ALS inhibitor herbicide-resistant Beta vulgaris hybrids with increased heterosis

Abstract

Improved herbicide-tolerant Beta vulgaris hybrid plants and parts thereof, particularly improved hybrid sugar beet or fodder beet plants, where both parent plants are derived from the introgression of herbicide-tolerant genes from a single herbicide-resistant donor genotype, are provided, which have increased yield, performance while maintaining optimal and agronomically relevant herbicide tolerance. Beta vulgaris parent plants useful for obtaining such hybrid plants, markers for identifying such improved herbicide-tolerant Beta vulgaris plants, and methods for obtaining and identifying such improved herbicide-tolerant Beta vulgaris hybrid plants are further provided.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] Incorporating sequence tables The sequence listing contained in the file entitled "BCS211026_PCT.xml", which contains 22 sequence entries and is 34 kilobytes (measured by the MS-Windows operating system) submitted herewith, is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

[0002] FIELD OF THEINVENTION The present invention relates to herbicide-tolerant Beta vulgaris plants, such as ALS inhibitor herbicide-tolerant Beta vulgaris plants, particularly sugar beet or fodder beet plants, and methods of controlling undesirable vegetation in areas where Beta vulgaris plants are grown by applying an ALS inhibitor herbicide to such plants.

[0003] In particular, the present invention relates to hybrid Beta vulgaris plants comprising a herbicide-resistant ALS allele in homozygous form, where the herbicide-resistant ALS allele has been introgressed into the parent plants from the same donor plant, and where the hybrid plants exhibit reduced linkage drag and / or inbreeding depression. [Background technology]

[0004] Cultivars of Beta vulgaris (as defined in Ford-Lloyd (2005) Sources of genetic variation, Genus Beta. In: Biancardi E, Campbell LG, Skaracis GN, De Biaggi M (eds) Genetics and Breeding of Sugar Beet. Science Publishers, Enfield (NH), USA, pp 25-33) are important agricultural crops in temperate and subtropical regions. For example, about 20% of the world's sugar production is based on sugar beet. Beet seedlings and young plants during the first 6-8 weeks of their life cycle are subject to intense competition posed by fast growing weeds that outcompete the young crop plants, so reliable weed control measures are essential in these crop areas.

[0005] Herbicides are useful tools to control weeds in cultivated beets. Products used for this purpose, such as phenmedipham, desmediphan and metamitron, make it possible to suppress the growth of weeds in beet fields without damaging the crop. Nevertheless, under adverse environmental conditions, the efficacy of these products leaves room for improvement, especially when noxious weeds such as Chenopodium album, Amaranthus retroflexus, Fallopia convolvulus and / or Tripleurospermum inodorata germinate for a long period of time.

[0006] ALS inhibitor herbicides are widely used in modern agriculture due to their effectiveness at moderate application rates and their relative non-toxicity in animals.By inhibiting ALS activity, these herbicides prevent further growth and development of sensitive plants, including many weed species.Additional ALS inhibitor herbicide-resistant breeding lines and varieties of crop plants, as well as methods and compositions for the manufacture and use of ALS inhibitor herbicide-resistant breeding lines and varieties have been developed to provide plants with increased resistance to the higher concentrations of ALS inhibitor herbicides that may be required for sufficient weed control.

[0007] These ALS inhibitor herbicides inhibit the enzyme "acetohydroxyacid synthase" (AHAS), also known as "acetolactate synthase" (ALS [EC 4.1.3.18]). ALS is known to be responsible for the damage caused by (a) sulfonylurea herbicides (Beyer EM et al. (1988), Sulfonylureas in Herbicides: Chemistry, Degradation, and Mode of Action; Marcel Dekker, New York, 1988, 117-189), (b) sulfonylaminocarbonyltriazolinone herbicides (Pontzen, R., Pflanz.-Nachrichten Bayer, 2002, 55, 37-52), (c) imidazolinone herbicides (Shaner, DL, et al., Plant Physiol., 1984, 76, 545-546; Shaner, DL, and O'Connor, SL (Eds.) The Imidazolinone Herbicides, CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL, 1991), and (d) triazolopyrimidine herbicides (Kleschick, WA et al., Agric. Food Chem., 1992, 40, 1083-1085), and (e) five structurally diverse herbicides belonging to the class of ALS inhibitor herbicides such as pyrimidinyl(thio)benzoate herbicides (Shimizu, TJ, Pestic. Sci.,1997, 22, 245-256; Shimizu, T. et al., Acetolactate Syntehase Inhibitors in Herbicide Classes in Development, Boger, P., Wakabayashi, K., Hirai, K., (Eds.), Springer Verlag, Berlin, 2002, 1-41).

[0008] ALS is involved in the conversion of two pyruvate molecules into acetolactate molecules and carbon dioxide. This reaction uses thiamine pyrophosphate to link two pyruvate molecules. The resulting product of this reaction, acetolactate, ultimately becomes valine, leucine and isoleucine (Singh (1999) "Biosynthesis of valine, leucine and isoleucine", in Plant Amino Acids, Singh, BK, ed., Marcel Dekker Inc. New York, New York, pp. 227-247).

[0009] ALS inhibitors block the biosynthesis of valine, leucine and isoleucine in plants, quickly depleting the respective amino acid pools and causing a blockage of protein synthesis, leading to the cessation of plant growth and ultimately the death or - at the very least - damage of the plant.

[0010] A single base pair substitution at a specific site in the ALS gene can lead to more or less resistant ALS enzyme mutants that exhibit different levels of inhibition by ALS inhibitor herbicides. Plants that contain mutant ALS alleles therefore exhibit different levels of resistance to ALS inhibitor herbicides, depending on the chemical structure of the ALS inhibitor herbicide and the site of the point mutation in the ALS gene.

[0011] WO2012049268 describes the identification and isolation in Beta vulgaris of an ALS mutant allele (hereinafter also referred to as BvALS_W569L gene or allele) that comprises a substitution at the codon at nucleotide positions 1705-1707 of the endogenous ALS gene, thereby encoding an ALS polypeptide having a leucine in place of the naturally occurring tryptophan at amino acid position 569. Beta vulgaris plants comprising this allele exhibit strong and agronomically relevant resistance to various ALS inhibitor herbicides, as also described in WO2012049266.

[0012] Commercially available Beta vulgaris seeds, especially sugar beet seeds or fodder beet seeds, are sold as hybrid seeds obtained by crossing parent plants with different genetic makeups (inbreeding) and harvesting the resulting seeds. Plants grown from such hybrid seeds are more vigorous and have higher yields than each parent plant, a phenomenon known as hybrid vigor. Hybrid vigor results from a high degree of heterozygosity in the genome, i.e. the presence of different alleles at many loci in homologous chromosomes. To optimize the hybrid vigor effect, parent plants are selected from different so-called hybrid vigor pools or populations, i.e. germplasm populations that are genetically distinct from each other.

[0013] For optimal ALS inhibitor herbicide resistance, it is preferred that the alleles conferring ALS inhibitor herbicide resistance are homozygously present in the Beta vulgaris plant, i.e., each of the chromosomes 5 of a diploid Beta vulgaris comprises a herbicide resistance ALS gene, e.g., the BvALS_W569L allele.

[0014] To achieve homozygosity of the herbicide-resistant ALS gene, e.g., the BvALS_W569L allele, in a hybrid Beta vulgaris plant, it is necessary that each parent plant comprises at least one copy of the herbicide-resistant ALS gene, and for optimal hybrid seed production, each parent plant preferably comprises the herbicide-resistant ALS gene also in homozygous form.

[0015] Isolation of non-transgenic Beta vulgaris plants comprising herbicide-resistant ALS alleles is a random and resource-intensive process. Therefore, rather than repeating the selection process for mutant ALS alleles in each heterosis pool, once the first Beta vulgaris plant comprising such mutant ALS allele is identified, this plant is used as a donor plant to introgress the herbicide-resistant allele into the various heterosis pools. In Beta vulgaris, the ALS gene is located on chromosome 5, near the centromere. Therefore, introgression of the herbicide-resistant ALS allele leads to the simultaneous introduction of a large fragment of chromosome 5 from the donor plant linked to the herbicide-resistant ALS allele into each of the heterosis pools. In the production of homozygous hybrid plants, each of whose chromosomes 5 contains a large fragment of the same donor plant's chromosome 5 that is identical over at least most of its length, resulting in lower hybrid vigor, a phenomenon known in breeding as inbreeding or inbreeding depression.

[0016] Selection of the ALS mutant allele also requires a Beta vulgaris genotype that is suitable for in vitro cell culture, as described, for example, in WO2012049268. Such genotypes suitable for cell culture are not commercially relevant (elite) genotypes in various regions and usually contain the unfavorable allele present in the large chromosome 5 fragment that is being introgressed. This phenomenon is known in breeding as linkage drag.

[0017] Thus, there remains a need for Beta vulgaris plants, such as sugar beet plants or fodder beet plants, that comprise ALS herbicide resistance alleles, e.g., BvALS_W569L, that can be combined to produce improved non-transgenic hybrid Beta vulgaris plants with increased hybrid vigor, as expressed inter alia by increased yield, e.g., increased sugar yield, while maintaining optimal and agronomically relevant ALS herbicide resistance. This problem is solved as described below in the detailed description, figures and claims. Summary of the Invention

[0018] In a first aspect, the present invention relates to a Beta vulgaris hybrid plant or part thereof, or a hybrid seed or part thereof, comprising an ALS-herbicide resistant endogenous ALS gene allele homozygously present on chromosome 5 in said Beta vulgaris hybrid plant or seed, said ALS-herbicide resistant endogenous ALS gene allele encoding an ALS protein comprising a leucine at amino acid position 569, and said Beta vulgaris hybrid plant or seed being a hybrid of two parental Beta vulgaris from different hybrid vigor pools. and a hybrid seed or part thereof, wherein each parent plant comprises an ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele in a homozygous state, and the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele in each parent plant has been introgressed from the same ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele donor plant, and wherein a chromosomal region of chromosome 5 in said parent plant has been introgressed from said ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele donor plant and is located upstream and / or downstream of an ALS inhibitor-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele, is sufficiently small to avoid or reduce inbreeding depression and / or increase hybrid vigor and / or increase sugar yield or biomass yield in said Beta vulgaris hybrid plant. Preferably, the chromosomal region of chromosome 5, which has been introgressed from the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele donor plant and comprises the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele, comprises, on one side of the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele in one parent plant and the other parent plant, a marker M1 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1), a marker M2 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2), a marker M3 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 3), a marker M4 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 4), a marker M5 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 5),the marker M11 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:11), the marker M14 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:19) and the marker M15 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:20) and, on the opposite side of the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele, the marker M6 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:6), the marker M12 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:12), the marker M13 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:13), the marker M7 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:7), the marker M8 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:8), the marker M9 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:9), the marker M10 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:10), the marker M16 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:21) and the marker M17 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:22), The chromosomal region of chromosome 5, which has been introgressed from an ALS gene allele donor plant and comprises the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele, is flanked on one side of the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele by markers selected from the group consisting of marker M1 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1), marker M2 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2), marker M5 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 5), marker M11 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 11), marker M14 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 19) and marker M15 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 20), and on the other side of the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele, by markers selected from the group consisting of marker M6 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 6), marker M12 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 12), marker M13 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 13), marker M7 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 7), marker M8 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 8),It is located (solely or exclusively) in a chromosomal interval flanked by markers selected from the group consisting of marker M9 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:9), marker M10 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:10), marker M16 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:21) and marker M17 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:22). The chromosomal region of chromosome 5, which has been introgressed from the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele donor plant and comprises the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele, may be located in a chromosomal interval present in one of the parent plants and in the other parent plant in one or more seeds deposited at NCIMB, Aberdeen, UK, on ​​August 4, 2021 under numbers NCIMB43836, NCIMB43837 or NCIMB43838, whereby the chromosomal region of chromosome 5, which has been introgressed from the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele donor plant and comprises the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele, is located in a chromosomal interval present in one of the parent plants and in the other parent plant in one or more seeds deposited at NCIMB, Aberdeen, UK, under numbers NCIMB43836, NCIMB43837 or NCIMB43838, whereby the chromosomal region of chromosome 5, which has been introgressed from the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele donor plant, on one side of the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele, is located in a chromosomal interval present in one of the parent plants and in the other parent plant in one or more seeds deposited at NCIMB, Aberdeen, UK, under numbers NCIMB43836, NCIMB43837 or NCIMB43838, on one side of the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele, (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:5), marker M11 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:11), marker M14 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:19) and marker M15 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:20), and on the opposite side of the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele, marker M6 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:6), marker M12 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:12), marker M13 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:13), marker M7 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:7), marker M8 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:8), marker M9 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:9), marker M10 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:10),The chromosomal region of chromosome 5, which has been introgressed from the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele donor plant and which comprises the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele, may also be located in a chromosomal interval present in one or more seeds deposited at NCIMB, Aberdeen, UK, on ​​August 4, 2021 under numbers NCIMB43836, NCIMB43837 or NCIMB43838, in both parent plants.

[0019] In a further aspect of the invention, the present invention provides a seed deposited at NCIMB, Aberdeen, UK, on ​​4 August 2021 under numbers NCIMB43836, NCIMB43837 or NCIMB43838, or a plant derived from or grown from this seed.

[0020] In another aspect of the present invention there is provided a DNA molecule consisting of a chromosomal region of chromosome 5 of a Beta vulgaris ALS inhibitor herbicide-tolerant plant comprising an ALS-herbicide-tolerant endogenous ALS gene, the reference seed of which has been deposited under NCIMB41705, said region being located in a chromosomal interval flanked on one side of the ALS-herbicide-tolerant endogenous ALS gene allele by markers selected from the group consisting of the M1 marker, the M2 marker, the M3 marker, the M11 marker, the M15 marker, the M14 marker, the M4 marker and the M5 marker, and on the other side of the ALS-herbicide-tolerant endogenous ALS gene allele by markers selected from the group consisting of the M10 marker, the M9 marker, the M8 marker, the M7 marker, the 13 marker, the 17 marker, the 16 marker, the M6 ​​marker and the M12 marker. Preferably, the chromosomal region of chromosome 5 of the Beta vulgaris ALS inhibitor herbicide-resistant plant corresponds to the chromosomal region present in seeds deposited on August 4, 2021 from NCIMB, Aberdeen, UK under numbers NCIMB43836, NCIMB43837 or NCIMB43838.

[0021] In yet another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a Beta vulgaris plant or seed or part thereof, comprising endogenously comprising a DNA molecule as described herein on one or both of chromosomes 5.

[0022] The present invention also provides the use of a hybrid Beta vulgaris plant as described herein for the production of sugar, ethanol, biogas, betaine and / or uridine, or for the production of animal feed.

[0023] The present invention relates to a method for identifying a genomic fragment of chromosome 5 in an (elite) Beta vulgaris plant that has been introgressed from an ALS-herbicide-resistant Beta vulgaris donor plant, wherein said genomic fragment comprises an ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele, or to a method for identifying a genomic fragment of chromosome 5 in an (elite) Beta vulgaris plant that has been introgressed from an ALS-herbicide-resistant Beta vulgaris donor plant, wherein said genomic fragment comprises an ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele, vulgaris plants, comprising the steps of: identifying the presence of an ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele in said plant by phenotypic or marker-based methods; and flanking the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele on one side by markers selected from the group consisting of marker M1 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1), marker M2 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2), marker M5 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 5), marker M11 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 11), marker M14 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 19) and marker M15 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 20), and the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele. identifying the presence or absence of at least one allele / nucleotide in a chromosomal interval flanked by markers on opposite sides of the allele selected from the group consisting of marker M6 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:6), marker M12 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:12), marker M13 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:13), marker M7 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:7), marker M8 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:8), marker M9 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:9), marker M10 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:10), marker M16 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:21) and marker M17 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:22);and optionally selecting an ALS inhibitor-resistant Beta vulgaris plant, wherein said plant exhibits reduced inbreeding depression and / or increased hybrid vigor and / or increased sugar yield or biomass yield;

[0024] The presence of at least one allele / nucleotide can be identified in (elite) Beta vulgaris plants using one or more markers selected from the group consisting of marker 1 (SEQ ID NO:1), marker 2 (SEQ ID NO:2), marker 3 (SEQ ID NO:3), marker 4 (SEQ ID NO:4), marker 5 (SEQ ID NO:5), marker 6 (SEQ ID NO:6), marker 7 (SEQ ID NO:7), marker 8 (SEQ ID NO:8), marker 9 (SEQ ID NO:9), marker 10 (SEQ ID NO:10), marker 11 (SEQ ID NO:11), marker 12 (SEQ ID NO:12), marker 13 (SEQ ID NO:13), marker 14 (SEQ ID NO:19), marker 15 (SEQ ID NO:20), marker 16 (SEQ ID NO:21) and marker 17 (SEQ ID NO:22).Alternatively, a method for identifying a genomic fragment of chromosome 5 in an (elite) Beta vulgaris plant that has been introgressed from an ALS-herbicide-resistant Beta vulgaris donor plant, wherein said genomic fragment comprises an ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele, the method comprises the steps of identifying the presence of at least one first allele / nucleotide in a chromosomal interval flanked by a marker selected from the group consisting of marker M1 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1), marker M2 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2), marker M5 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 5), marker M11 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 11), marker M14 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 19) and marker M15 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 20) and by the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele, and The method comprises identifying the presence of at least one second allele / nucleotide in a chromosomal interval flanked by the resistant endogenous ALS gene allele and by a marker selected from the group consisting of marker M6 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:6), marker M12 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:12), marker M13 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:13), marker M7 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:7), marker M8 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:8), marker M9 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:9), marker M10 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:10), marker M16 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:21) and marker M17 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:22).Preferably, the presence of at least one first allele / nucleotide is identified by one or more markers selected from the group consisting of marker 1 (SEQ ID NO:1), marker 2 (SEQ ID NO:2), marker 3 (SEQ ID NO:3), marker 4 (SEQ ID NO:4), marker 5 (SEQ ID NO:5), marker 11 (SEQ ID NO:11), marker 14 (SEQ ID NO:19) and marker 15 (SEQ ID NO:20), and the presence of at least one second allele / nucleotide is identified by one or more markers selected from the group consisting of marker 10 (SEQ ID NO:10), marker 9 (SEQ ID NO:9), marker 8 (SEQ ID NO:8), marker 7 (SEQ ID NO:7), marker 13 (SEQ ID NO:13), marker 17 (SEQ ID NO:22), marker 16 (SEQ ID NO:21) and marker 6 (SEQ ID NO:6).

[0025] The present invention further provides a DNA molecule comprising the nucleotide sequence of any one of the marker(s) described herein, i.e. SEQ ID NO:1, SEQ ID NO:2, SEQ ID NO:3, SEQ ID NO:4, SEQ ID NO:5, SEQ ID NO:6, SEQ ID NO:7, SEQ ID NO:8, SEQ ID NO:9, SEQ ID NO:10, SEQ ID NO:11, SEQ ID NO:12, SEQ ID NO:13, SEQ ID NO:14, SEQ ID NO:19, SEQ ID NO:20, SEQ ID NO:21 or SEQ ID NO:22. The present invention further encompasses the use of said marker(s) for identification or selection.

[0026] The present invention relates to a method for reducing inbreeding depression and / or increasing hybrid vigor and / or increasing sugar yield or biomass yield in an ALS-herbicide-tolerant Beta vulgaris hybrid plant, the Beta vulgaris hybrid plant comprising an ALS-herbicide-tolerant endogenous ALS gene allele homozygously present on chromosome 5 in the plant, the ALS-herbicide-tolerant endogenous ALS gene allele encoding an ALS protein comprising a leucine at position 569, the method comprising: cross-crossing two parent Beta vulgaris hybrids from different heterosis pools; vulgaris plants, each parent plant comprising an ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele in a homozygous state, the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele in each parent plant having been introgressed from the same ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele donor plant, and a chromosomal region of chromosome 5 having been introgressed from the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele donor plant and comprising the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele, the chromosomal region comprising a marker M1 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1), a marker M2 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2), a marker M3 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 3), a marker M4 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 4), a marker M5 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 5), a marker M6 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 6), a marker M7 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 7), a marker M8 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 8), a marker M9 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 9), a marker M10 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 10), a marker M11 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 11), a marker M12 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 12), a marker M13 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 13), a marker M14 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 14), a marker M15 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 15), a marker M16 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of and flanked by markers selected from the group consisting of marker M4 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 4), marker M5 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 5), marker M11 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 11), marker M14 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 19) and marker M15 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 20), and on the opposite side of the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele, marker M6 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 6), marker M12 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 12), marker M13 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 13), marker M7 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 7),The chromosomal region of chromosome 5, which is located in a chromosomal interval flanked by markers selected from the group consisting of marker M8 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:8), marker M9 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:9), marker M10 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:10), marker M16 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:21) and marker M17 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:22), and which has been introgressed from an ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele donor plant and comprises the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele, is selected from the group consisting of marker M1 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:1), marker M2 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:2), marker M5 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:5), marker M11 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:11), marker M14 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:19), marker M5 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:5), marker M16 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:22), marker M17 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:23), marker M18 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:24), marker M19 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:25), marker M20 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:26), marker M21 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:27), marker M22 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:29), marker M23 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:24), marker M24 (comprising the and on the opposite side of the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele, the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele is located in a chromosomal interval flanked by markers selected from the group consisting of marker M6 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:6), marker M12 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:12), marker M13 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:13), marker M7 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:7), marker M8 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:8), marker M9 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:9), marker M10 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:10), marker M16 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:21) and marker M17 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:22). The chromosomal region of chromosome 5, which has been introgressed from the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele donor plant and comprises the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele, is present in one parent plant and in the other parent plant,The chromosomal region of chromosome 5, which has been introgressed from an ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele donor plant and comprises the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele, may be located in a chromosomal interval present in one or more seeds deposited at NCIMB, Aberdeen, UK on August 4, 2021 under numbers NCIMB43836, NCIMB43837 or NCIMB43838, whereby the chromosomal region of chromosome 5, which has been introgressed from an ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele donor plant and comprises the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele, may be located in a chromosomal interval present in one or more seeds deposited at NCIMB, Aberdeen, UK ... and on the opposite side of the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele, the chromosomal interval is flanked by markers selected from the group consisting of marker M6 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:6), marker M12 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:12), marker M13 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:13), marker M7 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:7), marker M8 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:8), marker M9 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:9), marker M10 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:10), marker M16 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:21) and marker M17 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:22). The chromosomal region of chromosome 5 that has been introgressed from the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele donor plant and comprises the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele may be located in a chromosomal interval present in one or more seeds deposited at NCIMB, Aberdeen, UK, on ​​August 4, 2021 under numbers NCIMB43836, NCIMB43837 or NCIMB43838, in both parent plants.

