This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 1 19 to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 62/630,318, filed February 13, 2018, which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference .

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a Pelargonium plant, in particular to a Pelargonium plant which is an interspecific crossing product between the P. hortorum (zonal) and P. peltatum (Ivy) in tetraploid level.

There is a range of ploidy levels among Pelargonium type. For example, cutting geraniums are typically tetraploid while seed geraniums are diploid.

Tetraploid level Pelargonium plants of the prior art suffer from several disadvantages such as being low in fertility, and difficulties when propagating by seed.

Zonal pelargoniums are tetraploid, mostly derived from P. inquinans and P. zonale, together with P. scandens and P. frutetorum. The scarlet colouring is attributed to the contribution of P. inquinans.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a Pelargonium plant, characterized in that said plant has a prostrating basket type growth habit phenotype. In one embodiment, the present invention provides a plant which is an interspecific crossing product between the P. hortorum (zonal) and P. peltatum (Ivy) in tetraploid level.

There is provided a plant according to the invention, obtainable by crossing with Pelargonium interspecific hortorum x peltatum 120809-1 -5-2-(10), representative seed of which has been deposited at NCIMB under deposit number NCIMB 42174.

The present invention also provides a plant, wherein said plant is Pelargonium interspecific hortorum x peltatum 120809-1 -5-2-(10), representative seed of which has been deposited at NCIMB under deposit number NCIMB 42174.

The present invention also provides a plant part of a Pelargonium plant according to the invention.

In one embodiment, said plant part is selected from the group consisting of propagated cuttings, seed and pollen. There is also provided seed of a Pelargonium plant, wherein said seed when grown into a plant exhibits the prostrating basket type growth habit of a plant according to the invention.

There is also provided a method of growing a population of hybrid Pelargonium plants comprising sowing seed and allowing said population of plants to grow and wherein said plants display a prostrating basket type growth habit phenotype.

There is also provided a method according to the invention for growing a plant as described above.

There is also provided the use of a Pelargonium plant or part thereof according to the invention. In one embodiment, said use is as a bedding plant. In another embodiment, said use is as a hanging basket.

Brief Description of the Figures

FIG 1

Thin layer chromatography was performed. Samples were prepared as follows: 10 grams of petals were extracted in 10 ml 1 % HCI in Methanol. 1 ml of sample was boiled for 30 min with 1 ml 3M HCL. Boiled samples were extracted with 0.25 ml iso-Amyl Alcohol, which was then evaporated. Dye was then redisolved in 1 ml 1 % HCL in Methanol.

DEFINITIONS

The technical terms and expressions used within the scope of this invention are generally to be given the meaning commonly applied to them in the pertinent art of plant breeding and cultivation if not otherwise indicated herein below.

As used in this specification and the appended claims, the singular forms "a”, "an", and "the" include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Thus, for example, reference to "a plant" includes one or more plants.

As used herein, the term "about" when referring to a value or to an amount of mass, weight, time, volume, concentration or percentage is meant to encompass variations of in some embodiments ±20%, in some embodiments ±10%, in some embodiments ±5%, in some embodiments ±1 %, in some embodiments ±0.5%, and in some embodiments ±0.1 % from the specified amount or volume, as such variations are appropriate to perform the disclosed method.

As used herein, the term“breeding”, and grammatical variants thereof, refer to any process that generates a progeny individual. Breeding can be sexual or asexual, or any combination thereof. Exemplary non-limiting types of breeding include crossings, selfing, doubled haploid derivative generation, and combinations thereof. A“cultivated Pelargonium plant” or“elite Pelargonium plant” is understood within the scope of the invention to refer to a Pelargonium plant that is no longer in the natural state but has been developed by human care and for human use.“Cultivated plants” or“elite plants” are further understood to exclude those wild-type species which comprise the trait being subject of this invention as a natural trait and/or part of their natural genetics.

As used herein, the term "hybrid" in the context of plant breeding refers to a plant that is the offspring of genetically dissimilar parents produced by crossing plants of different lines or breeds or species, including but not limited to the cross between two inbred lines.

The phrase "inbred line" refers to a genetically homozygous or nearly homozygous population. An inbred line, for example, can be derived through several cycles of brother/sister breedings or of selfing. In some embodiments, inbred lines breed true for one or more phenotypic traits of interest. An "inbred", "inbred individual", or "inbred progeny" is an individual sampled from an inbred line. The term "inbred" means a substantially homozygous individual or line.

The terms "introgression", "introgressed" and "introgressing" refer to a natural process whereby genomic regions of one species, variety or cultivar are moved into the genome of another species, variety or cultivar, by crossing those species. The process may optionally be completed by backcrossing to a recurrent parent.

A "plant" is any plant at any stage of development, particularly a seed plant or a vegetative plant.

