Methods for producing a hybrid seed product

Abstract

A method for increasing production of hybrid seed of bee-pollinated crops, such as alfalfa and soybean at predetermined hybridity levels. Hybrid seed is produced using female and pollenizer plants at a selected ratio of female plants to pollenizer plants. The female plants and the pollenizer plants are intermingled in the hybrid seed production field. Prediction of percentage of hybridity at various female to pollenizer ratios allows for selection of a ratio of female plants to pollenizer plants to provide seed at a test percentage of hybridity. The percentage of hybridity may be increased post-harvest by employing techniques using seed properties such as size differential, color or density to remove a higher percentage of non-hybrid seed. The hybrid seed product is maximized at various hybridity levels. Planting according to subrows allows for separate harvesting of intermingled crops. Testing the hybrid seed product provides verification of percentage of hybridity.

1 . A method for producing a hybrid seed product of a bee-pollinated crop, from a cross between female plants from at least one female line and pollenizer plants from at least one pollenizer line, the hybrid seed product having a percentage of hybridity above a predetermined percentage of hybridity, the hybrid seed product further having a mixture of hybrid seed and non-hybrid seed, the method comprising: 
 selecting the at least one female line and the at least one pollenizer line;    determining a production ratio of female plants to pollenizer plants to produce a hybrid seed product above the predetermined percentage of hybridity;    planting the at least one female line and the at least one pollenizer line in the production ratio in a production field to obtain production seed; and    harvesting the production seed to obtain the hybrid seed product.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  with the bee-pollinated crop further comprising alfalfa.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1  with the bee-pollinated crop further comprising soybean.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1  with the female plants comprising plants from a single female line.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1  with the female plants comprising plants from a plurality of female lines.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1  with the pollenizer plants comprising plants from a single pollenizer line.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1  with the pollenizer plants comprising plants from a plurality of pollenizer lines.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1  with the predetermined percentage of hybridity comprising seventy-five percent.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1  with determining a production female to pollenizer ratio to produce the hybrid seed product having a percentage of hybridity above the predetermined percentage of hybridity further includes: 
 selecting a female to pollenizer ratio to maximize total seed yield in the production field while maintaining the percentage of hybridity of the hybrid seed product above the predetermined percentage of hybridity, the total seed yield including the hybrid seed and the non-hybrid seed.    
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 1  with determining a production female to pollenizer ratio to produce the hybrid seed product having a percentage of hybridity above the predetermined percentage of hybridity further comprising: 
 selecting a female to pollenizer ratio to maximize hybrid seed yield in the production field while maintaining the percentage of hybridity of the hybrid seed product above the predetermined percentage of hybridity.    
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 1  with selecting the at least one female line and the at least one pollenizer line further comprising: 
 selecting the female plants and the pollenizer plants to provide a cross that has greater average seed production per female plant than average seed production per pollenizer plant.    
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 1  with selecting the at least one female line and the at least one pollenizer line further comprising: 
 selecting the at least one female line and the at least one pollenizer line to provide a cross maintaining at least two-thirds of female seed yield when increasing ratio of female plants to pollenizer plants from 1:1 to 3:1 under substantially similar environmental conditions.    
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 1  with selecting the at least one female line and the at least one pollenizer line further comprising: 
 selecting a female line having an average Pollen Production Index (P.P.I.) between 0.0% to 0.42%.    
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 1  with selecting the at least one female line and the at least one pollenizer line further comprising: 
 selecting a pollenizer line having high self-incompatibility.    
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising crossing the female plants with the pollenizer plants at a test ratio of female plants to pollenizer plants in a test plot to obtain a test seed product having a test percentage of hybridity, with determining a production ratio of female plants to pollenizer plants further comprising estimating from the test percentage of hybridity the production ratio needed to produce the hybrid seed product having a percentage of hybridity above the predetermined percentage of hybridity.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15  with crossing the female plants with the pollenizer plants at a test ratio of female plants to pollenizer plants further comprising: 
 crossing the female plants with the pollenizer plants at the test ratio in the test plot;    harvesting the female plants to obtain hybrid seed and the pollenizer plants to obtain non-hybrid seed, with a total seed yield including the hybrid seed and the non-hybrid seed; and    determining the test percentage of hybridity as the proportion of hybrid seed in the total seed yield.    
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16  with crossing the female plants with the pollenizer plants at the test ratio in the test plot further comprising: 
 planting female plants and pollenizer plants in the test plot, the test plot having multiple rows, with the female plants planted in a female subrow offset from the centerline of each row of the multiple rows on a first side, and the pollenizer plants planted in a pollenizer subrow offset from the centerline of each row on an opposite side.    
