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 . A method for producing a late flowering or non-flowering hybrid sorghum plant comprising crossing a first early flowering sorghum plant with a second early flowering sorghum plant, wherein each of the first and second early flowering sorghum plants is homozygous recessive for at least one allele contributing to an early flowering phenotype, and wherein the first and second early flowering sorghum plants are not homozygous recessive for the same allele contributing to an early flowering phenotype. 
     
     
         2 . (canceled) 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein crossing comprises crossing a first sorghum plant heterozygous dominant for at least a Ma6 allele with a second sorghum plant homozygous recessive for at least the Ma6 allele. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein crossing comprises crossing a first sorghum plant homozygous dominant for at least a Ma6 allele with a second sorghum plant homozygous recessive for at least the Ma6 allele. 
     
     
         5 . (canceled) 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first or second early flowering sorghum plant is produced by
 a) mutagenizing a late flowering or non-flowering sorghum plant to produce early flowering progeny comprising an inactive gene in a photoperiod sensing pathway.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the gene in a photoperiod sensing pathway is Ma6. 
     
     
         8 - 9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the Ma6 gene comprises a nucleic acid encoding sorghum Prr37. 
     
     
         11 - 12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising marker-assisted selection of a progeny plant of the cross comprising at least a first genetic marker genetically linked to a Ma6 allele. 
     
     
         14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the genetic marker genetically linked to the Ma6 allele comprises a nucleic acid encoding a sorghum Prr37 polypeptide. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the sorghum Prr37 polypeptide comprises a lysine at position 166. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the sorghum Prr37 polypeptide is encoded by a nucleic acid molecule comprising SEQ ID NO:1. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the genetic marker is genetically linked to a quantitative trait locus (QTL). 
     
     
         19 . The method  claim 18 , wherein the QTL is selected from the group consisting of FlrAvgB1, FlrAvgD1, FlrFstG1, F1tQTL-DFG, F1tQTL-DFB, QMa50.txs-A, QMa50.txs-C, QMa50.txs-F1, QMa50.txs-F2, QMa50.txs-H, QMa50.txs-I, QMa1.uga-G, QMa1.uga-D, and QMa5.uga-D. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 13 , 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). 
     
     
         21 - 22 . (canceled) 
     
     
         23 . A method of producing an inbred early flowering sorghum plant comprising:
 a) crossing a late flowering or non-flowering sorghum plant homozygous dominant for Ma5 and Ma6 with an early flowering sorghum plant homozygous recessive for a Ma5 or Ma6 allele;   b) inbreeding a F 1  progeny; and   c) selecting for an early flowering sorghum F 2  plant homozygous recessive for Ma5 or Ma6 but not homozygous recessive for the same Ma5 or Ma6 allele.   
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the late flowering or non-flowering sorghum plant comprises superior bioenergy properties. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the selected early flowering sorghum F 2  plant comprises said superior bioenergy properties. 
     
     
         26 . An early flowering sorghum seed produced by the method of  claim 23 . 
     
     
         27 . A method of identifying the genotype of a sorghum plant for a Ma5 or Ma6 allele comprising:
 a) obtaining a sorghum plant; and   b) assaying the sorghum plant for a genetic marker genetically linked to the Ma5 or Ma6 allele.   
     
     
         28 . (canceled) 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the genetic marker genetically linked to an Ma6 allele is a nucleic acid encoding a sorghum Prr37 polypeptide. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the sorghum Prr37 polypeptide comprises a lysine at position 166. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the sorghum Prr37 polypeptide is encoded by a nucleic acid molecule comprising SEQ ID NO:1. 
     
     
         32 - 34 . (canceled) 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein said Ma6 allele is located on chromosome 6 between coordinates 39379760-42610705.