A "plant cell" is a structural and physiological unit of a plant, comprising a protoplast and a cell wall. The plant cell may be in form of an isolated single cell or a cultured cell, or as a part of higher organized unit such as, for example, plant tissue, a plant organ, or a whole plant.

"Plant cell culture" means cultures of plant units such as, for example, protoplasts, cell culture cells, cells in plant tissues, pollen, pollen tubes, ovules, embryo sacs, zygotes and embryos at various stages of development.

As used herein, the phrase "plant part" refers to a part of a plant, including single cells and cell tissues such as plant cells that are intact in plants, cell clumps, and tissue cultures from which plants can be regenerated. Examples of plant parts include, but are not limited to, single cells and tissues from pollen, ovules, leaves, embryos, roots, root tips, anthers, flowers, fruits, stems, shoots, and seeds; as well as scions, rootstocks, protoplasts, calli, and the like.

As used herein, the term "population" means a genetically heterogeneous collection of plants sharing a common genetic derivation. A population of plants typically corresponds to 10 or more plants which have more or less the same phenotype at maturity in terms of the prostrating basket type growth habit phenotype of the invention.

As used herein, the term "progeny" refers to the descendant(s) of a particular cross. Typically, progeny result from breeding of two individuals, although some species (particularly some plants and hermaphroditic animals) can be selfed (i.e. the same plant acts as the donor of both male and female gametes). The descendant(s) can be, for example, of the F1 , the F2, or any subsequent generation. The phrases "sexually crossed" and "sexual reproduction" in the context of the present invention refer to the fusion of gametes to produce progeny (e.g., by fertilization, such as to produce seed by pollination in plants). In some embodiments, a "sexual cross" or "cross-fertilization" is fertilization of one individual by another (e.g., cross-pollination in plants). In some embodiments the term "selfing" refers to the production of seed by self-fertilization or self-pollination; i.e., pollen and ovule are from the same plant.

Within the meaning of the present invention, a plant with a“similar genetic background” refers to a plant that is genetically closely related to a plant according to the invention and may be a parent in the pedigree of a plant according to the invention.

As used herein, a“tetraploid” is a cell or organism having a chromosome number that is four times the haploid number of chromosomes.

“Trait” is understood within the scope of the invention to refer to a characteristic or phenotype, for example a prostrating basket type growth habit phenotype. A trait may be inherited in a dominant or recessive manner, and may be monogenic or polygenic.

“Dominant” is understood within the scope of the invention to refer to an allele which determines the phenotype when present in the heterozygous or homozygous state.

A“recessive” allele is only displayed when present in the homozygous state.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a Pelargonium plant, characterized in that said plant is capable of displaying a prostrating basket type growth habit phenotype. In one embodiment, the present invention provides a plant which is an interspecific crossing product between the P. hortorum (zonal) and P. peltatum (Ivy) in tetraploid level. In one embodiment, the present invention is a cultivated plant or an elite plant.

Within the meaning of the present invention, a prostrating basket type growth habit phenotype is a growth habit of a plant, in particular wherein the stems and lateral branches of the plant grow in predominantly horizontal orientation. A prostrating basket type growth habit type plant, in particular the deposited line described herein, may also show a high degree of branching which is higher than that found in non-basket type growth habit type plants. If grown in the confinement of a plant container, the plant will extend over the container and, when reaching the edge of the container, also grow towards the ground.

The prostrating basket type growth habit phenotype of a plant of the invention can be expressed in terms of a ratio of plant height : plant width. In one embodiment, the ratio of plant height : plant width is 0.7 or less. In one embodiment, the ratio of plant height: plant width is 0.6 or less. In one embodiment, the ratio of plant height: plant width is 0.5 or less. In one embodiment, the ratio of plant height : plant width is 0.4 or less. In one embodiment, the ratio of plant height : plant width is between 0.35 and 0.65. In one embodiment, a plant of the invention is capable of displaying the above ratio of plant height : plant width when grown under the following standard culturing conditions in a glasshouse.

The plant of the invention preferably does not exceed 40 cm in height. In one embodiment, a plant of the invention has a ratio of plant height : plant width of between 0.35 and 0.65, wherein the plant is between 20 cm to 35 cm in height.

In one embodiment, a plant of the invention has a ratio of plant height : plant width of 0.6 or less, wherein the plant does not exceed 20 cm in height.

There is provided a plant according to the invention, obtainable by sexual crossing with Pelargonium interspecific hortorum x peltatum 120809-1 -5-2-(10), representative seed of which has been deposited at NCIMB under deposit number NCIMB 42174.

The present invention also provides a plant, wherein said plant is Pelargonium interspecific hortorum x peltatum 120809-1 -5-2-(10), representative seed of which has been deposited at NCIMB under deposit number NCIMB 42174.

