Resistance to the tobamovirus, tomato brown leaf curl fruit virus (TBRFV), in Sonurum lycopersicum plants.

Abstract

The present invention relates to a Sonorum lycopersicum plant containing a QTL in its genome that confers an improved phenotype corresponding to leaf and / or fruit resistance and / or resistance to Tomato Brown Leaf Fruit Virus relative to a corresponding plant lacking the QTL, wherein the QTL is selected from the QTL present in the genome of the seed HAZTBRFVRES1 plant with NCIMB accession number 42758. The QTL is preferably characterized by defined alleles of different SNPs on chromosomes 6, 9, and 11. The present invention also relates to parts and progeny of these plants with improved phenotypes, the use of these plants for introgressing the improved phenotype in another genetic background, and different methods for obtaining tomato plants or seeds with increased leaf and / or fruit resistance or resistance to Tomato Brown Leaf Fruit Virus.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to resistance or tolerance to Tomato Brown Rugose Fruit virus (TBRFV), a tobamovirus, in plants of Solanum lycopersicum, also known as Lycopersicum esculentum. More specifically, the present invention relates to tomato plants and fruits comprising one or more genetic determinants that confer resistance or tolerance to Tomato Brown Rugose Fruit virus. The present invention further relates to markers associated with one or more genetic determinants, and the use of such markers for identifying or selecting genetic determinants and for identifying or selecting plants having such resistance or tolerance. The present invention also relates to seeds and progeny of such plants, and to propagation material for obtaining such plants, and to different uses of these plants.

Background Art

[0002] All cultivated and commercial forms of tomatoes belong to a species very often called Lycopersicon esculentum Miller. Lycopersicon is a relatively small genus within the Solanaceae family, which is thought to consist of about 90 genera, including peppers, tobacco, and eggplant. The genus Lycopersicon is divided into two subgenera: the esculentum complex, which contains species that can be easily hybridized with commercial tomatoes, and the peruvianum complex, which contains species that are considerably more difficult to hybridize (Stevens, M., and Rick, CM 1986). L. esculentum Miller is widely cultivated worldwide due to its value as a crop. Although the exact origin of cultivated tomatoes is still somewhat unclear, it appears to have come from the Americas, originating in Ecuador, Peru, and the Galapagos Islands, and was first cultivated by the Aztecs and Incas around 700 AD. Mexico is the place of domestication and appears to be the origin of its earliest introduction. The cherry tomato, L. esculentum var. cerasiforme, is the direct ancestor of modern cultivated forms.

[0003] Tomatoes are cultivated for their fruit and are widely used in fresh or processed products. As a crop, tomatoes are commercially grown wherever environmental conditions allow for the production of economically viable yields. The majority of fresh market tomatoes are harvested by hand at the fully ripened and mature green stages. Fresh market tomatoes are available year-round. Processed tomatoes are mostly harvested mechanically and used in many forms, such as canned tomatoes, tomato juice, tomato sauce, puree, paste, or ketchup.

[0004] Tomatoes are typically simple diploid species with 12 pairs of differentiated chromosomes. However, polyploid tomatoes are also part of this invention. Cultivated tomatoes are self-pollinating and almost exclusively self-pollinate. Tomato flowers are hermaphroditic. Commercial cultivars were initially open-pollinated. Since hybrid vigor has been identified in tomatoes, hybrids have increasingly replaced open-pollinated varieties, gaining popularity among farmers for better yields and uniformity of plant characteristics. Due to their widespread popularity and high value, tomatoes are intensively bred. This explains why such a wide variety of tomatoes are available today. Shapes can range from small to large, and include cherry, plum, pear, clump, round, and beefsteak types. Tomatoes can be grouped by the amount of time it takes for the plant to mature into harvestable fruit, and cultivars are generally considered early-maturing, mid-maturing, or late-maturing. Tomatoes can also be grouped by their growth habit: determined, semi-determinate, or indeterminate. Determined plants tend to grow leaves first, then flowers, which, if pollination is successful, mature into fruit. All fruits tend to ripen on the plant at roughly the same time. Indeterminate tomatoes begin with some leaf growth and then continue producing leaves and flowers throughout the growing season. These plants tend to have tomato fruits at different stages of maturation at any given time. Semi-determinate tomatoes have a phenotype between determined and indeterminate and are typical determined types except that they are larger than determined varieties. More recent developments in tomato breeding have resulted in a wide variety of fruit colors. In addition to the standard red ripe color, tomatoes can be milky white, lime green, pink, yellow, golden, orange, or purple.

[0005] Commercial hybrid tomato seeds can be produced by hand pollination. Pollen from the male parent is harvested and applied by hand to the surface of the stigma of the female inbreed. Before and after hand pollination, the flowers are covered to prevent insects from introducing foreign pollen and creating mixtures or impurities. The flowers are labeled to identify the pollinated fruit from which seeds will be harvested.

[0006] Various pathogens, including viruses, fungi, bacteria, nematodes, and insects, affect the productivity of tomato plants. Since tomatoes are particularly susceptible to many viruses, viral resistance is crucial for agriculture.

[0007] Tobermovirus is one of the most important plant viruses that cause serious damage to agriculture, particularly to vegetable and ornamental crops worldwide. Tobermovirus is easily transmitted by mechanical means and seed transmission. Tobermovirus is generally characterized by a rod-shaped particle of about 300 nm enclosing a single-stranded positive RNA genome encoding four proteins. In tomatoes, tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) and tomato mosaic virus (ToMV) are feared by growers worldwide because they can cause serious damage to crop production, for example, by causing irregular ripening (fruit with yellowish spots on the surface and brownish spots below the surface). However, several genes have been identified by plant breeders over the years, and TMV and / or ToMV-resistant tomato varieties are now available.

[0008] In recent years, serious outbreaks of the virus have affected tomato-producing regions in the Middle East, including Jordan and Israel. Most affected tomato varieties were thought to be resistant to TMV and / or ToMV, but they were still severely affected and exhibited typical TMV / ToMV-like symptoms. While leaf symptoms closely resembled those of TMV / ToMV, fruit symptoms were far more frequent and severe than those typically associated with such viruses, involving fruit lesions and deformities. Fruit quality was extremely poor, making them unmarketable. Salem et al. (Arch. Virol. 161(2)503-506. 2015) extracted RNA from the fruits and leaves of symptomatic plants and performed various tests, identifying a novel tobamovirus species which they proposed to name Tomato Brown Leaf Curl Fruit Virus (TBRFV). Resistance to TMV and / or ToMV does not confer resistance to this new virus, TBRFV. [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0009] Tobamovirus is not easily controlled, but there is an urgent need to identify resistance and / or tolerance to this new tobamovirus, as the resistance genes currently available to control TMV and / or ToMV are useless against damage caused by this new tomato brown leaf curl fruit virus, and failure to do so could render tomato crops unproductive throughout the region. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] The inventors of this invention were able to identify tomato plants that exhibit resistance or tolerance to tomato brown leaf fruit virus, and to locate and identify the genetic determinants, also referred to below as QTLs (Quantitative Trait Loci), that confer resistance or tolerance to tomato brown leaf fruit virus.

[0011] The tolerance or resistance according to the present invention is conferred by a newly discovered genetic determinant that can confer tolerance or resistance to Tomato Brown Curl Fruit Virus (TBRFV) at the leaf level of a virus-infected tomato plant, at the fruit level of a virus-infected tomato plant, or at both the leaf and fruit levels. The newly discovered genetic determinant is recessive. Since fruit tolerance and / or resistance are conferred independently by two QTLs and leaf resistance is conferred by one QTL, in particular, given information on suitable markers associated with the QTLs provided by the inventors, their introduction into different genetic backgrounds, i.e., various tomatoes, can be easily carried out by those skilled in plant breeding.

[0012] Therefore, the present invention provides these genetic determinants, also known here as QTLs, that, when present in a homozygous state, confer a phenotype of TBRFM resistance or tolerance at the tomato leaf and / or fruit level of tomato plants infected with TBRFM.

[0013] The present invention provides commercially viable S. lycopersicum plants exhibiting tolerance or resistance to TBRFV, and methods for producing or identifying S. lycopersicum plants or populations (germplasm) exhibiting resistance to TBRFV. The present invention also discloses molecular genetic markers, particularly SNPs, associated with QTLs that confer tolerance or resistance to TBRFV, which may be recessive and may exhibit leaf and / or fruit tolerance or resistance. Methods and plants obtained by the use of such molecular markers are also provided.

[0014] The present invention also provides several methods and uses of information related to these SNPs associated with QTLs that confer TBRFV resistance, in particular methods for identifying TBRFV-resistant plants and further molecular markers associated with this resistance, as well as methods for improving tomato production yields in environments infested with TBRFV, and methods for protecting tomato fields from TBRFV exocytosis.

[0015] definition The term "resistance" is defined by the ISF (International Seed Federation) Vegetable and Ornamental Crops Section to describe a plant's response to a pest or pathogen and abiotic stress in the vegetable seed industry. Specifically, resistance means the ability of a plant variety to limit the growth and development of a specific pest or pathogen, and / or the damage they cause compared to susceptible plant varieties under similar environmental conditions and pest or pathogen pressure. Resistant varieties may exhibit symptoms or damage from several diseases under heavy pest or pathogen pressure.

[0016] The term "resistance" is used herein to describe the phenotype of a plant in which at least some of the symptoms of the disease remain absent when the plant is exposed to an infectious dose of the virus, thereby establishing the presence of systemic or local infection, viral replication, the presence of at least the viral genome sequence in the cells of the plant, and / or the incorporation of that genome under at least some culture conditions. Thus, a resistant plant is an asymptomatic virus carrier that is resistant to the manifestation of symptoms. The viral sequence may be present in the plant or even replicate without causing symptoms of the disease. It should be understood that a resistant plant is infected with the virus, but generally, it can at least mildly limit the replication and development of the virus. Furthermore, some plants may be resistant under some culture conditions and resistant under different conditions. Thus, resistance and tolerance are not mutually exclusive.

[0017] In the case of TBRFV, leaf resistance or foliar resistance refers to the phenotype of a plant in which disease symptoms remain absent in the leaves when exposed to an infectious dose of TBRFV. However, disease symptoms may be present in the fruit of an infected plant.

[0018] Fruit tolerance, in the case of TBRFV, refers to the phenotype of a plant in which disease symptoms remain absent in the fruit when exposed to an infectious dose of TBRFV. However, disease symptoms may be present in the leaves of infected plants.

[0019] Leaf symptoms of TBRFV infection generally include mosaic, twisted leaflets, and often shoelace-like lesions. Fruit symptoms of TBRFV infection generally include typical yellow lesions and fruit deformation. Often, the fruit also has "chocolate spots."

[0020] Immunity: The inability of a plant variety to restrict the growth and development of a particular pest or pathogen; susceptible plants exhibit adverse symptoms associated with viral infection, namely leaf damage and fruit damage in the case of extra-TBRFV infection.

[0021] A S. lycopersicum plant susceptible to Tomato Brown Leaf Fruit Virus (TBRFV) is, for example, the commercial variety Candela, mentioned in the 2015 publication by Salem et al. It could also be Hazera 2 and Hazera 4, mentioned in the examples section of this application. All commercial tomato varieties grown in TBRFV-infected areas have, to date, been susceptible to TBRFV, i.e., prior to this invention.

[0022] Therefore, the plant according to the present invention has at least improved resistance or tolerance to tomato brown leaf fruit virus, more specifically to TBRFV, with respect to the Candela variety grown in an area infected with tomato brown leaf fruit virus, or more generally to any commercial tomato variety.

[0023] As used herein, the terms “offspring” or “descendants” refer to any plant that arises as an offspring from asexual or sexual reproduction of one or more parent plants or their offspring. For example, offspring plants may be obtained by cloning or self-pollination of parent plants, or by crossing two parent plants, and may include self-pollination as well as F1 or F2 or further generations. F1 is the first generation offspring produced from at least one parent that is first used as a trait donor, and the second generation (F2) offspring or subsequent generations (F3, F4, etc.) offspring are specimens produced from self-pollination of F1, F2, etc. Thus, F1 may be (usually) a hybrid resulting from a cross between two true breeding parents (true breeding is homozygous for the trait), and F2 may be (usually) an offspring resulting from self-pollination of the above F1 hybrid.

[0024] As used herein, the terms "cross", "crossing", "cross pollination", or "cross-breeding" refer to the process by which the pollen of one flower on one plant is (artificially or naturally) applied to the ovule (stigma) of a flower on another plant.

[0025] As used herein, the terms "genetic determinant" and / or "QTL" refer to any segment of DNA associated with a biological function. Thus, QTLs and / or genetic determinants include, but are not limited to, genes, coding sequences, and / or regulatory sequences necessary for their expression. QTLs and / or genetic determinants can also include, for example, non-expressed DNA segments that form recognition sequences for other proteins.

[0026] As used herein, the term "genotype" refers to the genetic structure of an individual cell, cell culture, tissue, organism (e.g., a plant), or group of organisms.

[0027] As used herein, the term "grafting" is the operation of grafting a scion onto a stock. The main motivation for grafting is to avoid damage by pests and pathogens growing in the soil when genetic or chemical approaches for disease management are not available. By grafting a susceptible scion onto a resistant stock, it is possible to provide a resistant variety without causing resistance in the variety. Additionally, grafting enhances tolerance to abiotic stress, increases yield, and results in more efficient use of water and nutrients.

[0028] As used herein, the term "heterozygote" refers to a diploid or polyploid individual cell or plant having different alleles (forms of a given gene, genetic determinant, or sequence) present at at least one locus.

[0029] As used herein, the term “heterozygous” refers to the presence of different alleles (a given gene morphology, genetic determinants, or sequence) at a particular locus.

[0030] As used herein, “homologous chromosome” or “homolog” (or “homologue”) refers to a set of one maternal and one paternal chromosome that pairs with each other during meiosis. These copies have the same genes at the same locus and the same centromere position.

