Discovery and utilization of sorghum genes (ma5/ma6)

Abstract

Methods and composition for the production of non-flowering or late flowering sorghum hybrid. For example, in certain aspects methods for use of molecular markers that constitute the Ma5/Ma6 pathway to modulate photoperiod sensitivity are described. The invention allows the production of plants having improved productivity and biomass generation.

1 - 26 . (canceled) 
     
     
         27 . A method of screening a  sorghum  plant for a Ma7 allele comprising:
 a) obtaining a  sorghum  plant; and   b) assaying the  sorghum  plant for a genetic marker genetically linked to the Ma7 allele, wherein said Ma7 allele is located on chromosome 1 between coordinates 6545866 to 8017655.   
     
     
         28 - 33 . (canceled) 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the genetic marker is selected from the group consisting of sequence variants revealed by direct sequence analysis, restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLP), isozyme markers, allele specific hybridization (ASH), amplified variable sequences of plant genome, self-sustained sequence replication, simple sequence repeat (SSR) and arbitrary fragment length polymorphisms (AFLP). 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein said Ma7 allele is in a gene encoding a polypeptide selected from the group consisting of PhyC, a MADS-box 14 protein and AP1. 
     
     
         36 . A method of producing  sorghum  plant homozygous for a Ma7 allele comprising:
 screening according to the method of  claim 27  a plurality of plants from a segregating population, and   selecting one or more plants homozygous for the Ma7 allele.