Compositions and methods for altering flowering and plant architecture to improve yield potential

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12110495-B2
Application number	US-201916370561-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 29, 2019
Priority date	Apr 20, 2015
Publication date	Oct 8, 2024
Grant date	Oct 8, 2024

Abstract

The present invention provides recombinant DNA constructs, vectors and molecules comprising a polynucleotide sequence encoding a florigenic FT protein operably linked to a vegetative stage promoter, which may also be a meristem-preferred or meristem-specific promoter. Transgenic plants, plant cells and tissues, and plant parts are further provided comprising a polynucleotide sequence encoding a florigenic FT protein. Transgenic plants comprising a florigenic FT transgene may produce more bolls, siliques, fruits, nuts, or pods per node on the transgenic plant, particularly on the main stem of the plant, relative to a control or wild type plant. Methods are further provided for introducing a florigenic FT transgene into a plant, and planting transgenic FT plants in the field including at higher densities. Transgenic plants of the present invention may thus provide greater yield potential than wild type plants and may be planted at a higher density due to their altered plant architecture.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A transgenic soybean plant comprising an insertion of a recombinant DNA construct comprising a polynucleotide sequence encoding a florigenic FT protein operably linked to a meristem-preferred or meristem-specific promoter comprising a polynucleotide sequence that is at least 90% identical to a polynucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 21, SEQ ID NO: 22, and SEQ ID NO: 38, wherein the florigenic FT protein comprises an amino acid sequence having at least 92% identity to a sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 4, SEQ ID NO: 8, and SEQ ID NO: 12 into the genome of the transgenic soybean plant, wherein the transgenic soybean plant has more floral racemes per node than a control plant not having the recombinant DNA construct.

2. The transgenic soybean plant of claim 1 , wherein the transgenic soybean plant is homozygous for the insertion of the recombinant DNA construct.

3. The transgenic soybean plant of claim 1 , wherein the transgenic soybean plant is hemizygous for the insertion of the recombinant DNA construct.

4. The transgenic soybean plant of claim 1 , wherein the transgenic soybean plant produces more flowers per node than a control plant not having the recombinant DNA construct.

5. The transgenic soybean plant of claim 1 , wherein the transgenic soybean plant flowers earlier than a control plant not having the recombinant DNA construct.

6. The transgenic soybean plant of claim 1 , wherein the transgenic soybean plant produces more pods per node than a control plant not having the recombinant DNA construct.

7. The transgenic soybean plant of claim 1 , wherein the polynucleotide sequence encoding the florigenic FT protein has at least 90% identity to a sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 3, SEQ ID NO: 7, SEQ ID NO: 9, and SEQ ID NO: 11.

8. A transgenic soybean plant part of the transgenic soybean plant of claim 1 , wherein the transgenic plant part is one of the following: a seed, fruit, leaf, cotyledon, hypocotyl, meristem, embryo, endosperm, root, shoot, stem, pod, flower, inflorescence, stalk, pedicel, style, stigma, receptacle, petal, sepal, pollen, anther, filament, ovary, ovule, pericarp, phloem, or vascular tissue.

9. The transgenic soybean plant of claim 1 , wherein the florigenic FT protein comprises an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 4, SEQ ID NO: 8, and SEQ ID NO: 12.

10. The transgenic soybean plant of claim 1 , wherein the promoter comprises SEQ ID NO: 21, SEQ ID NO: 22, or SEQ ID NO: 28.

11. The transgenic soybean plant of claim 1 , wherein the florigenic FT protein comprises an amino acid sequence having at least 95% identity to a sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 4, SEQ ID NO: 8, and SEQ ID NO: 12.

12. The transgenic soybean plant of claim 1 , wherein the florigenic FT protein further comprises one or more of the following amino acids: a tyrosine or other uncharged polar or nonpolar residue at the amino acid position of the florigenic FT protein corresponding to amino acid position 85 of SEQ ID NO: 14; a leucine or other nonpolar residue at the amino acid position of the florigenic FT protein corresponding to amino acid position 128 of SEQ ID NO: 14; and a tryptophan or other large nonpolar residue at the amino acid position of the florigenic FT protein corresponding to amino acid position 138 of SEQ ID NO: 14.

13. The transgenic soybean plant of claim 1 , wherein the florigenic FT protein does not have one or more of the following amino acids: a histidine at the amino acid position corresponding to a lysine or arginine at the amino acid position corresponding to position 85 of SEQ ID NO: 14; a lysine or arginine at the amino acid position corresponding to position 128 of SEQ ID NO: 14; and a serine, aspartic acid, glutamic acid, lysine or arginine at the amino acid position corresponding to position 138 of SEQ ID NO: 14.

Assignees

• Monsanto Technology Llc

Inventors

• Brower-Toland Brent
• Caldo Rico A
• Dai Shunhong
• Gabbert Karen
• Goldshmidt Alexander
• Howell Miya D
• Karunanandaa Balasulojini
• Manjunath Sivalinganna
• Mcdill Bradley W
• Ovadya Daniel J
• Preuss Sasha
• Rice Elena A
• Savidge Beth
• Sharma Vijay K

Classifications

• Y02A40/146

  Genetically Modified [GMO] plants, e.g. transgenic plants · CPC title

• C07K14/415 Primary

  from plants · CPC title

• C12N15/8261

  with agronomic (input) traits, e.g. crop yield · CPC title

• C12N15/8229

  Meristem-specific, e.g. nodal, apical · CPC title

• C12N15/8207

  by mechanical means, e.g. microinjection, particle bombardment, silicon whiskers · CPC title