[0031] As used herein, the term “homozygote” refers to an individual cell or plant that has the same allele at one or more loci on all homologous chromosomes.

[0032] As used herein, the term "homozygous" refers to the presence of identical alleles at one or more loci in homologous chromosome segments.

[0033] As used herein, the term “hybrid” refers to an individual cell, tissue, or plant resulting from the mating of two parents that differ in one or more genes.

[0034] As used herein, the term “locus” (plural: “loci”) refers to any genetically defined site, which may be a single location (nucleotide) or a chromosomal region. A locus may be a gene, a genetic determinant, a part of a gene, or a DNA sequence, and may be occupied by different sequences. A locus may also be defined by a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), multiple SNPs, or two adjacent SNPs.

[0035] As used herein, the term “rootstock” refers to the lower part of a plant that can receive a scion in the grafting process.

[0036] As used herein, the term “scion” refers to the upper part of a plant that can be grafted onto a rootstock in the grafting process. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0037] The inventors have identified three QTLs that, when present homozygously in S. lycopersicum plants, provide improved resistance and / or tolerance in the fruits and / or leaves of tomato plants infected with or potentially infected with tomato brown leaf curl fruit virus (TBRFV), either alone or in combination as described elsewhere in this application.

[0038] The inventors identified two QTLs, QTL1 and QTL2, that independently or in combination confer improved resistance in the fruits of tomato plants infected with or potentially infected with TBRFV, particularly when present homozygously in a S. lycopersicum background on chromosomes 6 and 9. Furthermore, the inventors identified one QTL that confers improved resistance in the leaves of tomato plants infected with or potentially infected with TBRFV, particularly when present homozygously in a S. lycopersicum background on chromosome 11. When present homozygously on chromosomes 6, 9, and 11, the three QTLs confer improved resistance and / or tolerance in both the leaves and fruits of tomato plants infected with or potentially infected with TBRFV.

[0039] As demonstrated in the examples, the phenotype of plants according to the present invention is, in most situations, best characterized as tolerance, rather than resistance, to TBRFV, i.e., tolerance in the form of leaf tolerance, fruit tolerance, or both. However, under certain circumstances, the plants of the present invention exhibit resistance to TBRFV. The following refers to tolerance to TBRFV. However, this phenotype, under certain circumstances, encompasses a resistant phenotype.

[0040] Accordingly, according to a first aspect, the present invention relates to S. lycopersicum plants containing one or two QTLs, namely QTL1 and / or QTL2, on chromosomes 6 and / or 9, respectively, in their genome, which confer improved resistance to the fruits of tomato plants infected with tomato brown leaf curl fruit virus when present homozygously in a S. lycopersicum background. QTL1 is located on chromosome 6, and QTL2 is located on chromosome 9. Accordingly, the present invention relates to S. lycopersicum plants containing a QTL on chromosome 6, namely QTL1, in their genome, which confer improved fruit resistance to TBRFV in tomato plants when present homozygously in a S. lycopersicum background. The present invention also relates to S. lycopersicum plants containing a QTL on chromosome 9, namely QTL2, in their genome, which confer improved fruit resistance to TBRFV in tomato plants when present homozygously in a S. lycopersicum background.

[0041] According to one embodiment, the present invention further relates to a S. lycopersicum plant having a single QTL on chromosome 11, namely QTL3, in its genome, which confers improved leaf resistance to tomato plants infected with tomato brown leaf curl fruit virus when present homozygously in a S. lycopersicum background.

[0042] More specifically, the present invention relates to plants that homozygously contain QTL1 on chromosome 6, QTL2 on chromosome 9, or both QTLs in their genome, which independently confer fruit resistance to TBRFV. The present invention also relates to plants that homozygously contain QTL3 on chromosome 11 in their genome, which confer leaves resistance to TBRFV.

[0043] According to one embodiment, the present invention relates to a S. lycopersicum plant whose genome contains various combinations of QTL1, QTL2, and QTL3 that, when present homozygously in a S. lycopersicum background, confer improved tolerance and / or resistance to the fruits and leaves of tomato plants infected with tomato brown leaf curl fruit virus. Such combinations are QTL1 and QTL3, QTL2 and QTL3, and QTL1, QTL2, and QTL3. More preferably, such a combination is QTL1, QTL2, and QTL3. It is preferable that all QTLs are present homozygously.

[0044] The present invention also relates to the cells of such plants in the aforementioned embodiments and to seeds containing the above-mentioned QTLs.

[0045] The QTLs conferring improved resistance to TBRFV according to the present invention are selected from QTLs present in the genome of HAZTBRFVRES1 seeds. This sample of S. lycopersicum seeds was deposited on May 16, 2017, under accession number 42758, by Hazera Seeds Ltd., Berurim, MP Shimim 79837 (Israel), in accordance with and meeting the requirements of the Budapest Convention on the International Recognition of the Deposit of Microorganisms for Patent Proceedings ("Budapest Convention"), National Collection of Industrial, Food and Marine Bacteria (NCIMB) (NCIMB, Ltd, Ferguson Building, Craibstone Estate, Bucksburn, Aberdeen AB21 9YA), United Kingdom. This tomato seed deposit is maintained by Hazera Seeds Ltd., Berurim, MP Shimim 79837 (Israel).

[0046] QTLs that confer improved resistance to TBRFV are preferably located on chromosome 6 for QTL1, on chromosome 9 for QTL2, and on chromosome 11 for QTL3. More preferably, for QTL1, they are located within the chromosomal interval of chromosome 6, including SNPTO-0005197 (SEQ ID NO: 1) and SNPTO-0145581 (SEQ ID NO: 2); for QTL2, they are located within the chromosomal interval of chromosome 9, including SNPTO-0180955 (SEQ ID NO: 3) and SNPTO-0196109 (SEQ ID NO: 6); and for QTL3, they are located within the chromosomal interval of chromosome 11, including SNPTO-0122252 (SEQ ID NO: 7) and SNPTO-0162427 (SEQ ID NO: 18).

[0047] The specific polymorphisms corresponding to the SNPs (single nucleotide polymorphisms) mentioned herein, and the adjacent sequences of these SNPs in the S. lycopersicum genome, are shown in the experimental section (see in particular Tables 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, and 10) and the accompanying sequence listings. Their locations on chromosomes 6, 9, and 11 relative to version 2.40 of the tomato genome are shown in Tables 4, 6, and 9, and their adjacent sequences are also shown in Tables 5, 7, and 10, as well as the sequence listings.

[0048] In this regard, it should be noted that, by definition, an SNP refers to a single nucleotide in the genome, which is variable depending on the allele present, but whose adjacent nucleotides are identical. To facilitate clear identification of the locations of different SNPs, the tomato genome sequence version 2.40 is referenced, and their locations are shown in Tables 4, 6, and 9, with reference to the adjacent sequences identified by the SEQ ID NOs. In the sequence associated with a particular SNP in this application, e.g., SNPTO-0005197, SEQ ID NO: 1, only one nucleotide in the sequence actually corresponds to the polymorphism; that is, the 61st nucleotide in SEQ ID NO: 1 corresponds to the polymorphic position of SNPTO-0005197, which can be T or C as shown in Tables 4, 5, and 6. Adjacent sequences are shown to locate the SNP in the genome, but are not part of such polymorphism.

[0049] The inventors have found that the QTLs involved in the target phenotype, namely the improved resistance of leaves and / or fruits when infected with TBRFV, are located at different loci along the above region, i.e., 18 SNPs: for QTL1 on chromosome 6, TO-0005197 (SEQ ID NO: 1) and TO-0145581 (SEQ ID NO: 2); for QTL2 on chromosome 9, TO-0180955 (SEQ ID NO: 3), TO-0196724 (SEQ ID NO: 4), TO-0145125 (SEQ ID NO: 5), and TO-0196109 (SEQ ID NO: 6); for QTL3 on chromosome 11, TO-0122252 (SEQ ID NO: 7), TO- By identifying the presence of sequences at 18 different gene loci defined by 0144317 (SEQ ID NO: 8), TO-0142270 (SEQ ID NO: 9), TO-0142294 (SEQ ID NO: 10), TO-0142303 (SEQ ID NO: 11), TO-0142306 (SEQ ID NO: 12), TO-0182276 (SEQ ID NO: 13), TO-0181040 (SEQ ID NO: 14), TO-0123057 (SEQ ID NO: 15), TO-0125528 (SEQ ID NO: 16), TO-0162432 (SEQ ID NO: 17), and TO-0162427 (SEQ ID NO: 18), we identified that these sequences are found within the chromosomal regions mentioned above.

[0050] Tomato plants according to the present invention that have improved fruit resistance when infected with TBRFV have a QTL that confers the above phenotype at at least one locus on chromosome 6 and / or chromosome 9. Preferably, tomato plants according to the present invention that have improved fruit resistance when infected with tomato brown leaf curl fruit virus have a QTL at at least one locus on chromosome 6 and at least one locus on chromosome 9. Alternatively, tomato plants according to the present invention have a QTL that confers fruit resistance to TBRFV at at least one of the two loci on chromosome 6 detailed above, or have a QTL that confers fruit resistance to TBRFV at at least one of the four loci on chromosome 9 detailed above.

[0051] The tomato plant according to the present invention, which has improved leaf resistance when infected with TBRFV, has a QTL at at least one locus on chromosome 11.

[0052] The tomato plants according to the present invention, which have improved resistance at both the leaf and fruit levels when infected with tomato brown leaf curl fruit virus, have phenotypic sequences in at least one locus on chromosome 6 and / or chromosome 9, preferably at least one on both chromosome 6 and chromosome 9, and at least one locus on chromosome 11.

[0053] Therefore, according to another embodiment of the present invention, the QTLs present in the genome of the plant, seed, or cell of the present invention are preferably 18 loci containing the 18 SNPs mentioned above, namely, for QTL1 on chromosome 6, the locus containing TO-0005197 (SEQ ID NO: 1), the locus containing TO-0145581 (SEQ ID NO: 2), for QTL2 on chromosome 9, the locus containing TO-0180955 (SEQ ID NO: 3), the locus containing TO-0196724 (SEQ ID NO: 4), the locus containing TO-0145125 (SEQ ID NO: 5), the locus containing TO-0196109 (SEQ ID NO: 6), and for QTL3 on chromosome 11, the locus containing TO-0122252 (SEQ ID NO: 7). It is found in at least one of the following loci: TO-0144317 (SEQ ID NO: 8), TO-0142270 (SEQ ID NO: 9), TO-0142294 (SEQ ID NO: 10), TO-0142303 (SEQ ID NO: 11), TO-0142306 (SEQ ID NO: 12), TO-0182276 (SEQ ID NO: 13), TO-0181040 (SEQ ID NO: 14), TO-0123057 (SEQ ID NO: 15), TO-0125528 (SEQ ID NO: 16), TO-0162432 (SEQ ID NO: 17), and TO-0162427 (SEQ ID NO: 18).

[0054] In the tomato plant according to the present invention, the fruit exhibits improved resistance to TBRFV infection, and the QTLs present in the genome of the plant, seed, or cell of such tomato plant are preferably found at at least one of the following loci: for QTL1 on chromosome 6, the locus containing TO-0005197, the locus containing TO-0145581, and / or for QTL2 on chromosome 9, the locus containing TO-0180955, the locus containing TO-0196724, the locus containing TO-0145125, and the locus containing TO-0196109.

[0055] In the tomato plant according to the present invention, its leaves exhibit improved resistance when infected with TBRFV, and the QTLs present in the genome of the plant, seed, or cell of such tomato plant are preferably found at at least one of the following loci: for QTL3 on chromosome 11, the locus containing TO-0122252, the locus containing TO-0144317, the locus containing TO-0142270, the locus containing TO-0142294, the locus containing TO-0142303, the locus containing TO-0142306, the locus containing TO-0182276, the locus containing TO-0181040, the locus containing TO-0123057, the locus containing TO-0125528, the locus containing TO-0162432, and the locus containing TO-0162427.

[0056] For tomato plants according to the present invention that have improved resistance to both leaves and fruits when infected with TBRFV, the QTLs present in the genome of the plant, seed, or cell of the present invention are preferably at least one of two loci containing SNPs on chromosome 6, namely the locus containing TO-0005197 and the locus containing TO-0145581, and / or at least one of four loci containing SNPs on chromosome 9, namely the locus containing TO-0180955, the locus containing TO-0196724, the locus containing TO-0145125, and the locus containing TO-0196109. Both are found in one or more locations, as well as in at least one of the 12 loci containing SNPs on chromosome 11, namely the locus containing TO-0122252, the locus containing TO-0144317, the locus containing TO-0142270, the locus containing TO-0142294, the locus containing TO-0142303, the locus containing TO-0142306, the locus containing TO-0182276, the locus containing TO-0181040, the locus containing TO-0123057, the locus containing TO-0125528, the locus containing TO-0162432, and the locus containing TO-0162427.

[0057] The alleles of the 18 SNPs of the present invention corresponding to the QTLs that confer TBRFV resistance are allele T of TO-0005197, allele C of TO-0145581, allele G of TO-0180955, allele C of TO-0196724, allele G of TO-0145125, allele G of TO-0196109, allele T of TO-0122252, allele C of TO-0144317, and T These are the allele T of O-0142270, allele G of TO-0142294, allele A of TO-0142303, allele A of TO-0142306, allele G of TO-0182276, allele G of TO-0181040, allele G of TO-0123057, allele A of TO-0125528, allele C of TO-0162432, and allele T of TO-0162427. The presence of QTLs that confer resistance to TBRFV can be revealed by the presence of the above specific alleles. Therefore, the alleles of these SNPs can reflect the presence of the QTLs of the present invention.

[0058] According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the QTL conferring resistance to TBRFV lies on one or more chromosomal intervals delimited by the SNPs of the present invention. In this embodiment, QTL1 lies on a chromosomal interval of chromosome 6, delimited on one side by SNPTO-0005197 and on the other side by SNPTO-0145581.

