Abstract: “The present invention relates to DNA sequences, comprising nucleic acid fragments encoding dehiscence zone-selective proteins, particularly cell wall hydrolases such as polygalacturonases, and their use for modifying dehiscence properties in plants, more particularly pod dehiscence properties in Brassica napus.

Abstract: Methods for providing transgenic plants and parts hereof that, relative to the wild type state, is modified in a complex cell wall polysaccharide structure including pectins and hemicelluloses, the modification being in the overall glycosidic linkage pattern or the monosaccharide profile, comprising transforming a plant cell with a nucleotide sequence that causes an altered production of a complex cell wall polysaccharide-modifying enzyme such as endo-rhamnogalacturonan hydrolase, an endo-rhamnogalacturonan lyase, an endo-galactanase, an endo-arabinanase, an arabinofuranosidase, a galactosidase such as a beta-galactosidase, a xylosidase and an exo-galacturosidase. The modification can occur in vivo or post harvest, in which latter case the modifying enzyme is separated in the growing plant from its substrate, e.g. by targeting the enzyme to the Golgi, the endoplasmic reticulum or a vacuole, or is in a form that is inactive in the plant.

Abstract: A plant is provided which contains at least one dehiscence zone (DZ)-selective chimeric gene incorporated in the nuclear genome of its cells, wherein said DZ-selective chimeric gene comprises the following operably linked DNA fragments:

Abstract: A plant is provided which contains at least one dehiscence zone (DZ)-selective chimeric gene incorporated in the nuclear genome of its cells, wherein said DZ-selective chimeric gene comprises the following operably linked DNA fragments: a) a transcribed DNA region encoding: 1) a RNA which, when produced in cells of a particular DZ of the plant, prevents, inhibits or reduces the expression in DZ cells of an endogenous gene of the plant encoding a cell wall hydrolase, particularly an endopolygalacturonase, or, 2) a protein or polypeptide, which when produced in DZ cells, kills or disables them or interferes with their normal metabolism, physiology or development; b) a plant expressible promoter which directs expression of transcribed DNA region at least in DZ cells, provided that if transcribed DNA region encodes a protein or polypeptide, or encodes an antisense RNA or ribozyme directed to a sense RNA encoded by an endogenous gene that is expressed in plant in cells other than DZ cells, plant expressible promot