Abstract: Provided herein are compositions and methods for generating alleles of genes of interest in plants. In some aspects, libraries of plants or seeds are provided that comprise an expression construct comprising a RNA-guided endonuclease (e.g., a Cas9 endonuclease) and multiple different guide RNAs that target regions of the gene of interest, such as regulatory regions.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods of obtaining clonal seeds, methods of plant cloning, methods of screening for maternal plants that produce clonal seeds asexually and methods of increasing yield of clonal seeds. Also disclosed are constructs comprising a nucleic acid that may silence the activity of a RNA-dependent DNA methylation pathway gene. Further disclosed are maternal plants comprising a construct wherein the construct comprises an exogenous nucleic acid sequence, wherein the construct renders the maternal plant defective for RNA-dependent DNA methylation.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods of obtaining clonal seeds, methods of plant cloning, methods of screening for maternal plants that produce clonal seeds asexually and methods of increasing yield of clonal seeds. Also disclosed are constructs comprising a nucleic acid that can silence the activity of a RNA-dependent DNA methylation pathway gene. Further disclosed are maternal plants comprising a construct wherein the construct comprises an exogenous nucleic acid sequence, wherein the construct renders the maternal plant defective for RNA-dependent DNA methylation.