[0059] According to another embodiment, QTL2 lies on the chromosomal interval of chromosome 9, which is demarcated on one side by SNPTO-0180955 and on the other side by SNPTO-0196109.

[0060] According to another embodiment, QTL3 lies on a chromosome interval of chromosome 11 that is demarcated on one side by SNPTO-0122252 and on the other side by TO-0162427. More preferred chromosome intervals of chromosome 11 where QTL3 is found are the interval demarcated by TO-0144317 and TO-0125528, the interval demarcated by TO-0142270 and TO-0162432, the interval demarcated by TO-0144317 and TO-0162432, and the interval demarcated by TO-0142270 and TO-0125528. A further preferred interval is the interval demarcated by TO-0142270 and TO-0125528. Another preferred interval is the interval demarcated by and including TO-0142294 and TO-0125528.

[0061] In this regard, it should be noted that specific locations on chromosomes can indeed be defined in terms of single nucleotide polymorphisms, insofar as the adjacent sequences of the above SNPs are defined to clearly position them on the genome. The inventors identified and tracked the QTLs of the present invention using SNPs identified by their adjacent sequences, each having different alleles.

[0062] A chromosomal region delimited by two SNPs X and Y refers to a chromosomal compartment located between the positions of these two SNPs and containing the aforementioned SNPs. Therefore, the nucleotide sequence of this chromosomal region begins with the nucleotide corresponding to SNP X and ends with the nucleotide corresponding to SNP Y. In other words, in the sense of the present invention, the SNPs are contained within the region they delimited.

[0063] In the plants, seeds, or cells of the present invention, the presence of QTLs that confer the desired phenotype is, if the resistance to TBRFV is fruit resistance, preferably QTL1 on chromosome 6 is characterized by TO-0005197 and / or TO-0145581, and / or QTL2 on chromosome 9 is characterized by TO-0180955, TO-0196724, TO-0145125, and / or TO-0196109, and if the resistance to TBRFV is leaf resistance, preferably QTL3 on chromosome 11 is characterized by TO-0122 Characterized by 252, TO-0144317, TO-0142270, TO-0142294, TO-0142303, TO-0142306, TO-0182276, TO-0181040, TO-0123057, TO-0125528, TO-0162432, and TO-0162427, most preferably by TO-0142294, TO-0142303, TO-0142306, TO-0182276, TO-0181040, TO-0123057, and TO-0125528, and more preferably by TO-0182276.

[0064] When present homozygously in the genome of a tomato plant according to the present invention, QTL1 and / or QTL2 independently and collectively confer fruit resistance / tolerance to TBRFV, and QTL3 confers leaf resistance / tolerance to TBRFV. When all three QTLs are present homozygously in the genome of a tomato plant according to the present invention, or when QTL1 and QTL3 or QTL2 and QTL3 are present homozygously, such plants have improved fruit and leaf tolerance to TBRFV.

[0065] The present invention also relates to a hybrid plant of S. lycopersicum that has an improved phenotype and can be obtained by crossing a plant having one or more QTLs of the present invention in a homozygous manner with another S. lycopersicum. A plant having an improved phenotype and having one or more QTLs of the present invention in a homozygous manner may be a tomato plant having fruit resistance to TBRFV, in which case it may have QTL1 and / or QTL2 in a homozygous manner; a tomato plant having leaf resistance to TBRFV, in which case it may have QTL3 in a homozygous manner; or a plant having resistance to both fruit and leaf resistance to TBRFV. In the latter case, the tomato plant has QTL1 and QTL3, QTL2 and QTL3, or QTL1, QTL2, and QTL3, preferably QTL1, QTL2, and QTL3 in a homozygous manner. Since the QTL of the present invention acts in a recessive manner, hybrid plants of S. lycopersicum produced by the above cross will have leaf and / or fruit resistance to TBRFV only if the other S. lycopersicum mating partner has the QTL of the present invention. If the other S. lycopersicum mating partner lacks the QTL of the present invention, the hybrid resulting from the cross will have the QTL of the present invention in a heterozygous manner, and the tomato plants will not have leaf and / or fruit resistance. However, their resistant / tolerant offspring are available to those skilled in the art of breeding.

[0066] Preferably, the S. lycopersicum plant according to the present invention is a commercial plant or strain. Such a commercial plant or strain preferably also exhibits resistance to TMV (tobacco mosaic virus) by the presence of the Tm-2 (allele Tm-2 or Tm-22 (also known as Tm-2a) or Tm-1 resistance gene), which also confers resistance to ToMV (tomato mosaic virus). Plants according to this embodiment of the present invention preferably also have the following additional features: nematode resistance trait (Mi-1 or Mi-j), as well as resistance to Fusarium and Verticillium.

[0067] According to the present invention, other forms of resistance or tolerance are also intended.

[0068] According to a preferred embodiment, the plant of the present invention is not resistant to pepno mosaic virus (PepMV). According to another embodiment, the tomato plant of the present invention is also resistant to PepMV.

[0069] According to yet another embodiment, the plant of the present invention is a definite, indeterminate, or semi-indeterminate (i.e., corresponding to a definite, indeterminate, or semi-indeterminate growth habit) plant or its seed or cell.

[0070] A "definite" tomato plant is one that first develops leaves, then flowers, and if pollination is successful, these tend to mature into fruit. All fruits tend to ripen on the plant at roughly the same time. An "undefinite" tomato starts with the growth of some leaves and continues to produce leaves and flowers throughout the growing season. These plants tend to have tomato fruits at different stages of maturation at any given time. A "semi-definite" tomato has a phenotype between definite and undefinite and is a typical definite type except that it is larger than definite varieties.

[0071] In yet another embodiment, the plant of the present invention is used as a scion or rootstock in a grafting process. Grafting is a process that has been used for many years in crops such as cucurbits, but recently it has been used only in tomatoes. Grafting can be used to provide a certain level of resistance to telluric pathogens such as late blight or certain nematodes. Thus, grafting is intended to prevent contact between the cultivated plant or variety and the exoparasitic soil. The variety to be used as a graft or scion, optionally selected, is grafted onto a resistant plant to be used as rootstock. The resistant rootstock remains healthy and provides a normal supply from the soil to the graft, isolating it from disease.

[0072] Furthermore, the commercial plant of the present invention produces fruit under favorable conditions, which weigh at least 25 g, preferably at least 100 g, and more preferably at least 200 g, when fully mature.

[0073] As described above, the present invention relates to a S. lycopersicum plant exhibiting an improved phenotype and seeds that produce the plant.

[0074] The plants or seeds according to the present invention may be progeny or offspring of plants grown from deposited seed HAZTBRFVRES1 deposited with NCIMB under accession number NCIMB42758. The plants grown from the deposited seeds are, in fact, homozygous for the QTLs of the present invention that confer an improved phenotype, and therefore they have the QTLs of interest in their genome on homologs of chromosomes 6, 9, and 11. They are used to transfer these sequences to a different background by crossing, self-pollination, and / or backcrossing.

[0075] This invention also relates to deposited seeds of HAZTBRFVRES1 (NCIMB42758) and plants grown from one of these seeds. These seeds contain a homozygous QTL conferring the desired phenotype. It should be noted that these seeds do not correspond to plant varieties and are not homozygous for most genes except the QTL of this invention. Therefore, their phenotypes are not fixed during propagation, except for the leaf and fruit resistance / tolerance of this invention. Most of their phenotypic traits segregate during propagation, except for the TBRIV leaf and fruit resistance / tolerance of this invention.

[0076] The present invention also relates to a plant or seed as defined above, i.e., a plant or seed comprising one, two, or three QTLs of interest in a homozygous or heterozygous state, which confers an improved phenotype when the sequences are present in a homozygous state, the plant or seed can be obtained by transferring the QTLs from one S. lycopersicum plant (a representative seed thereof deposited at NCIMB-42758) to another S. lycopersicum genetic background, for example, by crossing the plant with a second tomato plant parent and selecting the plant having the QTLs that cause the desired phenotype. Such a cross may transfer QTL1, QTL2, and / or QTL3, or any combination thereof. Preferably, in order to obtain a plant with fruit resistance, QTL1 only, QTL2 only, or both QTL1 and QTL2 are transferred from the deposited seed HAZTBRFVRES1 (NCIMB42758); in order to obtain a plant with leaf resistance, QTL3 is transferred from the deposited seed HAZTBRFVRES1 (NCIMB42758); and in order to obtain a plant with resistance to both fruit and leaves, QTL1 and QTL3, QTL2 and QTL3, or QTL1, QTL2, and QTL3, preferably QTL1, QTL2, and QTL3, are transferred from the deposited seed HAZTBRFVRES1 (NCIMB42758).

[0077] It should be noted that the seeds or plants of the present invention can be obtained by different processes and are not exclusively obtained by essentially biological processes.

[0078] In this embodiment, the present invention relates to a tomato plant or seed that does not exist in nature, preferably a tomato plant or seed that may contain in its genome one or more mutations that provide resistance of the fruit and / or leaves to tomato brown leaf curl fruit virus, the mutations being present, for example, in the genome of a plant whose representative sample is deposited with NCIMB under depositary number NCIMB42758.

[0079] In another embodiment, the present invention relates to a method for obtaining tomato plants or seeds having one or more mutations in their genome that provide the plant with resistance to fruit and / or leaf virus against tomato brown leaf curl. Such a method is shown in Example 7, below: a) M0 seeds of the tomato plant to be modified are treated with a mutagenic agent to obtain M1 seeds, b) To grow plants from the M1 seeds obtained in this way and obtain M1 plants, c) To produce M2 seeds by self-fertilization of M1 plants, d) optionally includes repeating steps b) and c) n times to obtain M1+n seeds.

[0080] M1+n seeds are grown into plants and subjected to tomato brown leaf curl fruit virus infection. Surviving plants or plants with milder TBRFV infection symptoms are propagated for one or more further generations while continuing selection for fruit and / or leaf resistance to tomato brown leaf curl fruit virus.

[0081] In this method, the M1 seeds from step a) can be obtained by chemical mutagenesis such as EMS mutagenesis. Other chemical mutagenesis agents include, but are not limited to, diethyl sulfate (des), ethyleneimine (ei), propanesultone, N-methyl-N-nitrosulfurethane (mnu), N-nitroso-N-methylurea (NMU), N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea (enu), and sodium azide.

[0082] Alternatively, the mutation can be induced by irradiation, such as X-rays, fast neutrons, or UV radiation, selected from these sources.

[0083] In another embodiment of the present invention, mutations are induced by genetic engineering. Such mutations include insertions of sequences that confer TBRFV resistance to fruits and / or leaves, as well as substitutions of residing sequences with alternative sequences that confer TBRFV resistance or tolerance to fruits and / or leaves. Preferably, the mutation is an insertion of one or more of the above-mentioned QTL1, QTL2, and QTL3 in place of homologous sequences of the S. lycopersicum plant. Even more preferably, the mutation is a substitution of sequences or fragments contained in SNPTO-0122252 (SEQ ID NO: 7) and SNPTO-0162427 (SEQ ID NO: 18) on chromosome 11 of the S. lycopersicum genome with homologous sequences on chromosome 11 present in the genome of a plant deposited with NCIMB under deposit number NCIMB42758, the sequences or fragments conferring leaf resistance to TBRFV.

[0084] The genetic engineering means that can be used include the use of all techniques called New Breeding Techniques, which are various new technologies developed and / or used to create new traits in plants through genetic mutation, the purpose of which is targeted mutagenesis, i.e., targeted introduction of new genes or gene silencing (RdDM). Examples of such new breeding techniques include zinc finger nuclease (ZFN) technology (ZFN-1, ZFN-2, and ZFN-3, see U.S. Patent No. 9,145,565), oligonucleotide-induced mutagenesis (ODM), cisgenesis and intragenesis, grafting (on GM rootstock), reverse breeding, and agro-infiltration ("agro-infiltration" "sensu stricto", agro-inoculation, floral). dip)), transcription activator-like effector nucleases (TALEN, see U.S. Patents 8,586,363 and 9,181,535), CRISPR / Cas systems (see U.S. Patents 8,697,359, 8,771,945, 8,795,965, 8,865,406, 8,871,445, 8,889,356, 8,895,308, 8,906,616, 8,932,814, 8,945,839, 8,993,233 and 8,999,641), engineered meganucleases, re-engineered homing endonucleases, DNA-guided genome editing (Gao et al., Nature) This involves targeted sequence modification facilitated by the use of Biotechnology (2016) and synthetic genomics. A key component of targeted genome editing, another name for this new breeding technique, is the application of inducing DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) at selected locations in the genome where modification is intended. Directed repair of DSBs enables targeted genome editing.Such applications can be used to generate mutations (e.g., targeted mutations or precise native gene editing) and precise insertions of genes (cis-genes, intra-genes, or trans-genes). Applications that induce mutations are often identified as site-directed nuclease (SDN) technologies such as SDN1, SDN2, and SDN3. In the case of SDN1, the outcome is a targeted nonspecific gene deletion mutation: the site of the DNA DSB is precisely selected, but DNA repair by the host cell is random, resulting in small nucleotide deletions, additions, or substitutions. In the case of SDN2, SDN is used to generate a targeted DSB, and a DNA repair template (a short DNA sequence identical to the targeted DSB DNA sequence except for a change of one or more nucleotides) is used to repair the DSB: the outcome is a targeted point mutation in the desired gene of interest. With regard to SDN3, SDN is used with a DNA repair template containing a new DNA sequence (such as a gene). The outcome of this technique is the insertion of that DNA sequence into the plant genome. The most likely application demonstrating the use of SDN3 would be the insertion of cisgenic, intragenic, or transgenic expression cassettes at selected genomic locations. A complete description of each of these methods is found in the report entitled "New Plant Breeding Technologies - Latest Technologies and Prospects for Commercial Development," prepared in 2011 by the Institute for Future Technologies, Joint Research Centre (JRC), European Commission.

