Methods for promoting production of viable seeds from apomictic guayule plants

Abstract

Described herein are methods for producing guayule seeds, guayule plants, and products generated therefrom. More specifically, the disclosure provides methods for the production of viable seeds from apomictic guayule plants, seeds produced by such methods, plants grown from such seeds, plant parts, biomass, and biomaterials derived therefrom.

1 . A method for promoting the production of viable hybrid guayule seeds from an interploidy cross, said method comprising:
 selecting a female guayule plant and a pollinator plant, wherein said a female guayule plant is apomictic and said pollinator plant is capable of producing fertile pollen;   pollinating said female guayule plant with pollen from said pollinator plant to produce seeds on said apomictic female guayule plant, wherein at least 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, 25%, 30%, 35%, 40%. 45%, 55%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, or 95% of said hybrid seeds are viable or wherein the percentage of viable hybrid seeds produced are within a range defined by any two of the aforementioned percentages.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said pollinator plant is a tetraploid guayule plant. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said female guayule plant is selected from a triploid guayule plant, a pentaploid guayule plant, or a heptaploid guayule plant. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said female guayule plant and said pollinator plant belong to the same  Parthenium  species. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein said  Parthenium  species is  Parthenium argentatum.    
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said female guayule plant and said pollinator plant belong to two different  Parthenium  species. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said female guayule plant is a  Parthenium argentatum  plant. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the pollinator plant is of a species selected from the group consisting of  P. alpinum, P. argentatum, P. cineraceum, P. confertum, P. fruticosum, P. hysterophorus, P. incanum, P. integrifolium, P. ligulatum, P. rollinsianum, P. schottii , and  P. tomentosum.    
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said pollinator plant is a  Parthenium argentatum  plant or a  Parthenium incanum  plant. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of said female guayule plant or said pollinator plant is pre-selected for enhanced plant productivity. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of said female guayule plant or said pollinator plant is clonally propagated prior to pollination step. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said pollinator plant is of a  Parthenium  species that is different than  Parthenium argentatum  such that any F1 hybrid off-types from said interploidy cross can be conveniently identified. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said percentage of viable hybrid seeds is scored at 35 days after germination. 
     
     
         14 . A method for producing hybrid guayule seeds from an interploidy cross between female guayule plants from at least one female guayule line and pollinator plants from at least one pollinator plant line, said hybrid seeds having a percentage of viability above a predetermined percentage of viability, said method comprising:
 selecting said at least one female guayule line and said at least one pollinator plant line;   determining a production ratio of female plants to pollinator plants to produce hybrid seeds having a percentage of viability above said predetermined percentage of viability;   planting said at least one female guayule line and said at least one pollinator plant line in pollinating proximity in said production ratio in a production field; and   allowing pollination of at least one of said female guayule plants with pollen from at least one of said pollinator plants, whereby said hybrid guayule seeds are produced.   
     
     
         15 .- 30 . (canceled) 
     
     
         31 . A plant grown from a hybrid guayule seed produced by the method of  claim 14 . 
     
     
         32 . The plant of  claim 31 , further comprising a transgene. 
     
     
         33 . The plant of  claim 32 , wherein said transgene confers a trait selected from the group consisting of: abiotic stress tolerance, biotic stress tolerance, disease resistance, high latex yield, high overall rubber yield, high productivity, high resin yield, improved nitrogen use efficiency, improved water use efficiency, plant vigor, and combinations of at least two of the aforementioned traits. 
     
     
         34 .- 39 . (canceled)