[0027] Another aspect of the present invention is to provide a use of one or more ALS inhibitor herbicide(s) for controlling undesirable vegetation in a Beta vulgaris growing area, wherein the Beta vulgaris plant is a hybrid Beta vulgaris plant as described herein. The ALS inhibitor herbicide(s) may be applied in combination with a non-ALS inhibitor herbicide (i.e., a herbicide that exhibits a mode of action other than inhibition of the ALS enzyme [acetohydroxyacid synthase; EC 2.2.1.6] Group D herbicide), the non-ALS inhibitor herbicide(s) being selected from the group consisting of chloridazon, clethodim, clodinafop, clodinafop-propargyl, clopyralid, cycloxydim, desmedipham, dimethenamid, dimethenamid-P, ethofumesate, fenoxaprop, fenoxaprop-P, fenoxaprop-ethyl, fenoxaprop-P-ethyl, fluazifop, fluazifop-P, fluazifop-butyl, fluazifop -P-butyl, glufosinate, glufosinate-ammonium, glufosinate-P, glufosinate-P-ammonium, glufosinate-P-sodium, glyphosate, glyphosate-isopropylammonium, haloxyfop, haloxyfop-P, haloxyfop-ethoxyethyl, haloxyfop-P-ethoxyethyl, haloxyfop-methyl, haloxyfop-P-methyl, lenacil, metamitron, phenmedipham, phenmedipham-ethyl, propaquizafop, quinmerac, quizalofop, quizalofop-ethyl, quizalofop-P, quizalofop-P-ethyl, quizalofop-P-tefuryl, sethoxydim.

[0028] Further provided by the present invention is a method for controlling undesirable vegetation in a Beta vulgaris plant-growing area, characterized by: (a) the presence of a Beta vulgaris plant as described herein; (b) the application of one or more ALS inhibitor herbicide(s) alone or in combination with one or more herbicide(s) not belonging to the class of ALS inhibitor herbicides (non-ALS inhibitor herbicides), wherein the application of each herbicide as defined in (b) may (i) be performed jointly or simultaneously, or (ii) be performed at different times and / or in multiple installments (sequential application), as a pre-emergence application followed by a post-emergence application or an early post-emergence application followed by a mid- or late post-emergence application.

[0029] Embodiments of the present invention are reflected in the following numbered paragraphs:

[0030] Embodiment 1. A Beta vulgaris hybrid plant, or hybrid seed, or part thereof, comprising an ALS-herbicide resistant endogenous ALS gene allele homozygously present on chromosome 5 in said Beta vulgaris hybrid plant or seed, said ALS-herbicide resistant endogenous ALS gene allele encoding an ALS protein comprising a leucine at position 569, said Beta vulgaris hybrid plant or seed being preferably a hybrid of two parent Beta vulgaris from different hybrid vigor pools. 1. A hybrid plant, or hybrid seed, or part thereof, obtainable by crossing Beta vulgaris plants with ALS inhibitor-resistant endogenous ALS gene alleles in a homozygous state, each parent plant comprising an ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele in a homozygous state, the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele in each parent plant being introgressed from the same ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele donor plant, and a chromosomal region of chromosome 5 in said parent plant being introgressed from said ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele donor plant and located upstream and / or downstream of an ALS inhibitor-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele, said chromosomal region being sufficiently small to avoid or reduce inbreeding depression and / or increase hybrid vigor and / or increase sugar yield in said Beta vulgaris hybrid plant.

[0031] Embodiment 2. The ALS-herbicide-tolerant endogenous ALS gene allele of embodiment 1, encoding an ALS protein comprising: (i) an amino acid sequence that is at least 80%, 85% or 90%, at least 91%, 92%, 93%, 94% or 95%, or at least 96%, 97%, 98% or 99% identical to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:18, wherein the amino acid corresponding to the amino acid at position 569 of SEQ ID NO:18 is leucine instead of tryptophan; or (ii) the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:16.

[0032] Embodiment 3. A Beta vulgaris hybrid plant, or hybrid seed, or part thereof, according to embodiment 1 or 2, wherein the ALS-herbicide-tolerant endogenous ALS gene allele comprises (i) the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 15, or (ii) a nucleotide sequence which is degenerate to the nucleotide sequence of (i) as a result of the genetic code.

[0033] Embodiment 4. The chromosomal region of chromosome 5, which has been introgressed from the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele donor plant and comprises the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele, is located (solely or exclusively) in a chromosomal interval flanked on one side of the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele by markers selected from the group consisting of markers M1, M2, M3, M4, M5, M11, M14 and M15, and on the other side of the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele by markers selected from the group consisting of markers M6, M12, M16, M17, M13, M7, M8, M9 and M10, in one parent plant and in the other parent plant, and is characterized in that the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele is located in the chromosomal interval flanked on one side of the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele by markers selected from the group consisting of markers M6, M12, M16, M17, M13, M7, M8, M9 and M10, in the other parent plant. 4. The Beta vulgaris hybrid plant, or hybrid seed, or part thereof, according to any one of embodiments 1 to 3, wherein said chromosomal region of chromosome 5, which has been introgressed from a herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele donor plant and which comprises said ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele, is located (solely or exclusively) in a chromosomal interval flanked on one side of the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele by markers selected from the group consisting of marker M1, marker M2, marker M3, marker M4, marker M5, marker M11, marker M14 and marker M15, and on the other side of the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele by markers selected from the group consisting of marker M6, marker M12, marker M16, marker M17, marker M13, marker M7, marker M8, marker M9 and marker M10.

[0034] Embodiment 5. A chromosomal region comprising the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele on chromosome 5, which has been introgressed from a donor plant and comprises the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele on one side of chromosome 5, a. flanked on one side of the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele by marker M1 and on the other side of the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele by marker M6; b. flanked on one side of the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele by marker M1 and on the other side of the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele by marker M7; c. flanked on one side of the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele by marker M1 and on the other side of the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele by marker M8; d. flanked on one side of the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele by marker M1 and on the other side of the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele by marker M9; e. flanked on one side of the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele by marker M1 and on the other side of the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele by marker M10; f. flanked on one side of the ALS-herbicide resistant endogenous ALS gene allele by marker M2; and on the other side of the ALS-herbicide resistant endogenous ALS gene allele by marker M6; g. flanked on one side of the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele by marker M2 and on the other side of the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele by marker M7; h. flanked on one side of the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele by marker M2 and on the other side of the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele by marker M8; i. flanked on one side of the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele by marker M2 and on the other side of the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele by marker M9; j. flanked on one side of the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele by marker M2 and on the other side of the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele by marker M10; k. flanked on one side of the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele by marker M3 and on the other side of the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele by marker M6; l. flanked on one side of the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele by marker M3 and on the other side of the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele by marker M7; m. ALS- flanked on one side of the herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele by marker M3 and on the other side of the ALS- herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele by marker M8; n.ALS-herbicide resistant endogenous ALS gene allele flanked on one side by marker M3 and on the other side of the ALS-herbicide resistant endogenous ALS gene allele by marker M9; o. flanked on one side of the ALS-herbicide resistant endogenous ALS gene allele by marker M3 and on the other side of the ALS-herbicide resistant endogenous ALS gene allele by marker M10; p.ALS- flanked on one side of the herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele by marker M4 and on the other side of the ALS- herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele by marker M6; q. flanked on one side of the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele by marker M4 and on the other side of the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele by marker M7; r.ALS- flanked on one side of the herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele by marker M4 and on the other side of the ALS- herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele by marker M8; s. flanked on one side of the ALS-herbicide resistant endogenous ALS gene allele by marker M4 and on the other side of the ALS-herbicide resistant endogenous ALS gene allele by marker M9; t. ALS- flanked on one side of the ALS-herbicide resistant endogenous ALS gene allele by marker M4 and on the other side of the ALS-herbicide resistant endogenous ALS gene allele by marker M10; u.ALS-herbicide resistant endogenous ALS gene allele flanked on one side by marker M5 and on the other side of the ALS-herbicide resistant endogenous ALS gene allele by marker M6; v. flanked on one side of the ALS-herbicide resistant endogenous ALS gene allele by marker M5 and on the other side of the ALS-herbicide resistant endogenous ALS gene allele by marker M7; w. ALS- flanked on one side of the ALS-herbicide resistant endogenous ALS gene allele by marker M5 and on the other side of the ALS-herbicide resistant endogenous ALS gene allele by marker M8; x. flanked on one side of the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele by marker M5 and on the other side of the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele by marker M9; or y. Flanked on one side of the ALS-herbicide resistant endogenous ALS gene allele by marker M5 and on the other side of the ALS-herbicide resistant endogenous ALS gene allele by marker M10. A Beta vulgaris hybrid plant, or a hybrid seed, or part thereof, according to any one of embodiments 1 to 4, wherein the hybrid plant or hybrid seed is located (solely or exclusively) in a chromosomal interval.

[0035] Embodiment 6. A chromosomal region comprising the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele on chromosome 5, which has been introgressed from a donor plant and comprises the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele on one side of chromosome 5, a. flanked on one side of the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele by marker M1 and on the other side of the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele by marker M12; b. flanked on one side of the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele by marker M1 and on the other side of the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele by marker M13; c. flanked on one side of the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele by marker M1 and on the other side of the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele by marker M10; d. flanked on one side of the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele by marker M2 and on the other side of the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele by marker M12; or e. flanked on one side of the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele by marker M2 and on the other side of the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele by marker M13; f. flanked on one side of the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele by marker M2 and on the other side of the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele by marker M10; g. flanked on one side of the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele by marker M5 and on the other side of the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele by marker M12; h. flanked on one side of the ALS-herbicide resistant endogenous ALS gene allele by marker M5 and on the other side of the ALS-herbicide resistant endogenous ALS gene allele by marker M13; i. flanked on one side of the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele by marker M5 and on the other side of the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele by marker M10; j. flanked on one side of the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele by marker M11 and on the other side of the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele by marker M12; k. flanked on one side of the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele by marker M11 and on the other side of the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele by marker M13; or l. Flanked on one side of the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele by marker M11 and on the other side of the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele by marker M10. 6. A Beta vulgaris hybrid plant, or a hybrid seed, or part thereof, according to any one of embodiments 1 to 5, wherein the hybrid plant or hybrid seed is located (solely or exclusively) in a chromosomal interval.

[0036] Embodiment 7. A chromosomal region comprising the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele on chromosome 5, which has been introgressed from a donor plant and comprises the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele on one side of chromosome 5, a. flanked on one side of the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele by marker M5 and on the other side of the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele by marker M16; b. flanked on one side of the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele by marker M5 and on the other side of the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele by marker M17; c. flanked on one side of the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele by marker M14 and on the other side of the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele by marker M16; d. flanked on one side of the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele by marker M14 and on the other side of the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele by marker M17; e. flanked on one side of the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele by marker M15 and on the other side of the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele by marker M16; f. flanked on one side of the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele by marker M15 and on the other side of the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele by marker M17 7. A Beta vulgaris hybrid plant, or a hybrid seed, or part thereof, according to any one of embodiments 1 to 6, wherein the hybrid plant or hybrid seed is located (solely or exclusively) in a chromosomal interval.

[0037] Embodiment 8. A Beta vulgaris hybrid plant or hybrid seed, or part thereof, according to any one of embodiments 1 to 7, which has been introgressed from the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele donor plant and in which the chromosomal region comprising the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele on chromosome 5 derived from a parent plant is the same.

[0038] Embodiment 9. The chromosomal region comprising the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele of chromosome 5, which has been introgressed from the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele donor plant, a. flanked by markers M1 and M10 on both chromosomes 5; b. flanked on one side of chromosome 5 by markers M1 and M9, and on the other side of chromosome 5 by markers M1 and M10; c. flanked on one side of chromosome 5 by markers M1 and M8, and on the other side of chromosome 5 by markers M1 and M10; d. flanked on one side of chromosome 5 by markers M2 and M8, and on the other side of chromosome 5 by markers M2 and M13; e. flanked on one side of chromosome 5 by markers M3 and M7, and on the other side of chromosome 5 by markers M11 and M13; f. flanked on one side of chromosome 5 by markers M4 and M7, and on the other side of chromosome 5 by markers M11 and M13; or g. flanked on one side of chromosome 5 by markers M5 and M6, and on the other side of chromosome 5 by markers M5 and M12 A Beta vulgaris hybrid plant, or a hybrid seed, or part thereof, according to any one of embodiments 1 to 7, wherein the hybrid plant or hybrid seed is located (solely or exclusively) in a chromosomal interval.

[0039] Embodiment 10. A Beta vulgaris hybrid plant, or hybrid seed, or part thereof, according to any one of embodiments 1 to 9, wherein the chromosomal region of chromosome 5 that has been introgressed from said ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele donor plant and that comprises said ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele is located (solely or exclusively) in a chromosomal interval that is flanked on one side of chromosome 5 by markers M4 and M7, and on the other side of chromosome 5 by markers M11 and M13.

[0040] Embodiment 11. A Beta vulgaris hybrid plant, or hybrid seed, or part thereof, according to any one of embodiments 1 to 9, wherein the chromosomal region of chromosome 5 that has been introgressed from the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele donor plant and that comprises the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele is located (solely or exclusively) in a chromosomal interval that is flanked on one side of chromosome 5 by markers M5 and M6, and on the other side of chromosome 5 by markers M5 and M12.

[0041] Embodiment 12. A Beta vulgaris hybrid plant, or hybrid seed, or part thereof, according to any one of embodiments 1 to 11, comprising a nucleotide at the variant position of the marker, as present in the genomic region of chromosome 5 of the parent plant.

[0042] Embodiment 13. A Beta vulgaris hybrid plant, or hybrid seed, or part thereof, according to any one of embodiments 1 to 12, wherein the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele encodes an ALS protein comprising a leucine at position 569.

[0043] Embodiment 14. A Beta vulgaris hybrid plant, or a hybrid seed, or a part thereof, according to any one of embodiments 1 to 12, wherein said ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele comprises the marker Mals.

[0044] Embodiment 15. A Beta vulgaris hybrid plant, or hybrid seed, or part thereof, according to any one of embodiments 1 to 14, comprising a nucleotide sequence encoding an amino acid sequence having at least 90% sequence identity to the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 15 or having at least 90% sequence identity to the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 16.

[0045] Embodiment 16. A Beta vulgaris hybrid plant, or hybrid seed, or part thereof, according to any one of embodiments 1 to 15, wherein the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele donor plant is a Beta vulgaris ALS inhibitor herbicide-resistant plant, the reference seed of which has been deposited under NCIMB41705.

[0046] Embodiment 17. A Beta vulgaris hybrid plant, or hybrid seed, or part thereof, according to any one of embodiments 1 to 16, having a sugar yield of at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, at least 91%, at least 92%, at least 93%, at least 94%, at least 95%, at least 96%, at least 97%, at least 98%, at least 99%, or equal to or greater than the sugar yield of an inbred Beta vulgaris hybrid plant comprising a wild-type allele of ALS encoding a gene on chromosome 5 in the homozygous state.

[0047] Embodiment 18. The Beta vulgaris hybrid plant, or hybrid seed, or part thereof, according to embodiment 1, wherein the chromosomal region of chromosome 5 that has been introgressed from the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele donor plant and that comprises the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele is a chromosomal region present in one or more seeds deposited at NCIMB, Aberdeen, UK on August 4, 2021 under numbers NCIMB43836, NCIMB43837 or NCIMB43838.

[0048] Embodiment 19. A Beta vulgaris hybrid plant, or hybrid seed, or part thereof, according to embodiment 1, grown or derived from a seed deposited at NCIMB, Aberdeen, UK under numbers NCIMB43836, NCIMB43837 or NCIMB43838 on August 4, 2021.

[0049] Embodiment 20. A DNA molecule consisting of a chromosomal region of chromosome 5 of a Beta vulgaris ALS inhibitor herbicide-resistant plant comprising an ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene, the reference seed of which has been deposited under NCIMB41705, said region being located (solely or exclusively) in a chromosomal interval flanked on one side of the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele by markers selected from the group consisting of the marker M1, the marker M2, the marker M3, the marker M4, the marker M11, the marker M5, the marker M14 and the marker M15, and on the other side of the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele by markers selected from the group consisting of the marker M6, the marker M7, the marker M8, the marker M9 and the marker M10, the marker M12, the marker M13, the marker M16 and the marker M17.

[0050] Embodiment 21. The chromosomal region a. Markers M1 and M6; b. Markers M1 and M7; c. markers M1 and M8; d. Markers M1 and M9; e. markers M1 and M10; f. Markers M2 and M6; g. Markers M2 and M7; h. markers M2 and M8; i. Markers M2 and M9; j. markers M2 and M10; k. markers M3 and M6; l. markers M3 and M7; m. markers M3 and M8; n.Markers M3 and M9; o. markers M3 and M10; p.markers M4 and M6; q. markers M4 and M7; r. markers M4 and M8; s. markers M4 and M9; t. markers M4 and M10; u.Markers M5 and M6; v. markers M5 and M7; w. markers M5 and M8; x. markers M5 and M9; y.Markers M5 and M10. z. markers M1 and M12; aa.markers M1 and M13; bb. markers M1 and M10; cc. markers M2 and M12; dd. markers M2 and M13; ee.markers M2 and M10; ff. markers M5 and M12; gg. markers M5 and M13; hh.markers M5 and M10; ii. Markers M11 and M12; jj.markers M11 and M13; kk.markers M11 and M10; ll. markers M5 and M16; mm. markers M5 and M17; nn.markers M14 and M16; oo.markers M14 and M17; pp. markers M15 and M16; or qq.Markers M15 and M17 21. The DNA molecule of embodiment 20, wherein the DNA molecule is located (solely or exclusively) in a chromosomal interval flanked by:

[0051] Embodiment 22. The DNA molecule according to embodiment 20, wherein said chromosomal region is located (solely or exclusively) in a chromosomal interval flanked by markers M5 and M6.

[0052] Embodiment 23. The DNA molecule of embodiment 20, wherein said chromosomal region is located (solely or exclusively) in a chromosomal interval flanked by markers M4 and M7.

[0053] Embodiment 24. The DNA molecule according to embodiment 20, wherein said chromosomal region is located (solely or exclusively) in a chromosomal interval flanked by markers M5 and M12.

[0054] Embodiment 25. The DNA molecule of embodiment 20, wherein said chromosomal region is located (solely or exclusively) in a chromosomal interval flanked by markers M11 and M13.

[0055] Embodiment 26. The DNA molecule of embodiment 20, wherein said chromosomal region is located (solely or exclusively) in a chromosomal interval flanked by markers M5 and M16.

[0056] Embodiment 27. The DNA molecule of embodiment 20, wherein said chromosomal region is located (solely or exclusively) in a chromosomal interval flanked by markers M14 and M17.

[0057] Embodiment 28. The DNA molecule according to embodiment 20, wherein said chromosomal region is located (solely or exclusively) in a chromosomal interval flanked by markers M15 and M17.

[0058] Embodiment 29. The DNA molecule of embodiment 20, wherein the chromosomal region is located (solely or exclusively) in a chromosomal interval present in one or more seeds deposited at NCIMB, Aberdeen, UK, on ​​August 4, 2021 under numbers NCIMB43836, NCIMB43837 or NCIMB43838.

[0059] Embodiment 30. A Beta vulgaris plant or seed endogenously comprising a DNA molecule according to any one of embodiments 20 to 29 on chromosome 5.

[0060] Embodiment 31. A Beta vulgaris plant endogenously comprising a DNA molecule according to any one of embodiments 20 to 29 on both chromosomes 5.

[0061] Embodiment 32. A method for producing hybrid Beta vulgaris seeds, comprising crossing a Beta vulgaris plant of embodiment 30 or 31 with another Beta vulgaris plant of embodiment 30 or 31, and harvesting progeny seeds.

[0062] Embodiment 33. Use of a hybrid Beta vulgaris plant according to any one of embodiments 1 to 19 for the production of sugar, ethanol, biogas, betaine and / or uridine, or for the production of animal feed.

[0063] Embodiment 34. A method for identifying a genomic fragment of chromosome 5 in an (elite) Beta vulgaris plant that has been introgressed from an ALS-herbicide-resistant Beta vulgaris donor plant, wherein said genomic fragment comprises an ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele, comprising: a. identifying the presence of an ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele in said plant by phenotypic or marker-based methods; and b. On one side of the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele, it is flanked by a marker selected from the group consisting of marker M1 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:1), marker M2 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:2), marker M5 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:5), marker M11 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:11), marker M14 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:19) and marker M15 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:20), and on the other side of the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele, it is flanked by a marker selected from the group consisting of marker M6 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:6), marker M12 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 12), marker M13 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 13), marker M7 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 7), marker M8 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 8), marker M9 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 9), marker M10 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 10), marker M16 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 21) and marker M17 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 22). The above method comprising:

[0064] Embodiment 35. A method for identifying a genomic fragment of chromosome 5 in a Beta vulgaris plant that has been introgressed from an ALS-herbicide-resistant Beta vulgaris donor plant, wherein the genomic fragment comprises an ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele, comprising: a. identifying the presence of an ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele in said plant by phenotypic or marker-based methods; and b. identifying the presence of an allele / nucleotide at nucleotide position 31 of one or more markers selected from the group consisting of marker M1 (SEQ ID NO:1), marker M2 (SEQ ID NO:2), marker M3 (SEQ ID NO:3), marker M4 (SEQ ID NO:4), marker M5 (SEQ ID NO:5), marker M6 (SEQ ID NO:6), marker M7 (SEQ ID NO:7), marker M8 (SEQ ID NO:8), marker M9 (SEQ ID NO:9), marker M10 (SEQ ID NO:10), marker M11 (SEQ ID NO:11) and marker 13 (SEQ ID NO:13), at nucleotide position 30 of marker M12 (SEQ ID NO:12), or at nucleotide position 101 of one or more markers selected from the group consisting of marker M14 (SEQ ID NO:19), marker M15 (SEQ ID NO:20), marker M16 (SEQ ID NO:21), marker M17 (SEQ ID NO:22) as being present in (elite) Beta vulgaris plants. The above method comprising:

[0065] Embodiment 36. A method for identifying or selecting a Beta vulgaris plant comprising a genomic fragment of chromosome 5 as described in embodiment 34 or 35, comprising: a. identifying the presence of an ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele in said plant by phenotypic or marker-based methods; b. On one side of the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele, it is flanked by markers selected from the group consisting of marker M1 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:1), marker M2 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:2), marker M5 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:5), marker M11 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:11), marker M14 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:19) and marker M15 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:20), and on the other side of the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele, it is flanked by markers selected from the group consisting of marker M6 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:6), marker identifying the presence of at least one allele / nucleotide in a chromosomal interval flanked by markers selected from the group consisting of marker M12 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:12), marker M13 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:13), marker M7 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:7), marker M8 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:8), marker M9 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:9), marker M10 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:10), marker M16 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:21) and marker M17 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:22); and c. Optionally selecting an ALS inhibitor-resistant Beta vulgaris plant, wherein said plant exhibits reduced inbreeding depression and / or increased hybrid vigor and / or increased sugar yield or biomass yield. The above method comprising:

[0066] Embodiment 37. A method for identifying a genomic fragment of chromosome 5 in a Beta vulgaris plant that has been introgressed from an ALS-herbicide-resistant Beta vulgaris donor plant, wherein the genomic fragment comprises an ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele, comprising: a. identifying the presence of at least one first allele / nucleotide in a chromosomal interval flanked by a marker selected from the group consisting of marker M1 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:1), marker M2 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:2), marker M5 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:5), marker M11 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:11), marker M14 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:19) and marker M15 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:20) and by an ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele, and b. Identifying the presence of at least one second allele / nucleotide in a chromosomal interval flanked by the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele and by a marker selected from the group consisting of marker M6 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:6), marker M12 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:12), marker M13 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:13), marker M7 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:7), marker M8 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:8), marker M9 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:9), marker M10 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:10), marker M16 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:21) and marker M17 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:22). The above method comprising:

[0067] Embodiment 38. A method for identifying or selecting a Beta vulgaris plant comprising a genomic fragment of chromosome 5 as described in embodiment 34 or 35, comprising: a. identifying the presence of at least one first allele / nucleotide in a chromosomal interval flanked by a marker selected from the group consisting of marker M1 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:1), marker M2 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:2), marker M5 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:5), marker M11 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:11), marker M14 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:19) and marker M15 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:20) and by an ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele; b. identifying the presence of at least one second allele / nucleotide in a chromosomal interval flanked by an ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele and by markers selected from the group consisting of marker M6 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:6), marker M12 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:12), marker M13 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:13), marker M7 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:7), marker M8 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:8), marker M9 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:9), marker M10 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:10), marker M16 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:21) and marker M17 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:22); and optionally selecting an ALS inhibitor-resistant Beta vulgaris plant, said plant exhibiting reduced inbreeding depression and / or increased hybrid vigor and / or increased sugar yield or biomass yield. The above method comprising:

[0068] Embodiment 39. The identification / selection method of any one of embodiments 34 to 38, wherein the presence of at least one allele / nucleotide is identified by one or more markers selected from the group consisting of marker 1 (SEQ ID NO:1), marker 2 (SEQ ID NO:2), marker 3 (SEQ ID NO:3), marker 4 (SEQ ID NO:4), marker 5 (SEQ ID NO:5), marker 6 (SEQ ID NO:6), marker 7 (SEQ ID NO:7), marker 8 (SEQ ID NO:8), marker 9 (SEQ ID NO:9), marker 10 (SEQ ID NO:10), marker 11 (SEQ ID NO:11), marker 12 (SEQ ID NO:12), marker 13 (SEQ ID NO:13), marker 14 (SEQ ID NO:19), marker 15 (SEQ ID NO:20), marker 16 (SEQ ID NO:21) and marker 17 (SEQ ID NO:22).