[0085] The present invention also, in another embodiment, relates to any plant that may be obtained from the seeds or plants of the present invention described above, and to plant parts of such plants, most preferably explants, scions, cuttings, seeds, fruits, roots, rootstocks, pollen, ovules, embryos, protoplasts, leaves, anthers, stems, petioles, and any other plant parts, the plants, explants, scions, cuttings, seeds, fruits, roots, rootstocks, pollen, ovules, embryos, protoplasts, leaves, anthers, stems, petioles, and / or plant parts described above can be obtained from seeds or plants according to the first embodiment of the present invention, i.e., seeds or plants having one, two, or three QTLs in the genome in a homozygous or heterozygous manner, which may be in any combination. These plant parts, particularly explants, scions, cuttings, seeds, fruits, roots, rootstocks, pollen, ovules, embryos, protoplasts, leaves, anthers, stems, or petioles, contain in their genomes QTLs that, when present in a homozygous state, confer the desired phenotype, namely resistance of fruits and / or leaves to TBRFV.

[0086] The QTLs referred to in this aspect of the present invention are the QTLs defined above in relation to the plants of the present invention. Different features of the QTLs defined in relation to the first aspect of the present invention apply mutatis mutandis to this aspect of the present invention. Accordingly, the QTLs are preferably selected from the QTLs present in the genome of the plant corresponding to the deposited material HAZTBRFVRES1 (NCIMB accession number 42758). Depending on the QTL of interest, they are allele T of TO-0005197, allele C of TO-0145581, allele G of TO-0180955, allele C of TO-0196724, allele G of TO-0145125, allele G of TO-0196109, allele T of TO-0122252, allele C of TO-0144317, allele T of TO-0142270, allele G of TO-0142294, and T The presence of allele A of O-0142303, allele A of TO-0142306, allele G of TO-0182276, allele G of TO-0181040, allele G of TO-0123057, allele A of TO-0125528, allele C of TO-0162432, and / or allele T of TO-0162427, preferably the presence of this allele or these alleles in homozygous form, i.e., TO-000 Two T alleles in 5197, two C alleles in TO-0145581, two G alleles in TO-0180955, two C alleles in TO-0196724, two G alleles in TO-0145125, two G alleles in TO-0196109, two T alleles in TO-0122252, two C alleles in TO-0144317, two T alleles in TO-0142270, and two pairs in TO-0142294 It is favorably characterized by the presence of allele G, two alleles A in TO-0142303, two alleles A in TO-0142306, two alleles G in TO-0182276, two alleles G in TO-0181040, two alleles G in TO-0123057, two alleles A in TO-0125528, two alleles C in TO-0162432, and / or two alleles T in TO-0162427.

[0087] The present invention also relates to cells of the plant S. lycopersicum, wherein these cells contain QTLs in their genome that confer the desired phenotype to the S. lycopersicum plant, and preferably, these QTLs are present in a homozygous state. The QTLs are already defined within the framework of the present invention and are characterized by the same features and preferred embodiments already disclosed with respect to plants and seeds according to the aforementioned aspects of the present invention. The presence of these QTLs can be revealed by the techniques disclosed above and well known to a skilled reader. In particular, it is possible to determine whether the QTLs are present in a homozygous or heterozygous state in the genome of such cells of the present invention. These are alleles T for TO-0005197, allele C for TO-0145581, allele G for TO-0180955, allele C for TO-0196724, allele G for TO-0145125, allele G for TO-0196109, allele T for TO-0122252, allele C for TO-0144317, allele T for TO-0142270, allele G for TO-0142294, and TO-0142303, depending on the target QTL. The presence of allele A of TO-0142306, allele G of TO-0182276, allele G of TO-0181040, allele G of TO-0123057, allele A of TO-0125528, allele C of TO-0162432, and / or allele T of TO-0162427 is advantageously characterized by the presence of this allele or these alleles simultaneously on each chromosome, i.e., in homozygous conditions.

[0088] The cells according to the present invention may be any type of S. lycopersicum cell, in particular isolated cells and / or cells capable of regenerating an entire S. lycopersicum plant having the desired QTL.

[0089] The present invention also relates to tissue cultures of non-regenerative or regenerative cells of plants as defined above according to the present invention. Preferably, the regenerative cells are derived from the embryo, protoplast, meristem cells, callus, pollen, leaf, anther, stem, petiole, root, root tip, fruit, seed, flower, cotyledon, and / or hypocotyl of the present invention, and these cells contain, in homozygous or heterozygous, one, two, or three QTLs of interest in the genome that confer an improved phenotype when present in homozygous form, namely, QTL1 and / or QTL2 confer fruit resistance to TBRFV, and QTL3 confer leaf resistance to TBRFV.

[0090] The tissue culture can preferably regenerate plants having the physiological and morphological characteristics of the aforementioned tomato plants, and can regenerate plants having substantially the same genotype as the aforementioned tomato plants. The present invention also provides tomato plants regenerated from the tissue culture of the present invention.

[0091] The present invention also provides plant protoplasts as defined above, or protoplasts derived from tissue cultures as defined above, the protoplasts comprising QTLs that confer the improved phenotype of the present invention.

[0092] In another aspect, the present invention also relates to the use of tomato plants of the present invention, preferably homozygous for the QTLs of the present invention, as breeding partners in a breeding program for obtaining S. lycopersicum plants having the improved phenotype of the present invention. In fact, such breeding partners possess the QTLs conferring the desired phenotype homozygously in their genome. Thus, by crossing these plants with tomato plants, particularly lines, it is possible to transfer one, two, or three QTLs of the present invention conferring the desired phenotype to the offspring. Accordingly, plants according to the present invention can be used as breeding partners for transferring QTLs conferring the desired phenotype to S. lycopersicum plants or germplasm, preferably for transferring QTLs that cause leaf resistance. Plants or seeds having the desired QTLs heterozygously can also be used as breeding partners as detailed above, but phenotypic isolation may complicate the breeding program.

[0093] The improved phenotype of the present invention is resistance to TBRFV, particularly leaf resistance or fruit resistance, or a combination of fruit and leaf resistance.

[0094] The introduced QTL will be advantageously introduced into varieties that include other desired genetic traits such as disease resistance, early fruit ripening, drought tolerance, and fruit shape.

[0095] The present invention also relates to the same use with the plant or seeds of HAZTBRFVRES1 deposited with NCIMB under accession number NCIMB42758. This plant is also suitable as an introduction partner in breeding programs aimed at conferring a desired phenotype to the S. lycopersicum plant or germplasm.

[0096] In such breeding programs, the selection of offspring exhibiting a desired phenotype or offspring having QTLs associated with a desired phenotype can be advantageously carried out based on the alleles of SNP markers, particularly the SNP markers of the present invention.

[0097] The plant offspring preferably have alleles T of TO-0005197 and / or allele C of TO-0145581 for the presence of QTL1 on chromosome 6, allele G of TO-0180955 for the presence of QTL2 on chromosome 9, allele C of TO-0196724, allele G of TO-0145125 and / or allele G of TO-0196109, allele T of TO-0122252 for the presence of QTL3 on chromosome 11, TO-01 Selection is made for the presence of allele C at 44317, allele T at TO-0142270, allele G at TO-0142294, allele A at TO-0142303, allele A at TO-0142306, allele G at TO-0182276, allele G at TO-0181040, allele G at TO-0123057, allele A at TO-0125528, allele C at TO-0162432, and / or allele T at TO-0162427. Due to the recessive nature of the QTL, it is preferable that the plant offspring be selected for the presence of the same allele on both homologs of each chromosome.

[0098] Alternatively, selection can be made based on the presence of any one of the 18 SNP alleles of the present invention related to the improved phenotype, or a combination of these alleles. According to such embodiments, selection can be made for the presence of at least one SNP allele for QTL1, or at least one SNP allele for QTL2, or at least one SNP allele for QTL3, or the presence of at least one SNP allele for QTL1, or at least one SNP allele for QTL2, and / or at least one SNP allele for QTL3, depending on the combination of QTLs to be achieved (QTL1 and QTL2, QTL1 and QTL3, QTL2 and QTL3, QTL1, QTL2, and QTL3, preferably QTL1, QTL2, and QTL3). Such selection is made for the presence of the alleles of interest in the selected plant genetic material sample. The presence of these alleles confirms the presence of the QTLs of the present invention at the loci defined by the above SNPs. Furthermore, in addition to point mutations or recombination events, it is possible that at least one or two of these alleles are lost, while the remaining chromosomal fragment containing the QTL of interest still confers the desired phenotype.

[0099] Therefore, plants according to the present invention or plants grown from seeds deposited under accession number NCIMB42758 are particularly valuable in marker-based selection for obtaining commercial tomato lines and varieties having the improved phenotype of the present invention.

[0100] The present invention also relates to the use of the above-mentioned plants in a program aimed at identifying, sequencing, and / or cloning gene sequences that confer a desired phenotype.

[0101] Any specific embodiment described in the preceding aspects of the present invention is also applicable to this aspect of the present invention, particularly with respect to QTL features that confer the desired phenotype.

[0102] The present invention also relates to a method for identifying, detecting, and / or selecting S. lycopersicum plants having the QTL of the present invention found in the seed genome of HAZTBRFVRES1 (NCIMB accession number 42758), wherein the QTL confers an improved phenotype of resistance and / or tolerance to tomato brown leaf fruit virus to corresponding plants lacking the sequence, and the method involves detecting the following markers in a genetic material sample of the identified and / or selected plants: allele T of TO-0005197, allele C of TO-0145581, allele G of TO-0180955, and allele TO-0196724. This includes detecting at least one of the following: C, allele G of TO-0145125, allele G of TO-0196109, allele T of TO-0122252, allele C of TO-0144317, allele T of TO-0142270, allele G of TO-0142294, allele A of TO-0142303, allele A of TO-0142306, allele G of TO-0182276, allele G of TO-0181040, allele G of TO-0123057, allele A of TO-0125528, allele C of TO-0162432, or allele T of TO-0162427.

[0103] The present invention also has a QTL that confers resistance to TBRFV only when present in a homozygous state, and includes the following alleles: allele T of TO-0005197, allele C of TO-0145581, allele G of TO-0180955, allele C of TO-0196724, allele G of TO-0145125, allele G of TO-0196109, allele T of TO-0122252, allele C of TO-0144317, allele T of TO-0142270, allele G of TO-0142294, and T The present invention also relates to a method for detecting or selecting S. lycopersicum plants having at least one of the following alleles: O-0142303 A, TO-0142306 A, TO-0182276 G, TO-0181040 G, TO-0123057 G, TO-0125528 A, TO-0162432 C, or TO-0162427 T, wherein the detection or selection is carried out under conditions of TBRFV infection, including inoculation of the plant being examined with TBRFV. According to a preferred embodiment, the method is for detecting or selecting S. lycopersicum plants having a QTL that confers leaf resistance or tolerance to TBRFV only when present in a homozygous state, and having the TO-0182276 allele G, wherein the detection or selection is carried out under conditions of TBRFV infection, including inoculation of the leaves of the plant being examined with TBRFV.

[0104] This method is particularly suited to a breeding program using HAZTBRFVRES1 (NCIMB accession number 42758) as the first parent or offspring containing the QTL of the present invention that confers resistance, detection and / or selection is performed under conditions including exoparasitism by TBRFV, and the above-mentioned transferred sequence confers tolerance or resistance to TBRFV and the following markers: allele T of TO-0005197, allele C of TO-0145581, allele G of TO-0180955, allele C of TO-0196724, allele G of TO-0145125, allele G of TO-0196109, TO-012 It has at least one of the following: allele T of 2252, allele C of TO-0144317, allele T of TO-0142270, allele G of TO-0142294, allele A of TO-0142303, allele A of TO-0142306, allele G of TO-0182276, allele G of TO-0181040, allele G of TO-0123057, allele A of TO-0125528, allele C of TO-0162432, or allele T of TO-0162427, more preferably an allele of chromosome 11, and even more preferably allele G of TO-0182276.

[0105] Furthermore, the present invention relates to a method for detecting and / or selecting S. lycopersicum plants having at least one of the QTLs of the present invention that confer an improved phenotype, based on the detection of an allele of at least one SNP selected from 18 SNPs.

[0106] Preferably, plants having the QTL of the present invention have the following markers: allele T of TO-0005197, allele C of TO-0145581, allele G of TO-0180955, allele C of TO-0196724, allele G of TO-0145125, allele G of TO-0196109, allele T of TO-0122252, allele C of TO-0144317, allele T of TO-0142270, allele G of TO-0142294, TO-014 A plant is selected if at least one, preferably at least two, three, four, five or more, or all of the following alleles are detected in the genetic material sample of the selected plant: allele A of 2303, allele A of TO-0142306, allele G of TO-0182276, allele G of TO-0181040, allele G of TO-0123057, allele A of TO-0125528, allele C of TO-0162432, and / or allele T of TO-0162427. A plant is selected for the presence of QTL1 if at least one or both of the following alleles are detected: allele T of TO-0005197 and allele C of TO-0145581. Plants are selected for the presence of QTL2 if at least one, two, three, or four of the following alleles are detected: allele G of TO-0180955, allele C of TO-0196724, allele G of TO-0145125, and allele G of TO-0196109. Plants are selected for the presence of QTL3 if at least one, two, three, four, or five or more of the following alleles are detected: allele T of TO-0122252, allele C of TO-0144317, allele T of TO-0142270, allele G of TO-0142294, allele A of TO-0142303, allele A of TO-0142306, allele G of TO-0182276, allele G of TO-0181040, allele G of TO-0123057, allele A of TO-0125528, allele C of TO-0162432, and allele T of TO-0162427.