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17  with the female subrow and the pollenizer subrow each offset from the centerline between one inch to eight inches.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 17  with harvesting the female plants to obtain hybrid seed and the pollenizer plants to obtain non-hybrid seed further comprising: 
 harvesting the female subrow to obtain hybrid seed from the female plants; and    harvesting the pollenizer subrow to obtain non-hybrid seed from the pollenizer plants.    
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 16  with harvesting the female plants to obtain hybrid seed and the pollenizer plants to obtain non-hybrid seed further comprising: 
 distinguishing the female plants from the pollenizer plants using morphological traits to harvest the female plants to obtain hybrid seed and the pollenizer plants to obtain non-hybrid seed.    
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 1  with the production seed including both hybrid seed and non-hybrid seed and further comprising removing a portion of the non-hybrid seed from the production seed to obtain the hybrid seed product.  
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 21  with selecting the at least one female line and the at least one pollenizer line further comprising: 
 selecting the at least one female line and the at least one pollenizer line having a seed size differential between the hybrid seed of the female plants and the non-hybrid seed of the pollenizer plants.    
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 22  with determining a production ratio of female plants to pollenizer plants to produce a hybrid seed product above the predetermined percentage of hybridity further comprising: 
 determining a hybrid seed size distribution for the female plants;    determining a non-hybrid seed size distribution for the pollenizer plants;    determining an increase in percentage of hybridity after screening for at least one sieve size; and    determining the production ratio of female plants to pollenizer plants, with selection of the production ratio chosen to provide a hybrid seed product having a percentage of hybridity above the predetermined percentage of hybridity after screening the production seed through the at least one sieve size.    
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 23  with determining an increase in percentage of hybridity after screening for at least one sieve size further comprising: 
 determining an increase in percentage of hybridity after screening for a plurality of sieve sizes;    selecting a sieve size from the plurality of sieve sizes and a production ratio of female plants to pollenizer plants to maximize quantity of the hybrid seed product from the production field after filtering through a sieve having the selected sieve size.    
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 24  with selecting a sieve size from the plurality of sieve sizes and a production ratio of female plants to pollenizer plants to maximize quantity of the hybrid seed product from the production field after filtering through a sieve having the selected sieve size further comprising: 
 determining a first regression curve for female to pollenizer ratio versus percentage of hybridity;    determining a second regression curve for female to pollenizer ratio versus total seed yield;    determining a sieve size table having a percentage of hybrid seed removed and a percentage of non-hybrid seed removed for a plurality of sieve sizes; and    selecting the sieve size and the ratio of female plants to pollenizer plants to maximize quantity of the hybrid seed product using the first regression curve, the second regression curve and the sieve size table to produce a hybrid seed product having a percentage of hybridity above the predetermined percentage of hybridity.    
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 22  with selecting female plants and pollenizer plants having a seed size differential between hybrid seed of the female plants and non-hybrid seed of the pollenizer plants providing for hybrid seed and non-hybrid seed having substantially no overlap in seed size distribution allowing for removal of substantially all non-hybrid seed with a sieve.  
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 20  with selecting the at least one female line and the at least one pollenizer line providing for seed weight differential between hybrid seed of the female plants and non-hybrid seed of the pollenizer plants, and with removing a portion of the non-hybrid seed from the hybrid seed product to obtain a higher hybridity hybrid seed product further comprising using a gravity table to remove a portion of the non-hybrid seed.  
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 21  with selecting the at least one female line and the at least one pollenizer line providing for color differential between hybrid seed of the female plants and non-hybrid seed of the pollenizer plants, and removing a portion of the non-hybrid seed from the hybrid seed product to obtain a higher hybridity hybrid seed product further comprising using a seed coat color sorter to remove a portion of the non-hybrid seed.  
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising crossing the female plants and the pollenizer plants at multiple test ratios of female plants to pollenizer plants to determine a respective test percentage of hybridity for each of the multiple test ratios.  
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 29  with determining a production ratio of female plants to pollenizer plants to produce a hybrid seed product above the predetermined percentage of hybridity further comprising: 
 performing a regression analysis on the multiple test ratios test percentage and the respective test percentage of hybridity; and    using the regression analysis to determine the production ratio of female plants to pollenizer plants to produce the hybrid seed product having a percentage of hybridity above the predetermined percentage of hybridity.    
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising verifying the percentage of hybridity of the hybrid seed product by progeny testing.  
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 31  with verifying the percentage of hybridity of the hybrid seed product by progeny testing further comprising: 
 determining the Pollen Production Index (P.P.I.) of the production seed (P.P.I. (Production seed));    determining the P.P.I. of the test plot hybrid seed (P.P.I.(Test plot hybrid seed)); and    determining the percentage of hybridity of the hybrid seed product (% hybridity) as:              %   ⁢           ⁢   hybridity     =         1   -     P   .   P   .   I   .     (     Production   ⁢           ⁢   seed     )           1   -     P   .   P   .   I   .     (     Test   ⁢           ⁢   plot   ⁢           ⁢   hybrid   ⁢           ⁢   seed     )           ×   100   ⁢   %             
   