[0069] Embodiment 40. The step of identifying the presence of an allele / nucleotide a. the presence of G at nucleotide position 31 of marker M1 (SEQ ID NO:1); b. the presence of a T at nucleotide position 31 of marker M2 (SEQ ID NO:2); c. the presence of a G at nucleotide position 31 of marker M3 (SEQ ID NO:3); d. the presence of A at nucleotide position 31 of marker M4 (SEQ ID NO:4); e. the presence of a C at nucleotide position 31 of marker M5 (SEQ ID NO:5); f. the presence of a C at nucleotide position 31 of marker M6 (SEQ ID NO:6); g. the presence of a C at nucleotide position 31 of marker M7 (SEQ ID NO:7); h. the presence of a C at nucleotide position 31 of marker M8 (SEQ ID NO:8); i. the presence of A at nucleotide position 31 of marker M9 (SEQ ID NO:9); j. the presence of A at nucleotide position 31 of marker M10 (SEQ ID NO: 10); k. the presence of A at nucleotide position 31 of marker M11 (SEQ ID NO:11); l. the presence of a T at nucleotide position 30 of marker M12 (SEQ ID NO: 12); or m. the presence of A at nucleotide position 31 of marker M13 (SEQ ID NO: 13); n. the presence of a C at nucleotide position 101 of marker M14 (SEQ ID NO: 19); o. the presence of a T at nucleotide position 101 of marker M15 (SEQ ID NO:20); p. the presence of G at nucleotide position 101 of marker M16 (SEQ ID NO: 21); or q. the presence of C at nucleotide position 101 of marker M17 (SEQ ID NO: 22) 40. The method of any one of embodiments 34 to 39, comprising identifying

[0070] Embodiment 41. The step of identifying the presence of an allele / nucleotide a. the presence of an A at nucleotide position 31 of marker M4 (SEQ ID NO: 4) and a presence of a C at nucleotide position 31 of marker M7 (SEQ ID NO: 7); b. the presence of an A at nucleotide position 31 of marker M11 (SEQ ID NO:11) and the presence of an A at nucleotide position 31 of marker M13 (SEQ ID NO:13); c. the presence of a C at nucleotide position 31 of marker M5 (SEQ ID NO:5) and the presence of a C at nucleotide position 31 of marker M6 (SEQ ID NO:6); or d. the presence of a C at nucleotide position 31 of marker M5 (SEQ ID NO:5) and a T at nucleotide position 30 of marker M12 (SEQ ID NO:12); or e. the presence of a C at nucleotide position 31 of marker M5 (SEQ ID NO:5) and a G at nucleotide position 101 of marker M16 (SEQ ID NO:21); or f. the presence of a C at nucleotide position 101 of marker M14 (SEQ ID NO: 19) and the presence of a C at nucleotide position 101 of marker M17 (SEQ ID NO: 22); or g. the presence of a T at nucleotide position 101 of marker M15 (SEQ ID NO:20) and a C at nucleotide position 101 of marker M17 (SEQ ID NO:22) 40. The method of any one of embodiments 34 to 39, comprising identifying

[0071] Embodiment 42. The method according to any one of embodiments 34 to 41, wherein the step of identifying the presence of an ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele comprises identifying the presence of a G nucleotide at nucleotide position 31 of marker Mals (SEQ ID NO: 14).

[0072] Embodiment 43. A method of reducing inbreeding depression and / or increasing hybrid vigor and / or increasing sugar yield or biomass yield in an ALS-herbicide-tolerant Beta vulgaris hybrid plant, the Beta vulgaris hybrid plant comprising an ALS-herbicide-tolerant endogenous ALS gene allele homozygously present on chromosome 5 in the plant, the ALS-herbicide-tolerant endogenous ALS gene allele encoding an ALS protein comprising a leucine at position 569, the method comprising: culturing two parent Beta vulgaris plants, preferably from different hybrid vigor pools; vulgaris plants, each parent plant comprising an ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele in a homozygous state, the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele in each parent plant having been introgressed from the same ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele donor plant, and a chromosomal region of chromosome 5 having been introgressed from the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele donor plant and comprising the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele, the chromosomal region comprising a marker M1 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1), a marker M2 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2), a marker M3 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 3), a marker M4 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 4), a marker M5 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 5), a marker M6 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 6), a marker M7 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 7), a marker M8 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 8), a marker M9 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 9), a marker M10 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 10), a marker M11 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 11), a marker M12 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 12), a marker M13 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 13), a marker M14 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 14), a marker M15 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 15), a marker M16 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of and flanked by markers selected from the group consisting of marker M4 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 4), marker M5 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 5), marker M11 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 11), marker M14 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 19) and marker M15 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 20), and on the opposite side of the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele, marker M6 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 6), marker M12 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 12), marker M13 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 13), marker M7 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 7),The chromosomal region of chromosome 5, which is located in a chromosomal interval flanked by markers selected from the group consisting of marker M8 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:8), marker M9 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:9), marker M10 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:10), marker M16 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:21) and marker M17 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:22), and which has been introgressed from an ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele donor plant and comprises the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele, is selected from the group consisting of marker M1 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:1), marker M2 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:2), marker M5 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:5), marker M11 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:11), marker M14 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:22), on one side of the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele. the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele is located in a chromosomal interval flanked on the opposite side of the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele by a marker selected from the group consisting of marker M6 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:6), marker M12 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:12), marker M13 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:13), marker M7 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:7), marker M8 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:8), marker M9 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:9), marker M10 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:10), marker M16 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:21) and marker M17 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:22);

[0073] EMBODIMENT 44.The chromosomal region of chromosome 5, which has been introgressed from the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele donor plant and comprises the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele, is located in a chromosomal region present in one or more seeds deposited at NCIMB, Aberdeen, UK, on ​​August 4, 2021 under numbers NCIMB43836, NCIMB43837 or NCIMB43838 in one of the parent plants and / or the other parent plant, and the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele is located in a chromosomal region present in one or more seeds deposited at NCIMB, Aberdeen, UK, on ​​August 4, 2021 under numbers NCIMB43836, NCIMB43837 or NCIMB43838 in one of the parent plants and / or the other parent plant, The chromosomal region of chromosome 5, which has been introgressed from a donor plant and comprises the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele, comprises, on one side of the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele, a marker M1 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1), a marker M2 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2), a marker M5 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 5), a marker M11 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 11), a marker M14 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 19), a marker M5 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 5), a marker M15 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 16), a marker M16 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 17), a marker M17 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 19), a marker M18 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 19), a marker M19 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 19), a marker M20 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 20), a marker M3 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 30), a marker M4 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 31), a marker M5 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 5), a marker M50 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 5), a marker M51 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 5), a marker M52 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 5), a marker M53 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 5), a 44. The ALS-herbicide-resistant Beta vulgaris according to embodiment 43, wherein the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele is located in a chromosomal interval flanked on the opposite side of the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele by markers selected from the group consisting of marker M6 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 6), marker M12 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 12), marker M13 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 13), marker M7 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 7), marker M8 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 8), marker M9 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 9), marker M10 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 10), marker M16 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 21) and marker M17 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 22). vulgaris) hybrid plants.

[0074] Embodiment 45. A method of reducing inbreeding depression and / or increasing hybrid vigor, and / or increasing sugar yield or biomass yield in an ALS-herbicide-resistant Beta vulgaris hybrid plant according to embodiments 43 and 44, wherein the chromosomal region of chromosome 5, which has been introgressed from the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele donor plant and comprises the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele, is located in a chromosomal interval present in one or more seeds deposited at NCIMB, Aberdeen, UK, on ​​August 4, 2021 under numbers NCIMB43836, NCIMB43837 or NCIMB43838, in both parent plants.

[0075] Embodiment 46. A DNA molecule comprising any one of the nucleotide sequences of SEQ ID NO:1, SEQ ID NO:2, SEQ ID NO:3, SEQ ID NO:4, SEQ ID NO:5, SEQ ID NO:6, SEQ ID NO:7, SEQ ID NO:8, SEQ ID NO:9, SEQ ID NO:10, SEQ ID NO:11, SEQ ID NO:12, SEQ ID NO:13, SEQ ID NO:19, SEQ ID NO:20, SEQ ID NO:21 or SEQ ID NO:22.

[0076] Embodiment 47. Use of one or more ALS inhibitor herbicides (several) for controlling undesirable vegetation in a Beta vulgaris growing area, wherein the Beta vulgaris plant is a hybrid Beta vulgaris plant as described in claims 1 to 19.

[0077] Embodiment 48. The use of one or more ALS inhibitor herbicide(s) according to embodiment 47, wherein the ALS inhibitor herbicide(s) belong(s) to: A group of (sulfon)amides (group (A)) consisting of: A sub-group (A1) of sulfonylureas consists of: Amidosulfuron [CAS RN120923-37-7] (=A1-1); Azimsulfuron [CAS RN120162-55-2] (=A1-2); Bensulfuron-methyl [CAS RN83055-99-6] (=A1-3); Chlorimuron-ethyl [CAS RN90982-32-4] (=A1-4); Chlorsulfuron [CAS RN64902-72-3] (=A1-5); Cinosulfuron [CAS RN94593-91-6] (=A1-6); Cyclosulfamuron [CAS RN136849-15-5] (=A1-7); Ethametsulfuron-methyl [CAS RN97780-06-8] (=A1-8); Ethoxysulfuron [CAS RN126801-58-9] (=A1-9); Flazasulfuron [CAS RN104040-78-0] (=A1-10); Flucetosulfuron [CAS RN412928-75-7] (=A1-11); Flupyrsulfuron-methyl-sodium [CAS RN144740-54-5](=A1-12); Foramsulfuron [CAS RN173159-57-4] (=A1-13); Halosulfuron-methyl [CAS RN100784-20-1] (=A1-14); Imazosulfuron [CAS RN122548-33-8] (=A1-15); Iodosulfuron-methyl-sodium [CAS RN144550-36-7](=A1-16); Mesosulfuron-methyl [CAS RN208465-21-8] (=A1-17); Metsulfuron-methyl [CAS RN74223-64-6] (=A1-18); Monosulfuron [CAS RN155860-63-2] (=A1-19); Nicosulfuron [CAS RN111991-09-4] (=A1-20); Orthosulfamuron [CAS RN213464-77-8] (=A1-21); Oxasulfuron [CAS RN144651-06-9] (=A1-22); Primisulfuron-methyl [CAS RN86209-51-0] (=A1-23); Prosulfuron [CAS RN94125-34-5] (=A1-24); Pyrazosulfuron-ethyl [CAS RN93697-74-6] (=A1-25); Rimsulfuron [CAS RN122931-48-0] (=A1-26); Sulfometuron-methyl [CAS RN74222-97-2] (=A1-27); Sulfosulfuron [CAS RN141776-32-1] (=A1-28); Thifensulfuron-methyl [CAS RN79277-27-3] (=A1-29); Triasulfuron [CAS RN82097-50-5] (=A1-30); Tribenuron-methyl [CAS RN101200-48-0] (=A1-31); Trifloxisulfuron [CAS RN145099-21-4] (sodium) (=A1-32); Triflusulfuron-methyl [CAS RN126535-15-7] (=A1-33); Tritosulfuron [CAS RN142469-14-5] (=A1-34); NC-330[CAS RN104770-29-8](=A1-35); NC-620[CAS RN868680-84-6](=A1-36); TH-547[CAS RN570415-88-2](=A1-37); Monosulfuron-methyl [CAS RN175076-90-1] (=A1-38); 2-Iodo-N-[(4-methoxy-6-methyl-1,3,5-triazinyl)carbamoyl]benzene-sulfonamide (=A1-39); Compounds of formula (I) [ka] In the formula, M+ represents each salt of compound (I), i.e., its lithium salt (=A1-40); its sodium salt (=A1-41); its potassium salt (=A1-42); its magnesium salt (=A1-43); its calcium salt (=A1-44); its ammonium salt (=A1-45); its methylammonium salt (=A1-46); its dimethylammonium salt (=A1-47); its tetramethylammonium salt (=A1-48); its ethylammonium salt (=A1-49); its diethylammonium salt (=A1-49); its diethylammonium salt (=A1-50); its diethylammonium salt (=A1-51); its diethylammonium salt (=A1-52); its diethylammonium salt (=A1-53); its diethylammonium salt (=A1-54); its diethylammonium salt (=A1-55); its diethylammonium salt (=A1-56); its diethylammonium salt (=A1-57); its diethylammonium salt (=A1-58); its diethylammonium salt (=A1-59); its diethylammonium salt (=A1-60); its diethylammonium salt (=A1-61); its diethylammonium salt (=A1-62); its diethylammonium salt (=A1-63); its diethylammonium salt (=A1-64); its diethylammonium salt (=A1-65); its diethylammonium salt (=A1-66); its diethylammonium salt (=A1-67); its diethylammonium salt (=A1-68); its diethylammonium salt (=A1-69); its diethylammonium salt (=A1-70); its diethylammonium salt (=A1-71); its diethylammonium salt (=A1-72); its diethylammonium salt (=A1-73); its diethylammonium salt (=A1-74); its diethylammonium salt (=A1-75); its diethylammonium salt (=A1-76); its diethylammonium salt (= its ethylammonium salt (=A1-50); its tetraethylammonium salt (=A1-51); its propylammonium salt (=A1-52); its tetrapropylammonium salt (=A1-53); its isopropylammonium salt (=A1-54); its diisopropylammonium salt (=A1-55); its butylammonium salt (=A1-56); its tetrabutylammonium salt (=A1-57); its (2-hydroxyethyl)ammonium salt (=A1-58); its Bis-N,N-(2-hydroxyethyl)ammonium salt (=A1-59); tris-N,N,N-(2-hydroxyethyl)ammonium salt (=A1-60); 1-phenylethylammonium salt (=A1-61); 2-phenylethylammonium salt (=A1-62); trimethylsulfonium salt (=A1-63); trimethyloxonium salt (=A1-64); pyridinium salt (=A1-65); 2-methylpyridinium salt (=A1-66); -66); its 4-methylpyridinium salt (=A1-67); its 2,4-dimethylpyridinium salt (=A1-68); its 2,6-dimethylpyridinium salt (=A1-69); its piperidinium salt (=A1-70); its imidazolium salt (=A1-71); its morpholinium salt (=A1-72); its 1,5-diazabicyclo[4.3.0]non-7-enium salt (=A1-73); its 1,8-diazabicyclo[5.4.0]undec-7-enium salt (=A1-74); or a compound of formula (II) or a salt thereof [ka] R2 and R3 have the meanings defined in the table below. [Table 1] or a compound of formula (III) (=A1-87), i.e., the sodium salt of compound (A1-83) [ka] or a compound of formula (IV) (=A1-88), i.e., the sodium salt of compound (A1-82) [ka] A sub-group of sulfonylaminocarbonyltriazolinones (sub-group (A2)) consisting of: Flucarbazone-sodium [CAS RN181274-17-9](=A2-1); Propoxycarbazone-sodium [CAS RN181274-15-7](=A2-2); Thiencarbazone-methyl [CAS RN317815-83-1] (=A2-3); A sub-group of triazolopyrimidines (sub-group (A3)) consisting of: Cloransulam-methyl [147150-35-4] (=A3-1); Diclosulam [CAS RN145701-21-9] (=A3-2); Florasulam [CAS RN145701-23-1] (=A3-3); Flumetsulam [CAS RN98967-40-9] (=A3-4); Metosulam [CAS RN139528-85-1] (=A3-5); Penoxsulam [CAS RN219714-96-2] (=A3-6); Pyroxsulam [CAS RN422556-08-9] (=A3-7); A subgroup of sulfonanilides (subgroup (A4)) consisting of: A compound from the group described by general formula (V) or a salt thereof: [ka] During the ceremony R1 is a halogen, preferably fluorine or chlorine; R2 is hydrogen and R3 is hydroxyl, or R2 and R3 together with the carbon atom to which they are attached form a carbonyl group, C=O; R4 is hydrogen or methyl; More specifically, compounds of the following given chemical structures (A4-1) to (A4-8) [ka] JPEG2024534914000009.jpg86153 A group of imidazolinones (group (B1)) consisting of the following: Imazamethabenz-methyl [CAS RN81405-85-8] (=B1-1); Imazamox [CAS RN114311-32-9] (=B1-2); Imazapic [CAS RN104098-48-8](=B1-3); Imazapyr [CAS RN81334-34-1] (=B1-4); Imazaquin [CAS RN81335-37-7] (=B1-5); Imazethapyr [CAS RN81335-77-5] (=B1-6); SYP-298[CAS RN557064-77-4](=B1-7); SYP-300[CAS RN374718-10-2](=B1-8); The group of pyrimidinyl(thio)benzoates (group (C)) consisting of: A subgroup of pyrimidinyloxybenzoic acids (subgroup (C1)) consisting of: Bispyribac-sodium [CAS RN125401-92-5](=C1-1); Pyribenzoxim [CAS RN168088-61-7](=C1-2); Pyriminobac-methyl [CAS RN136191-64-5](=C1-3); Pyribambenz-isopropyl [CAS RN420138-41-6](=C1-4); Pyribambenz-propyl [CAS RN420138-40-5](=C1-5); A subgroup of pyrimidinylthiobenzoic acids (subgroup (C2)) consisting of: Piriftalid [CAS RN135186-78-6](=C2-1); Pyrithiobac-sodium [CAS RN123343-16-8](=C2-2).

[0078] Embodiment 49. The use of one or more ALS inhibitor herbicide(s) according to embodiment 47 or 48, wherein the ALS inhibitor herbicide(s) is / are: Amidosulfuron [CAS RN120923-37-7] (=A1-1); Chlorimuron-ethyl [CAS RN90982-32-4] (=A1-4); Ethametsulfuron-methyl [CAS RN97780-06-8] (=A1-8); Ethoxysulfuron [CAS RN126801-58-9] (=A1-9); Flupyrsulfuron-methyl-sodium [CAS RN144740-54-5](=A1-12); Foramsulfuron [CAS RN173159-57-4] (=A1-13); Iodosulfuron-methyl-sodium [CAS RN144550-36-7](=A1-16); Mesosulfuron-methyl [CAS RN208465-21-8] (=A1-17); Metsulfuron-methyl [CAS RN74223-64-6] (=A1-18); Monosulfuron [CAS RN155860-63-2] (=A1-19); Nicosulfuron [CAS RN111991-09-4] (=A1-20); Sulfosulfuron [CAS RN141776-32-1] (=A1-28); Thifensulfuron-methyl [CAS RN79277-27-3] (=A1-29); Tribenuron-methyl [CAS RN101200-48-0] (=A1-31); 2-Iodo-N-[(4-methoxy-6-methyl-1,3,5-triazinyl)carbamoyl]benzene-sulfonamide (=A1-39); 2-Iodo-N-[(4-methoxy-6-methyl-1,3,5-triazinyl)carbamoyl]benzene-sulfonamide sodium salt (=A1-41); (A1-83) or its sodium salt (=A1-87); Propoxycarbazone-sodium [CAS RN181274-15-7](=A2-2); Thiencarbazone-methyl [CAS RN317815-83-1] (=A2-3); Florasulam [CAS RN145701-23-1] (=A3-3); Metosulam [CAS RN139528-85-1] (=A3-5); Pyroxene [CAS RN422556-08-9] (=A3-7) (A4-1); (A4-2); (A4-3); Imazamox [CAS RN114311-32-9] (=B1-2); and Bispyribac-sodium [CAS RN125401-92-5](=C1-1) The above use (several may be possible), which belongs to the group consisting of:

[0079] Embodiment 50. The use of one or more ALS inhibitor herbicide(s) according to embodiment 47 or 48, wherein the ALS inhibitor herbicide(s) is / are: Amidosulfuron [CAS RN120923-37-7] (=A1-1); Foramsulfuron [CAS RN173159-57-4] (=A1-13); Iodosulfuron-methyl-sodium [CAS RN144550-36-7](=A1-16); 2-Iodo-N-[(4-methoxy-6-methyl-1,3,5-triazinyl)carbamoyl]benzene-sulfonamide (=A1-39); 2-Iodo-N-[(4-methoxy-6-methyl-1,3,5-triazinyl)carbamoyl]benzene-sulfonamide sodium salt (=A1-41); A1-83 or its sodium salt (=A1-87); Thiencarbazone-methyl [CAS RN317815-83-1] (=A2-3); Imazamox [CAS RN114311-32-9] (=B1-2); Bispyribac-sodium [CAS RN125401-92-5](=C1-1) The above use (several may be possible), which belongs to the group consisting of:

[0080] Embodiment 51. The use of one or more ALS inhibitor herbicide(s) according to embodiment 47 or 48, wherein the ALS inhibitor herbicide(s) comprises foramsulfuron [CAS RN173159-57-4] (=A1-13) and thiencarbazone-methyl [CAS RN317815-83-1] (=A2-3).

