Methods for Controlling Flower Development in Plants

Abstract

The present invention provides a method of controlling the sexuality of a plant comprising treating the plant with a composition comprising a compound selected from the group consisting of jasmonic acid, a jasmonic acid derivative, and a salt thereof.

1 - 25 . (canceled) 
     
     
         26 . A method of suppressing complete feminization in a plant with a floral sexuality mutation, the method comprising administering to the plant an agriculturally compatible composition comprising an effective amount of a jasmonic acid compound selected from the group consisting of a jasmonic acid ester, jasmonic acid, or a salt thereof, wherein administration of the jasmonic acid compound to the plant suppresses complete feminization of the plant. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the plant is selected from the group consisting of rice, sorghum, switchgrass, oats, wheat, barley, millet, rye, triticale, buckwheat, fonio, quinoa, teff, wild rice, amaranth, kaniwa, spelt, einkorn, emmer and durum. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the plant is grass-related. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the plant is rice. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the plant is sorghum. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the floral sexuality mutation comprises a tasselseed 1 (ts1) or tasselseed 2 (ts2) mutation. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the plant has a tassel ranging from about 0.8 cm to about 3 cm in length at the time of administration. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the plant has a tassel of about 1 cm in length at the time of administration. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein male sexuality is restored in the plant. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the jasmonic acid compound is jasmonic acid methyl ester. 
     
     
         36 . A method of generating stock of a plant that is homozygous for a floral sexuality mutation, the method comprising the steps of:
 administering to a first plant that is homozygous for the floral sexuality mutation an agriculturally compatible composition comprising an effective amount of a jasmonic acid compound selected from the group consisting of a jasmonic acid ester, jasmonic acid, or a salt thereof, thereby generating a treated plant, wherein complete feminization of the plant is suppressed, and   breeding the treated plant with an untreated second plant that is homozygous for the same mutation as the treated plant, wherein the progeny of the first treated plant and second plant is homozygous for the floral sexuality mutation.   
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the plant is selected from the group consisting of rice, sorghum, switchgrass, oats, wheat, barley, millet, rye, triticale, buckwheat, fonio, quinoa, teff, wild rice, amaranth, kaniwa, spelt, einkorn, emmer and durum. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein the plant is grass-related. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein the plant is rice. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein the plant is sorghum. 
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the floral sexuality mutation comprises a tasselseed 1 (ts1) or tasselseed 2 (ts2) mutation. 
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the first plant has a tassel ranging from about 0.8 cm to about 3 cm in length at the time of administration. 
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 42 , wherein the first plant has a tassel of about 1 cm in length at the time of administration. 
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the jasmonic acid compound is jasmonic acid methyl ester. 
     
     
         45 . A method of suppressing complete feminization in a maize plant with a tasselseed 1 (ts1) or tasselseed 2 (ts2) mutation, the method comprising administering to the maize plant with a ts1 or ts2 mutation an agriculturally compatible composition comprising an effective amount of a jasmonic acid ester or salt thereof, wherein administration of the jasmonic acid ester or salt thereof to the maize plant suppresses complete feminization of the plant. 
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 45 , wherein male sexuality is restored in the maize plant. 
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 45 , wherein the maize plant has a tassel ranging from about 0.8 cm to about 3 cm in length at the time of administration. 
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 47 , wherein the maize plant has a tassel of about 1 cm in length at the time of administration. 
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 45 , wherein the jasmonic acid ester is jasmonic acid methyl ester. 
     
     
         50 . A method of generating stock of a maize plant that is homozygous for a ts1 or ts2 mutation, the method comprising the steps of:
 administering to a first maize plant that is homozygous for the tsl or ts2 mutation an agriculturally compatible composition comprising an effective amount of a jasmonic acid ester or salt thereof, thereby generating a treated maize plant, wherein complete feminization of the maize plant is suppressed, and   breeding the treated maize plant with an untreated second maize plant that is homozygous for the mutation, thereby obtaining progeny maize plants that are homozygous for the mutation.   
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 50 , wherein the first maize plant has a tassel ranging from about 0.8 cm to about 3 cm in length at the time of administration, 
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 51 , wherein the first maize plant has a tassel of about 1 cm in length at the time of administration. 
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 50 , wherein the jasmonic acid ester is jasmonic acid methyl ester.