   
       33 . The method of  claim 31  further comprising using molecular markers to identify the hybrid seed and the non-hybrid seed to determine percentage of hybridity of the hybrid seed product.  
   
   
       34 . The method of  claim 31  with verifying percentage of hybridity for the hybrid seed product further comprising: 
 collecting female seed data on traits of the female seed;    collecting pollenizer seed data on traits of the pollenizer seed;    collecting hybrid seed product data on traits of the hybrid seed product; and    analyzing the female seed data, the pollenizer seed data and the hybrid seed product data to estimate a percentage of hybridity for the hybrid seed product.    
   
   
       35 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising killing the pollenizer plants prior to harvest to increase the percentage of hybridity of the production seed.  
   
   
       36 . A method for separately harvesting hybrid seed and non-hybrid seed from plants intermingled in a single field, the method comprising: 
 planting female plants and pollenizer plants in the single field, the single field having multiple rows, with the female plants planted in a female subrow offset from the centerline of each row of the multiple rows on a first side, and the pollenizer plants planted in a pollenizer subrow offset from the centerline of each row on an opposite side;    harvesting the female subrow to obtain hybrid seed from the female plants; and    harvesting the pollenizer subrow to obtain non-hybrid seed from the pollenizer plants.    
   
   
       37 . A method for distinguishing a first variety from a second variety, where the first variety is intermingled with the second variety in a single field, the method comprising: 
 planting the first variety and the second variety in the single field, the single field having multiple rows, with plants of the first variety planted in a first subrow offset from the centerline of each row of the multiple rows on a first side, and the plants of the second variety planted in a second subrow offset from the centerline of each row on an opposite side; and    harvesting the first subrow to obtain first variety seed from the plants of the first variety; and    harvesting the second subrow to obtain second variety seed from the plants of the second variety.    
   
   
       38 . The method of  claim 37  with the first subrow and the second subrow each offset from the centerline between one inch to eight inches.  
   