[0107] Plants are also detected if they possess the allele combination of the present invention. Plants are selected for the presence of QTL1 and QTL2 if at least one or both of the following alleles are detected: allele T of TO-0005197 and allele C of TO-0145581, and if at least one, two, three, or four of the following alleles are detected: allele G of TO-0180955, allele C of TO-0196724, allele G of TO-0145125, and allele G of TO-0196109. If at least one or both of the following alleles are detected in the plant: allele T of TO-0005197, allele C of TO-0145581, and alleles T of TO-0122252, allele C of TO-0144317, allele T of TO-0142270, allele G of TO-0142294, allele A of TO-0142303, and allele C of TO-0142306 If at least one, two, three, four, or five or more alleles from gene A, allele G of TO-0182276, allele G of TO-0181040, allele G of TO-0123057, allele A of TO-0125528, allele C of TO-0162432, and allele T of TO-0162427 are detected, the presence of QTL1 and QTL3 is selected.If at least one, two, three, or four of the following alleles are detected: allele G of TO-0180955, allele C of TO-0196724, allele G of TO-0145125, and allele G of TO-0196109, and if the following alleles are detected: allele T of TO-0122252, allele C of TO-0144317, allele T of TO-0142270, allele G of TO-0142294, TO-01 If at least one, two, three, four, or five or more alleles from among allele A of 42303, allele A of TO-0142306, allele G of TO-0182276, allele G of TO-0181040, allele G of TO-0123057, allele A of TO-0125528, allele C of TO-0162432, and allele T of TO-0162427 are detected, the presence of QTL2 and QTL3 is selected. If at least one or both of the following alleles are detected: allele T of TO-0005197, allele C of TO-0145581, and at least one, two, three, or four of the following alleles: allele G of TO-0180955, allele C of TO-0196724, allele G of TO-0145125, allele G of TO-0196109, as well as allele T of TO-0122252, allele C of TO-0144317, and allele TO-0142270 If at least one, two, three, four, or five or more alleles are detected from among T, allele G of TO-0142294, allele A of TO-0142303, allele A of TO-0142306, allele G of TO-0182276, allele G of TO-0181040, allele G of TO-0123057, allele A of TO-0125528, allele C of TO-0162432, and allele T of TO-0162427, the presence of QTL1, QTL2, and QTL3 is selected.

[0108] In all the aforementioned embodiments of the present invention, preferred resistance to TBRFV is leaf resistance. Preferred SNPs with respect to all embodiments of the present invention are TO-0142294, TO-0142303, TO-0142306, TO-0182276, TO-0181040, TO-0123057, and TO-0125528, and more preferably TO-0182276.

[0109] The present invention further relates to a method for detecting and / or selecting S. lycopersicum plants having at least one of the present invention's QTLs that confer an improved phenotype, based on the detection of any molecular markers that reveal the presence of the above-mentioned QTLs. In fact, the QTLs of the present invention have been identified by the inventors, and the identification and use of molecular markers in addition to the 18 SNPs of the present invention can be performed by those skilled in the art. The QTLs themselves are continued to be characterized by the presence of at least one of the 18 SNPs of the present invention, although they would also be identified by the use of different alternative markers. A method and use of any such molecular marker for identifying the present invention's QTLs in the tomato genome, wherein the QTLs confer leaf and / or fruit resistance to TBRFV with respect to corresponding plants lacking the QTLs, and the above-mentioned QTLs are the following SNPs: TO-0005197, TO-0145581, TO-0180955, TO-0196724, TO-0145125, TO-01961 Methods and uses characterized by the presence of at least one of 09, TO-0122252, TO-0144317, TO-0142270, TO-0142294, TO-0142303, TO-0142306, TO-0182276, TO-0181040, TO-0123057, TO-0125528, TO-0162432, and TO-0162427 are included in the present invention.

[0110] A method and use of any such molecular marker for identifying the QTL of the present invention in the tomato genome, wherein the QTL confers leaf and / or fruit resistance to TBRFV to the corresponding plant lacking the QTL, and the QTL is the following SNP allele: allele T of TO-0005197, allele C of TO-0145581, allele G of TO-0180955, allele C of TO-0196724, allele G of TO-0145125, allele G of TO-0196109, allele G of TO-0122252 Methods and uses characterized by the presence of at least one of the following: allele T, allele C of TO-0144317, allele T of TO-0142270, allele G of TO-0142294, allele A of TO-0142303, allele A of TO-0142306, allele G of TO-0182276, allele G of TO-0181040, allele G of TO-0123057, allele A of TO-0125528, allele C of TO-0162432, and allele T of TO-0162427.

[0111] In yet another aspect, the present invention also relates to a method or process for producing S. lycopersicum plants having a desired phenotype, particularly commercial plants and inbred parent lines. The present invention also aims to transfer one, two, or three QTLs of the present invention that confer a defined improved phenotype to other tomato varieties or other species or inbred parent lines, which is useful for producing new types and varieties of tomatoes.

[0112] A method or process for producing plants with these characteristics may include the following steps: a) A step of crossing a plant grown from deposited seeds NCIMB42758 or its offspring having QTL1, QTL2, and / or QTL3 that confer TBRFV resistance with an initial S. lycopersicum plant, preferably lacking the above QTLs. b) A step of selecting a plant from the offspring thus obtained that has one, two, or three of the QTL1, QTL2, and / or QTL3 of the present invention, c) By optional selection, the plants obtained in step b) are self-pollinated once or several times, and from the offspring thus obtained, plants that have resistance to TBRFV, which may be fruit resistance, leaf resistance, or both, depending on the QTL present in the offspring plants.

[0113] Alternatively, this method or process may include the following steps instead of step a): a1) A step of crossing a plant corresponding to a deposited seed (NCIMB42758) or its offspring having QTL1, QTL2, and / or QTL3 that confer TBRFV resistance with an initial S. lycopersicum plant, preferably lacking the above QTLs. a2) A step in which F1 hybrids are propagated by self-pollination to generate an F2 population.

[0114] In the above method or process, the SNP marker is preferably used in step b) and / or c) to select plants having sequences that confer the desired tolerance and / or resistance phenotype.

[0115] The SNP marker is preferably one or more of the 18 SNP markers of the present invention (including all combinations thereof as referred elsewhere in this application).

[0116] According to a preferred embodiment, the selection of plants having leaf resistance to tomato brown leaf rot fruit virus is carried out based on TO-0182276, or on at least one of TO-0142294, TO-0142303, TO-0142306, TO-0182276, TO-0181040, TO-0123057, and TO-0125528.

[0117] It should be understood that when the alleles of a SNP are alleles corresponding to the HAZTBRFVRES1 parent allele for that SNP and are not alleles of the first S. lycopersicum plant, selecting plants based on the alleles of one or more SNPs will result in the selection of plants that have resistance to TBRFV in terms of fruit tolerance / resistance, leaf tolerance / resistance, or both, relative to the first plant. For example, allele T of TO-0005197, allele C of TO-0145581, allele G of TO-0180955, allele C of TO-0196724, allele G of TO-0145125, allele G of TO-0196109, allele T of TO-0122252, allele C of TO-0144317, allele T of TO-0142270, allele G of TO-0142294, TO-0 If allele A of 142303, allele A of TO-0142306, allele G of TO-0182276, allele G of TO-0181040, allele G of TO-0123057, allele A of TO-0125528, allele C of TO-0162432, and / or allele T of TO-0162427 are detected, a plant may be selected as having the improved phenotype of the present invention.

[0118] Preferably, the S. lycopersicum plant of step a) is an excellent strain used to obtain a plant having a commercially desirable trait or a desirable plant cultivation trait.

[0119] The method or process defined above may favorably include a backcrossing step, preferably after step c), in order to obtain a plant having all the characteristic features of the S. lycopersicum plant. Consequently, the method or process for producing plants having these features may also include the following additional steps: d) The step of backcrossing the resistant plant selected in step b) or c) with a S. lycopersicum plant. e) With respect to the first plant, the step of selecting a plant having one, two, or three of the QTL1, QTL2, and / or QTL3 of the present invention.

[0120] The plant used in step a), i.e., the plant corresponding to the deposited seed, may be a plant grown from the deposited seed. Alternatively, it may be any plant according to the first aspect of the present invention that has a phenotypic QTL, preferably having these sequences homozygous.

[0121] In step e), the SNP marker can be used to select plants that have leaf resistance and / or tolerance to tomato brown leaf curl fruit virus with respect to the first plant. As described in the previous section, the SNP marker is the SNP marker of the present invention.

[0122] According to a preferred embodiment, the method or process of the present invention, for at least one of the selection steps, i.e., b), c), and / or e), the selection is made of the following alleles: allele T of TO-0005197, allele C of TO-0145581, allele G of TO-0180955, allele C of TO-0196724, allele G of TO-0145125, allele G of TO-0196109, allele T of TO-0122252, and allele T of TO-0144317. This is carried out based on the detection of at least one of the following: allele C, allele T of TO-0142270, allele G of TO-0142294, allele A of TO-0142303, allele A of TO-0142306, allele G of TO-0182276, allele G of TO-0181040, allele G of TO-0123057, allele A of TO-0125528, allele C of TO-0162432, and / or allele T of TO-0162427.

[0123] It should be noted that when selecting plants that have an improved phenotype and are homozygous for one or more QTLs that confer this phenotype, the selection is made based on one or more SNPs of the present invention, in combination with the presence of the allele representative of the QTL, i.e., the allele HAZTBRFVRES1 parent, and the absence of the allele representative of the recurrent S. lycopersicum parent.

[0124] The plants selected in step e) are preferably commercial plants, in particular plants having fruits weighing at least 25 g, at least 100 g, or at least 200 g in a fully ripened state under normal cultivation conditions.

[0125] Preferably, steps d) and e) are repeated at least twice, preferably three times, and do not necessarily have to be the same S. lycopersicum plant. The S. lycopersicum plant is preferably a breeding line.

[0126] In each selection step of the process disclosed above, resistance to nematode traits or resistance to ToMV can be further selected.

[0127] The self-pollination and backcrossing steps can be performed in any order and can be inserted in between. For example, backcrossing can be performed before or after one or more self-pollinations, or self-pollination can be planned before or after one or more backcrosses.

[0128] The selection of offspring with the desired improved phenotype may also be performed based on a comparison of tomato brown leaf-curl fruit virus resistance derived from the S. lycopersicum parent, particularly by the protocol disclosed in the examples, where the resistance / resistance being examined may be fruit resistance / resistance, leaf resistance / resistance, or both.

[0129] The methods used for allele detection can be based on any technique that allows for the distinction between two different alleles of a SNP on a particular chromosome.

[0130] The present invention also relates to plants obtained or that can be obtained by such methods. Such plants are, in fact, S. lycopersicum plants having an improved phenotype according to a first aspect of the present invention.

[0131] The present invention also relates to a method for obtaining a parent line of a commercial tomato plant or an inbred line having a desired improved phenotype corresponding to the tolerance and / or resistance of the fruit and / or leaves to tomato brown leaf rot fruit virus, for an initial S. lycopersicum plant, the method comprising the following steps: a) A step of backcrossing plants obtained by germinating deposited seeds HAZTBRFVRES1 NCIMB accession no. 42758 or their offspring having QTL1, QTL2, and / or QTL3 that confer TBR FIV resistance with commercially available S. lycopersicum plants. b) The step of selecting a plant having one, two, or three of the QTL1, QTL2, and / or QTL3 of the present invention.

[0132] Preferably, the selection is made based on one or more of the 18 SNPs of the present invention, as detailed in other methods of the present invention.

[0133] In all methods and processes of the present invention according to the present invention, the initial S. lycopersicum plant is definite, indefinite, or semi-definite.

[0134] As previously disclosed, the tomato plants according to the present invention are preferably resistant to tomato mosaic virus, nematodes, and Fusarium and Verticillium. To obtain such plants in the processes and methods of the present invention, the S. lycopersicum parent used in the breeding scheme preferably has sequences that confer resistance to tomato mosaic virus, nematodes, and Fusarium and Verticillium, and the selection step is carried out to select plants having these resistance sequences in addition to QTLs that confer the improved phenotype of the present invention.

[0135] The present invention also relates to S. lycopersicum plants and seeds that can be obtained by any of the methods and processes disclosed above. Such S. lycopersicum seeds are preferably coated or pelletized with individual or combined active species, such as plant nutrients, enhancing microorganisms, or products for disinfecting the environment of the seeds and plants. Such species and chemicals may be products that promote plant growth, such as hormones, or products that increase resistance to environmental stress, such as defense stimulators, or products that stabilize the pH of the substrate and its immediate surroundings, or nutrients.

[0136] These may also be products for protecting young plants from undesirable agents, including viruses and pathogenic microorganisms, as specified herein, such as fungicidal, fungicide, hematicidal, insecticide, or herbicide, which act by contact, ingestion, or gas diffusion. These may also be any suitable essential oil, such as thyme extract. All of these products enhance the resistance response of plants and / or disinfect or modulate the environment of the plants described above. These may also be living biological materials, such as non-pathogenic microorganisms, such as at least one fungus or bacterium, or a virus, such as species like Pseudomonas, Bacillus, Trichoderma, Chronostachya, Fusarium, or Rhizoctonia, along with a culture medium to ensure their viability if necessary, which stimulate plant growth or protect from pathogens.

[0137] In all the methods and processes described above, the identification of plants homozygous for the QTL responsible for fruit and / or leaf resistance to TBRFV can be performed not only by detecting at least one of the alleles associated with each QTL, but also in combination with the absence of other allele forms of the SNPs of the present invention. Thus, the identification of plants homozygous for QTL1 of the present invention is based on the identification of allele T of TO-0005197 and / or allele C of TO-0145581, and the absence of allele C of TO-0005197 and allele T of TO-0145581. Similarly, the identification of plants homozygous for QTL2 according to the present invention is based on the identification of allele G of TO-0180955 and / or allele C of TO-0196724 and / or allele G of TO-0145125 and / or allele G of TO-0196109, as well as the absence of allele A of TO-0180955, allele T of TO-0196724, allele A of TO-0145125, and allele T of TO-0196109.Similarly, the identification of plants homozygous for QTL3 of the present invention is based on allele T of TO-0122252, and / or allele C of TO-0144317, and / or allele T of TO-0142270, and / or allele G of TO-0142294, and / or allele A of TO-0142303, and / or allele A of TO-0142306, and / or allele G of TO-0182276, and / or allele G of TO-0181040, and / or allele G of TO-0123057, and / or allele A of TO-0125528, This is based on the identification of allele C in TO-0162432 and / or allele T in TO-0162427, as well as the absence of allele A in TO-0122252, allele T in TO-0144317, allele C in TO-0142270, allele A in TO-0142294, allele C in TO-0142303, allele G in TO-0142306, allele A in TO-0182276, allele A in TO-0181040, allele T in TO-0123057, allele G in TO-0125528, allele T in TO-0162432, and allele C in TO-0162427.

