at least one tomato β-galactosidase 4 gene, tomato plants having these mutations in at least one of their tomato β-galactosidase 4 genes, and a method of creating and identifying similar and/or additional mutations in the tomato β-galactosidase 4 gene by screening pooled and/or individual tomato plants. Tomato plants identified and produced in accordance with the present invention have fruit that are firmer when ripe with reduced post-harvest softening compared to fruit from wild type tomato plants as a result of non-transgenic mutations in at least one of their tomato β-galactosidase 4 genes.

主权项

1. A method of identifying a tomato plant that produces fruit that is firmer when ripe than fruit from wild type tomato plants, said method comprising the steps of:
(a) obtaining plant material from a parent tomato plant; (b) treating said plant material with a mutagen to create mutagenized plant material; (c) culturing said mutagenized plant material to produce progeny tomato plants; and (d) analyzing said mutagenized plant material or said progeny tomato plants to identify a tomato plant having a human-induced, non-transgenic mutation in a tomato β-galactosidase 4 gene having a coding sequence with at least 85% identity to the coding sequence of SEQ ID NO:1, wherein said mutation is selected from the group consisting of C1271T, A2156C and G1981A, wherein the nucleotide change of said mutation is identified through the comparison to SEQ ID NO:1, and wherein said mutation, when expressed in the homozygous state in a tomato plant, causes said tomato plant to produce fruit that is firmer than fruit from wild type tomato plants not having said mutation when ripened at standard storage conditions.