[0081] Embodiment 52. Use of one or more ALS inhibitor herbicide(s) according to any of embodiments 47 to 51 in combination with a non-ALS inhibitor herbicide (i.e. a herbicide exhibiting a mode of action other than inhibition of the ALS enzyme [acetohydroxyacid synthase; EC 2.2.1.6] Group D herbicide), wherein the non-ALS inhibitor herbicide(s) is / are: Chloridazon, Clethodim, Clodinafop, Clodinafop-propargyl, Clopyralid, Cycloxydim, Desmedipham, Dimethenamid, Dimethenamid-P, Ethofumesate, Fenoxaprop, Fenoxaprop-P, Fenoxaprop-ethyl, Fenoxaprop-P-ethyl, Fluazifop, Fluazifop-P, Fluazifop-butyl, Fluazifop-P-butyl, Glufosinate, Glufosinate-ammonium, Glufosinate-P, Glufosinate-P-ammonium, Glufosinate-P-sodium, Glyphosate, Glyphosate-isopropylammonium, Haloxyfop, Haloxyfop-P, Haloxyfop-ethoxyethyl, Haloxyfop-P-ethoxyethyl, Haloxyfop-methyl, Haloxyfop-P-methyl, Lenacil, Metamitron, Phenmedipham, Phenmedipham-ethyl, Propaquizafop, Quimmerac, Quizalofop, Quizalofop-ethyl, Quizalofop-P, Quizalofop-P-ethyl, Quizalofop-P-tefuryl, Sethoxydim The above use, wherein the compound is selected from the group consisting of:

[0082] Embodiment 53. The non-ALS inhibitor herbicide(s) is: Desmedipham, Ethofumesate, Glufosinate, Glufosinate-ammonium, Glufosinate-P, Glufosinate-P-ammonium, Glufosinate-P-sodium, Glyphosate, Glyphosate-isopropylammonium, Lenacil, Metamitron, Phenmedipham, Phenmedipham-ethyl 53. The use of one or more ALS inhibitor herbicide(s) according to embodiment 52, selected from the group consisting of:

[0083] Embodiment 54. A method for controlling undesirable vegetation in a Beta vulgaris plant growth area, comprising: (a) the presence of a Beta vulgaris plant according to any one of embodiments 1 to 19. (b) application of one or more ALS inhibitor herbicide(s) alone or in combination with one or more herbicide(s) not belonging to the class of ALS inhibitor herbicides (non-ALS inhibitor herbicides); and (c) The application of each herbicide defined in (b) (i) performed jointly or simultaneously; or (ii) applied at different times and / or in multiple instalments (sequential application), with a pre-emergence application followed by a post-emergence or early post-emergence application followed by a mid- or late post-emergence application; The above method, characterized by:

[0084] Embodiment 55. The method according to embodiment 54 for controlling undesirable vegetation, wherein the ALS inhibitor herbicide(s) is taken from the group defined in any one of embodiments 48 to 51.

[0085] Embodiment 56. The method of embodiment 54 for controlling undesirable vegetation, wherein the ALS inhibitor herbicide(s) comprises foramsulfuron [CAS RN173159-57-4] (=A1-13) and thiencarbazone-methyl [CAS RN317815-83-1] (=A2-3).

[0086] Embodiment 57. The non-ALS inhibitor herbicide(s) is: Chloridazon, Clethodim, Clodinafop, Clodinafop-propargyl, Clopyralid, Cycloxydim, Desmedipham, Dimethenamid, Dimethenamid-P, Ethofumesate, Fenoxaprop, Fenoxaprop-P, Fenoxaprop-ethyl, Fenoxaprop-P-ethyl, Fluazifop, Fluazifop-P, Fluazifop-butyl, Fluazifop-P-butyl, Glufosinate, Glufosinate-ammonium, Glufosinate-P, Glufosinate-P-ammonium, Glufosinate-P-sodium, Glyphosate, Glyphosate-isopropylammonium, Haloxyfop, Haloxyfop-P, Haloxyfop-ethoxyethyl, Haloxyfop-P-ethoxyethyl, Haloxyfop-methyl, Haloxyfop-P-methyl, Lenacil, Metamitron, Phenmedipham, Phenmedipham-ethyl, Propaquizafop, Quimmerac, Quizalofop, Quizalofop-ethyl, Quizalofop-P, Quizalofop-P-ethyl, Quizalofop-P-tefuryl, Sethoxydim The method according to any one of embodiments 54 to 56, wherein the method is taken from the group consisting of: [Brief description of the drawings]

[0087] [Figure 1] Schematic representation of the identification of homologous recombination events in monoembryonic (2MOT) and polyembryonic (2MUF) hybrid parents in successive years. PO_14-PO_20 represent hybrids produced by combining the respective monoembryonic and polyembryonic parents in six successive generations. The x-axis graphically displays the remaining gene fragments from the ALS inhibitor herbicide resistance donor SU-12-1 on chromosome 5, which are linked to the favorable BvALS_W569L allele in the middle of the scale and the marker ALS, which confers ALS inhibitor resistance. Genetic distances are calculated based on the sugar beet genetic map ZRINT1601. The upstream and downstream directions refer to the 5' and 3' ends of the coding strand of the BvALS gene, respectively. M1-M13 and Mals refer to the positions of the markers in Table 1.

[0088] [Diagram 2] Box plots of sugar yield performance of experimental hybrids formed by recombination of 2MUF and 2MOT pools, as graphically represented in Figure 1. Box plots summarize sugar yield data of all experimental hybrids produced in each year, with yield data given relative to the standard group and scaled over the years. PO14-PO19 hybrids correspond to those hybrids that comprise the genomic fragments given in Figure 1. PO13 hybrid comprises a very large fragment of the ALS inhibitor herbicide resistance donor SU-12-1 and was generated prior to any homologous recombination screening. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0089] The present inventors have unexpectedly discovered that a reduction in the size of the chromosome fragment of chromosome 5 linked to BvALS_W569L introgressed from the same donor line comprising BvALS_W569L into parent plants of different heterosis pools of Beta vulgaris leads to hybrid Beta vulgaris plants, homozygous for the BvALS_W569L allele (obtained by selecting parent plants from each homozygous heterosis parent pool, crossing, harvesting progeny seeds and growing the hybrid plants), with increased sugar yield or biomass yield in parallel with the reduction in the size of the chromosome fragment resulting from the donor linked to BvALS_W569L.

[0090] While not intending to be bound by any particular mode of action, it is believed that reducing the size of the donor chromosome fragment being introgressed may increase hybrid vigor and reduce linkage drag by reducing the presence of homozygous alleles in hybrid Beta vulgaris plants homozygous for the BvALS_W569 allele and / or by reducing the likelihood of unfavorable alleles being present in the chromosome 5 fragment being introgressed from the donor.

[0091] In a first aspect, the present invention relates to a Beta vulgaris hybrid plant, or hybrid seed, or part thereof, comprising an ALS-herbicide resistant endogenous ALS gene allele homozygously present on chromosome 5 in said Beta vulgaris hybrid plant, whereby the ALS-herbicide resistant endogenous ALS gene allele preferably encodes an ALS protein comprising a leucine at position 569, and whereby the Beta vulgaris hybrid plant is a hybrid of two parental Beta vulgaris plants, preferably from different hybrid vigor pools. and a chromosomal region of chromosome 5 that is introgressed from the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele donor plant and that is located upstream and / or downstream of the ALS inhibitor-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele in said parent plants, said chromosomal region being sufficiently small to avoid or reduce inbreeding depression and / or increase hybrid vigor and / or increase sugar yield or biomass in said Beta vulgaris hybrid plant, said hybrid plant, or hybrid seed, or part thereof, being obtainable by crossing Beta vulgaris plants, each parent plant comprising an ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele in a homozygous state, and wherein the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele in each parent plant has been introgressed from the same ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele donor plant, and which is located upstream and / or downstream of the ALS inhibitor-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele in said parent plants, said hybrid plant, or hybrid seed, or part thereof being sufficiently small to avoid or reduce inbreeding depression and / or increase hybrid vigor and / or increase sugar yield or biomass in said Beta vulgaris hybrid plant.

[0092] As used herein, "homozygous" or "homozygously" refers to a plant having a copy of the same allele at the same locus in each of the corresponding chromosomes of a diploid pair of chromosomes, including a copy of the BvALS_W569L allele at the ALS locus. Homozygous may also be used to refer to the presence of the same introgressed chromosome 5 fragment, or a portion of such fragment, from a donor plant. As used herein, "heterozygous" or "heterozygously" refers to a plant having a copy of a different allele at the same locus in each of the corresponding chromosomes of a diploid pair of chromosomes.

[0093] As used herein, the BvALS_W569L allele is a mutant allele of an endogenous Beta vulgaris ALS gene that encodes an ALS protein in which the amino acid at position 569 is leucine instead of the naturally occurring tryptophan. Such mutant alleles confer resistance to various ALS inhibitor herbicides to Beta vulgaris plants comprising same, as described in more detail below. An ALS protein in which the amino acid at position 569 is leucine instead of the naturally occurring tryptophan is set forth in SEQ ID NO:16. ALS proteins in which the amino acid at position 569 is leucine instead of the naturally occurring tryptophan, however, may vary at amino acid positions other than 569, provided that the amino acid sequence contains a leucine at position 569, and may have an amino acid sequence that has at least 90, 95, 97, 98, or 99% sequence identity or is 100% identical to the polypeptide or protein encoded by BvALS_W697L as set forth in SEQ ID NO:16.

[0094] The BvALS_W569L allele may comprise the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:15, which has a transversion of the "G" nucleotide at the position corresponding to position 1706 to a "T" nucleotide compared to the wild type allele. The ALS allele may also vary at a nucleotide position other than 1706, provided that it contains a TTG codon at positions 1705-1707 of SEQ ID NO:15, and may have a nucleotide sequence that has at least 90, 95, 97, 98, or 99% sequence identity or is identical to the nucleotide sequence of BvALS_W697L set forth in SEQ ID NO:15.

[0095] Beta vulgaris plants comprising the BvALS_W569L allele are less sensitive to ALS inhibitors, more preferably at least 100 times, more preferably 500 times, even more preferably 1000 times, and most preferably 2000 times less sensitive than Beta vulgaris plants comprising the wild-type allele. Less sensitive, as used herein, may be considered as "more tolerant" or "more resistant," and vice versa. Similarly, more tolerant or more resistant may be considered as "less sensitive," and vice versa. For example, B. vulgaris plants comprising the BvALS_W569L allele are at least 2000-fold less sensitive to the ALS inhibitor herbicide foramsulfuron (a member of the ALS inhibitor subclass "sulfonylurea herbicides") compared to B. vulgaris plants comprising the BvALS wild-type allele.

[0096] As used herein, BvALS-WT or "wild-type allele", "wild-type ALS allele", "wild-type ALS gene" or "wild-type ALS polynucleotide" refers to a nucleotide sequence encoding an ALS protein lacking the W569L substitution. Reference nucleotide and amino acid sequences corresponding to such BvALS_WT or encoded protein are set forth in SEQ ID NO: 17 and SEQ ID NO: 18, respectively. Preferably, BvALS_W569L comprises as the only mutation a substitution at position 569 of the encoded ALS protein. Reference B. vulgaris seeds comprising BvALS_W569L have been deposited under NCIMB41705. Reference seeds deposited under NCIMB43836, NCIMB43837 or NCIMB43838 on August 4, 2021 also comprise the BvALS_W569L allele.

[0097] The presence of BvALS_W569L in progeny plants may be observed phenotypically, i.e., resistance to ALS inhibitor herbicides, or may be determined using the KASP marker Mals (SEQ ID NO: 14) by determining the presence of a G-nucleotide at the mutant position of the marker.

[0098] The size of the chromosomal fragment of chromosome 5 from a donor ALS inhibitor-resistant Beta vulgaris line that has been introgressed into an (elite) inbred parent line of a different hybrid vigor pool can be estimated by using polymorphic markers that differ in at least one nucleotide position between the donor line and the (elite) parent line and that are located around, i.e., upstream or downstream, the BvALS allele. Such polymorphic markers represent, in one form or one allele, a nucleotide that is present in the nucleotide sequence of the donor line and, in another form or another allele, a nucleotide that is present in the nucleotide sequence of the (elite) parent line. The simultaneous presence of the BvALS_W569L allele and the presence of marker alleles from the (elite) parent line for one or more of the polymorphic markers located around the BvALS_W569L allele found in one plant upon analysis suggests that a recombination event has occurred in the chromosomal region between the polymorphic marker and the BvALS_W569L allele. Thus, the ends of the chromosome 5 fragment being introgressed from the donor or resource line are at most delineated or flanked by the marker. The size of the fragment being introgressed may be smaller. Preferably, all polymorphic markers located further away (with reference to the BvALS_W569L allele) than the marker for which the marker allele of the (elite) line was determined also represent the marker allele of the (elite) line. By determining the presence of marker alleles representing the (elite) parent line for polymorphic markers located upstream and downstream of the BvALS_W569L allele, the size of the chromosome fragment (interval) being introgressed from the resource line can be determined. Such markers are described above as flanking the chromosome fragment (interval) being introgressed from the donor line.

[0099] Examples of such markers are listed in Table 1. Markers useful for determining the maximum size of the chromosome 5 fragment that has been introgressed from the donor line along with the BvALS_W569L allele comprise the nucleotide sequence shown (but may contain additional nucleotides at the 5' and 3' ends). Polymorphic nucleotides are shown using standard symbols that encompass possible nucleotide variations. Nucleotides / alleles for polymorphic markers are also shown as present in the donor SU-12-1 line and as present in the (elite) parent lines of the hybrid vigor pool. The location of the markers relative to the BvALS_W569L allele is shown in Tables 2 and 3 and is represented diagrammatically in FIG. 1.

[0100] Thus, in a further embodiment of the invention, there is provided a hybrid B. vulgaris plant and seed thereof, wherein one or both of said hybrids have been introgressed from an ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele donor plant and comprise a chromosomal region of chromosome 5 comprising an ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele, such as the BvALS_W569L allele, in a chromosomal interval, wherein the chromosomal interval comprises, on one side of the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele, marker M1 (SEQ ID NO: 1), marker M2 (SEQ ID NO: 2), marker M3 (SEQ ID NO: 3), marker M4 (SEQ ID NO: 4), marker M11 (SEQ ID NO: 5), marker M5 (SEQ ID NO: 6), marker M6 (SEQ ID NO: 7), marker M7 (SEQ ID NO: 8), marker M8 (SEQ ID NO: 9), marker M9 (SEQ ID NO: 10), marker M10 (SEQ ID NO: 11), marker M11 (SEQ ID NO: 12), marker M12 (SEQ ID NO: 13), marker M13 (SEQ ID NO: 14), marker M14 (SEQ ID NO: 15), marker M15 (SEQ ID NO: 16), marker M16 (SEQ ID NO: 17), marker M17 (SEQ ID NO: 18), marker M18 (SEQ ID NO: 19), marker M19 (SEQ ID NO: 20), marker M20 (SEQ ID NO: 21), marker M21 (SEQ ID NO: 22), marker M22 (SEQ ID NO: 23), marker M23 (SEQ ID NO: 24), marker M24 (SEQ ID NO: 25), marker The above plants and seeds thereof are provided as described above, wherein the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele is flanked on the opposite side by a marker selected from the group consisting of marker M6 (SEQ ID NO:6), marker M7 (SEQ ID NO:7), marker M8 (SEQ ID NO:8), marker M9 (SEQ ID NO:9), marker M12 (SEQ ID NO:12), marker M13 (SEQ ID NO:13), marker M10 (SEQ ID NO:10), marker M16 (SEQ ID NO:21) and marker M17 (SEQ ID NO:22).

[0101] Thus, a hybrid B. vulgaris plant or seed or plant may comprise, on its chromosome 5, a chromosomal region which has been introgressed, said region comprising markers M1 and M6; markers M1 and M7; markers M1 and M8; markers M1 and M9; markers M1 and M10; markers M1 and M16; markers M1 and M17; markers M2 and M6; markers M2 and M7; markers M2 and M8; markers M2 and M9; markers M2 and M10; markers M2 and M16;markers M2 and M17;markers M3 and M6;markers M3 and M7;markers M3 and M8;markers M3 and M9;markers M3 and M10;markers M3 and M16;markers M3 and M17;markers M4 and M6;markers M4 and M7;markers M4 and M8;markers M4 and M9;markers M4 and M10;markers M4 and M16;markers M4 and M17;markers M5 and M6;markers M5 and M7;markers M5 and M8;markers M5 and M9;markers M5 and M 10;markers M5 and M16;markers M5 and M17;markers M14 and M6;markers M14 and M7;markers M14 and M8;markers M14 and M9;markers M14 and M10;markers M14 and M16;markers M14 and M17;markers M15 and M6;markers M15 and M7;markers M15 and M8;markers M15 and M9;markers M15 and M10;markers M15 and M16;markers M15 and M17;markers M1 and M12;markers M1 and M13;marker M1 and M10; markers M2 and M12; markers M2 and M13; markers M2 and M10; markers M5 and M12; markers M5 and M13; markers M5 and M10; markers M11 and M12; markers M11 and M13; markers M11 and M10; markers M11 and M16; markers M11 and M17; markers M14 and M12; markers M14 and M13; markers M15 and M12; or markers M15 and M13.The chromosomal fragments introgressed on both chromosomes 5 may be two-fold identical or may be different chromosomal fragments introgressed, each selected from the above list.A particularly useful hybrid B. vulgaris plant comprises a chromosomal region introgressed from an ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele donor plant on chromosome 5 and containing the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele flanked by markers M5 and M6 on one side of chromosome 5 and markers M5 and M12 on the other chromosome 5. Further particularly useful hybrid B. vulgaris plants include a chromosomal region that has been introgressed from and comprises the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele on chromosome 5 present in one or more seeds deposited at NCIMB, Aberdeen, UK under numbers NCIMB43836, NCIMB43837 or NCIMB43838 on August 4, 2021, or that has been grown or derived from seeds deposited at NCIMB, Aberdeen, UK under numbers NCIMB43836, NCIMB43837 or NCIMB43838 on August 4, 2021.

[0102] The hybrid Beta vulgaris plants, seeds or parts described herein have yield potential that is inversely correlated with the size of the introgressed chromosome 5 fragment comprising BvALS_W569L from a resource line. The hybrid Beta vulgaris plants described herein are preferably obtained from parent plants from different hybrid vigor groups and comprise a wild type allele of an ALS encoding gene on chromosome 5 in the homozygous state and therefore may have a sugar yield that is at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, at least 91%, at least 92%, at least 93%, at least 94%, at least 95%, at least 96%, at least 97%, at least 98%, at least 99%, or equal to or greater than the sugar yield of a control Beta vulgaris hybrid plant or an inbred Beta vulgaris hybrid plant or a check (elite) B. vulgaris line, i.e., a B. vulgaris (elite) line, that does not contain a chromosome 5 fragment that has been introgressed from an ALS inhibitor resistant donor line.

[0103] The hybrid Beta vulgaris plant, seed or part described herein has a chromosomal region of chromosome 5 that has been introgressed from the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele donor plant and is located upstream and / or downstream of the ALS inhibitor-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele in the parent plant that is small enough to avoid or reduce inbreeding depression and / or increase hybrid vigor and / or increase sugar yield or biomass yield in the Beta vulgaris hybrid plant. "Sufficiently small" means that the chromosomal region has been released from the donor material upstream and / or downstream of the ALS inhibitor-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele in the parent plant, preferably by truncation of the region, such that the region remains a contiguous region derived from the donor. In this way, a reduction in inbreeding depression and / or an increase in hybrid vigor and / or an increase in sugar yield or biomass yield in said Beta vulgaris hybrid plant is detectable / measurable. Preferably, said reduction in inbreeding depression and / or an increase in hybrid vigor and / or an increase in sugar yield or biomass yield is detectable / measurable in comparison to a control Beta vulgaris hybrid plant or an inbred Beta vulgaris hybrid plant or a check (elite) B. vulgaris line, i.e. a B. vulgaris (elite) line, preferably obtained from parent plants from different hybrid vigor groups and comprising a wild type allele of an ALS encoding gene on chromosome 5 in a homozygous state and therefore also not comprising a chromosome 5 fragment that has been introgressed from an ALS inhibitor resistant donor line. The terms "non-transgenic" or "non-transgenic" or "non-genetic" mean that the introduction of the respective gene has not occurred via a suitable biological carrier or by any other physical means.However, the mutant gene can be transferred through pollination, either naturally or through the breeding process, to produce alternative, non-transgenic plants.

[0104] The term "chromosome fragment", "chromosomal region" or "chromosomal interval" refers to a continuous linear segment on genomic DNA that is present on an individual chromosome in a plant or on a chromosomal fragment and is usually defined through two markers that may represent the distal and proximal end points of the interval. In this regard, the marker itself may be part of the interval. Furthermore, two different intervals may overlap. In this specification, an interval is identified by the statement "flanked by marker A and marker B".

[0105] The term "introgression" as used herein means transferring at least one desired gene allele at a locus of a genetic background to another. For example, the introgression of a desired gene allele at a particular locus can be transferred to offspring by reproductive mating between two parents of the same species. Alternatively, for example, the transfer of gene alleles can also occur by recombination between two donor genomes in fused protoplasts, where at least one donor protoplast retains the desired gene allele in its genome. In each case, the offspring, comprising the desired gene allele, can then be backcrossed again with a line comprising a preferred genetic background and selected for the desired gene allele. As a result, the desired gene allele in the selected genetic background is fixed.

[0106] Plant parts may be attached to or separated from the whole intact plant, and include, but are not limited to, plant organs, tissues and cells, and preferably seeds.

[0107] In another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a DNA molecule consisting of a chromosomal region of chromosome 5 of a Beta vulgaris ALS inhibitor herbicide-tolerant plant comprising an ALS-herbicide-tolerant endogenous ALS gene, the reference seed of which has been deposited under NCIMB41705, said region being located (solely or exclusively) in a chromosomal interval flanked on one side of the ALS-herbicide-tolerant endogenous ALS gene allele by markers selected from the group consisting of marker M1, marker M2, marker M3, marker M4, marker M11, marker M14, marker M15 and marker M5, and on the other side of the ALS-herbicide-tolerant endogenous ALS gene allele by markers selected from the group consisting of marker M6, marker M7, marker M8, marker M9 and marker M10, marker M12, marker M13, marker M16 and marker M17. Particularly useful DNA molecules are those in which the chromosomal region is flanked by markers M5 and M6, or the chromosomal region is flanked by markers M4 and M7, or the chromosomal region is flanked by markers M5 and M12, or the chromosomal region is flanked by markers M11 and M13, or the chromosomal region is flanked by M5 and M16, or the chromosomal region is flanked by M14 and M17.