[0138] The present invention also relates to the use of information provided herein by the inventors, namely the presence of three QTLs present in deposited seeds of HAZTBRFVRES1 that confer an improved phenotype to S. lycopersicum plants, and the disclosure of molecular markers associated with these QTLs. This knowledge can be used, in particular, for the precise mapping of the QTLs, the definition of their sequences, the identification of tomato plants containing the QTLs that confer an improved phenotype, and the identification of further or alternative markers associated with these QTLs. Such further markers are characterized by their location, namely their proximity to the 18 markers disclosed herein, preferably their location originating from 12 SNPs on chromosome 11, and by their association with the desired phenotype revealed by the present invention, namely, leaf resistance, or fruit resistance, or both, to TBRFV.

[0139] It should be understood that association, or genetic association, and more specifically genetic linkage, means that marker polymorphisms (i.e., specific alleles of an SNP marker) and the desired phenotype occur simultaneously, that is, they are inherited together more frequently than would be expected by chance, that is, there is a non-random association between the alleles and the gene sequences that cause the phenotype as a result of proximity on the same chromosome.

[0140] Any one of the molecular markers of the present invention, the 18 markers disclosed above, or alternative markers is preferably inherited with the desired phenotype in more than 90% of meiosis, preferably more than 95%, 96%, 98%, or 99% of meiosis.

[0141] Therefore, the present invention relates to the use of one or more molecular markers for finely mapping or identifying QTLs in the tomato genome, wherein the QTLs, when present in a homozygous state, confer the improved phenotype of the present invention to S. lycopersicum plants, and the one or more markers are located in the following chromosomal regions: a chromosomal region delimited on chromosome 6 by TO-0005197 and TO-015581, a chromosomal region delimited on chromosome 9 by TO-0180955 and TO-0196109, and a chromosomal region delimited on chromosome 11 by TO-0122252 and TO-0162427 or TO-0142270 and TO-0125528. The locus is located either in one of the truncated chromosomal regions or less than 2 megabase units from one of the 18 SNP markers of the present invention, namely TO-0005197, TO-015581, TO-0180955, TO-0196724, TO-0145125, TO-0196109, TO-0122252, TO-0144317, TO-0142270, TO-0142294, TO-0142303, TO-0142306, TO-0182276, TO-0181040, TO-0123057, TO-0125528, TO-0162432, and TO-0162427.

[0142] The improved phenotype is resistance to TBRFV in either the fruit or the leaves.

[0143] More specifically, for fine-grained mapping or identification of QTLs conferring fruit tolerance, one or more of the above markers are located in the chromosomal regions of chromosomes 6 and 9 as defined above, or less than 2 megabases from the loci TO-0005197, TO-015581, TO-0180955, TO-0196724, TO-0145125, or TO-0196109. More specifically, for fine-grained mapping or identification of QTLs conferring leaf tolerance, one or more of the above markers are located in the chromosomal region of chromosome 11 as defined above, or less than 2 megabases from the loci of TO-0122252, TO-0144317, TO-0142270, TO-0142294, TO-0142303, TO-0142306, TO-0182276, TO-0181040, TO-0123057, TO-0125528, TO-0162432, and TO-0162427.

[0144] According to a preferred embodiment, one or more of the above markers are located in a chromosomal region delimited by TO-0122252 and TO-0162427, or TO-0144317 and TO-0125528, or TO-0142270 and TO-0162432, or TO-0144317 and TO-0162432, or TO-0142270 and TO-0125528.

[0145] One or more of the above molecular markers are more preferably, with a p-value of 0.05 or less, and are the following SNP alleles: allele T of TO-0005197, allele C of TO-0145581, allele G of TO-0180955, allele C of TO-0196724, allele G of TO-0145125, allele G of TO-0196109, allele T of TO-0122252, allele C of TO-0144317, TO-01 It is associated with at least one of the following alleles: 42270 (T), TO-0142294 (G), TO-0142303 (A), TO-0142306 (A), TO-0182276 (G), TO-0181040 (G), TO-0123057 (G), TO-0125528 (A), TO-0162432 (C), and / or TO-0162427 (T).

[0146] The molecular marker is preferably an SNP marker. It is more preferably less than 1 megabase from at least one locus of the 18 SNPs of the present invention.

[0147] The QTL is found in the deposited seed NCIMB42758.

[0148] The p-value is preferably less than 0.01.

[0149] The present invention also relates to QTLs on chromosome 6 (the first two SNPs in the list), QTLs on chromosome 9 (the third through sixth SNPs in the list), and QTLs on chromosome 11 (the seventh through last SNPs in the list), which confer an improved phenotype according to the present invention, TO-0005197, TO-015581, TO-0180955, TO-0196724, TO-0145125, TO-0196109, TO-0122252, TO-01 The use of at least one of the list of SNP markers 44317, TO-0142270, TO-0142294, TO-0142303, TO-0142306, TO-0182276, TO-0181040, TO-0123057, TO-0125528, TO-0162432, and TO-0162427 to identify alternative molecular markers associated with the above QTLs, wherein the above alternative molecular marker is TO-0005197 and are located in the chromosomal region delimited on chromosome 6 by TO-015581, the chromosomal region delimited on chromosome 9 by TO-0180955 and TO-0196109, the chromosomal region delimited on chromosome 11 by TO-0122252 and TO-0162427 or by TO-0142270 and TO-0125528, or the 18 SNP markers of the present invention, namely TO-0005197, TO-015581, T These loci are located less than 2 megabase units from the loci of O-0180955, TO-0196724, TO-0145125, TO-0196109, TO-0122252, TO-0144317, TO-0142270, TO-0142294, TO-0142303, TO-0142306, TO-0182276, TO-0181040, TO-0123057, TO-0125528, TO-0162432, and TO-0162427.

[0150] According to a preferred embodiment, the alternative marker is located in a chromosomal region delimited by TO-0122252 and TO-0162427, or TO-0144317 and TO-0125528, or TO-0142270 and TO-0162432, or TO-0144317 and TO-0162432, or TO-0142270 and TO-0125528.

[0151] The alternative molecular marker is preferably associated with the above-mentioned QTL having a p-value of 0.05 or less, preferably less than 0.01. The QTL is found in the deposited seed NCIMB42758.

[0152] The present invention also relates to a method for identifying a molecular marker associated with a QTL that confers fruit resistance to TBRFV when present in a homozygous state, the molecular marker being located in a chromosomal region delimited on chromosome 6 by SNP markers TO-0005197 and TO-015581, or in a chromosomal region delimited on chromosome 9 by SNP markers TO-0180955 and TO-0196109, or less than 2 megabase units from at least one locus of SNP markers TO-0005197, TO-015581, TO-0180955, TO-0196724, TO-0145125, and TO-0196109, and determining whether the molecular marker is associated with or linked to fruit resistance to TBRFV in a segregation resulting from a plant exhibiting the improved phenotype. The population preferably arises from plants grown from deposited seeds NCIMB42758 or their offspring that exhibit the fruit tolerance of the present invention.

[0153] The QTLs on chromosomes 6 and 9 that confer fruit resistance according to the present invention are the QTLs located at HAZTBRFVRES1(NCIMB42758).

[0154] A genetic association or linkage is defined as described above. Preferably, the association or linkage has a p-value of less than 0.05, most preferably less than 0.01 or even less.

[0155] Molecular markers and resistance phenotypes are preferably inherited together for more than 90%, preferably more than 95%, of meiosis.

[0156] The present invention also relates to a method for identifying molecular markers associated with QTLs that confer leaf resistance to TBRFV when present in a homozygous state, wherein the markers are located in chromosomal regions delimited on chromosome 11 by SNP markers TO-0122252 and TO-0162427 or TO-0142270 and TO-0125528, or by SNP markers TO-0122252, TO-0144317, TO-0142270, TO-0142294, TO-0142 The present invention also relates to a method comprising identifying a molecular marker located less than 2 megabase units from at least one of the following loci: 303, TO-0142306, TO-0182276, TO-0181040, TO-0123057, TO-0125528, TO-0162432, and TO-0162427, and determining whether the molecular marker is associated with or linked to leaf resistance to TBRFV in a segregation resulting from plants exhibiting the improved phenotype. The segregation preferably results from plants grown from deposited seeds NCIMB42758 or their offspring exhibiting the leaf resistance of the present invention.

[0157] The QTL on chromosome 11 that confers leaf resistance according to the present invention is the QTL located at HAZTBRFVRES1(NCIMB42758).

[0158] The molecular markers according to this aspect of the present invention are most preferably SNP markers. They are more preferably less than 1 megabase from at least one locus of the 18 SNPs of the present invention.

[0159] The present invention also relates to the use of molecular markers for identifying or selecting tomato plants that contain in their genome a QTL that, when present in a homozygous state, confers fruit resistance to TBRFV to S. lycopersicum plants, wherein the marker is located in a chromosomal region delimited on chromosome 6 by SNP markers TO-0005197 and TO-015581, or in a chromosomal region delimited on chromosome 9 by SNP TO-0180955 and TO-0196109, or by SNP markers TO-0005197, TO-015581, TO-01 The molecular marker is located less than 2 megabase units from at least one of the following loci: 80955, TO-0196724, TO-0145125, and TO-0196109. The molecular marker is associated with at least one of the following SNP alleles: allele T of TO-0005197, allele C of TO-0145581, allele G of TO-0180955, allele C of TO-0196724, allele G of TO-0145125, and allele G of TO-0196109, with a p-value of 0.05 or less, preferably 0.01 or less. The presence of the QTL in a homozygous state confers fruit tolerance to the TBRFV phenotype.

[0160] The present invention also relates to the use of molecular markers for identifying or selecting tomato plants that contain in their genome a QTL that confers leaf resistance to TBRFV to S. lycopersicum plants when present in a homozygous state, wherein the marker is located in a chromosomal region delimited on chromosome 11 by SNP markers TO-0122252 and TO-0162427, or at least one of the SNP markers TO-0122252, TO-0144317, TO-0142270, TO-0142294, TO-0142303, TO-0142306, TO-0182276, TO-0181040, TO-0123057, TO-0125528, TO-0162432, and TO-0162427. Both are located less than 2 megabase units from a single locus, and the above molecular markers are associated with at least one of the following SNP alleles: allele T of TO-0122252, allele C of TO-0144317, allele T of TO-0142270, allele G of TO-0142294, allele A of TO-0142303, allele A of TO-0142306, allele G of TO-0182276, allele G of TO-0181040, allele G of TO-0123057, allele A of TO-0125528, allele C of TO-0162432, and / or allele T of TO-0162427, with a p-value of 0.05 or less, preferably 0.01 or less. Leaf resistance to the TBRFV phenotype is conferred when the QTL is homozygous.

[0161] Molecular markers used according to this embodiment can be obtained, in particular, by methods for identifying further or alternative molecular markers disclosed above. The molecular markers are preferably SNP markers. They are more preferably less than 1 megabase from at least one locus of the 18 SNPs of the present invention.

[0162] In yet another aspect, the present invention also relates to a method for analyzing the genotype of a plant, preferably a S. lycopersicum plant or tomato germplasm, for the presence of at least one genetic marker related to resistance or tolerance to TBRFV infection, the method comprising determining or detecting nucleic acids in the genome of the plant to be tested that contain at least one of the markers of the present invention or at least one of the alternative molecular markers disclosed above. Preferably, the method involves determining the allele T of TO-0005197, allele C of TO-0145581, allele G of TO-0180955, allele C of TO-0196724, allele G of TO-0145125, allele G of TO-0196109, allele T of TO-0122252, allele C of TO-0144317, allele T of TO-0142270, allele T of TO-0142294 The step includes identifying specific sequences in nucleic acids associated with resistance / tolerance to TBRFV, including at least one of the following: G, allele A of TO-0142303, allele A of TO-0142306, allele G of TO-0182276, allele G of TO-0181040, allele G of TO-0123057, allele A of TO-0125528, allele C of TO-0162432, and / or allele T of TO-0162427. More preferably, the method includes detecting specific sequences in nucleic acids associated with resistance to TBRFV in a sample of the plant being tested, including allele T of TO-0122252, allele C of TO-0144317, allele T of TO-0142270, allele G of TO-0142294, allele A of TO-0142303, allele A of TO-0142306, allele G of TO-0182276, allele G of TO-0181040, allele G of TO-0123057, allele A of TO-0125528, allele C of TO-0162432, and / or allele T of TO-0162427.

[0163] According to the most preferred embodiment of this method, the method includes detecting the presence of nucleic acid containing the allele G of TO-0182276 in a test plant.

[0164] The detection of specific alleles in SNPs can be carried out by any method readily known to readers skilled in the art.

[0165] Given the ability of the resistant plants of the present invention to limit damage caused by TBRFV infection, the plants grow favorably in environments exoparasitized with TBRFV or potentially exoparasitized or infected with TBRFV. Under these conditions, the resistant or tolerant plants of the present invention produce more marketable tomatoes than susceptible plants. Accordingly, the present invention also relates to a method for improving the yield of tomato plants in a TBRFV-infected environment, comprising growing tomato plants that homozygously contain QTLs on chromosome 6, chromosome 9, and / or chromosome 11 in their genome, as defined by the aforementioned aspects of the present invention, which confer resistance or tolerance to TBRFV to the plants. Preferably, the method comprises a first step of selecting or choosing tomato plants that homozygously have one or more QTLs of interest. The method can also be defined as a method for improving the productivity of tomato fields, aisles, or greenhouses.