   
       39 . A method for increasing percentage of hybridity in a hybrid seed product, the hybrid seed product having seed harvested from a production field, and the production field having female plants producing hybrid seed and pollenizer plants producing non-hybrid seed, the method comprising: 
 harvesting the production field to obtain production seed, the production seed including hybrid seed from the female plants and non-hybrid seed from the pollenizer plants; and    removing a portion of the non-hybrid seed from the production seed to obtain the hybrid seed product.    
   
   
       40 . The method of  claim 39  further comprising: 
 selecting female plants and pollenizer plants having a seed size differential between the hybrid seed of the female plants and the non-hybrid seed of the pollenizer plants;    selecting a predetermined percentage of hybridity;    determining a hybrid seed size distribution for the female plants;    determining a non-hybrid seed size distribution for the pollenizer plants;    determining an increase in percentage of hybridity after screening for at least one sieve size; and    determining the production ratio of female plants to pollenizer plants, with selection of the production ratio chosen to provide a hybrid seed product having a percentage of hybridity above the predetermined percentage of hybridity after screening the production seed through the at least one sieve size.    
   
   
       41 . The method of  claim 40  further comprising: 
 determining an increase in percentage of hybridity after screening for a plurality of sieve sizes;    selecting a sieve size from the plurality of sieve sizes and a production ratio of female plants to pollenizer plants to maximize quantity of the hybrid seed product from the production field after filtering through a sieve having the selected sieve size.    
   
   
       42 . The method of  claim 41  with selecting a sieve size from the plurality of sieve sizes and a production ratio of female plants to pollenizer plants to maximize quantity of the hybrid seed product from the production field after filtering through a sieve having the selected sieve size further comprising: 
 determining a first regression curve for female to pollenizer ratio versus percentage of hybridity;    determining a second regression curve for female to pollenizer ratio versus total seed yield;    determining a sieve size table having a percentage of hybrid seed removed and a percentage of non-hybrid seed removed for a plurality of sieve sizes; and    selecting the sieve size and the ratio of female plants to pollenizer plants to maximize quantity of the hybrid seed product using the first regression curve, the second regression curve and the sieve size table to produce a hybrid seed product having a percentage of hybridity above the predetermined percentage of hybridity.    
   
   
       43 . The method of  claim 40  with selecting female plants and pollenizer plants having a seed size differential between hybrid seed of the female plants and non-hybrid seed of the pollenizer plants providing for hybrid seed and non-hybrid seed having substantially no overlap in seed size distribution allowing for removal of substantially all non-hybrid seed with a sieve.  
   
   
       44 . The method of  claim 39  with selecting female plants and pollenizer plants providing for differential between distribution of seed color of the hybrid seed of the female plants and distribution of the non-hybrid seed of the pollenizer plants, and with removing non-hybrid seed from the production seed further comprising sorting using a seed coat color sorter to remove a portion of the non-hybrid seed of the pollenizer plants.  
   
   
       45 . The method of  claim 39  with selecting female plants and pollenizer plants providing for differential between distribution of seed weight of the hybrid seed of the female plants and distribution of the seed weight of the non-hybrid seed of the pollenizer plants, and with removing non-hybrid seed from the production seed further comprising sorting using a gravity table to remove a portion of the non-hybrid seed of the pollenizer plants.  
   
   
       46 . A method for verifying percentage of hybridity for a hybrid seed product, the hybrid seed product having hybrid seed and non-hybrid seed, with the percentage of hybridity being the proportion of hybrid seed in the hybrid seed product, the method comprising: 
 collecting female seed data on traits of the female seed;    collecting pollenizer seed data on traits of the pollenizer seed;    collecting hybrid seed product data on traits of the hybrid seed product; and    analyzing the female seed data, the pollenizer seed data and the hybrid seed product data to estimate a percentage of hybridity for the hybrid seed product.    
   