[0108] Examples of such DNA molecules are listed in Tables 2, 3 and 4, showing the size of the introgressed fragment of chromosome 5 from the source ALS inhibitor resistant line. The size is expressed in centimorgans (cM), a unit of genetic distance. The genome sequence made up of the complete sequence for sugar beet has been published and can be found at the EnsemblPlants website https: / / plants.ensembl.org / Beta_vulgaris / Info / Index as RefBeet1.2.2Accession GCA_000511025 (https: / / www.ebi.ac.uk / ena / browser / view / GCA_000511025.2). Those skilled in the art can therefore easily locate the marker nucleotide sequences provided herein in the complete genome sequence of sugar beet by sequence comparison using computer programs and algorithms. For example, BLAST, which stands for Basic Local Alignment Search Tool (Altschul, Nucl. Acids Res. 25 (1997), 3389-3402; Altschul, J. Mol. Evol. 36 (1993), 290-300; Altschul, J. Mol. Biol. 215 (1990), 403-410), can be used to search for local sequence alignments.

[0109] Once the nucleotide sequences of the markers described herein have been physically assigned to corresponding positions in the genomic nucleotide sequence map of the chromosome 5 contig, one skilled in the art can identify the physical size, in kilobases, of the introgressed chromosome 5 fragment flanking such marker and can infer the consensus nucleotide sequence of the fragment flanking such marker.

[0110] Also described are Beta vulgaris plants, in particular (elite) Beta vulgaris plants, such as sugar beet plants or fodder beet plants, which comprise the DNA molecules described herein in a homozygous or heterozygous state and can be used as parent plants to obtain hybrid Beta vulgaris plants or seeds described herein. For this purpose, such plants are cross-pollinated and the progeny seeds are harvested. One of the parent plants may be male sterile (female plant) and may be pollinated by pollen from a male parent plant. Methods for obtaining male sterile Beta vulgaris plants are well known in the art.

[0111] The B. vulgaris plants and their harvestable parts of the present invention are agronomically usable. "Agronomically usable" means that the B. vulgaris plants and their parts are useful for agricultural purposes. For example, the B. vulgaris plants should be useful for the purposes of sugar production, biofuel production (e.g., biogas, biobutanol), ethanol production, betaine and / or uridine production, and the use of the hybrid Beta vulgaris plants described herein for the production of sugars, ethanol, betaine and / or uridine is also envisioned. The B. vulgaris plants or their parts can be used as animal feed or to produce animal feed.

[0112] "Plants of the species Beta vulgaris" or "Beta vulgaris plants" include plants of the subspecies Beta vulgaris subsp. vulgaris, such as Beta vulgaris subsp. vulgaris var. altissima (more narrowly sugar beet), Beta vulgaris ssp. vulgaris var. vulgaris (chard), Beta vulgaris ssp. vulgaris var. conditiva (beetroot / red beet), and Beta vulgaris ssp. vulgaris var. crassa / alba (fodder beet).

[0113] An example of an agriculturally exploitable B. vulgaris plant is the sugar beet. The sugar beet plant of the present invention, when cultivated on an area of ​​1 hectare yielding (approximately 80,000 to 90,000 sugar beets), should preferably be useful for the production of at least 4 tons of sugar.

[0114] The sugar beet plant of the present invention should preferably contain a sugar content of 15-20%, preferably at least 17%, to be agronomically usable, and therefore a sugar beet plant containing a sugar content of 15-20%, preferably at least 17%, is a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0115] Yet another example of an agriculturally exploitable B. vulgaris plant is fodder beet, which may be used to produce animal feed by chopping the harvested beet and feeding it pure to animals such as cattle and dairy cows, or it may be mixed with other feed ingredients, or it may be used as grazing fodder beet.

[0116] Another aspect of the present invention is the use of a Beta vulgaris plant as described herein and / or a harvestable part or propagation material as described herein for the production / breeding of further Beta vulgaris plants.

[0117] 1. A method for identifying a genomic fragment of chromosome 5 in an (elite) Beta vulgaris plant which has been introgressed from an ALS-herbicide-resistant Beta vulgaris donor plant, wherein the genomic fragment comprises an ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele, or a method for identifying / selecting a Beta vulgaris plant comprising said genomic fragment of chromosome 5, comprising: (a) identifying the presence of an ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele in a B. vulgaris plant, e.g., an (elite) B. vulgaris plant, by phenotypic or marker-based methods; and (b) identifying the presence of an allele / nucleotide at nucleotide position 31 of one or more markers selected from the group consisting of marker M1 (SEQ ID NO:1), marker M2 (SEQ ID NO:2), marker M3 (SEQ ID NO:3), marker M4 (SEQ ID NO:4), marker M5 (SEQ ID NO:5), marker M6 (SEQ ID NO:6), marker M7 (SEQ ID NO:7), marker M8 (SEQ ID NO:8), marker M9 (SEQ ID NO:9), marker M10 (SEQ ID NO:10), marker M11 (SEQ ID NO:11) and marker M13 (SEQ ID NO:13), at nucleotide position 30 of marker M12 (SEQ ID NO:12), or at nucleotide position 101 of one or more markers selected from the group consisting of marker 14 (SEQ ID NO:19), marker 15 (SEQ ID NO:20), marker 16 (SEQ ID NO:21) and marker M17 (SEQ ID NO:22) as being present in an (elite) Beta vulgaris plant; (c) optionally selecting an ALS inhibitor-resistant Beta vulgaris plant, wherein said plant exhibits reduced inbreeding depression and / or increased hybrid vigor and / or increased sugar yield or biomass yield. Also contemplated is the above method, comprising:

[0118] Another method for identifying a genomic fragment of chromosome 5 in an (elite) Beta vulgaris plant that has been introgressed from an ALS-herbicide-resistant Beta vulgaris donor plant, wherein said genomic fragment comprises an ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele, or another method for identifying / selecting a Beta vulgaris plant comprising said genomic fragment of chromosome 5, comprising (a) identifying the presence of an ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele in the plant by phenotypic or marker-based methods; and (b) flanked on one side of the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele by markers selected from the group consisting of marker M1 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1), marker M2 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2), marker M5 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 5), marker M11 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 11), marker M14 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 19) and marker M15 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 20), and on the other side of the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele by markers selected from the group consisting of marker M6 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 6), marker - identifying the presence of at least one allele / nucleotide in a chromosomal interval flanked by markers selected from the group consisting of marker M12 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 12), marker M13 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 13), marker M7 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 7), marker M8 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 8), marker M9 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 9), marker M10 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 10), marker M16 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 21) and marker M17 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 22); and (c) optionally selecting an ALS inhibitor-resistant Beta vulgaris plant, wherein said plant exhibits reduced inbreeding depression and / or increased hybrid vigor and / or increased sugar yield or biomass yield. The above method comprising:

[0119] A further method for identifying a genomic fragment of chromosome 5 in an (elite) Beta vulgaris plant that has been introgressed from an ALS-herbicide-resistant Beta vulgaris donor plant, said genomic fragment comprising an ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele, comprising: (a) identifying the presence of at least one first allele / nucleotide in a chromosomal interval flanked by a marker selected from the group consisting of marker M1 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:1), marker M2 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:2), marker M5 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:5), marker M11 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:11), marker M14 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:19) and marker M15 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:20) and by an ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele; and (b) identifying the presence of at least one second allele / nucleotide in a chromosomal interval flanked by the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele and by a marker selected from the group consisting of marker M6 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:6), marker M12 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:12), marker M13 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:13), marker M7 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:7), marker M8 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:8), marker M9 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:9), marker M10 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:10), marker M16 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:21) and marker M17 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:22). (c) optionally selecting an ALS inhibitor-resistant Beta vulgaris plant, wherein said plant exhibits reduced inbreeding depression and / or increased hybrid vigor and / or increased sugar yield or biomass yield. The above method comprising:

[0120] The alleles or nucleotides present in (elite) Beta vulgaris plants are shown in Table 1. Thus, the steps of the method of identification include the presence of a G at nucleotide position 31 of marker M1 (SEQ ID NO:1); the presence of a T at nucleotide position 31 of marker M2 (SEQ ID NO:2); the presence of a G at nucleotide position 31 of marker M3 (SEQ ID NO:3); the presence of an A at nucleotide position 31 of marker M4 (SEQ ID NO:4); the presence of a C at nucleotide position 31 of marker M5 (SEQ ID NO:5); the presence of a C at nucleotide position 31 of marker M6 (SEQ ID NO:6); the presence of a C at nucleotide position 31 of marker M7 (SEQ ID NO:7); the presence of a C at nucleotide position 31 of marker M8 (SEQ ID NO:8); the presence of an A at nucleotide position 31 of marker M9 (SEQ ID NO:9); the presence of; the presence of an A at nucleotide position 31 of marker M10 (SEQ ID NO:10); the presence of an A at nucleotide position 31 of marker M11 (SEQ ID NO:11); the presence of a T at nucleotide position 30 of marker M12 (SEQ ID NO:12); the presence of an A at nucleotide position 31 of marker M13 (SEQ ID NO:13); the presence of a C at nucleotide position 101 of marker M14 (SEQ ID NO:19); the presence of a T at nucleotide position 101 of marker M15 (SEQ ID NO:20); the presence of a G at nucleotide position 101 of marker M16 (SEQ ID NO:21); or the presence of a C at nucleotide position 101 of marker M17 (SEQ ID NO:22).

[0121] The presence of the BvALS_W569L allele can be determined by identifying the presence of a G nucleotide at nucleotide position 31 of marker Mals (SEQ ID NO: 14).

[0122] In yet another embodiment of the present invention, markers are provided for determining the presence and size of chromosome 5 fragment introgressed from a donor line, comprising DNA molecules comprising any one of the sequences SEQ ID NO:1, SEQ ID NO:2, SEQ ID NO:3, SEQ ID NO:4, SEQ ID NO:5, SEQ ID NO:6, SEQ ID NO:7, SEQ ID NO:8, SEQ ID NO:9, SEQ ID NO:10, SEQ ID NO:11, SEQ ID NO:12, SEQ ID NO:13, SEQ ID NO:19, SEQ ID NO:20, SEQ ID NO:21 or SEQ ID NO:22.

[0123] Markers can be used to identify the plants of the present invention using any genotyping method. Plant genotyping evaluation includes using techniques such as isozyme electrophoresis, restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP), random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD), arbitrarily primed polymerase chain reaction technology (AP-PCR), allele-specific PCR (AS-PCR), DNA amplification fingerprinting (DAF), sequence characterized amplified regions (SCAR), amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP), simple sequence repeats (SSR) (also called "microsatellite"). Further compositions and methods of analyzing plant genotypes provided herein include those methods disclosed in U.S. Patent Publication No. 2004 / 0171027, U.S. Patent Publication No. 2005 / 02080506, and U.S. Patent Publication No. 2005 / 0283858.

[0124] A particularly useful assay method for genotyping single nucleotide polymorphism markers is the KASP assay (competitive allele-specific PCR), as described, for example, by Chunlin He, John Holme and Jeffrey Anthony in "SNP genotyping: the KASP assay" Methods Mol Biol 2014;1145:75-86 doi: 10.1007 / 978-1-4939-0446-4_7.

[0125] In another aspect of the present invention, there is provided use of one or more ALS inhibitor herbicide(s) for controlling undesirable vegetation in a Beta vulgaris growing area, wherein the Beta vulgaris plant is a hybrid Beta vulgaris plant as described herein.

[0126] The ALS inhibitor herbicide may belong to any one of those listed in the above numbered embodiments of the present invention. The "CAS RN" listed in square brackets after the names (common names) mentioned under groups A to C corresponds to the "Chemical Abstracts Service Registry Number", a conventional reference number that allows the named substance to be unambiguously classified, since the "CAS RN" distinguishes, among other things, between isomers, including stereoisomers. The listed compounds are further indicated by numbers in brackets, such as A1-1, which are further used below.

[0127] In the context of the present invention, "tolerance" or "tolerant" means that one or more ALS inhibitor herbicide(s) belonging to any of groups (A), (B), (C) as defined above, when applied to a hybrid Beta vulgaris plant, in particular sugar beet, as described herein, does not show any apparent effect(s) on physiology / phytotoxicity, whereas application of the same amount of the respective ALS inhibitor herbicide(s) to a non-tolerant Beta vulgaris plant leads to significant negative effects on the plant's growth, its physiology, or shows phytotoxic symptoms. The nature and amount of the observed effect may depend on the chemical composition, application rate, and timing of application of the respective ALS inhibitor herbicide(s) applied, as well as the growth state / stage of the plant being treated.

[0128] Useful ALS inhibitor herbicides comprise foramsulfuron [CAS RN173159-57-4] (=A1-13) and thiencarbazone-methyl [CAS RN317815-83-1] (=A2-3).

[0129] Another ALS inhibitor herbicide that may be used to control undesirable vegetation in a Beta vulgaris (preferably sugar beet) growing area, where the Beta vulgaris (preferably sugar beet) plant is a hybrid B. vulgaris plant as described herein, is imazamox [CAS RN114311-32-9] (=B1-2).

[0130] Another ALS inhibitor herbicide that may be used for the control of undesirable vegetation in a Beta vulgaris (preferably sugar beet or fodder beet) growing area, where the Beta vulgaris (preferably sugar beet or fodder beet) plant is a hybrid B. vulgaris plant as described herein, is Bispyribac-sodium [CAS RN125401-92-5] (=C1-1).

[0131] Another ALS inhibitor herbicide that may be used for control of undesirable vegetation in a Beta vulgaris (preferably sugar beet) growing area, where the Beta vulgaris (preferably sugar beet or fodder beet plant) plant is a hybrid B. vulgaris plant described herein, is triflusulfuron-methyl.

[0132] In addition, the ALS inhibitor herbicide(s) used in the hybrid B. vulgaris plants described herein may comprise or be used together with further components, such as agriculturally active compounds with different types of action modes and / or formulation auxiliaries and / or additives customary in crop protection.

[0133] In a preferred embodiment, the herbicide combination used according to the present invention comprises an effective amount of ALS inhibitor herbicide(s) belonging to group (A), (B) and / or (C) and / or has synergistic effect.Synergistic effect can be observed, for example, when one or more ALS inhibitor herbicide(s) belonging to group (A), (B) and / or (C) are applied together, for example, as a coformulation or as a tank mix; however, they can also be observed when active compounds are applied at different times (split application).For example, herbicide or herbicide combination can be applied in multiple split applications (sequential application), for example, pre-emergence application, followed by post-emergence application or early post-emergence application, followed by mid- or late post-emergence application.

[0134] Concomitant or near simultaneous application of ALS inhibitor herbicides belonging to groups (A), (B) and / or (C) of the subject combinations is contemplated herein.

[0135] Synergistic effects allow for reduced application rates of individual ALS inhibitor herbicides, higher efficacy at the same application rate, control of species not yet controlled (gaps), control of species that are tolerant or resistant to individual ALS inhibitor herbicides or to multiple ALS inhibitor herbicides, extended application periods, and / or reduced individual application times required, which are economically and ecologically more advantageous, and - as a consequence for the user - a reduction in the weed control system.

[0136] The herbicides used in accordance with the present invention are all acetolactate synthase (ALS) inhibitor herbicides (which may alternatively and interchangeably be termed "ALS-inhibiting herbicides") and therefore inhibit protein biosynthesis in plants.

[0137] The application rates of the ALS inhibitor herbicides belonging to groups (A), (B) or (C) (as defined above) can vary within wide ranges, for example from 0.001 g to 1500 g ai / ha (ai / ha here and below means "active substance per hectare" based on 100% pure active compound). Herbicides belonging to classes A, B and C according to the invention, preferably compounds A1-1; A1-4; A1-8; A1-9; A1-12; A1-13; A1-16; A1-17; A1-18; A1-19; A1-20; A1-28; A1-29; A1-31; A1-39; A1-41; A1-83; A1-87; A2-2; A2-3; A3-3; A3-5; A3-7, A4-3, when used by the control, pre-emergence and post-emergence method, are applied at an application rate of 0.001 g20 to 1500 g ai / ha against a relatively wide range of harmful plants, such as annual and perennial monocotyledonous or dicotyledonous weeds, and also undesirable crop plants (also defined jointly as "undesirable vegetation").

[0138] In many applications according to the invention, the application rate is, for example, in the range of 0.001g to 1000g ai / ha, preferably 300.1g to 500g ai / ha, particularly preferably 0.5g to 250g ai / ha, and even more preferably 1.0g to 200g ai / ha, and generally lower. When the application of several ALS inhibitor herbicides is carried out, the amount represents the total amount of all applied ALS inhibitor herbicides. For example, the combination according to the invention of ALS inhibitor herbicides (belonging to groups (A), (B) and / or (C)) can synergistically improve the activity in a way that exceeds the activity that can be achieved using individual ALS inhibitor herbicides (belonging to groups (A), (B) and / or (C)).

[0139] Preferred conditions for the combination of ALS inhibitors and herbicides are exemplified below.

[0140] Of particular interest according to the present invention is the use of a herbicide composition for controlling undesirable vegetation in Beta vulgaris plants, preferably sugar beet plants, having the following ALS inhibitor herbicide moieties: (A1-1)+(A1-4);(A1-1)+(A1-8);(A1-1)+(A1-9);(A1-1)+(A1-12); (A1-1)+(A1-13);(A1-1)+(A1-16);(A1-1)+(A1-17);(A1-1)+(A1-18); (A1-1)+(A1-19);(A1-1)+(A1-20);(A1-1)+(A1-28);(A1-1)+(A1-29); (A1-1)+(A1-31);(A1-1)+(A1-39);(A1-1)+(A1-41);(A1-1)+(A1-83); (A1-1)+(A1-87);(A1-1)+(A2-2);(A1-1)+(A2-3);(A1-1)+(A3-3); (A1-1)+(A3-5);(A1-1)+(A3-7);(A1-1)+(A4-1);(A1-1)+(A4-2);(A1-1)+(A4-3); (A1-4)+(A1-8);(A1-4)+(A1-9);(A1-4)+(A1-12);(A1-4)+(A1-13); (A1-4)+(A1-16);(A1-4)+(A1-17);(A1-4)+(A1-18);(A1-4)+(A1-19); (A1-4)+(A1-20);(A1-4)+(A1-28);(A1-4)+(A1-29);(A1-4)+(A1-31); (A1-4)+(A1-39);(A1-4)+(A1-41);(A1-4)+(A1-83);(A1-4)+(A1-87); (A1-4)+(A2-2);(A1-4)+(A2-3);(A1-4)+(A3-3);(A1-4)+(A3-5); (A1-4)+(A3-7);(A1-4)+(A4-1);(A1-4)+(A4-2);(A1-4)+(A4-3); (A1-8)+(A1-9);(A1-8)+(A1-12);(A1-8)+(A1-13);(A1-8)+(A1-16); (A1-8)+(A1-17);(A1-8)+(A1-18);(A1-8)+(A1-19);(A1-8)+(A1-20); (A1-8)+(A1-28);(A1-8)+(A1-29);(A1-8)+(A1-31);(A1-8)+(A1-39); (A1-8)+(A1-41);(A1-8)+(A1-83);(A1-8)+(A1-87);(A1-8)+(A2-2); (A1-8)+(A2-3);(A1-8)+(A3-3);(A1-8)+(A3-5);(A1-8)+(A3-7); A1-8)+(A4-1);(A1-8)+(A4-2);(A1-8)+(A4-3); (A1-9)+(A1-12);(A1-9)+(A1-13);(A1-9)+(A1-16);(A1-9)+(A1-17); (A1-9)+(A1-18);(A1-9)+(A1-19);(A1-9)+(A1-20);(A1-9)+(A1-28); (A1-9)+(A1-29);(A1-9)+(A1-31);(A1-9)+(A1-39);(A1-9)+(A1-41); (A1-9)+(A1-83);(A1-9)+(A1-87);(A1-9)+(A2-2);(A1-9)+(A2-3); (A1-9)+(A3-3);(A1-9)+(A3-5);(A1-9)+(A3-7);(A1-9)+(A4-1); (A1-9)+(A4-2);(A1-9)+(A4-3); (A1-12)+(A1-13);(A1-12)+(A1-16);(A1-12)+(A1-17);(A1-12)+(A1-18); (A1-12)+(A1-19);(A1-12)+(A1-20);(A1-12)+(A1-28);(A1-12)+(A1-29); (A1-12)+(A1-31);(A1-12)+(A1-39);(A1-12)+(A1-41);(A1-12)+(A1-83); (A1-12)+(A1-87);(A1-12)+(A2-2);(A1-12)+(A2-3);(A1-12)+(A3-3); (A1-12)+(A3-5);(A1-12)+(A3-7);(A1-12)+(A4-1);(A1-12)+(A4-2);(A1-12)+ (A4-3); (A1-13)+(A1-16);(A1-13)+(A1-17);(A1-13)+(A1-18);(A1-13)+(A1-19); (A1-13)+(A1-20);(A1-13)+(A1-28);(A1-13)+(A1-29);(A1-13)+(A1-31); (A1-13)+(A1-39);(A1-13)+(A1-41);(A1-13)+(A1-83);(A1-13)+(A1-87); (A1-13)+(A2-2);(A1-13)+(A2-3);(A1-13)+(A3-3);(A1-13)+(A3-5); (A1-13)+(A3-7);(A1-13)+(A4-1);(A1-13)+(A4-2);(A1-13)+(A4-3); (A1-16)+(A1-17);(A1-16)+(A1-18);(A1-16)+(A1-19);(A1-16)+(A1-20); (A1-16)+(A1-28);(A1-16)+(A1-29);(A1-16)+(A1-31);(A1-16)+(A1-39); (A1-16)+(A1-41);(A1-16)+(A1-83);(A1-16)+(A1-87);(A1-16)+(A2-2); 30(A1-16)+(A2-3);(A1-16)+(A3-3);(A1-16)+(A3-5);(A1-16)+(A3-7); (A1-16)+(A4-1);(A1-16)+(A4-2);(A1-16)+(A4-3); A1-17)+(A1-18);(A1-17)+(A1-19);(A1-17)+(A1-20);(A1-17)+(A1-28); (A1-17)+(A1-29);(A1-17)+(A1-31);(A1-17)+(A1-39);(A1-17)+(A1-41); (A1-17)+(A1-83);(A1-17)+(A1-87);(A1-17)+(A2-2);(A1-17)+(A2-3); (A1-17)+(A3-3);(A1-17)+(A3-5);(A1-17)+(A3-7);(A1-17)+(A4-1); (A1-17)+(A4-2);(A1-17)+(A4-3); (A1-18)+(A1-19);(A1-18)+(A1-20);(A1-18)+(A1-28);(A1-18)+(A1-29); (A1-18)+(A1-31);(A1-18)+(A1-39);(A1-18)+(A1-41);(A1-18)+(A1-83); (A1-18)+(A1-87);(A1-18)+(A2-2);(A1-18)+(A2-3);(A1-18)+(A3-3); (A1-18)+(A3-5);(A1-18)+(A3-7);(A1-18)+(A4-1);(A1-18)+(A4-2); (A1-18)+(A4-3); (A1-19)+(A1-20);(A1-19)+(A1-28);(A1-19)+(A1-29);(A1-19)+(A1-31); (A1-19)+(A1-39);(A1-19)+(A1-41);(A1-19)+(A1-83);(A1-19)+(A1-87); (A1-19)+(A2-2);(A1-19)+(A2-3);(A1-19)+(A3-3);(A1-19)+(A3-5); (A1-19)+(A3-7);(A1-19)+(A4-1);(A1-19)+(A4-2);(A1-19)+(A4-3); (A1-20)+(A1-28);(A1-20)+(A1-29);(A1-20)+(A1-31);(A1-20)+(A1-39); (A1-20)+(A1-41);(A1-20)+(A1-83);(A1-20)+(A1-87);(A1-20)+(A2-2); (A1-20)+(A2-3);(A1-20)+(A3-3);(A1-20)+(A3-5);(A1-20)+(A3-7); (A1-20)+(A4-1);(A1-20)+(A4-2);(A1-20)+(A4-3); (A1-28)+(A1-29);(A1-28)+(A1-31);(A1-28)+(A1-39);(A1-28)+(A1-41); (A1-28)+(A1-83);(A1-28)+(A1-87);(A1-28)+(A2-2);(A1-28)+(A2-3); (A1-28)+(A3-3);(A1-28)+(A3-5);(A1-28)+(A3-7);(A1-28)+(A4-1); (A1-28)+(A4-2);(A1-28)+(A4-3); (A1-29)+(A1-31);(A1-29)+(A1-39);(A1-29)+(A1-41);(A1-29)+(A1-83); (A1-29)+(A1-87);(A1-29)+(A2-2);(A1-29)+(A2-3);(A1-29)+(A3-3); (A1-29)+(A3-5);(A1-29)+(A3-7);(A1-29)+(A4-1);(A1-29)+(A4-2);(A1-29)+ (A4-3); (A1-31)+(A1-39);(A1-31)+(A1-41);(A1-31)+(A1-83);(A1-31)+(A1-87); <h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr">(A1-31)+(A2-2);(A1-31)+(A2-3);(A1-31)+(A3-3);(A1-31)+(A3-5);<h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> <h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> (A1-31)+(A3-7);(A1-31)+(A4-1);(A1-31)+(A4-2);(A1-31)+(A4-3);<h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> <h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> (A1-39)+(A1-41);(A1-39)+(A1-83);(A1-39)+(A1-87);(A1-39)+(A2-2);<h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> <h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> (A1-39)+(A2-3);(A1-39)+(A3-3);(A1-39)+(A3-5);(A1-39)+(A3-7);<h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> <h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> (A1-39)+(A4-1);(A1-39)+(A4-2);(A1-39)+(A4-3);<h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> <h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> (A1-41)+(A1-83);(A1-41)+(A1-87);(A1-41)+(A2-2);(A1-41)+(A2-3);<h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> <h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> (A1-41)+(A3-3);(A1-41)+(A3-5);(A1-41)+(A3-7);(A1-41)+(A4-1);<h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> <h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> (A1-41)+(A4-2);(A1-41)+(A4-3);<h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> <h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> (A1-83)+(A2-2);(A1-83)+(A2-3);(A1-83)+(A3-3);(A1-83)+(A3-5);<h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> <h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> (A1-83)+(A3-7);(A1-83)+(A4-1);(A1-83)+(A4-2);(A1-83)+(A4-3);<h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> <h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> (A1-87)+(A2-2);(A1-87)+(A2-3);(A1-87)+(A3-3);(A1-87)+(A3-5);<h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> <h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> (A1-87)+(A3-7);(A1-87)+(A4-1);(A1-87)+(A4-2);(A1-87)+(A4-3);<h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> <h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> (A2-2)+(A2-3);(A2-2)+(A3-3);(A2-2)+(A3-5);(A2-2)+(A3-7);<h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> <h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> (A2-2)+(A4-1);(A2-2)+(A4-2);(A2-2)+(A4-3);<h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> (A2-3)+(A3-3);(A2-3)+(A3-5);(A2-3)+(A3-7); (A2-3)+(A4-1);(A2-3)+(A4-2);(A2-3)+(A4-3); (A3-3)+(A3-5);(A3-3)+(A3-7); (A3-3)+(A4-1);(A3-3)+(A4-2);(A3-3)+(A4-3); (A3-5)+(A3-7);(A3-5)+(A4-1);(A3-5)+(A4-2);(A3-5)+(A4-3); (A3-7)+(A4-1);(A3-7)+(A4-2);(A3-7)+(A4-3); (A-1)+(A4-2);(A4-1)+(A4-3);and (A4-2)+(A4-3).