[0166] According to one embodiment, the method involves growing a tomato plant containing a QTL3 on chromosome 11 as defined above, which confers leaf resistance to TBRFV.

[0167] The present invention also relates to a method for reducing the loss of tomato production in a state of TBRFV exoparasitism or infection, which includes growing tomato plants as defined above.

[0168] These methods are particularly valuable for tomato plants in fields, pathways, or greenhouses.

[0169] Alternatively, the above method for improving tomato production yield or reducing losses may include a first step of identifying tomato plants that are resistant / tolerant to TBRFV and whose genomes contain QTLs on chromosomes 6, 9, and / or 11 that confer resistance or tolerance to TBRFV to the plants, and then growing the resistant or tolerant plants in an environment exoparasitized or potentially exoparasitized by the virus. Preferably, the plants contain a QTL on chromosome 11 that, as defined by the present invention, confers leaf tolerance to TBRFV when present in a homozygous state. According to a preferred embodiment, the plants identified in the first step contain allele G of TO-0182276.

[0170] The resistant plants of the present invention can also limit the proliferation of TBRFV, and thus limit further plant infection and viral proliferation. Accordingly, the present invention also relates to a method for protecting a field, aisle, or greenhouse or any other type of cultivated area from TBRFV exoparasitism, or a method for at least limiting the level of TBRFV exoparasitism in the field, aisle, or greenhouse, or a method for limiting the spread of TBRFV in a field, aisle, or greenhouse, in particular a tomato field. Such a method preferably comprises the step of growing a resistant or tolerant plant of the present invention, i.e., a plant whose genome contains homozygous QTLs on chromosomes 6, 9, and / or 11 that confer resistance or tolerance to TBRFV to the plant. The plant of the present invention used preferably contains QTL3 on chromosome 11, and more preferably the plant exhibits the allele G of TO-0182276.

[0171] Preferably, the method includes a first step of selecting or choosing tomato plants that are homozygous for the desired QTL, particularly QTL3 on chromosome 11.

[0172] The present invention also relates to the use of TBRFV-resistant or tolerant plants for controlling TBRFV exoparasitism or infection in fields, pathways, greenhouses, or other cultivated areas. Such plants are the plants of the present invention, each containing homozygous QTL1, QTL2, and / or QTL3 in its genome on chromosomes 6, 9, and 11 as defined above. Thus, according to this use, the plants of the present invention are used to protect fields, pathways, or greenhouses from TBRFV exoparasitism. The plants of the present invention used preferably contain QTL3 on chromosome 11, and more preferably they exhibit the allele G of TO-0182276. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0173] [Figure 1] Figure 1 shows a p-value plot of QTLs associated with fruit TBRFV resistance based on the HAZ1×HAZ2 F2 population. This figure is a Manhattan plot showing the mapping results for a biparental mapping population (HAZ1×HAZ2, see Example 4) regarding fruit tolerance and / or resistance to tomato brown leaf curl fruit virus. The vertical axis (y-axis) shows -log10 (p-value), and the horizontal axis (x-axis) represents all SNPs by their chromosome-specific location (physical distance bp) along the physical map. [Figure 2] Figure 2 shows a p-value plot of QTLs associated with leaf TBRFV resistance based on the HAZ1×HAZ2 F2 population. This figure is a Manhattan plot showing the mapping results for a biparental mapping population (HAZ1×HAZ2, see Example 4) regarding leaf tolerance and / or resistance to tomato brown leaf fruit virus. The vertical axis (y-axis) shows -log10 (p-value), and the horizontal axis (x-axis) represents all SNPs by their chromosome-specific location (physical distance bp) along the physical map. [Figure 3]Figure 3 shows a p-value plot of QTLs associated with leaf TBRFV resistance based on the HAZ3×HAZ4 F2 population. This figure is a Manhattan plot showing the mapping results for a biparental mapping population (HAZ3×HAZ4, see Example 6) regarding leaf tolerance and / or resistance to tomato brown leaf fruit virus. The vertical axis (y-axis) shows -log10 (p-value), and the horizontal axis (x-axis) represents all SNPs by their chromosome-specific location (physical distance bp) along the physical map. [Examples]

[0174] Example 1: Collection and identification of tomato brown leaf curl fruit virus: The inventors prepared collections of different isolates from different production areas in Israel (Northern, Central, and Southern Israel) infected with tomato brown leaf fruit virus: seven different isolates were collected and analyzed according to the protocol described by Salem et al. Sequence comparison with Jordanian tomato brown leaf fruit virus showed that all Israeli isolates were identical to Jordanian isolates, confirming the presence of the same virus in both countries.

[0175] Example 2: Identification of resistance The inventors screened tomato breeding genetic material in naturally infected greenhouses in the Bsor region of southern Israel, a major tomato crop-producing area in Israel. Approximately 443 different tomato varieties were screened. Each tomato was planted in two replicates, with 10 plants per replicate, in different locations within the greenhouse.

[0176] Each row in the greenhouse contained 120 plants. Ten susceptible strains were planted in each row as control plants. To spread the control to different locations in the greenhouse, the control plants were placed diagonally along different rows in the greenhouse.

[0177] In this screening, a small number of tomatoes showed no TBRFV symptoms on the leaves and very few TBRFV symptoms on the fruit. Of these, two symptom-free tomatoes and two susceptible tomatoes were selected for the next stage.

[0178] The results of these experiments are shown in Table 1. The two selected immunocompromised tomatoes represent 441 immunocompromised tomatoes in the sense that they are considered immunocompromised with tomato brown leaf curl fruit virus.

[0179] Hazera No. 1 (or HAZ1) is a loose-type, unidentified tomato with regular, round, dark red fruits weighing approximately 170g. The plant has dark green leaves and is resistant to Verticillium dahlia, Meloidogyne incognita, Tomato yellow leaf curl virus, and Stemphylium solani.

[0180] Hazera 2 (or HAZ2) is a beef-type unspecified tomato with regular, medium, flattened, dark red fruits weighing approximately 280g. This plant is resistant to Verticillium dauriensis, Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. lycopersici 1,2, tomato mosaic virus, Fulvia fulva, sweet potato root-knot nematode, and tomato spotted wilt virus.

[0181] Hazera No. 3 (or HAZ3) is a beef-type, unidentified tomato with medium-sized, flattened red fruits weighing approximately 270g. This plant is resistant to tomato yellow necrosis virus, Verticillium daerie, Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopercisi 1,2, and Stemphylium solanii.

[0182] Hazera No. 4 (or HAZ4) is a minibeef-type unspecified tomato with round, red fruits weighing approximately 180g. This plant is resistant to tomato mosaic virus, tomato yellow leaf curl virus, Cladosporium fulvum (CF9), Verticillium daerie, and Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici 1,2.

[0183] [Table 1]

[0184] Example 3: Confirmation of resistance To better understand the genetics underlying the tolerance / resistance phenotype and to validate the reads identified in the first screening, the inventors performed a second screening under conditions similar to those of the first screening: each row in a greenhouse under natural infection contained 120 plants, and in each row, susceptible controls (10 plants) were planted. To spread the controls to different locations in the greenhouse, the controls were placed diagonally along different rows in the greenhouse.

[0185] In addition to the resistant tomatoes identified in the first screening, F1 and F2 generations obtained from crosses between resistant plants and susceptible lines were also included in the examination.

[0186] Table 2 shows the results of the second screening for leaf evaluation. Plants were considered susceptible to infection as soon as they showed some mosaicism and twisting at the bud apex. Tolerant / resistant plants showed no symptoms at the bud apex.

[0187] [Table 2]

[0188] Phenotypic analysis data from F1 and F2 plants tend to indicate that leaf tolerance and / or resistance to tomato brown leaf curl fruit virus is controlled recessively by a single gene or QTL.

[0189] Table 3 shows the results of the second screening for fruit evaluation. Plants were scored on a scale of 1 to 4, with plants scoring 1 to 3 considered susceptible to infection. Plants with a score of 1 had severe symptoms of typical fruit lesions and some fruit deformities, plants with a score of 2 had moderate lesions in only some fruits, and plants with a score of 3 had mild symptoms. Only plants with scores of 3.5 and 4, i.e., plants with no symptoms in the fruit, were considered resistant.

[0190] [Table 3]

[0191] Phenotypic analysis data from F2 plants tend to indicate that fruit tolerance and / or resistance to tomato brown leaf curl fruit virus is controlled recessively by a small number of QTLs, one or two.

[0192] Example 4: Gene mapping correlation analysis F2 diptylated mapping populations were constructed using tomato plants Hazera 1 and Hazera 2. Tomato plant Hazera 1, exhibiting a resistance phenotype (fruit and leaves) to tomato brown-leaf fruit virus, was crossed with an susceptible plant to produce F1 cells, which were then used to generate F2 isolates. Additional diptylated populations for validation (leaf QTL) based on Hazera 3 and Hazera 4 were prepared in the same manner (see Example 6).

[0193] DNA Extraction: Following the manufacturer's instructions, DNA was extracted from crushed leaves using the NucleoMag® plant kit (Macherey-Nagel). DNA purification was based on magnetic bead technology for isolating genomic DNA from plant tissue. DNA concentration was quantified using a NanoDrop spectrophotometer.

[0194] Genotyping of the F2 population (based on Hazera 1 and Hazera 2) was performed using a custom-made Affymetrix Axium chip array (multiple genotyping technology) containing approximately 9,500 SNPs for tomatoes.

[0195] Tomato SNP markers were selected and discovered from diverse sources, including the public domain, the LVS project, and collaborations. All SNPs were validated with pre-screening (based on prior experience with other technologies) and selected according to the following: • Polymorphism / Allele Frequency • Representing worldwide variation • Removal of SNP clusters • SNPs evenly distributed according to physical map distance • Low expression in heterochromatin (pericentromeric) regions - high LD. Genotyping analysis was performed on Affymetrix Axiom chip arrays using the manufacturer's recommended standard protocol. The procedure included the following steps: DNA amplification, fragmentation, precipitation, resuspension and hybridization preparation, hybridization to the chip, washing, ligation, staining, and scanning. The last two steps were performed using Affymetrix's GeneTitan instrument. The analysis was performed using an automated clustering algorithm developed by Affymetrix.

[0196] Mixed linear model associations were used independently for both fruit and leaf symptoms.

[0197] Mapping revealed one candidate QTL located on chromosome 11, associated with leaf resistance and / or tolerance to tomato brown leaf curl fruit virus, and two candidate QTLs located on tomato chromosomes 6 and 9, associated with fruit resistance and / or tolerance to tomato brown leaf curl fruit virus.

[0198] Table 4 summarizes various QTLs for leaf and / or fruit resistance and / or tolerance to tomato brown leaf curl fruit virus, along with markers significantly associated with these QTLs and their locations on the tomato genome. Table 5 and the sequence listing portion attached to this application report the sequences of SNPs, including adjacent sequences.

[0199] The results show that one QTL responsible for fruit resistance and / or tolerance to tomato brown leaf curl fruit virus (QTL1 of the present invention) is located on chromosome 6 between positions 33932438 and 33933905, and a second QTL responsible for fruit resistance and / or tolerance to tomato brown leaf curl fruit virus (QTL2 of the present invention) is located on chromosome 9 between positions 4800680 and 59014540, with such physical locations on the genome based on version 2.40 of the tomato genome (Bombarely 2011). The region on chromosome 9 is a region with a low recombination rate.

[0200] The region of chromosome 6 is a region where gene migration is likely to occur, and several target genes have already been mapped to this region, in particular, including gene migrations of salt-tolerant genes from S. lycopersicoides, S. pennellii, and S. pimpinellifolium (Li et al, Euphytica (2011) 178: 403), gene migrations of powdery mildew-resistant genes from S. habrochaites and S. neorickii (Seifi et al, Eur J Plant Pathol (2014) 138: 641), and gene migrations of genes involved in pepino mosaic virus (WO2013 / 064641).

[0201] The results showed that the QTL responsible for leaf resistance and / or tolerance to tomato brown leaf curl fruit virus is located on chromosome 11 between positions 9548029 and 10015478, and such a physical location on the genome is based on version 2.40 of the tomato genome (Bombarely 2011).

[0202] To better characterize the QTL on chromosome 11 responsible for leaf resistance, further analysis was performed using additional markers. The results are shown in Table 6, and the sequences of the SNPs are reported in Tables 5 and 7.

[0203] These additional results show p-values ​​and R-values ​​for chromosome 11. 2Based on the values ​​and variations in these values, the QTL responsible for leaf resistance to tomato brown leaf curl fruit virus can be defined as being broadly located on chromosome 11 between SNPTO-0122252 and TO-0162427, i.e., between positions 8090264 and 10018811, and such a physical location on the genome is based on version 2.40 of the tomato genome. SNPTO-0122252 and TO-0162427, adjacent to the broader defined QTL locus, are indicated by an asterisk (*) in Table 6. The location of the narrower defined QTL on chromosome 11 is the region defined by SNPTO-0142270 and TO-0162432. These adjacent markers of the narrower defined locus are indicated by (**) in Table 6. SNPs that have a more significant association with QTLs conferring leaf resistance / tolerance are indicated by (+) in Table 6, namely TO-0181040, TO-0123057, and TO60125528.

[0204] [Table 4]

[0205] [Table 5]

[0206] [Table 6]

[0207] [Table 7]

[0208] Example 5: Further verification of the marker One marker most strongly associated with leaf resistance to TBRF virus was defined at the edge of the QTL3 region, a candidate marker close to the resistance gene. This SNP was designed for SNP monoplex KASPar technology: the KASPar assay used for validation was performed based on the KASP method from KBioscience (LGC Group, Teddington, Middlesex, UK).