   
       47 . The method for verifying percentage of hybridity of  claim 46  with analyzing the female seed data, the pollenizer seed data and the hybrid seed product data to estimate a percentage of hybridity for the hybrid seed product further comprising correcting the percentage of hybridity for the hybrid seed product for selfing and sibbing from female plants.  
   
   
       48 . The method for verifying percentage of hybridity of  claim 46  with the female seed having a female seed size distribution and the pollenizer seed having a pollenizer seed size distribution, and with analyzing the female seed data, the pollenizer seed data and the hybrid seed product data to determine a percentage of hybridity for the hybrid seed product further comprising: 
 selecting a seed size range;    determining the percentage of pollenizer seed falling into the selected seed size range;    determining the percentage of female seed falling into the selected seed size range;    determining the percentage of production seed falling into the selected seed size range; and    determining percentage of hybridity for the hybrid seed product as:              %   ⁢           ⁢   Hybridity     =           Z   -   Y       X   -   Y       ×   100   ⁢   %     -   CF             where:    X=percentage of female seed falling into the selected seed size range;    Y=percentage of pollenizer seed falling into the selected seed size range;    Z=percentage of production seed falling into the selected seed size range; and    CF=correction factor to account for non-hybrid seed produced from female plants by selfing, and is equal to the P.P.I. (female plants)×0.595.    
   
   
       49 . The method for verifying percentage of hybridity of  claim 46  with the female seed having a mean female seed size and the pollenizer seed having a mean pollenizer seed size, and with analyzing the female seed data, the pollenizer seed data and the hybrid seed product data to determine a percentage of hybridity for the hybrid seed product further comprising calculating percentage of hybridity as:  
     
       
         
           
             
               % 
               ⁢ 
               
                   
               
               ⁢ 
               Hybridity 
             
             = 
             
               
                 
                   
                     Z 
                     - 
                     Y 
                   
                   
                     X 
                     - 
                     Y 
                   
                 
                 × 
                 100 
                 ⁢ 
                 % 
               
               - 
               CF 
             
           
         
       
       where:  
       X=mean female seed size;  
       Y=mean pollenizer seed size;  
       Z=mean production seed size; and  
       CF=correction factor to account for non-hybrid seed produced from female plants by selfing and sibbing, equal to the P.P.I. (female plants)×0.595.  
     
   
   
       50 . A method for verifying percentage of hybridity for a hybrid seed product, the hybrid seed product being produced from female plants and pollenizer plants in a production field: 
 growing the female plants and the pollenizer plants in a test plot;    harvesting the female plants in the test plot to obtain test plot hybrid seed;    growing the female plants and the pollenizer plants in a production field;    harvesting production seed from the production field to obtain the hybrid seed product;    determining the P.P.I. of the test plot seed (P.P.I.(Test plot hybrid seed));    determining the P.P.I. of the production seed (P.P.I. (Production seed)); and    determining the percentage of hybridity of the hybrid seed product (% Hybridity) as:              %   ⁢           ⁢   Hybridity     =         1   -     P   .   P   .   I   .           ⁢     (     Production   ⁢           ⁢   seed     )           1   -     P   .   P   .   I   .           ⁢     (     Test   ⁢           ⁢   plot   ⁢           ⁢   hybrid   ⁢           ⁢   seed     )           ×   100   ⁢   %             
   
   
       51 . A method for maintaining consistent production of a seed product produced from a plurality of varieties where a first variety of the plurality of varieties is faster growing than a second variety of the plurality of varieties, the method comprising: 
 determining a minimum distance between a plant of the first variety and a plant of the second variety, with the minimum distance selected to allow sufficient room for plant of the second variety to grow without being crowded out;    planting the first variety and the second variety intermingled in a single field, the single field having multiple rows, with plants of the first variety planted in a first subrow offset from the centerline of each row of the multiple rows on a first side, and the plants of the second variety planted in a second subrow offset from the centerline of each row on an opposite side, with the offset calculated to provide the minimum distance.    
   
   
       52 . The method of  claim 51  with the minimum distance comprising at least three inches.