Maize plant having increased seed yield through recessive genetic determinants that confer expanded corn ear tips

Abstract

This invention provides a novel means of making maize hybrids and inbreds with expanded ear tip phenotypes for promoting increased seed yield from recessive genetic determinants. This is achieved by making standard inbred×hybrid as well as inbred×inbred crosses followed by selection in the subsequent self-pollinated generations from these plants for expanded ear tip phenotype characteristics to produce new parent inbred lines. Next, the resulting inbreds, having a different pedigree but possessing the recessive expanded ear tip genetic determinants, are crossed to cause the expanded ear tip trait to express as a homozygous recessive trait in an otherwise primarily heterozygous hybrid.

1 - 11 . (canceled) 
   
   
       12 . An inbred maize plant characterized by a genetic determinant which confers an expanded ear tip phenotype, said genetic determinant being capable of transmission to progeny substantially as a single recessive gene. 
   
   
       13 . Corn seed derived from said inbred maize plant of  claim 12 . 
   
   
       14 . Inbred corn seed characterized by a recessive genetic determinant which confers an expanded ear tip phenotype on at least a portion of maize plants grown from said inbred corn seed. 
   
   
       15 . Corn seed as in  claim 14 , wherein said inbred corn seed is homozygous for said recessive genetic determinant. 
   
   
       16 . Corn seed as in  claim 14 , wherein said inbred corn seed is heterozygous for said recessive genetic determinant. 
   
   
       17 - 23 . (canceled) 
   
   
       24 . A homozygous genetic determinant maintained by self-pollinating a maize plant possessing said genetic determinant through at least one generation until said genetic determinant is homozygous, said genetic determinant being capable of conferring an expanded ear tip phenotype which is transmittable to progeny as a recessive gene. 
   
   
       25 . A homozygous genetic determinant maintained by backcrossing a first maize plant and a second maize plant with at least one of said maize plants possessing said genetic determinant, said genetic determinant being capable of conferring an expanded ear tip phenotype which is transmittable to progeny as a recessive gene. 
   
   
       26 - 53 . (canceled) 
   
   
       54 . A maize plant having said homozygous genetic determinant according to  claim 25  wherein said first maize plant is selected from the group consisting of A554, A632Ht, A632, A641, A634, A619, A619Ht, A670, A672, B14, B14A, B37, B68, B88, B75, B76, B79, B73, B83, B84, B85, B87, B88, B52, C103, C123, CB59G, CD1, CD2, C123, CG9, CG11, CG12, CG13, G14, CG15, CG17, CG18, CG20, CG576-3, CH581-13, CH591-23, CH592, CH593, CH611, CH646, CH661-17, CH665-1, CH671, CH711, CH753-4, CK24, CK69, CM105, C0109, C0150, C0220, CO252, CQ169, CQ173, CQ187, CQ188, CQ193, CQ196, CQ206, CQ213, CQ214, WF9, W23, CQ704, DF11, DF13, DF21Ht, F488, F578, FR3, FR22, FR27rhm, FR807, FR1130, FR1193, FR809, FR810, GT210wx, H99, H94, H95, H108, H109, H115, H125, Hi 31, Hi35, K201, Ky128, LH53, LH74, LH55, LH92, LH98, LH106, LHE137, LH143, LH146, Mo17, Mo40, Mo42, Mo401, Mp488, Mp490, Mp701, Mp703, MS24, MS71, MS92, MS74, MS132, MS214, N28, N31, NC230, NC250, ND230, ND246, ND255, ND256, ND101, ND468, ND481, NY821, Oh43, Oh45, Oh51, Oh422, OH561, Pa 91, Pa347, Pa409, Pa878, R177, R806, R182, RB73, RB73Htrhm, SC401, SC343, SD5, SD10, SD22, SD37, SDp288, SDp310, SDp312, SDp84, SDp309, T232, T250, Tx2783, Va26, Va35, VA21, VA43, Va59, Va95, Va96, Va98, W182B, W540, W117, W64A, W64Arms, W454, and wherein said second maize plant is selected from the group consisting of 11Aspo having ATCC Accession No. PTA-6978 and 97RHspo having ATCC Accession No. PTA-6982. 
   
   
       55 . The inbred maize plant of  claim 12  wherein said recessive genetic determinant is capable of transmission to progeny substantially as a series of closely linked recessive genes.