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BACKGROUND: In many agricultural seed products
such as oilseed crops, grains, and legumes, as well
as seed for planting, planting, premature release of
seeds prior to harvest results in serious losses. Prior
to this invention, visual examination of the crops and
other agricultural techniques such as determination
of moisture content have been the primary means to indicate
timing of the seed harvest. This invention uses antisense
genetic manipulation to achieve rational control of
the natural regulatory mechanism of seed release.
DESCRIPTION: A Scientist at UCSD has discovered
that blocking expression of certain floral organ genes
prevents the normal senescence of replum cells required
for pod valve release and seed dispersal. Plants bearing
this transgene construct do not release their otherwise
normal, mature seeds without external applied mechanical
effort. Thus, complete control of shattering in the
field is achieved. Since premature seed dispersal can
lead to serious losses of yield, it would be beneficial
for producers of agricultural seed crops to gain control
of the process using this technology.
ADVANTAGES: Faster, more efficient seed harvesting
will result from controlling seed pod shattering. The
technology has advantage both for direct seed products
such as oilseeds, and for seeds to be used for propagation.
STAGE OF DEVELOPMENT: Studies have focused
primarily on recently characterized Arabidopsis genes
that are strongly expressed in the valve/replum boundary
and INDY1 a gene that is involved in fruiting body size.
Mutant alleles of these genes have recently been characterized
and newly created transgenic plants show a complete
lack of replum structures, thus assuring that the valves
can not come apart and disperse seeds.
CASE NUMBER: SD99-100
INQUIRIES TO: invent@ucsd.edu
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