Methods of controlling reproduction in plants

Abstract

Methods are described herein for producing hybrid seed using male-sterile plants wherein reproductive function is restored by treatment of mutant plants with selected plant hormones. Plants comprising mutations in the allene oxide synthase gene are functionally male-sterile and are useful for the production of hybrid seed, wherein fertility is restored in the plants by treatment with jasmonic acid. Hybrid seed production is simplified and improved by this invention. The present invention also includes plants comprising mutations in genes affecting allene oxide synthase and/or hydroperoxide lyase.

1 - 17 . (canceled)  
     
     
         18 . A method of producing a transgenic plant having a reversible male sterility phenotype, said method comprising introducing into a plant cell a construct comprising a polynucleotide whose expression results in the underexpression of allene oxide synthase in said plant cell as compared to a wild-type plant cell, and producing a transgenic plant from said plant cell.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein said construct is operably linked to a tissue specific promoter.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein said underexpression is via anti sense.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein said underexpression is via sense suppression.  
     
     
         22 . A method of reversing male sterility in a plant that exhibits reduced allene oxide synthase activity as compared to a wild-type plant, said method comprising applying to said plant a jasmonate, jasmonate derivative, or oxo-phytodienoic acid (OPDA) in an amount sufficient to reverse said male sterility.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein said jasmonate is jasmonic acid or methyl jasmonate.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein said jasmonate derivative is an L-amino acid conjugate, a glucose ester, or a hydroxylated derivative of jasmonic acid.  
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein said application is via spraying, coating, dipping, or powdering said plant.  
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein said plant is a transgenic plant.  
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein said transgenic plant exhibits reduced allene oxide synthase activity as a result of antisense suppression of allene oxide synthase in said transgenic plant.  
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein said transgenic plant exhibits reduced allene oxide synthase activity as a result of sense suppression of allene oxide synthase in said transgenic plant.  
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein said plant is a mutant plant.  
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein said mutant plant exhibits reduced allene oxide synthase activity as a result of an insertion mutation, deletion mutation, or substitution mutation in said mutant plant's allene oxide synthase gene.  
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein said insertion mutation is a T-DNA insertion.  
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein said application is at the flowering stage.