[0141] In addition, the ALS inhibitor herbicides used according to the invention may comprise or be used together with further components, for example agriculturally active compounds with different types of action modes and / or formulation auxiliaries and / or additives customary in crop protection.

[0142] The ALS inhibitor herbicide(s) or a combination of different such ALS inhibitor herbicides used according to the invention may further comprise different agriculturally active compounds, for example from the groups of the antidotes, fungicides, insecticides or from the group of formulation auxiliaries and additives customary in crop protection.

[0143] In a further embodiment, the present invention relates to using effective amounts of an ALS inhibitor herbicide(s) (i.e., a member of Groups (A), (B) and / or (C)) and a non-ALS inhibitor herbicide (i.e., a herbicide that exhibits a different mode of action for inhibition of the ALS enzyme [acetohydroxyacid synthase; EC 2.2.1.6] (Group D herbicides)) to obtain a synergistic effect in controlling undesirable vegetation.

[0144] Such synergistic effects can be observed, for example, when one or more ALS inhibitor herbicides (i.e., members of groups (A), (B) and / or (C)) and one or more non-ALS inhibitor herbicides (group D herbicides) are applied together, for example, as a coformulation or as a tank mix; however, they can also be observed when the active compounds are applied at different times (split application). The ALS inhibitor herbicides and non-ALS inhibitor herbicides can also be applied in multiple applications (sequential application), for example, with a pre-emergence application, followed by a post-emergence application or an early post-emergence application, followed by a mid- or late post-emergence application. Here, joint or near-simultaneous application of the subject combination herbicides ((A), (B) and / or (C)) and (D) is preferred.

[0145] Suitable partner herbicides to be applied together with the ALS inhibitor herbicides have been published in each case by the British Crop Protection Council (hereinafter also referred to briefly as "PM") and are described in the documents cited here, for example in Weed Research 26, 441-445 (1986), or in "The Pesticide Manual", 14th edition, The British Crop Protection Council, 2007, or in the 15th edition 2010, or in the corresponding "ePesticide Manual", Version 5. (2010), for example the following herbicides which are structurally different from the herbicides belonging to groups (A), (B) and (C) defined above, preferably herbicidally active compounds whose action is based on, for example, the inhibition of acetyl-coenzyme A carboxylase, PSI, PSII, HPPDO, phytoene desaturase, protoporphyrinogen oxidase, glutamine synthase, cellulose biosynthesis, 5-enol-pyruvyl-shikimate 3-phosphate synthase. A list of common names is also available on the Internet in "The Compendium of Pesticide Common Names". Herbicides known from the literature (hereinafter in brackets after the common name, which is also classified by the designation D1 to D426) which may be combined with the ALS-inhibitor herbicides of groups (A), (B) and / or (C) and used according to the invention are, for example, the active compounds listed below: (Note: the herbicides are referred to either by the "common name" according to the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) or by the chemical name, if necessary together with the customary code number, unless the context indicates otherwise, and in each case comprise all use forms, e.g. acids, salts, esters and isomers, e.g. stereoisomers and optical isomers, in particular the commercially available form(s). The list given is for one use form and in some cases for two or more use forms): acetochlor (=D1),Acibenzolar (=D2), Acibenzolar-S-methyl (=D3), Acifluorfen (=D4), Acifluorfen-sodium (=D5), Aclonifen (=D6), Alachlor (=D7), Allidochlor (=D8), Alloxydim (=D9), Alloxydim-sodium (=D10), Ametryn (=D11), Amicarbazone (=D12), Amidochlor (=D13), Aminocyclopyrachlor (=D14), Aminopyralid (=D15), Amitrole (=D16), Ammonium sulfamate (=D17), Ancymidol ( =D18), anilofos (=D19), asuram (=D20), atrazine (=D21), azafenidine (=D22), aziprothrin (=D23), beflubutamid (=D24), benazolin (=D25), benazolin-ethyl (=D26), bencarbazone (=D27), benfluralin (=D28), benfuresate (=D29), bensulide (=D30), bentazon (=D31), benzfendizone (=D32), benzobicyclon (=D33), benzofenap (=D34), benzofluor (=D35), benzoylprop (= D36), bicyclopyrone (=D37), bifenox (=D38), bilanaphos (=D39), bilanaphos-sodium (=D40), bromacil (=D41), bromobutide (=D42), bromofenoxime (=D43), bromoxynil (=D44), bromulon (=D45), buminafos (=D46), busoxynone (=D47), butachlor (=D48), butafenacil (=D49), butamifos (=D50), butenachlor (=D51), butralin (=D52), butroxydim (=D53), butyrate (=D54), caffeine strol (=D55), carbetamide (=D56), carfentrazone (=D57), carfentrazone-ethyl (=D58), chlormethoxyfen (=D59), chloramben (=D60), chloradifop (=D61), chloradifop-butyl (=D62), chlorbromuron (=D63), chlorbufam (=D64), chlorfenac (=D65), chlorfenac-sodium (=D66), chlorfenprop (=D67), chlorflurenol (=D68), chlorflurenol-methyl (=D69), chloridazon (=D70),Chlormequat chloride (=D71), chlornitrofen (=D72), chlorophthalim (=D73), chlorthal dimethyl (=D74), chlorotoluron (=D75), cinidon (=D76), cinidon ethyl (=D77), cinmethylin (=D78), clethodim (=D79), clodinafop (=D80), clodinafop propargyl (=D81), clofencet (=D82), clomazone (=D83), clomeprop (=D84), cloprop (=D85), clopyralid (=D86), cloransulam (=D87), Loransulam-methyl (=D88), cumyluron (=D89), cyanamide (=D90), cyanazine (=D91), cyclanilide (=D92), cycloate (=D93), cycloxydim (=D94), cyclouron (=D95), cyhalofop (=D96), cyhalofop-butyl (=D97), cyperquat (=D98), cyprazine (=D99), cyprazole (=D100), 2,4-D (=D101), 2,4-DB (=D102), daimuron / dymron (=D103), dalapon (=D104), Daminozide (=D105), Dazomet (=D106), n-Decanol (=D-107), Desmedipham (=D108), Desmetrin (=D109), Detosyl-pyrazolate (=D110), Diallate (=D111), Dicamba (=D112), Dichlobenil (=D113), Dichlorprop (=D114), Dichlorprop-P (=D115), Diclofop (=D116), Diclofop-methyl (=D117), Diclofop-P-methyl (=D118), Diethathyl (=D119), Diethathyl-ethyl (=D120), Diphen Noxuron (=D121), Difenzoquat (=D122), Diflufenican (=D123), Diflufenzopyr (=D124), Diflufenzopyr-sodium (=D125), Dimefuron (=D126), Dikeglac-sodium (=D127), Dimefuron (=D128), Dimepiperate (=D129), Dimethachlor (=D130), Dimethamethrin (=D131), Dimethenamid (=D132), Dimethenamid-P (=D133), Dimethipine (=D134), Dimetrasulfuron (=D135), Dinitramine (=D136),Dinoseb (=D137), dinoterb (=D138), diphenamide (=D139), dipropetrine (=D140), diquat (=D141), diquat-dibromide (=D142), dithiopyr (=D143), diuron (=D144), DNOC (=D145), eglinadine-ethyl (=D146), endothal (=D147), EPTC (=D148), esprocarb (=D149), ethalfluralin (=D 150), ethephon (=D151), ethidimuron (=D152), ethiozin (=D153), ethofumesate (=D154), ethoxyphene (=D155), ethoxyphene-ethyl (=D156), etobenzanide (=D157), F-5331 (=2-chloro-4-fluoro-5-[4-(3-fluoropropyl)-4,5-dihydro-5-oxo-1H-tetrazol-1-yl]-phenyl]ethanesulfonamide) (=D158), F-7967 (=3-[7-chloro-5-fluoro-2-(trifluoromethyl)-1H-10benzimidazol-4-yl]-1-methyl-6-(trifluoromethyl)pyrimidine-2,4(1H,3H)-dione) (=D159), fenoprop (=D160), fenoxaprop (=D161), fenoxaprop-P (=D162), fenoxaprop-ethyl (=D163), fenoxap flamprop-P-ethyl (=D164), fenoxasulfone (=D165), fentrazamide (=D166), fenuron (=D167), flamprop (=D168), flamprop-M-isopropyl (=D169), flamprop-M-methyl (=D170), fluazifop (=D171), fluazifop-P (=D172), fluazifop-butyl 15 (=D173), fluazifop-P-butyl (=D174), 4), fluazolate (=D175), fluchloralin (=D176), flufenacet (thiafluramide) (=D177), flufenpyr (=D178), flufenpyr-ethyl (=D179), flumetralin (=D180), flumiclorac (=D181), flumiclorac-pentyl (=D182), flumioxazin (=D183), flumipropin (=D184), fluometuron (=D185), fluorodifen (=D186), fluoroglycofen (=D187),Fluoroglycofen-ethyl (=D188), flupoxam (=D189), 20-flupropacil (=D190), flupropanate (=D191), flurenol (=D192), flurenol-butyl (=D193), fluridone (=D194), flurochloridone (=D195), fluroxypyr (=D196), fluroxypyr-meptyl (=D197), flurprimidol (=D198), flurtamone (=D199), fluthiacet (=D200), fluthiacet-methyl (=D201), fluthiamide (=D202), Fomesafen (=D203), Forchlorfenuron (=D204), Fosamine (=D205), Furyloxyfen (=D206), Gibberellic acid 25 (=D207), Glufosinate (=D208), Glufosinate-ammonium (=D209), Glufosinate-P (=D210), Glufosinate-P-ammonium (=D211), Glufosinate-P-sodium (=D212), Glyphosate (=D213), Glyphosate-isopropylammonium (=D214), H-9201 (=O-(2,4-dimethyl-6-nitrophenyl)-2,4-dihydro-2,5-dihydro-1 ... (phenyl)-O-ethyl-isopropyl phosphoramidothioate) (=D215), halosaphen (=D216), haloxyfop (=D217), haloxyfop-P (=D218), haloxyfop-ethoxyethyl (=D219), haloxyfop-P-ethoxyethyl (=D220), haloxyfop-methyl (=D221), haloxyfop-P-methyl (=D222), hexazinone (=D223), HW-02 (=1-(dimethoxyphosphoryl)-ethyl (2,4-dichlorophenoxy) acetate) (=D224), inabenf (=D225), indanofan (=D226), indaziflam (=D227), indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) (=D228), 4-indol-3-ylbutyric acid (IBA) (=D229), ioxynil (=D230), ipfencarbazone (=D231), isocarbamide (=D232), isopropaline (=D233), isoproturon (=D234), isouron (=D235), isoxaben (=D236), isoxaclotol (=D237), isoxaflutole (=D238), isoxapyrifop (=D239),KUH-043 (=3-({[5-(difluoromethyl)-1-methyl-3-(trifluoromethyl)-1H-pyrazol-4-yl]methyl}sulfonyl)-5,5-dimethyl-4,5-dihydro-1,2-oxazole) (=D240), carbutilate (=D241), ketospiradox (=D242), lactofen (=D243), lenacil (=D244), linuron (=D245), maleic hydrazide (=D246), MCPA (=D247), MCPB (=D248), MCPB-methyl, -ethyl and -sodium (=D249), mecoprop (=D250), mecoprop-sodium (=, D251), mecoprop-butotyl (=D252), mecoprop-P-butotyl (=D253), mecoprop-P-dimethylammonium (=D254), mecoprop-P-2-ethylhexyl (=D255), mecoprop-P-potassium (=D256), mefenacet (=D257), mefluidide (=D258), mepiquat chloride (=D259), mesotrione (=D260), methabenzthiazuron (=D261), metam (=D262), metamifop (=D263), metamitron (=D264), metazachlor (= D265), methazole (=D266), methiopyrsulfuron (=D267), methiozoline (=D268), methoxyphenone (=D269), methyldimethyron (=D270), 1-methylcyclopropene (=D271), methyl isothiocyanate (=D272), metobenzuron (=D273), metobromuron (=D274), metolachlor (=D275), S-metolachlor (=D-276), methoxuron (=D277), metribuzin (=D278), molinate (=D279), monalide (=D280), monocarbamide (= D281), monocarbamide dihydrogen sulfate (=D282), monolinuron (=D283), monosulfuron ester (=D284), monuron (=D285), MT-128 (=6-chloro-N-[(2E)-3-chloroprop-2-en-1-yl]-5-methyl-N-phenylpyridazin-3-amine) (=D286), MT-5950 (=N-[3-chloro-4-(1-methylethyl)-phenyl]-2-methylpentanamide) (=D287), NGGC-011 (=D288), naproanilide (=D289), napropamide (=D2 90), naptalam (=D291), NC-310 (=4-(2,4-dichlorobenzoyl)-1-methyl-5-benzyloxypyrazole) (=D292), nebulon (=D293), nipiraclofen (=D294), nitralin (=D295), nitrofen (=D296), nitrophenolate-sodium (mixture of isomers) (=D297), nitrofluorfen (=D298), nonanoic acid (=D299), norflurazon (=D300), orbencarb (=D301), oryzalin (=D302), oxadiargyl (=D303),Oxadiazon (=D304), oxaziclomefon (=D305), oxyfluorfen (=D306), paclobutrazol (=D307), paraquat (=D308), paraquat-dichloride (=D309), pelargonic acid (nonanoic acid) (=D310), pendimethalin (=D311), pendoralin (=D312), pentanochlor (=D313), pentoxazone (=D314), perfluidone (=D315), petoxamid (=D317), phenisopham (=D318), phenmedipham (=D319), phenmedipham-ethy (=D320), picloram (=D321), picolinafen (=D322), pinoxaden (=D323), piperophos (=D324), pyrifenop (=D325), pyrifenop-butyl (=D326), pretilachlor (=D327), probenazole (=D328), profluazole (=D329), procyazin (=D330), prodiamine (=D331), prifluralin (=D332), profoxydim (=D333), prohexadione (=D334), prohexadione calcium (=D335), prohydrojasmone (=D336), prometon (=D337), prometryne (=D338), propachlor (=D339), propanil (=D340), propaquizafop (=D341), propazine (=D342), propham (=D343), propisochlor (=D344), propyzamide (=D345), prosulfarin (=D346), prosulfocarb (=D347), purinachlor (=D348), pyraclonil (=D349), pyraflufen (=D350), pyraflufen-ethyl (=D351), pyrasulfotole (=D352), pyrazolinone (pyrazolate) (=D353), pyrazoxyfen (=D354), pyribambenz (=D355), pyributicarb (=D356), pyridafol (=D357), pyridate (=D358), pyriminobac (=D359), 15-pyrimisulfan (=D360), pyroxasulfone (=D361), quinclorac (=D362), quinmerac (=D363), quinoclamine (=D364), quizalofop (=D365), quizalofop-ethyl (=D366), quizalofop-P (=D367), quizalofop-P-ethyl (=D368),Quizalofop-p-tefuryl (=D369), Saflufenacil (=D370), Secbumetone (=D371), Sethoxydim (=D372), Siduron (=D373), Simazine (=D374), Simetryne (=D375), SN-106279 (=Methyl-(2R)-2-({7-20[2-chloro-4-(trifluoromethyl)phenoxy]-2-naphthyl}oxy)-propanoate) (=D376), Sulcotrione (=D377), Sulfarate (CDEC) (=D378), Sulfentrazone (=D379), Sulfosate (Glycine) phosate-trimesium) (=D380), SYN-523 (=D381), SYP-249 (=1-ethoxy-3-methyl-1-oxobut-3-en-2-yl-5-[2-chloro-4-(trifluoromethyl)phenoxy]-2-nitrobenzoate) (=D382), tebutam (=D383), tebuthiuron (=D384), tecnazene (=D385), tefuryltrione (=D386), tembotrione (=D387), tepraloxydim (=D388), terbacil (=D389), terbucarb (=D390), terbuchlor (=D391) ), terbumeton (=D392), terbuthylazine (=D393), terbutryn (=D394), thenylchlor (=D395), thiafluramide (=D396), thiazafluron (=D397), thiazopyr (=D398), thidiamine (=D399), thidiazuron (=D400), thiobencarb (=D401), thiocarbazil (=D402), topramezone (=D403), tralkoxydim (=D404), triallert (=D405), triaziflam (=D406), triazofenamide (=D407), trichloroacetic acid (TCA) (=D408), triclopyr (=D409), tridiphane (=D410), trietazine (=D411), trifluralin (=D412), trimeturon (=D413), trinexapac (=D414), trinexapac-ethyl (=D415), titodef (=D416), uniconazole (=D417), uniconazole-P (=D418), vernolate (=D419), ZJ-0862 (=3,4-dichloro-N-{2-[(4,6-dimethoxypyrimidin-2-yl)oxy]benzyl}aniline) (=D420), and, respectively,The following compounds are defined by their chemical structures: [ka]

[0146] Preferably, the further herbicide differs structurally and by mode of action from the ALS inhibitor herbicides belonging to groups (A), (B) and (C) defined above and is applied according to the present invention for the control of undesirable vegetation in the ALS inhibitor herbicide-tolerant hybrid Beta vulgaris plants, preferably sugar beet plants, as described herein.

[0147] Concerning the ALS inhibitor herbicides belonging to groups (A), (B) and (C), there are those belonging to the following groups: chloridazon (=D70), clethodim (=D79), clodinafop (=D80), clodinafop-propargyl (=D81), clopyralid (=D86), cycloxydim (=D94), desmedipham (=D108), dimethenamid (=D132), dimethenamid (=D133), dimethenamid (=D134), dimethenamid (=D135), dimethenamid (=D136), dimethenamid (=D137), dimethenamid (=D138), dimethenamid (=D139), dimethenamid (=D140), dimethenamid (=D141), dimethenamid (=D142), dimethenamid (=D143), dimethenamid (=D144), dimethenamid (=D145), dimethenamid (=D146), dimethenamid (=D147), dimethenamid (=D148), dimethenamid (=D149), dimethenamid (=D150), dimethenamid (=D151), dimethenamid (=D152), dimethenamid (=D153), dimethenamid (=D154), dimethenamid (=D155), dimethenamid (=D156), dimethenamid (=D157), dimethenamid (=D158), dimethenamid (=D159), dimethenamid (=D160), dimethenamid (=D161), dimethenamid (=D162), dimethenamid (=D163), dimethenamid (=D164), dimethenamid (=D165), dimethenamid (=D166), dimethenamid (=D167), di do-P (=D133), ethofumesate (=D154), fenoxaprop (=D161), fenoxaprop-P (=D162), fenoxaprop-ethyl (=D163), fenoxaprop-P-ethyl (=D164), fluazifop (=D171), fluazifop-P (=D172), fluazifop-butyl (=D173), fluazifop-P-butyl (=D174) 4), glufosinate (=D208), glufosinate ammonium (=D209), glufosinate-P (=D210), glufosinate-P-ammonium (=D211), glufosinate-P-sodium (=D212), glyphosate (=D213), glyphosate-isopropylammonium (=D214), haloxyfop (=D217), haloxyfop-P (=D218), haloxyfop-ethoxyethyl (=D219), haloxyfop-P-ethoxyethyl (=D220), haloxyfop quizalofop-methyl (=D221), haloxyfop-P-methyl (=D222), lenacil (=D244), metamitron (=D264), phenmedipham (=D319), phenmedipham-ethyl (=D320), propaquizafop (=D341), quinmerac (=D363), quizalofop (=D365), quizalofop-ethyl (=D366), quizalofop-P (=D367), quizalofop-P-ethyl (=D368), quizalofop-P-tefuryl (=D369), sethoxydim (=D372)

[0148] Even more preferably, the further herbicide which is different from the ALS inhibitor herbicides belonging to groups (A), (B) and (C) as defined above and which is applied according to the invention in relation to the ALS inhibitor herbicides belonging to groups (A), (B) and (C) belongs to the following groups: desmedipham (=D108), ethofumesate (=D154), glufosinate (=D208), glufosinate ammonium (=D209), glufosinate-P (=D210), glufosinate-P-ammonium (=D211), glufosinate-P-sodium (=D212), glyphosate (=D213), glyphosate- Isopropylammonium (=D214), Lenacil (=D244), Metamitron (=D264), Phenmedipham (=D319), Phenmedipham-ethyl (=D320).

