Carrots having increased lycopene content

Abstract

The present invention relates to carrot lines having roots containing increased levels of lycopene, as well as containers of such carrots. The present invention also relates to parts of carrot plants from lines having roots with increased lycopene content, including seeds capable of growing carrot plants with increased root lycopene content. The invention also provides seed and plants of the carrot lines designated RN 71-4904C, RF 71-4911A, RF 71-4912A, RIF 71-4966C, RIF 71-4967B, or RIF 71-4968B. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of carrot line RN 71-4904C, RF 71-4911A, RF 71-4912A, RIF 71-4966C, RIF 71-4967B, or RIF 71-4968B, and to methods for producing a carrot plant produced by crossing a plant of carrot line RN 71-4904C, RF 71-4911A, RF 71-4912A, RIF 71-4966C, RIF 71-4967B, or RIF 71-4968B with itself or with another carrot plant, such as a plant of another line. The invention further relates to seeds and plants produced by such crossing. The invention further relates to parts of a plant of carrot line RN 71-4904C, RF 71-4911A, RF 71-4912A, RIF 71-4966C, RIF 71-4967B, or RIF 71-4968B, including the fruit and gametes of such plants.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A method of producing carrot seed, comprising crossing a first carrot plant with itself or a second carrot plant, wherein the first carrot plant is a plant the roots of which comprise an average lycopene content from about 110 ppm to about 250 ppm and an average brix content from about 11° brix to about 20° brix, wherein the lycopene content of the plant is at least about 110% of the average lycopene content of roots of the carrot variety Nutri-red when the plant and Nutri-red are grown under the same conditions, and wherein said carrot plant comprises the genetic source for expressing the lycopene content in a carrot variety selected from the group consisting of red carrot hybrid 0710 0325, a sample of the seed of which has been deposited under ATCC Accession No. PTA-8643; red carrot hybrid 0710 0339, a sample of the seed of which has been deposited under ATCC Accession No. PTA-8644; red carrot hybrid 0710 0346, a sample of the seed of which has been deposited under ATCC Accession No. PTA-8645; red carrot hybrid 710313, a sample of the seed of which has been deposited under ATCC Accession No. PTA-7904; red carrot hybrid 710305, a sample of the seed of which has been deposited under ATCC Accession No. PTA-7908; red carrot hybrid 710316, a sample of the seed of which has been deposited under ATCC Accession No. PTA-7905; red carrot hybrid 710319, a sample of the seed of which has been deposited under ATCC Accession No. PTA-7906; red carrot hybrid 710311, a sample of the seed of which has been deposited under ATCC Accession No. PTA-7907; red carrot hybrid 710304, a sample of the seed of which has been deposited under ATCC Accession No. PTA-8121; red carrot hybrid 710310, a sample of the seed of which has been deposited under ATCC Accession No. PTA-8122; and red carrot hybrid 710303, a sample of the seed of which has been deposited under ATCC Accession No. PTA-8123; line RN 71-4963C, a sample of the seed of which has been ATCC Accession No. PTA-8647; line RN 71-4904C, a sample of the seed of which has been deposited under ATCC Accession No. PTA-8648; line RF 71-4911A, a sample of the seed of which has been deposited under ATCC Accession No. PTA-8642; line RF 71-4912A, a sample of the seed of which has been deposited under ATCC Accession No. PTA-8646; line RIF 71-4966C, a sample of the seed of which has been deposited under ATCC Accession No. PTA-8651; line RIF 71-4967B, a sample of the seed of which has been deposited under ATCC Accession No. PTA-8650; and line RIF 71-4968B, a sample of the seed of which has been deposited under ATCC Accession No. PTA-8649. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein said first carrot plant is the female parent. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein said first carrot plant, is the male parent. 
     