[0209] Primers for the KASP SNP assay were designed using LGC's primer picker software. For each SNP assay, two allele-specific forward primers and one general reverse primer were designed based on the SNP. The KASP genotyping assay is based on competitive allele-specific PCR, enabling bi-allelic scoring of SNPs at specific loci. In summary, the SNP-specific KASP assay mix and the universal KASP master mix were added to the DNA sample, followed by thermal cycling and then endpoint fluorescence readings. Bi-allelic identification was achieved by competitive binding of two allele-specific forward primers, each with a unique tail sequence corresponding to two universal FRET (fluorescence resonance energy transfer) cassettes, one labeled with FAM® dye and the other with VIC® dye (LGC, www.lgcgroup.com).

[0210] 3 μl of DNA was pipetteed into a black 384-well hard-shell PCR plate and dried at room temperature. For genotyping analysis, the DNA was suspended by adding 3 μl of PCR mix according to the manufacturer's protocol (KBioscience). The results of the genotyping PCR were analyzed using the KlusterCaller software (KBioscience). The marker used in this study was TO-0182276 (SEQ ID NO: 13).

[0211] The HAZ3×HAZ4 F2 population (Table 2) was used for marker validation. Genotyping of F2 plants was performed using this marker, and phenotypic analysis was also conducted for the leaf symptoms described in Example 3. The association was 100% based on data from 251 plants.

[0212] Table 8 shows summary data of phenotypic analysis of leaf symptoms and genotypic analysis of candidate markers. The R marker indicates homozygosity for the resistance / tolerance allele, the S marker indicates homozygosity for the susceptibility allele, and the H marker indicates heterozygosity for both alleles.

[0213] [Table 8]

[0214] Example 6: Correlation analysis for gene mapping F2 biparental mapping populations were constructed using tomato plants Hazera 3 and Hazera 4. Tomato plant Hazera 3, which exhibited a leaf resistance phenotype to tomato brown leaf curl fruit virus, was crossed with the susceptible plant Hazera 4 to produce F1 generation, which was then used to generate F2 isolates.

[0215] Using HAZ1 and HAZ2, mating, phenotypic analysis, and correlation were performed as described in Example 4.

[0216] As detailed in Table 9 and shown in Figure 3, QTLs for leaf resistance and the most important associated markers were identified on chromosome 11.

[0217] As in Example 4, the broader definition of the locus, including the QTL, is defined by the asterisked adjacency markers in Table 9, namely SNPTO-012252 and TO0162427. These SNPs are the same as those adjacency to the broader definition of the QTL location, which can be inferred from other sources of resistance, namely HAZ1. This strongly supports the conclusion that the QTL for leaf resistance is the same in HAZ1 and HAZ3.

[0218] HAZ1 corresponds to the seed HAZTBRFVRES1 deposited with NICMB under accession number 42758.

[0219] Based on the results for the HAZ3 population, the narrower definition of the QTL locus is defined by the adjacent markers TO-0144317 and TO-0125528 (markers** in Table 9) on chromosome 11. The markers most significantly associated with TBRFV leaf tolerance / resistance are those indicated with (+), namely TO-0142303, TO-0142306, and TO60142294.

[0220] [Table 9]

[0221] [Table 10]

[0222] In summary, these results confirm the existence of QTLs that confer leaf tolerance, widely located within the chromosomal region demarcated by TO-012252 and TO0162427, or more precisely, TO-0144317 and TO-0125528.

[0223] Therefore, considering the results of Example 4, these results indicate that the location of this QTL can be advantageously defined as being between TO-0142270 and TO-0125528.

[0224] Example 7: Genetic modification of tomato seeds using ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS) Tomato variety seeds are treated with EMS by immersing approximately 2000 seeds of each variety in either a 0.5% (w / v) EMS or 0.7% EMS aeration solution at room temperature for 24 hours.

[0225] Approximately 1500 treated seeds are germinated for each variety and EMS dose, and the resulting plants are grown, preferably in a greenhouse, for example, from May to September, to produce seeds.

[0226] After maturation, M2 seeds are harvested and grouped into separate pools, one for each treatment and variety. The resulting pools of M2 seeds are used as starting material to identify individual M2 seeds and plants with fruit and / or leaf resistance to tomato brown leaf curl fruit virus.

Claims

1. A Sonurum lycopersicum plant, seed HAZTBRFVRES1 NCIMB accession number 42758, or a descendant thereof, homozygous for containing the quantitative trait locus QTL3 on chromosome 11 in its genome, which confers an improved phenotype to the plant corresponding to leaf resistance to tomato brown leaf fruit virus, wherein the QTL3 corresponds to a chromosomal region delimited by TO-0144317 (sequence number 8) and TO-0125528 (sequence number 16), and the QTL3 is present in the genome of the plant of seed HAZTBRFVRES1 NCIMB accession number 42758.

2. A Sonurum lycopersicum plant, seed HAZTBRFVRES1 NCIMB accession number 42758, or a descendant thereof, homozygous for containing QTL2 on chromosome 9, which is a quantitative trait locus (QTL) that confers an improved phenotype to the plant corresponding to resistance of the fruit to tomato brown leaf curl fruit virus, wherein the QTL2 corresponds to a chromosomal region delimited by TO-0180955 (SEQ ID NO: 3) and TO-0196109 (SEQ ID NO: 6), and the QTL2 is present in the genome of the plant with seed HAZTBRFVRES1 NCIMB accession number 42758.

3. The following alleles: - Regarding the presence of QTL2, allele G and / or of TO-0180955 - Allele C and / or of TO-0196724 - Allele G of TO-0145125 and / or Allele G of TO-0196109, - Regarding the presence of QTL3, allele C and / or of TO-0144317 • Allele T of TO-0142270 and / or - Allele G of TO-0142294 and / or Allele A and / or of TO-0142303 - Allele A and / or of TO-0142306 - Allele G of TO-0182276 and / or - Allele G and / or of TO-0181040 - Allele G of TO-0123057 and / or - The plant according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that at least one of allele A of TO-0125528 is present in the genome of the S. lycopersicum plant.

4. Cells of a S. lycopersicum plant according to any one of claims 1 to 3, comprising QTL2 on chromosome 9 and / or QTL3 on chromosome 11 in the genome, which confer an improved phenotype corresponding to resistance of the fruit or leaves to TBRF virus.

5. A plant part of a S. lycopersicum plant according to any one of claims 1 to 3, in particular a seed, explant, reproductive material, scion, cutting, seed, fruit, root, rootstock, pollen, ovule, embryo, protoplast, leaf, anther, stem, petiole, or flower, wherein the plant part contains the cells described in claim 4.

6. Seeds of a S. lycopersicum plant that grow into the plant described in any one of claims 1 to 3.

7. A tissue culture of regenerative cells of a plant according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the regenerative cells are derived from an embryo, protoplast, meristem cell, callus, pollen, leaf, anther, stem, petiole, root, root apex, seed, flower, cotyledon, and / or hypocotyl, and the genome contains QTL2 on chromosome 9 and / or QTL3 on chromosome 11, which confer an improved phenotype corresponding to resistance of the fruit or leaf to TBRF virus.

8. S., a descendant of seed HAZTBRFVRES1 (NCIMB accession number 42758), is found in the genome of seed HAZTBRFVRES1 (NCIMB accession number 42758) and possesses one QTL on chromosome 11 corresponding to the chromosomal region delimited by TO-0144317 (SEQ ID NO: 8) and TO-0125528 (SEQ ID NO: 16). A method for detecting and / or selecting Lycopersicum plants, wherein the QTL confers an improved phenotype corresponding to leaf resistance to tomato brown leaf fruit virus, and the method comprises detecting five or more of the following markers in a genetic material sample of the selected plant: allele C of TO-0144317, allele T of TO-0142270, allele G of TO-0142294, allele A of TO-0142303, allele A of TO-0142306, allele G of TO-0182276, allele G of TO-0181040, allele G of TO-0123057, and allele A of TO-0125528.

9. The use of seeds of S. lycopersicum deposited with NCIMB under accession number NCIMB42758, plants grown from those seeds, or their offspring, which possess a homozygous QTL conferring tolerance or resistance to TBRFV infection, as a breeding partner in a breeding program for conferring tolerance and / or resistance to S. lycopersicum plants, The offspring are descendants of seed HAZTBRFVRES1 (NCIMB accession number 42758), which contains QTL2 on chromosome 9 and / or QTL3 on chromosome 11 in its genome. The aforementioned QTL2 corresponds to the chromosomal region delimited by TO-0180955 (Sequence ID 3) and TO-0196109 (Sequence ID 6), The aforementioned QTL3 corresponds to the chromosomal region delimited by TO-0144317 (Sequence ID 8) and TO-0125528 (Sequence ID 16), Furthermore, the aforementioned QTL2 and QTL3 are present in the genome of the plant seed HAZTBRFVRES1 NCIMB accession number 42758.

10. The use according to claim 9 for conferring tolerance and / or resistance to susceptible S. lycopersicum plants to TBRFV.

11. A method for conferring resistance to TBRFV to S. lycopersicum plants, a) A step of crossing a plant grown from deposited seeds NCIMB42758 or its offspring having QTL2 and / or QTL3 that confer TBRFV resistance with the first S. lycopersicum plant, b) A step of selecting plants from the offspring thus obtained that have one or two of QTL2 and / or QTL3, Includes, The QTL2 and QTL3 that confer resistance to TBRFV are present in the genome of the plant seed HAZTBRFVRES1 NCIMB accession number 42758, and the QTL3 corresponds to a chromosomal region delimited by TO-0144317 (SEQ ID NO: 8) and TO-0125528 (SEQ ID NO: 16), and the QTL2 corresponds to a chromosomal region delimited by TO-0180955 (SEQ ID NO: 3) and TO-0196109 (SEQ ID NO: 6). method.

12. c) The method according to claim 11, further comprising the step of self-pollinating the plants obtained in step b) once or more, and selecting plants that have resistance to TBRFV from the offspring thus obtained.

13. A method for conferring resistance to TBRFV to S. lycopersicum plants, a1) A step of crossing a plant grown from deposited seeds NCIMB42758 or its offspring having QTL2 and / or QTL3 that confer TBRFV resistance with the first S. lycopersicum plant to generate an F1 population, a2) A step of generating an F2 population by self-pollinating F1 hybrids, b) The step of selecting individuals from the offspring thus obtained that have resistance to TBRFV, The aforementioned QTL2 and QTL3 are present in the genome of seed HAZTBRFVRES1 NCIMB accession number 42758, and QTL3 corresponds to the chromosomal region delimited by TO-0144317 (SEQ ID NO: 8) and TO-0125528 (SEQ ID NO: 16), and QTL2 corresponds to the chromosomal region delimited by TO-0180955 (SEQ ID NO: 3) and TO-0196109 (SEQ ID NO: 6). method.

14. The method according to any one of claims 11 to 13, wherein an SNP marker is used in step b) and / or c) to select plants having QTL2 and / or QTL3 that confer TBRFV resistance.

15. The method according to any one of claims 11 to 14, wherein the selection is performed by detecting at least one of the following alleles: allele G of TO-0180955, allele C of TO-0196724, allele G of TO-0145125, allele G of TO-0196109, allele C of TO-0144317, allele T of TO-0142270, allele G of TO-0142294, allele A of TO-0142303, allele A of TO-0142306, allele G of TO-0182276, allele G of TO-0181040, allele G of TO-0123057, and allele A of TO-0125528.

16. The method according to any one of claims 11 to 15, wherein the first S. lycopersicum plant lacks the QTL.

17. A method for breeding S. lycopersicum plants resistant to TBRFV, comprising the step of crossing a plant grown from deposited seed NCIMB42758 or its offspring having QTL2 and / or QTL3 that confer TBRFV resistance with an initial S. lycopersicum plant lacking the said QTLs. The aforementioned QTL2 and QTL3 are present in the genome of seed HAZTBRFVRES1 NCIMB accession number 42758, and QTL3 corresponds to the chromosomal region delimited by TO-0144317 (SEQ ID NO: 8) and TO-0125528 (SEQ ID NO: 16), and QTL2 corresponds to the chromosomal region delimited by TO-0180955 (SEQ ID NO: 3) and TO-0196109 (SEQ ID NO: 6). method.

18. A S. lycopersicum plant obtained by the method according to any one of claims 11 to 17.

19. A method for improving the yield of tomato plants in an environment exoparasitized by TBRFV, comprising growing tomato plants that homozygously contain QTL2 on chromosome 9 and / or QTL3 on chromosome 11 in their genome, which confers resistance or tolerance to TBRFV to the plants, wherein the QTLs are present in the genome of seed HAZTBRFVRES1 NCIMB accession number 42758, and A method wherein QTL3 corresponds to a chromosomal region delimited by TO-0144317 (SEQ ID NO: 8) and TO-0125528 (SEQ ID NO: 16) on chromosome 11, and QTL2 corresponds to a chromosomal region delimited by TO-0180955 (SEQ ID NO: 3) and TO-0196109 (SEQ ID NO: 6), and the tomato plant is the plant with seed HAZTBRFVRES1 NCIMB accession number 42758.

20. A method for reducing the loss of tomato production in a state of TBRFV exoparasitism, comprising growing a tomato plant whose genome contains, in a homozygous manner, QTL2 on chromosome 9 and / or QTL3 on chromosome 11, which confers resistance or tolerance to TBRFV to the plant, wherein the QTLs are present in the genome of seed HAZTBRFVRES1 NCIMB accession number 42758, the QTL3 corresponds to a chromosomal region delimited by TO-0144317 (SEQ ID NO: 8) and TO-0125528 (SEQ ID NO: 16) on chromosome 11, and the QTL2 corresponds to a chromosomal region delimited by TO-0180955 (SEQ ID NO: 3) and TO-0196109 (SEQ ID NO: 6), and the tomato plant is the plant of seed HAZTBRFVRES1 NCIMB accession number 42758.

21. The objective is to identify a tomato plant that is resistant to TBRFV, which contains QTL3 of chromosome 11 in its genome that confers leaf resistance to TBRFV to the plant, and to identify that the QTL is present in the genome of seed HAZTBRFVRES1 NCIMB accession number 42758. The method according to claim 19 or 20, comprising growing the plant in an environment or state of TBRFV exoparasitism.

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