[0149] Very particularly interesting compositions for use according to the present invention for the control of undesirable vegetation are mixtures containing an ALS inhibitor herbicide and a non-ALS inhibitor herbicide, the compositions comprising a mixture of one or more ALS inhibitor herbicide(s) (compounds belonging to one or more of groups (A), (B) and (C)) and a non-ALS inhibitor herbicide(s) (group (D) members; as defined above): (A1-1)+(D108);(A1-1)+(D154);(A1-1)+(D208);(A1-1)+(D209); (A1-1)+(D210);(A1-1)+(D212);(A1-1)+(D213);(A1-1)+(D214); (A1-1)+(D244);(A1-1)+(D264);(A1-1)+(D319);(A1-1)+(D320). (A1-13)+(D108);(A1-13)+(D154);(A1-13)+(D208);(A1-13)+(D209); (A1-13)+(D210);(A1-13)+(D212);(A1-13)+(D213);(A1-13)+(D214); (A1-13)+(D244);(A1-13)+(D264);(A1-13)+(D319);(A1-13)+(D320)。 (A1-16)+(D108);(A1-16)+(D154);(A1-16)+(D208);(A1-16)+(D209); (A1-16)+(D210);(A1-16)+(D212);(A1-16)+(D213);(A1-16)+(D214); (A1-16)+(D244);(A1-16)+(D264);(A1-16)+(D319);(A1-16)+(D320)。 (A1-39)+(D108);(A1-39)+(D154);(A1-39)+(D208);(A1-39)+(D209); (A1-39)+(D210);(A1-39)+(D212);(A1-39)+(D213);(A1-39)+(D214); (A1-39)+(D244);(A1-39)+(D264);(A1-39)+(D319);(A1-39)+(D320)。 (A1-41)+(D108);(A1-41)+(D154);(A1-41)+(D208);(A1-41)+(D209); (A1-41)+(D210);(A1-41)+(D212);(A1-41)+(D213);(A1-41)+(D214); (A1-41)+(D244);(A1-41)+(D264);(A1-41)+(D319);(A1-41)+(D320)。 (A1-83)+(D108);(A1-83)+(D154);(A1-83)+(D208);(A1-83)+(D209); (A1-83)+(D210);(A1-83)+(D212);(A1-83)+(D213);(A1-83)+(D214); (A1-83)+(D244);(A1-83)+(D264);(A1-83)+(D319);(A1-83)+(D320)。 <h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr">(A1-87)+(D108);(A1-87)+(D154);(A1-87)+(D208);(A1-87)+(D209);<h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> <h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> (A1-87)+(D210);(A1-87)+(D212);(A1-87)+(D213);(A1-87)+(D214);<h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> <h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> (A1-87)+(D244);(A1-87)+(D264);(A1-87)+(D319);(A1-87)+(D320)。<h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> <h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> (A2-3)+(D108);(A2-3)+(D154);(A2-3)+(D208);(A2-3)+(D209);<h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> <h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> (A2-3)+(D210);(A2-3)+(D212);(A2-3)+(D213);(A2-3)+(D214);<h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> <h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> (A2-3)+(D244);(A2-3)+(D264);(A2-3)+(D319);(A2-3)+(D320)。<h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> <h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> (B1-2)+(D108);(B1-2)+(D154);(B1-2)+(D208);(B1-2)+(D209);<h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> <h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> (B1-2)+(D21 0);(B1-2)+(D212);(B1-2)+(D213);(B1-2)+(D214);<h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> <h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> (B1-2)+(D244);(B1-2)+(D264);(B1-2)+(D319);(B1-2)+(D320)。<h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> <h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> (C1-1)+(D108);(C1-1)+(D154);(C1-1)+(D208);(C1-1)+(D209);<h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> <h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> (C1-1)+(D210);(C1-1)+(D212);(C1-1)+(D213);(C1-1)+(D214);<h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> <h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> (C1-1)+(D244);(C1-1)+(D264);(C1-1)+(D319);(C1-1)+(D320)。<h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> <h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr">

[0150] <h2 style=";text-align:left;direction:ltr"> The application of ALS inhibitor herbicides also effectively acts on perennial weeds that produce shoots from rhizomes, rhizomes and other perennial organs and are difficult to control.Here, such substances can be applied, for example, together or separately, by pre-sowing method, pre-emergence method or post-emergence method.For example, application by post-emergence method is preferred, especially to the harmful plants that have emerged.

[0151] Specific examples of some representatives of the monocotyledonous and dicotyledonous weed flora that can be controlled by ALS inhibitor herbicides can be mentioned, without the listing being limited to any particular species.

[0152] Examples of weed species on which the application according to the invention works effectively include, from among monocotyledonous weed species, Avena spp., Alopecurus spp., Apera spp., Brachiaria spp., Bromus spp., Digitaria spp., Lolium spp., Echinochloa spp., Panicum spp., Phalaris spp., Paa spp., Setaria spp., and others. spp), from the annual group, as well as Cyperus species, and from the perennial group, Agropyron, Cynodon, Imperata and Sorghum, as well as perennial Cyperus species.

[0153] In the case of dicotyledonous weed species, the spectrum of action is, for example, among the annual weeds, Abutilon spp., Amaranthus spp., Chenopodium spp., Chrysanthemum spp., Galium spp., Ipomoea spp., Kochia spp., Lamium spp., Matricaria spp., Pharbitis spp., Polygonum spp., Sida spp., Sinapis spp., Solanum spp., spp.), Stellaria spp., Veronica spp., and Viola spp., Xanthium spp., and in the case of perennial weeds, extended to genera such as Convolvulus, Cirsium, Rumex and Artemisia.

[0154] As used herein, unless expressly indicated otherwise, the term "plant" is intended to mean a plant at any stage of development.

[0155] The present invention further provides a method for controlling undesirable vegetation in a Beta vulgaris plant, preferably in sugar beet, as described herein, comprising applying, e.g., together or separately, one or more of the ALS inhibitor herbicides belonging to groups (A), (B) and / or (C) to a plant (e.g. a harmful plant, e.g. a monocotyledonous or dicotyledonous weed or an undesirable crop plant), a seed (a seed or a vegetative propagation organ, e.g. a tuber or shoot), or an area in which said plant is growing (e.g. an arable area).

[0156] The present invention further provides a method for controlling undesirable vegetation in Beta vulgaris plants, preferably sugar beet, as described herein, comprising applying, for example, together or separately, one or more ALS inhibitor herbicide(s) belonging to group (A), (B) and / or (C) alone or in combination with a non-ALS inhibitor herbicide belonging to class (D) compounds according to the present invention to a plant (e.g. a harmful plant, e.g. a monocotyledonous or dicotyledonous weed or an undesirable crop plant), a seed (seed or vegetative propagation organ, e.g. a tuber or shoot), or an area in which said plant grows (e.g. an arable area). The one or more non-ALS inhibitor herbicides in combination with one or more ALS inhibitor herbicides may be applied to said plant, said seed, or the area in which said plant grows (e.g. an arable area) before, after or simultaneously with the ALS inhibitor herbicide(s).

[0157] "Unwanted plants" or "undesirable vegetation" should be understood to mean any plant that grows in an undesirable place. This may be, for example, a harmful plant (e.g., a monocotyledonous or dicotyledonous weed or an undesirable crop plant).

[0158] The herbicidal combinations used according to the invention can be prepared by known processes, for example as a mixed formulation of the individual components, if appropriate with further active compounds, additives and / or customary formulation auxiliaries, and this combination is then applied in a customary manner by dilution with water or as a tank mix by joint dilution of the separately formulated or partially separately formulated components with water. Separate application of the separately formulated or partially separately formulated individual components is also possible.

[0159] The ALS inhibitor herbicide or combinations comprising ALS inhibitor herbicide(s) and non-ALS inhibitor herbicide(s) can also be applied in multiple applications (sequential application), for example, using a pre-emergence application followed by a post-emergence application, or an early post-emergence application followed by a mid- or late post-emergence application, where joint or near-simultaneous application of the active compounds of the combination in question is preferred.

[0160] The herbicides belonging to any of the above-defined groups (A), (B), (C) and (D) and applied according to the invention can be converted together or separately into conventional formulations impregnated with active compounds, such as solutions, emulsion suspensions, powders, foams, pastes, granules, aerosols, natural and synthetic materials, and microcapsules in polymeric materials. The formulations can contain conventional auxiliaries and additives.

[0161] These formulations are prepared in known manner, for example by mixing the active compounds with extenders which are liquid solvents, compressed liquefied gases and / or solid carriers and, where appropriate, with surfactants which are emulsifiers and / or dispersing agents and / or foam-forming agents.

[0162] When the extender used is water, it is also possible to use organic solvent as auxiliary solvent, for example.Suitable liquid solvents are essentially: aromatics, for example xylene, toluene, alkylnaphthalene, chlorinated aromatics or chlorinated aliphatic hydrocarbons, for example chlorobenzene, chloroethylene or methylene chloride, aliphatic hydrocarbons, for example cyclohexane or paraffins, for example mineral oil fractions, mineral and vegetable oils, alcohols, for example butanol or glycol, as well as ethers and their esters, ketones, for example acetone, methyl ethyl ketone, methyl isobutyl ketone or cyclohexanone, strongly polar solvents, for example dimethylformamide or dimethylsulfoxide, and also water. Suitable solid carriers are, for example, ammonium salts and powdered natural minerals, such as kaolin, clay, talc, chalk, quartz, attapulgite, montmorillonite or diatomaceous earth, and powdered synthetic minerals, such as fine silica, 30 alumina and silicates; suitable solid carriers for granules are, for example, crushed and fractionated natural rocks, such as calcite, marble, pumice, sepiolite and dolomite, and also synthetic granules of inorganic and organic meal powders and also granules of organic materials, such as sawdust, coconut shells, corn cobs and tobacco stalks; suitable emulsifiers and / or foam formers are, for example, non-ionic and ionic emulsifiers, such as polyoxyethylene fatty acid esters, polyoxyethylene fatty alcohol ethers, such as alkylaryl polyglycol ethers, alkylsulfonates, alkyl sulfates, arylsulfonates, and also protein hydrolysates; suitable dispersants are, for example, lignin sulfite waste liquor and methylcellulose.

[0163] Thickeners, such as carboxymethylcellulose and natural and synthetic polymers, such as gum arabic, polyvinyl alcohol and polyvinyl acetate, and also natural phospholipids, such as cephalin and lecithin, and synthetic phospholipids, in the form of powders, granules or latex, can be used in the formulations. Other possible additives are mineral and vegetable oils.

[0164] The herbicidal action of the herbicidal combinations used according to the invention can be improved, for example, by surfactants, preferably by wetting agents from the group of the fatty alcohol polyglycol ethers, which preferably comprise from 10 to 18 carbon atoms in the fatty alcohol radical and from 2 to 20 ethylene oxide units in the polyglycol ether moiety. The fatty alcohol polyglycol ethers may be present in non-ionic or ionic form, for example in the form of fatty alcohol polyglycol ether sulfates, which may be used as alkali metal salts (for example sodium and potassium salts) or ammonium salts or even alkaline earth metal salts, for example magnesium salts, for example sodium C12 / C14-fatty alcohol diglycol ether sulfate (Genapol® LRO, Clariant GmbH); see for example EP-A-0476555, EP-A-0048436, EP-A-0336151 or US-A-4,400,196 and also Proc. EWRS Symp. “Factors Affecting Herbicidal Activity and Selectivity”, 227-232 (1988). Nonionic fatty alcohol polyglycol ethers are, for example, (C10-C1a)-, preferably (C10-C14)-fatty alcohol polyglycol ethers (for example isotridecyl alcohol polyglycol ethers) which comprise, for example, 2 to 20, preferably 3 to 15, ethylene oxide units, for example those from the Genapol® X-series, such as Genapol® X-030, Genapol® X-060, Genapol® X-080 or Genapol® X-150 (all from Clariant GmbH).

[0165] The present invention further comprises the combination of an ALS inhibitor herbicide belonging to any of groups (A), (B) and (C) according to the invention with the above mentioned wetting agent from the group of fatty alcohol polyglycol ethers, which preferably contain 10-18 carbon atoms in the fatty alcohol radical and 2-20 ethylene oxide units in the polyglycol ether moiety and may be present in non-ionic or ionic form (e.g. as fatty alcohol polyglycol ether sulfates). Preference is given to sodium C12 / C14-fatty alcohol diglycol ether sulfate (Genapol® LRO, Clariant GmbH) and isotridecyl alcohol polyglycol ethers having 3-15 ethylene oxide units, for example from the Genapol® X-series, for example Genapol® X-030, Genapol® X-060, Genapol® X-080 and Genapol® X-150 (all from Clariant GmbH).

[0166] Furthermore, fatty alcohol polyglycol ethers, such as nonionic or ionic fatty alcohol polyglycol ethers (e.g. fatty alcohol polyglycol ether sulfates), are also known to be suitable for use as penetrants and activity enhancers for many other herbicides (see, for example, EP-A-0502014).

[0167] The herbicidal action of the herbicidal combination according to the invention can also be improved by using vegetable oil.The term vegetable oil should be understood to mean the oil of oily plant species, such as soybean oil, rapeseed oil, corn oil, sunflower oil, cottonseed oil, linseed oil, coconut oil, palm oil, thistle oil or castor oil, especially rapeseed oil, and their transesterification products, such as alkyl esters, such as rapeseed methyl ester or rapeseed ethyl ester.

[0168] The vegetable oils are preferably esters of C10-C22, preferably C12-C20, fatty acids. C10-C22 fatty acid esters are, for example, esters of unsaturated or saturated C10-C22 fatty acids, in particular those with an even number of carbon atoms, such as erucic acid, lauric acid, palmitic acid and in particular C18 fatty acids, such as stearic acid, oleic acid, linoleic acid or linolenic acid.

[0169] Examples of C10-C22 fatty acid esters are esters obtained by reacting glycerol or glycol with C10-C22 fatty acids contained, for example, in the oils of oily plant species, or C1-C20-alkyl-C10-C22 fatty acid esters, which can be obtained, for example, by transesterification of said glycerol- or glycol-C10-C22 fatty acid esters with C1-C20-alcohols, such as methanol, ethanol, propanol or butanol. Transesterification can be carried out by known methods, for example as described in Rompp Chemie Lexikon, 9th edition, Volume 2, page 1343, Thieme Verlag Stuttgart.

[0170] Preferred C1-C20-alkyl-C10-C22 fatty acid esters are methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl, 2-ethylhexyl and dodecyl esters. Preferred glycol- and glycerol-C10-C2r fatty acid esters are the homogeneous or mixed glycol and glycerol esters of C10-C2r fatty acids, in particular fatty acids with an even number of carbon atoms, such as erucic acid, lauric acid, palmitic acid and, in particular, C18-fatty acids, such as stearic acid, oleic acid, linoleic acid or linolenic acid.

[0171] In the herbicidal compositions used according to the invention, the vegetable oil may be present, for example, in the form of commercially available oil-containing formulation additives, in particular those based on rapeseed oil, such as Hasten® (Victorian Chemical Company, Australia, hereinafter referred to as Hasten, main component: rapeseed oil ethyl ester), Actirob® B (Novance, France, hereinafter referred to as Actirob B, main component: rapeseed oil methyl ester), Rako-Binol® (Bayer AG, Germany, hereinafter referred to as Rako-Binol, main component: rapeseed oil), Renal® (Stefes, Germany, hereinafter referred to as Renal, vegetable oil component: rapeseed oil methyl ester) or Stefes Mero® (Stefes, Germany, hereinafter referred to as Mero, main component: rapeseed oil methyl ester).

[0172] Colorants such as inorganic pigments, for example iron oxide, titanium oxide, Prussian blue, and organic dyes, for example alizarin dyes, azo dyes and metal phthalocyanine dyes, as well as micronutrients, for example salts of iron, manganese, boron, copper, cobalt, molybdenum and zinc, can be used.

[0173] The formulations used according to the invention generally comprise from 0.1 to 95% by weight, preferably from 0.5 to 90% by weight, of active compound.

[0174] The ALS inhibitor herbicides belonging to any of groups (A), (B), and (C) defined above, either by themselves or in formulations, can also be used as mixtures with other agriculturally active compounds, e.g., known non-ALS inhibitor herbicides, to control undesirable vegetation, e.g., to control weeds, or to control undesirable crop plants, e.g., as final formulations or tank mixes.

[0175] Mixtures of ALS inhibitor herbicides belonging to any of groups (A), (B), and (C) as defined above with other known active compounds, such as fungicides, insecticides, acaricides, nematicides, antidotes, drug safeners, bird repellents, plant nutrients, and soil structure improvers, are also possible.

[0176] The ALS inhibitor herbicide belonging to any of the above-defined groups (A), (B), (C) can be used as such, in the form of a formulation, or in a use form prepared therefrom by further dilution, for example, ready-to-use solutions, suspensions, emulsions, powders, pastes and granules. Application is carried out in a conventional manner, for example, by watering, spraying, atomizing, dusting.

[0177] According to the present invention, one or more of the ALS inhibitor herbicides belonging to any of groups (A), (B) and (C) defined above can be applied to plants (e.g. harmful plants, such as monocotyledonous or dicotyledonous weeds or undesirable crop plants), seeds (e.g. grains, seeds or vegetative propagation organs, such as tubers or shoots with buds) or cultivated land areas (e.g. soil), preferably to green plants and plant parts, and if appropriate, to soil in addition, either alone or in combination with one or more non-ALS inhibitor herbicides belonging to group (D).One possible use is the joint application of active compounds in the form of tank mix, where the optimally formulated concentrated formulations of the individual active compounds are mixed together with water in a tank, and the resulting spray solution is applied.

[0178] Additional definitions The following definitions are provided to better define the present invention and to guide those of skill in the art in the practice of the present invention. Unless otherwise noted, terms are to be understood according to conventional usage by those of ordinary skill in the art.

[0179] As used herein, the term "plant" includes plant cells, plant protoplasts, plant cultures of tissue culture from which beet plants can be regenerated, plant callus, plant mass, and intact plant cells in the plant or plant parts, such as pollen, flowers, seeds, leaves, stems, etc. Also included are propagation material and harvestable parts, such as roots, especially beet roots.

[0180] As used herein, the term "population" means a genetically heterogeneous collection of plants that share a common parental origin.

[0181] As used herein, the terms "variety" and "cultivar" refer to a group of similar plants that can be identified from other varieties within the same species by genetic lineage and performance.

[0182] As used herein, "allele" refers to one of two or more alternative forms of a genomic sequence at a given locus on a chromosome.

[0183] As used herein, "marker" refers to a detectable characteristic that can be used to distinguish between organisms. Examples of such characteristics include, but are not limited to, genetic markers, biochemical markers, metabolic products, phenotypic characteristics, and agronomic characteristics.

[0184] As used herein, the term "phenotype" means the detectable characteristics of a cell or organism that can be influenced by gene expression.

[0185] As used herein, the term "genotype" refers to the specific allelic makeup of a plant.

[0186] As used herein, an "elite" or "cultivated" variety or line means any variety resulting from breeding and selection for superior agronomic performance. An "elite plant" refers to a plant belonging to an elite variety or line. Numerous elite varieties are available and known to those skilled in the art of beet breeding. An "elite population" is a class of elite individuals or varieties that can be used to represent the state of the art in terms of agronomically superior genotypes of a given crop species, e.g., beet. Similarly, an "elite germplasm" or elite germplasm line is an agronomically superior germplasm.

[0187] As used herein, the term "introgressed" when used in reference to a locus refers to a locus that has been introduced into a new genetic background, for example, through backcrossing. Introgression of a locus can be achieved through plant breeding methods and / or by molecular genetic methods. Such molecular genetic methods include, but are not limited to, various plant transformation techniques and / or methods that provide homologous recombination, non-homologous recombination, site-specific recombination, and / or genome modification that provide locus replacement or locus conversion.

[0188] As used herein, the terms "recombinant" or "recombined" in the context of chromosomal segments refer to recombinant DNA sequences that comprise one or more genetic loci in a configuration in which they are not found in nature, e.g., as a result of recombination events between homologous chromosomes during meiosis.

[0189] As used herein, the term "linked" when used in the context of nucleic acid markers and / or genomic regions means that the markers and / or genomic regions are located on the same linkage group or chromosome such that they tend to segregate together during meiosis.

[0190] "Sequence identity" and "sequence similarity" can be determined by aligning two nucleotide sequences using global or local alignment algorithms. Sequences can be called "substantially identical" or "essentially similar" if they share at least a certain minimum percentage of sequence identity when optimally aligned, for example, by the programs GAP or BESTFIT or the Emboss program "Needle" (using default parameters). These programs use the Needleman-Wunsch global alignment algorithm to align two sequences over their entire length, maximizing the number of matches and minimizing the number of gaps. Generally, default parameters are used, with a gap creation penalty of 10 and a gap extension penalty of 0.5 (for both nucleotide and protein alignments). For nucleotides, the default scoring matrix used is DNAFULL (Henikoff & Henikoff, 1992, PNAS 89, 10915-10919). Sequence alignment and scores for percent sequence identity may be determined, for example, using a computer program, such as EMBOSS, available on the World Wide Web under ebi.ac.uk / Tools / psa / emboss_needle / . Alternatively, sequence similarity or identity may be determined by searching against databases, such as FASTA, BLAST, etc., but hits should be removed pairwise and aligned to compare sequence identity. Two nucleic acid sequences have "substantial sequence identity" when the percent sequence identity is at least 85%, 90%, 95%, 98%, 99% or more (e.g., at least 99.1, 99.2, 99.3, 99.4, 99.5, 99.6, 99.7, 99.8, 99.9 or more (as determined by Emboss "needle" using the scoring matrix DNAFULL for nucleic acids and using default parameters, i.e., gap creation penalty=10, gap extension penalty=0.5).The markers may show variation, especially in regions not recognized by the probe.

[0191] The term "about" is used to indicate that a value includes the standard deviation of error for the device or method used to determine the value. The use of the term "or" in the claims is used to mean "and / or" unless expressly indicated to refer to alternatives only or the alternatives are not mutually exclusive, but the present disclosure does not support a definition that refers to alternatives only and refers to "and / or". When used in conjunction with the word "comprises" or other open language in the claims, the words "a" and "an" refer to "one or more" unless otherwise stated. The terms "comprise", "have" and "include" are open-ended linking verbs. Any form or tense of one or more of these verbs, such as "comprises", "comprising", "has", "having", "includes" and "including", are also open-ended. For example, any method that "comprises," "has," or "includes" one or more steps is not limited to possessing only those one or more steps, but also covers other unrecited steps. Similarly, any plant that "comprises," "has," or "includes" one or more features is not limited to possessing only those one or more features, but also covers other unrecited features.