     
         24 - 25 . (canceled) 
     
     
         26 . A method for producing a seed of a plant derived from a first carrot plant comprising the steps of:
 (a) crossing the first carrot plant, with a second carrot plant; and   (b) allowing seed to form of a plant derived from said first carrot plant,   wherein the first carrot plant is a plant the roots of which comprise an average lycopene content from about 110 ppm to about 250 ppm and an average brix content from about 11° brix to about 20° brix, wherein the lycopene content of the plant is at least about 110% of the average lycopene content of roots of the carrot variety Nutri-red when the plant and Nutri-red are grown under the same conditions, and wherein said carrot plant comprises the genetic source for expressing the lycopene content in a carrot variety selected from the group consisting of red carrot hybrid 0710 0325, a sample of the seed of which has been deposited under ATCC Accession No. PTA-8643; red carrot hybrid 0710 0339, a sample of the seed of which has been deposited under ATCC Accession No. PTA-8644; red carrot hybrid 0710 0346, a sample of the seed of which has been deposited under ATCC Accession No. PTA-8645; red carrot hybrid 710313, a sample of the seed of which has been deposited under ATCC Accession No. PTA-7904; red carrot hybrid 710305, a sample of the seed of which has been deposited under ATCC Accession No. PTA-7908; red carrot hybrid 710316, a sample of the seed of which has been deposited under ATCC Accession No. PTA-7905; red carrot hybrid 710319, a sample of the seed of which has been deposited under ATCC Accession No. PTA-7906; red carrot hybrid 710311, a sample of the seed of which has been deposited under ATCC Accession No. PTA-7907; red carrot hybrid 710304, a sample of the seed of which has been deposited under ATCC Accession No. PTA-8121; red carrot hybrid 710310, a sample of the seed of which has been deposited under ATCC Accession No. PTA-8122; and red carrot hybrid 710303, a sample of the seed of which has been deposited under ATCC Accession No. PTA-8123; line RN 71-4963C, a sample of the seed of which has been ATCC Accession No. PTA-8647; line RN 71-4904C, a sample of the seed of which has been deposited under ATCC Accession No. PTA-8648; line RF 71-4911A, a sample of the seed of which has been deposited under ATCC Accession No. PTA-8642; line RF 71-4912A, a sample of the seed of which has been deposited under ATCC Accession No. PTA-8646; line RIF 71-4966C, a sample of the seed of which has been deposited under ATCC Accession No. PTA-8651; line RIF 71-4967B, a sample of the seed of which has been deposited under ATCC Accession No. PTA-8650; and line RIF 71-4968B, a sample of the seed of which has been deposited under ATCC Accession No. PTA-8649.   
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , further comprising the steps of:
 (c) crossing a plant grown from said seed with itself or a second carrot plant to yield seed;   (d) growing said seed to yield a progeny plant of a subsequent generation; and   (e) repeating the crossing and growing steps of (c) and (d) to generate further derived carrot seeds.   
     
     
         28 . A method of vegetatively propagating a carrot plant comprising the steps of:
 (a) collecting tissue capable of being propagated from a carrot plant;   (b) cultivating said tissue to obtain proliferated shoots; and   (c) rooting said proliferated shoots to obtain rooted plantlets,   wherein the carrot plant is a plant the roots of which comprise an average lycopene content from about 110 ppm to about 250 ppm and an average brix content from about 11° brix to about 20° brix, wherein the lycopene content of the plant is at least about 110% of the average lycopene content of roots of the carrot variety Nutri-red when the plant and Nutri-red are grown under the same conditions, and wherein said carrot plant comprises the genetic source for expressing the lycopene content in a carrot variety selected from the group consisting of red carrot hybrid 0710 0325, a sample of the seed of which has been deposited under ATCC Accession No. PTA-8643; red carrot hybrid 0710 0339, a sample of the seed of which has been deposited under ATCC Accession No. PTA-8644; red carrot hybrid 0710 0346, a sample of the seed of which has been deposited under ATCC Accession No. PTA-8645; red carrot hybrid 710313, a sample of the seed of which has been deposited under ATCC Accession No. PTA-7904; red carrot hybrid 710305, a sample of the seed of which has been deposited under ATCC Accession No. PTA-7908; red carrot hybrid 710316, a sample of the seed of which has been deposited under ATCC Accession No. PTA-7905; red carrot hybrid 710319, a sample of the seed of which has been deposited under ATCC Accession No. PTA-7906; red carrot hybrid 710311, a sample of the seed of which has been deposited under ATCC Accession No. PTA-7907; red carrot hybrid 710304, a sample of the seed of which has been deposited under ATCC Accession No. PTA-8121; red carrot hybrid 710310, a sample of the seed of which has been deposited under ATCC Accession No. PTA-8122; and red carrot hybrid 710303, a sample of the seed of which has been deposited under ATCC Accession No. PTA-8123; line RN 71-4963C, a sample of the seed of which has been ATCC Accession No. PTA-8647; line RN 71-4904C, a sample of the seed of which has been deposited under ATCC Accession No. PTA-8648; line RF 71-4911A, a sample of the seed of which has been deposited under ATCC Accession No. PTA-8642; line RF 71-4912A, a sample of the seed of which has been deposited under ATCC Accession No. PTA-8646; line RIF 71-4966C, a sample of the seed of which has been deposited under ATCC Accession No. PTA-8651; line RIF 71-4967B, a sample of the seed of which has been deposited under ATCC Accession No. PTA-8650; and line RIF 71-4968B, a sample of the seed of which has been deposited under ATCC Accession No. PTA-8649.   
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28 , further comprising growing plants from said rooted plantlets. 
     
