Pollination success and seed set in corn hybrid seed production

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9526243-B2
Application number	US-201314419845-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 5, 2013
Priority date	Aug 6, 2012
Publication date	Dec 27, 2016
Grant date	Dec 27, 2016

Abstract

The invention provides methods and process to enhance pollination success and thereby increase seed yield in corn seed production. The invention discloses use of Gibberellins to increase hybrid seed production in corn.

First claim

We claim:

1. A method of increasing corn hybrid seed production in a field comprising the steps of:
(a) growing male and female parent corn plants in pollinating proximity;
(b) treating the male parent plants with a Gibberellin when a minimum of 80% of the male parent plants have the tassel wrapped in two leaves, wherein the male parent plants are in the V13-V17 stage; and
(c) quantifying hybrid seed production

wherein hybrid seed production is increased with respect to a control planting and further wherein the ratio of male parent plant height to female parent ear height at pollination is suboptimal in the control planting.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step b) of treating the male parent plants with a Gibberellin is done by spraying the male parent plants with a Gibberellin.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the Gibberellin is GA3.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the male parent is an inbred and the female parent is a hybrid.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein the GA3 is sprayed at a dose of 10 g-60 g/1000 m 2 of field area planted to male parent plants.

6. The method of claim 3 wherein the GA3 is sprayed at a dose of 10 g/1000 m 2 of field area planted to male parent plants.

7. The method of claim 3 wherein the GA3 is sprayed at a dose of 4 g-60 g/1000 m 2 of field area planted to male parent plants.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the hybrid seed production is increased by at least 5%.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the hybrid seed production is increased by at least 30%.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the hybrid seed production is increased by at least 40%.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the ratio of male parent plant height to female parent plant ear height at pollination in the control planting is equal to or less than 2.0.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the ratio of field area planted to male parent plants to the field area planted to female parent plants is reduced with respect to the control planting.

Assignees

• Pioneer Hi Bred Int
• E I Dupont De Nemours & Company
• Du Pont
• Pioneer Hi Bred Int

Inventors

• Annigeri Shivakumar G
• Babu Sarat P
• Georg Evandro Sidnei
• Pereira Jardel Lopes

Classifications

• A01N43/12 Primary

  condensed with a carbocyclic ring · CPC title

• A01H5/10

  Seeds · CPC title

• A01H3/04 Primary

  by treatment with chemicals · CPC title

• Y02A40/10

  in agriculture · CPC title