[0192] "Endogenous" gene means a gene of a plant that has been introduced into the plant by genetic engineering techniques.

[0193] It should be noted that as used herein, the singular forms "a," "an," and "the" include plural references unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. So, for example, reference to "a reagent" includes one or more of such different reagents, and reference to "the method" includes reference to equivalent steps and methods known to those of skill in the art that may be modified or substituted for the methods described herein.

[0194] Unless otherwise indicated, the term "at least" preceding a series of elements should be understood to refer to every element in the series. Those skilled in the art will recognize, or be able to ascertain using no more than routine experimentation, many equivalents to the specific embodiments of the invention described herein. Such equivalents are intended to be encompassed by the present invention.

[0195] All publications and patents cited in this disclosure are incorporated by reference in their entirety. To the extent that material incorporated by reference conflicts or is inconsistent with this specification, the present specification takes precedence over any such material.

[0196] Deposit Information Seeds of an ALS inhibitor-resistant Beta vulgaris donor line comprising the BVals_W569L allele, designated herein as SU-12-1, have been deposited at NCIMB, Aberdeen, UK, on ​​March 12, 2010, under the number NCIMB41705.

[0197] Seeds of an ALS inhibitor-resistant Beta vulgaris hybrid line comprising the BVals_W569L allele, designated herein as SU-12-1, have been deposited at NCIMB, Aberdeen, UK, on ​​August 4, 2021, under the number NCIMB43836.

[0198] Seeds of an ALS inhibitor-resistant Beta vulgaris hybrid line comprising the BVals_W569L allele, designated herein as SU-12-1, have been deposited at NCIMB, Aberdeen, UK, under Number NCIMB43837 on August 4, 2021.

[0199] Seeds of an ALS inhibitor-resistant Beta vulgaris hybrid line comprising the BVals_W569L allele, designated herein as SU-12-1, have been deposited at NCIMB, Aberdeen, UK, under number NCIMB43838 on August 4, 2021.

[0200] Throughout this specification, reference is made to the following sequence listing entries: SEQ ID NO: 1: Nucleotide sequence of marker M1. SEQ ID NO: 2: Nucleotide sequence of marker M2. SEQ ID NO: 3: Nucleotide sequence of marker M3. SEQ ID NO: 4: Nucleotide sequence of marker M4. SEQ ID NO: 5: Nucleotide sequence of marker M5. SEQ ID NO: 6: Nucleotide sequence of marker M6. SEQ ID NO: 7: Nucleotide sequence of marker M7. SEQ ID NO: 8: Nucleotide sequence of marker M8. SEQ ID NO: 9: Nucleotide sequence of marker M9. SEQ ID NO: 10: Nucleotide sequence of marker M10. SEQ ID NO: 11: Nucleotide sequence of marker M11. SEQ ID NO: 12: Nucleotide sequence of marker M12. SEQ ID NO: 13: Nucleotide sequence of marker M13. SEQ ID NO: 14: Nucleotide sequence of the marker for the ALS inhibitor herbicide resistance ALS gene W569L. SEQ ID NO: 15: Nucleotide sequence of Beta vulgaris ALS inhibitor herbicide resistance ALS gene W569L. SEQ ID NO: 16: Amino acid sequence encoded by the Beta vulgaris ALS inhibitor herbicide resistance ALS gene W569L. SEQ ID NO: 17: Nucleotide sequence of the reference Beta vulgaris ALS inhibitor herbicide-resistant ALS gene (wild type). SEQ ID NO: 18: Amino acid sequence encoded by the reference Beta vulgaris ALS inhibitor herbicide-resistant ALS gene (wild type). SEQ ID NO: 19: Nucleotide sequence of marker M14. SEQ ID NO: 20: Nucleotide sequence of marker M15. SEQ ID NO: 21: Nucleotide sequence of marker M16. SEQ ID NO: 22: Nucleotide sequence of marker M17. EXAMPLES

[0201] Identification of suitable recombinants of the sugar beet SU-12-1 trait donor within a heterosis sugar beet pool. material and method A founder genotype carrying the BvALS_W569L ALS gene allele conferring resistance to ALS inhibitor herbicides, e.g., sulfonylurea herbicides, hereinafter referred to as SU-12-1, was derived by selecting spontaneous ALS mutations in calli cultivated from diploid sugar beet genotype 7T9044 against foramsulfuron (described, for example, by Alexander Dovzhenko, PhD Thesis, Title: “Towards plastid transformation in rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) and sugarbeet (Beta vulgaris L.)”, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitat Muenchen, Germany, 2001) and by selecting cell colonies capable of growing in the presence of up to 3×10−6 M foramsulfuron (described, for example, in WO2012049266A1 and WO2012049268A1, both of which are incorporated herein by reference). After regeneration of shoots from selected cell colonies, sugar beet plants resistant to ALS inhibitor herbicides in the presence of foramsulfuron were obtained. The germplasm used as starting material was not commercially relevant and was not suitable for various regions, especially including the European market.

[0202] The BvALS_W569L allele of founder SU-12-1 was introgressed in both heterosis pools of sugar beet, monogerm 2MOT and polygerm 2MUF pools, by backcrossing and both marker-assisted and phenotypic selection.

[0203] For backcrossing, two strategies were applied: (a) Emasculation of flowers of the target genotype and subsequent pollination with a genotype carrying the BvALS_W569L allele. Successful crosses were determined by applying marker-assisted selection (MAS) using the KASP marker Mals. This method was typically used in the second backcross generation and above (BC1 and above generations). (b) For efficient generation of the first backcross generation (BC0 generation), e.g., to initiate the conversion of all new generations of 2MUF and 2MOT genotypes, open pollination with excess donor pollen and without emasculation was used. Therefore, the new (elite) genotype and the BvALS_W569L allele donor genotype were transplanted in a ratio of 1:10 in isolation. Seeds of the new (elite) genotype were harvested and treated with a sulfonylurea herbicide mixture comprising foramsulfuron and thiencarbazone-methyl (commercially available as CONVISO ONE®). Only successful crosses between the (elite) genotype and the resistant donor genotype survived and were selected as the BC0 generation.

[0204] BC1 and BC2 seeds were used to screen for homologous recombination events between the SU-12-1 genotype and (elite) germplasm in close proximity to the SU-12-1 derived BvALS_W569L allele by applying KASP markers (see Table 1) specifically characteristic of the SU-12-1 gene fragment. The KASP markers used form a distance ladder centered on the BvALS_W569L allele (see Figure 1).

[0205] Results and Discussion BvALS_W569L-mediated ALS inhibitor herbicide resistance in sugar beet requires optimal (commercially relevant) resistance, the presence of advantageous ALS inhibitor herbicide resistance alleles in the homozygous state in the hybrid, and therefore their presence in both hybrid parents.

[0206] The BvALS gene is located on chromosome 5 of the sugar beet genome at approximately 38 cM of genetic map ZRINT1601, very close to the centromeric region located at 37.4-37.5 cM. In a worst case scenario, the entire chromosome 5 of founder SU-12-1 could be introgressed together with the BvALS_W569 resistance allele in the 2MOT and 2MUF hybrid vigor parent pools, respectively, resulting in hybrids that are homozygous for the entire chromosome 5. Meanwhile, in a (hypothetical) best case scenario, only the DNA base exchange resulting in the BvALS_W569L amino acid exchange could be introgressed in the (elite) genotypes of each pool.

[0207] In hybrid breeding in general, and sugar beet in particular, it is widely believed, although not mechanistically understood, that high crop performance and yield are achieved through high levels of genetic heterozygosity, a phenomenon called hybrid vigor (Birchler et al., 2010 Heterosis. The Plant Cell 22, 2105-2112). As outlined above, larger homozygous regions, or even entire chromosomes, can result in a sharp decline in hybrid yield. In breeding, this negative effect is referred to as inbreeding depression.

[0208] Also, the alleles from founder SU-12-1 located on this chromosome 5 may not be advantageous for growth and commercialization, especially in areas such as the European market. The larger the fragment being introgressed, the greater the chance that a particular unfavorable allele present in the founder will be introgressed by linkage to the BvALS_W569L allele, an effect known as linkage drag.

[0209] Both negative effects are minimized by removing the excess SU-12-1 gene fragment and replacing it with the respective genomic region of the 2MOT and 2MUF (elite) genotypes. For all chromosomes except chromosome 5, this is possible by marker-assisted selection for the presence of the SU-12-1 chromosome or fragments thereof.

[0210] Since chromosome 5 of SU-12-1 carries the favorable BvALS_W569L allele, such replacement of the donor fragment on chromosome 5 in the progeny is only possible by genetic homologous recombination between the founder and (elite) genotypes, in particular chromosome 5, resulting in the exchange of the chromosome 5 fragment from the donor / founder genotype with the corresponding fragment of chromosome 5 from the (elite) genotype. The known molecular mechanism of homologous recombination is described, for example, in Sung & Klein (2006) (Mechanism of homologous recombination: Mediators and helicases take on regulatory functions. Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology 7, 739-750).

[0211] Detection of the presence or absence of SU-12-1 derived gene pieces or (elite) genotype derived gene pieces relies on the presence and knowledge of DNA polymorphisms that allow specific differentiation between the (elite) genotypes and SU-12-1 founders. Such polymorphic markers, their nucleotide sequences and allelic designations at the variant positions (nucleotide positions 31, 30 or 101) of either the SU-12-1 genotype or the 2MOT or 2MUF (elite) genotypes are listed in Table 1.

[0212] Over a period of 7 years, the BC1 and BC2 generations of both 2MOT and 2MUF (elite) genotypes crossed with the SU-12-1 derived BvALS_W569L allele founders were screened for homologous recombination as close as possible to the BvALS_W569L allele. A stepwise development unfolded and is shown diagrammatically in Figure 1. Such recombinants in both pools can be used as parents for combination in hybrid sugar beet plants with increased hybrid vigor and yield potential, especially sugar yield potential.

[0213] Recombinants obtained in screening of recombinants are detailed in Table 2 for the 2MUF pool and Table 3 for the 2MOT pool. The markers located upstream and downstream of the BvALS_W569L allele approximate the site of homologous recombination. For example, founder SU-12-1 shows the A-allele at marker M1, approximately 4.2 cM downstream of the BvALS_W569L marker Mals. If the recombinant line shows the G-allele at the position of marker M1, then homologous recombination has occurred upstream of this position. The current 2MOT and 2MUF donor lines only carry SU-12-1 derived genomic fragments of 0.09 cM and 0.03 cM.

[0214] Figure 2 illustrates the increased yield performance of hybrid sugar beet plants obtained by crossing recombinant parent plants from each heterosis pool with decreasing lengths of SU-12-1 gene donor fragment size. The increased relative sugar yield was less than 70% before screening for recombinants (PO_13) began, increased to 84% by the PO_14 hybrid, and reached approximately 94% in the latest yield data for PO_19.

[0215] As can be seen from Figure 2, both negative effects, linkage drag and inbreeding depression, are reduced by using highly recombinant parents. [Table 2] JPEG2024534914000012.jpg250152

Table 3

Table 4

Table 5

Claims

1. 1. A Beta vulgaris hybrid plant, or hybrid seed, or part thereof, comprising an ALS-herbicide-tolerant endogenous ALS gene allele homozygously present on chromosome 5 in said Beta vulgaris hybrid plant or seed, said ALS-herbicide-tolerant endogenous ALS gene allele encoding an ALS protein comprising leucine at position 569, said Beta vulgaris hybrid plant or seed being a hybrid of two parental Beta vulgaris strains from different heterosis pools.

1. A hybrid plant, or hybrid seed, or part thereof, obtainable by crossing Beta vulgaris (Abies spp.) plants with different ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene alleles in a homozygous state, wherein each parent plant comprises the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele in a homozygous state, the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele in each parent plant being introgressed from the same ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele donor plant, and wherein a chromosomal region of chromosome 5 in the parent plants that is introgressed from the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele donor plant and that is located upstream and / or downstream of the ALS inhibitor-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele is sufficiently small to avoid or reduce inbreeding depression and / or increase hybrid vigor and / or increase sugar yield in the Beta vulgaris hybrid plant.

2. The chromosomal region of chromosome 5, which has been introgressed from the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele donor plant and comprises the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele, is flanked, on one side of the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele, by markers selected from the group consisting of marker M1 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1), marker M2 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2), marker M3 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 3), marker M4 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 4), marker M5 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 5), marker M11 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 11), marker M14 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 19), and marker M15 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 20), in one of the parent plants and the other parent plant, and, on the other side of the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele, by markers selected from the group consisting of marker M6 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 6), marker M12 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 7), marker M13 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 8), marker M14 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 9), and marker M15 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 10). (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:12), marker M13 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:13), marker M7 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:7), marker M8 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:8), marker M9 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:9), marker M10 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:10), marker M16 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:21) and marker M17 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:22), wherein the chromosomal region of chromosome 5, which has been introgressed from the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele donor plant and comprises the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele, is located on one side of the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele and is flanked by markers selected from the group consisting of marker M1 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:12), marker M13 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:13), marker M7 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:7), marker M8 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:8), marker M9 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:9), marker M10 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:10), marker M16 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:21) and marker M17 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:22),2. The Beta vulgaris hybrid plant or hybrid seed according to claim 1, wherein the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele is flanked by markers selected from the group consisting of marker M11 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:11), marker M14 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:19) and marker M15 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:20), and is also flanked on the opposite side of the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele by markers selected from the group consisting of marker M6, marker M12, marker M13, marker M7, marker M8, marker M9, marker M10 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:10), marker M16 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:21) and marker M17 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:22).

3. The chromosomal region which has been introgressed from the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele donor plant and which comprises the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele on chromosome 5 is a. flanked by markers M1 and M10 on both chromosomes 5; b. flanked on one side of chromosome 5 by markers M1 and M9 and on the other side of chromosome 5 by markers M1 and M10; c. flanked on one side of chromosome 5 by markers M1 and M8 and on the other side of chromosome 5 by markers M1 and M10; d. flanked on one side of chromosome 5 by markers M2 and M8 and on the other side of chromosome 5 by markers M2 and M13; e. flanked on one side of chromosome 5 by markers M3 and M7, and on the other side of chromosome 5 by markers M11 and M13; f. flanked on one side of chromosome 5 by markers M4 and M7, and on the other side of chromosome 5 by markers M11 and M13; g. flanked on one side of chromosome 5 by markers M5 and M6 and on the other side of chromosome 5 by markers M5 and M12; h. flanked by markers M5 and M16 on both chromosomes 5; i. flanked by marker M14 and marker M17 on both chromosomes 5; or j. flanked by markers M15 and M17 on both chromosomes 5; A Beta vulgaris hybrid plant or hybrid seed according to claim 1 or 2.

4. 3. The Beta vulgaris hybrid plant or hybrid seed of claim 2, wherein the marker comprises a nucleotide at a variant position of the marker as present in the genomic region of chromosome 5 of the parent plant.

5. 2. The Beta vulgaris hybrid plant or hybrid seed of claim 1, wherein the ALS-herbicide-tolerant endogenous ALS gene allele, for example, an ALS-herbicide-tolerant endogenous ALS gene allele comprising a nucleotide sequence having at least 90% sequence identity to the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 15 or encoding an amino acid sequence having at least 90% sequence identity to the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 16, encodes an ALS protein comprising a leucine at position 569.

6. 2. The Beta vulgaris hybrid plant or hybrid seed of claim 1, wherein the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele donor plant is a Beta vulgaris ALS inhibitor herbicide-resistant plant, the reference seed of which has been deposited as NCIMB 41705.

7. 2. The Beta vulgaris hybrid plant or hybrid seed of claim 1, having a sugar yield that is at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, at least 91%, at least 92%, at least 93%, at least 94%, at least 95%, at least 96%, at least 97%, at least 98%, at least 99%, or equal to or greater than the sugar yield of a Beta vulgaris hybrid plant comprising a wild-type allele of ALS encoding a gene on chromosome 5 in the homozygous state.

8. 1. A DNA molecule consisting of a chromosomal region of chromosome 5 of a Beta vulgaris ALS inhibitor herbicide-tolerant plant comprising an ALS-herbicide-tolerant endogenous ALS gene, the reference seed of which has been deposited as NCIMB 41705, wherein said region is located in a chromosomal interval flanked on one side of said ALS-herbicide-tolerant endogenous ALS gene allele by markers selected from the group consisting of marker M1, marker M2, marker M3, marker M4, marker M11, marker M15, marker M14 and marker M5, and on the other side of said ALS-herbicide-tolerant endogenous ALS gene allele by markers selected from the group consisting of marker M6, marker M7, marker M8, marker M9 and marker M10, marker M12, marker M13, marker M16 and marker M17.

9. 9. The DNA molecule of claim 8, wherein the chromosomal region is flanked by markers M5 and M6; or by markers M4 and M7; or by markers M5 and M12; or by markers M11 and M13; or by markers M5 and M16; or by markers M14 and M17; or by markers M15 and M17.

10. A Beta vulgaris plant or seed comprising a DNA molecule according to claim 8 or claim 9 on one or both of its chromosomes 5.

11. 11. A method for producing hybrid Beta vulgaris seeds, the method comprising crossing a Beta vulgaris plant of claim 10 with another Beta vulgaris plant of claim 10, and harvesting progeny seeds.

12. 10. Use of the hybrid Beta vulgaris plant according to claim 1 for the production of sugars, ethanol, biogas, betaine and / or uridine, or for the production of animal feed, or for keeping animals.

13. 1. A method for identifying a chromosome 5 genomic fragment in an (elite) Beta vulgaris plant that has been introgressed from an ALS-herbicide-resistant Beta vulgaris donor plant, wherein said genomic fragment comprises an ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele, or a method for identifying / selecting a Beta vulgaris plant comprising said chromosome 5 genomic fragment, comprising: a. identifying the presence of the ALS-herbicide-resistant endogenous ALS gene allele in the plant by phenotypic or marker-based methods; and b. The ALS-herbicide-tolerant endogenous ALS gene allele is flanked on one side by markers selected from the group consisting of marker M1 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1), marker M2 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2), marker M5 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 5), marker M11 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 11), marker M14 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 19) and marker M15 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 20), and on the other side of the ALS-herbicide-tolerant endogenous ALS gene allele by markers selected from the group consisting of marker M6 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 6), marker - identifying the presence of at least one allele / nucleotide in a chromosomal interval flanked by markers selected from the group consisting of marker M12 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 12), marker M13 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 13), marker M7 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 7), marker M8 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 8), marker M9 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 9), marker M10 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 10), marker M16 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 21) and marker M17 (comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 22); and c. Optionally selecting an ALS inhibitor-resistant Beta vulgaris plant, wherein the plant exhibits reduced inbreeding depression and / or increased heterosis and / or increased sugar yield or biomass yield. The method comprising:

14. A DNA molecule comprising any one of the nucleotide sequences of SEQ ID NO:1, SEQ ID NO:2, SEQ ID NO:3, SEQ ID NO:4, SEQ ID NO:5, SEQ ID NO:6, SEQ ID NO:7, SEQ ID NO:8, SEQ ID NO:9, SEQ ID NO:10, SEQ ID NO:11, SEQ ID NO:12, SEQ ID NO:13, SEQ ID NO:14, SEQ ID NO:15, SEQ ID NO:16, or SEQ ID NO:

17.

15. 10. Use of one or more ALS inhibitor herbicides to control undesirable vegetation in a Beta vulgaris growing area, wherein the Beta vulgaris plant is the hybrid Beta vulgaris plant of claim 1.

16. 16. The use of one or more ALS inhibitor herbicide(s) according to claim 15, wherein the ALS inhibitor herbicide(s) comprise foramsulfuron [CAS RN173159-57-4] (=A1-13) and thiencarbazone-methyl [CAS RN317815-83-1] (=A2-3) or iodosulfuron-methyl-sodium [CAS RN144550-36-7] (=A1-16) and thiencarbazone-methyl [CAS RN317815-83-1] (=A2-3).

17. 16. The use of one or more ALS inhibitor herbicide(s) according to claim 15 in combination with a non-ALS inhibitor herbicide (i.e., a herbicide that exhibits a mode of action different from the inhibition of the ALS enzyme [acetohydroxyacid synthase; EC 2.2.1.6] Group D herbicide), wherein the non-ALS inhibitor herbicide(s): Chloridazon, clethodim, clodinafop, clodinafop-propargyl, clopyralid, cycloxydim, desmedipham, dimethenamid, dimethenamid-P, ethofumesate, fenoxaprop, fenoxaprop-P, fenoxaprop-ethyl, fenoxaprop-P-ethyl, fluazifop, fluazifop-P, fluazifop-butyl, fluazifop-P-butyl, glufosinate, glufosinate-ammonium, glufosinate-P, glufosinate-P-ammonium, glufosinate-P -sodium, glyphosate, glyphosate-isopropylammonium, haloxyfop, haloxyfop-P, haloxyfop-ethoxyethyl, haloxyfop-P-ethoxyethyl, haloxyfop-methyl, haloxyfop-P-methyl, lenacil, metamitron, phenmedipham, phenmedipham-ethyl, propaquizafop, quinmerac, quizalofop, quizalofop-ethyl, quizalofop-P, quizalofop-P-ethyl, quizalofop-P-tefuryl, and sethoxydim.

18. 1. A method for controlling undesirable vegetation in a Beta vulgaris plant growth area, comprising: (a) the presence of the Beta vulgaris plant of claim 1. (b) application of one or more ALS inhibitor herbicide(s) alone or in combination with one or more herbicides not belonging to the class of ALS inhibitor herbicides (non-ALS inhibitor herbicides); and (c) The application of each herbicide defined in (b) (i) jointly or simultaneously; or (ii) Pre-emergence application followed by post-emergence or early post-emergence application followed by mid- or late post-emergence application at different times and / or in multiple applications (sequential application) The method, characterized by:

19. 19. The method of claim 18 for controlling undesirable vegetation, wherein the ALS inhibitor herbicide(s) comprise foramsulfuron [CAS RN173159-57-4] (=A1-13) and thiencarbazone-methyl [CAS RN317815-83-1] (=A2-3) or iodosulfuron-methyl-sodium [CAS RN144550-36-7] (=A1-16) and thiencarbazone-methyl [CAS RN317815-83-1] (=A2-3).

20. The non-ALS inhibitor herbicide(s) is / are selected from the group consisting of: Chloridazon, clethodim, clodinafop, clodinafop-propargyl, clopyralid, cycloxydim, desmedipham, dimethenamid, dimethenamid-P, ethofumesate, fenoxaprop, fenoxaprop-P, fenoxaprop-ethyl, fenoxaprop-P-ethyl, fluazifop, fluazifop-P, fluazifop-butyl, fluazifop-P-butyl, glufosinate, glufosinate-ammonium, glufosinate-P, glufosinate-P-ammonium, glufosinate-P-sodium 19. The method of claim 18, wherein the benzophenone-4-one is selected from the group consisting of benzophenone-4-one, ...

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