     
         30 . A method of introducing a desired trait into a first carrot plant comprising:
 (a) crossing a first carrot plant with a second carrot plant that comprises a desired trait to produce F 1  progeny;   (b) selecting an F 1  progeny that comprises the desired trait;   (c) crossing the selected F 1  progeny with a plant of the same genotype as said first carrot plant, to produce backcross progeny;   (d) selecting backcross progeny comprising the desired trait; and   (e) repeating steps (c) and (d) three or more times in succession to produce selected fourth or higher backcross progeny that comprise the desired trait;   wherein the first carrot plant is a plant the roots of which comprise an average lycopene content from about 110 ppm to about 250 ppm and an average brix content from about 11° brix to about 20° brix, wherein the lycopene content of the plant is at least about 110% of the average lycopene content of roots of the carrot variety Nutri-red when the plant and Nutri-red are grown under the same conditions, and wherein said carrot plant comprises the genetic source for expressing the lycopene content in a carrot variety selected from the group consisting of red carrot hybrid 0710 0325, a sample of the seed of which has been deposited under ATCC Accession No. PTA-8643; red carrot hybrid 0710 0339, a sample of the seed of which has been deposited under ATCC Accession No. PTA-8644; red carrot hybrid 0710 0346, a sample of the seed of which has been deposited under ATCC Accession No. PTA-8645; red carrot hybrid 710313, a sample of the seed of which has been deposited under ATCC Accession No. PTA-7904; red carrot hybrid 710305, a sample of the seed of which has been deposited under ATCC Accession No. PTA-7908; red carrot hybrid 710316, a sample of the seed of which has been deposited under ATCC Accession No. PTA-7905; red carrot hybrid 710319, a sample of the seed of which has been deposited under ATCC Accession No. PTA-7906; red carrot hybrid 710311, a sample of the seed of which has been deposited under ATCC Accession No. PTA-7907; red carrot hybrid 710304, a sample of the seed of which has been deposited under ATCC Accession No. PTA-8121; red carrot hybrid 710310, a sample of the seed of which has been deposited under ATCC Accession No. PTA-8122; and red carrot hybrid 710303, a sample of the seed of which has been deposited under ATCC Accession No. PTA-8123; line RN 71-4963C, a sample of the seed of which has been ATCC Accession No. PTA-8647; line RN 71-4904C, a sample of the seed of which has been deposited under ATCC Accession No. PTA-8648; line RF 71-4911A, a sample of the seed of which has been deposited under ATCC Accession No. PTA-8642; line RF 71-4912A, a sample of the seed of which has been deposited under ATCC Accession No. PTA-8646; line RIF 71-4966C, a sample of the seed of which has been deposited under ATCC Accession No. PTA-8651; line RIF 71-4967B, a sample of the seed of which has been deposited under ATCC Accession No. PTA-8650; and line RIF 71-4968B, a sample of the seed of which has been deposited under ATCC Accession No. PTA-8649.   
     
     
         31 . (canceled) 
     