The present invention provides dark red hybrid Pelargonium interspecific hortorum x peltatum GMC44, GMC45, and GMD53 which have Pelargonium interspecific hortorum x peltatum 120809- 1 -5-2-(10) as a parent.

The present invention also provides a plant having a prostrating basket type growth habit phenotype, wherein said trait is the same as that found in Pelargonium interspecific hortorum x peltatum 120809-1 -5-2-(10), representative seed of which has been deposited at NCIMB under deposit number NCIMB 42174.

There is provided a plant according to the invention, obtainable by crossing with Pelargonium interspecific hortorum x peltatum 120809-1 -5-2-(10), representative seed of which has been deposited at NCIMB under deposit number NCIMB 42174.

The present invention also provides a plant part of a Pelargonium plant according to the invention.

In one embodiment, said plant part is selected from the group consisting of propagated cuttings, seed, pollen and plant cell.

There is also provided seed of a Pelargonium plant, wherein said seed when grown into a plant exhibits a prostrating basket type growth habit phenotype.

There is also provided a method according to the invention for growing a plant as described above.

There is also provided the use of a cultivated or elite Pelargonium plant or part thereof according to the invention. In one embodiment, said use is as a bedding plant. In another embodiment, said use is as a pot plant. In one embodiment, said use is in a hanging basket.

A further embodiment of the invention is a method of selecting a prostrating basket type Pelargonium plant according to the invention. A further embodiment of the invention is a Pelargonium plant having a prostrating basket type growth habit which is obtainable by a method as described above.

A further embodiment of the invention is a method of producing seed of a plant having a prostrating basket type growth habit.

SEED DEPOSIT DETAILS

Seed of the variety Pelargonium interspecific hortorum x peltatum 120809-1 -5-2-(10) has been deposited under the terms of the Budapest T reaty on October 14, 2013 at the NCIMB, Craibstone, Aberdeen, UK under number NCIMB 42174 in the name of Syngenta Participations AG, Schwarzwaldallee 215, 4058 Basel, Switzerland.

The deposited variety represents a sufficient disclosure of a plant of the invention.

EXAMPLES

Example 1 Pelargonium basket type plant size measurement data

Plant size measurements were taken of hybrid numbers GMC44 and GMC45 with one Maverick Red and one Pinto Premium Red commercial variety as check or comparison on June 13, 2014. Plant heights and plant widths were measured. The results are shown in Table 1.

Table 1

Pelargonium Hanging Basket (HB) Plant Size Measurement Data (June 13, 2014)

Example 2

Thin Layer Chromatography Pigment Analysis

Thin layer chromatography was performed. Samples were prepared as follows: 10 grams of petals were extracted in 10 ml 1 % HCI in Methanol. 1 ml of sample was boiled for 30 min with 1 ml 3M HCL. Boiled samples were extracted with 0.25 ml iso-Amyl Alcohol, which was then evaporated. Dye was then redisolved in 1 ml 1 % HCL in Methanol.

The results of the analysis are shown in Figure 1 .

Key to lanes in Figure 1

1 . Maverick Red

2. Pinto Red

3. GMC44F1 D. Red

4. GMC45F1 D. Red

5. Calliope D. Red

6. BullsEye Red

7. D. Red 10809-1 -5-2

8. D. Red 10809-1 -6-1

9. 458-(3) D. Red

10. 459-(3) D. Red

1 1 . Cyanidin

12. Delphinidin 13. Pelargonidin

Column 1 (Maverick Red), column 2 (Pinto Premium Red), and column 6 (BullsEye Red) are commercial traditional red diploid seed pelargonium flower color.

Column 5 (Calliope Dark Red) is a vegetative commercial variety, Columns 7 and 8 are dark red flower color inbred lines derived from a Calliope dark red genetic background.

Columns 9 and 10 are dark red breeding lines derived from breeding crosses between 7 and other diploid inbred lines. Columns 3 and 4 are dark red flower color made between parent lines developed from the dark red original line 7 Dark Red 10809-1 -5-2-(10). All those dark red color lines and hybrids have basket type plant habit.

The TLC analysis clearly showed that all the dark red flower color lines and hybrids have a common cyanidin pigment band, which is same as the commercial vegetative variety Calliope Dark Red. All traditional red commercial seed varieties are lacking this cyanidin band.

The Pelargonium varieties/lines and flower color pigments are shown in Table 2.

Table 2

A flow cytometry test was also performed on the plant material on July 30, 2013. The results of the analysis are shown in Table 3. Table 3.

Pelargonium Flow- Cytometry Test

July

30th,

2013

Percent

2n 4n 8n %C1 ° ⁷ ° %C4 %C8 %C16 %C32 %C64