     
         32 . A method of producing a carrot plant comprising an added desired trait, the method comprising introducing a transgene conferring the desired trait into a carrot plant,
 wherein the carrot plant is a plant the roots of which comprise an average lycopene content from about 110 ppm to about 250 ppm and an average brix content from about 11° brix to about 20° brix, wherein the lycopene content of the plant is at least about 110% of the average lycopene content of roots of the carrot variety Nutri-red when the plant and Nutri-red are grown under the same conditions, and wherein said carrot plant comprises the genetic source for expressing the lycopene content in a carrot variety selected from the group consisting of red carrot hybrid 0710 0325, a sample of the seed of which has been deposited under ATCC Accession No. PTA-8643; red carrot hybrid 0710 0339, a sample of the seed of which has been deposited under ATCC Accession No. PTA-8644; red carrot hybrid 0710 0346, a sample of the seed of which has been deposited under ATCC Accession No. PTA-8645; red carrot hybrid 710313, a sample of the seed of which has been deposited under ATCC Accession No. PTA-7904; red carrot hybrid 710305, a sample of the seed of which has been deposited under ATCC Accession No. PTA-7908; red carrot hybrid 710316, a sample of the seed of which has been deposited under ATCC Accession No. PTA-7905; red carrot hybrid 710319, a sample of the seed of which has been deposited under ATCC Accession No. PTA-7906; red carrot hybrid 710311, a sample of the seed of which has been deposited under ATCC Accession No. PTA-7907; red carrot hybrid 710304, a sample of the seed of which has been deposited under ATCC Accession No. PTA-8121; red carrot hybrid 710310, a sample of the seed of which has been deposited under ATCC Accession No. PTA-8122; and red carrot hybrid 710303, a sample of the seed of which has been deposited under ATCC Accession No. PTA-8123; line RN 71-4963C, a sample of the seed of which has been ATCC Accession No. PTA-8647; line RN 71-4904C, a sample of the seed of which has been deposited under ATCC Accession No. PTA-8648; line RF 71-4911A, a sample of the seed of which has been deposited under ATCC Accession No. PTA-8642; line RF 71-4912A, a sample of the seed of which has been deposited under ATCC Accession No. PTA-8646; line RIF 71-4966C, a sample of the seed of which has been deposited under ATCC Accession No. PTA-8651; line RIF 71-4967B, a sample of the seed of which has been deposited under ATCC Accession No. PTA-8650; and line RIF 71-4968B, a sample of the seed of which has been deposited under ATCC Accession No. PTA-8649.   
     
     
         33 - 34 . (canceled) 
     
     
         35 . A method of producing carrots comprising:
 (a) obtaining a carrot plant, wherein the plant has been cultivated to maturity; and   (b) collecting carrots from the plant,   wherein the carrot plant is a plant the roots of which comprise an average lycopene content from about 110 ppm to about 250 ppm and an average brix content from about 11° brix to about 20° brix, wherein the lycopene content of the plant is at least about 110% of the average lycopene content of roots of the carrot variety Nutri-red when the plant and Nutri-red are grown under the same conditions, and wherein said carrot plant comprises the genetic source for expressing the lycopene content in a carrot variety selected from the group consisting of red carrot hybrid 0710 0325, a sample of the seed of which has been deposited under ATCC Accession No. PTA-8643; red carrot hybrid 0710 0339, a sample of the seed of which has been deposited under ATCC Accession No. PTA-8644; red carrot hybrid 0710 0346, a sample of the seed of which has been deposited under ATCC Accession No. PTA-8645; red carrot hybrid 710313, a sample of the seed of which has been deposited under ATCC Accession No. PTA-7904; red carrot hybrid 710305, a sample of the seed of which has been deposited under ATCC Accession No. PTA-7908; red carrot hybrid 710316, a sample of the seed of which has been deposited under ATCC Accession No. PTA-7905; red carrot hybrid 710319, a sample of the seed of which has been deposited under ATCC Accession No. PTA-7906; red carrot hybrid 710311, a sample of the seed of which has been deposited under ATCC Accession No. PTA-7907; red carrot hybrid 710304, a sample of the seed of which has been deposited under ATCC Accession No. PTA-8121; red carrot hybrid 710310, a sample of the seed of which has been deposited under ATCC Accession No. PTA-8122; and red carrot hybrid 710303, a sample of the seed of which has been deposited under ATCC Accession No. PTA-8123; line RN 71-4963C, a sample of the seed of which has been ATCC Accession No. PTA-8647; line RN 71-4904C, a sample of the seed of which has been deposited under ATCC Accession No. PTA-8648; line RF 71-4911A, a sample of the seed of which has been deposited under ATCC Accession No. PTA-8642; line RF 71-4912A, a sample of the seed of which has been deposited under ATCC Accession No. PTA-8646; line RIF 71-4966C, a sample of the seed of which has been deposited under ATCC Accession No. PTA-8651; line RIF 71-4967B, a sample of the seed of which has been deposited under ATCC Accession No. PTA-8650; and line RIF 71-4968B, a sample of the seed of which has been deposited under ATCC Accession No. PTA-8649.