Abstract: Methods for introgressing an allele of interest of a locus associated with a yield trait into Zea mays germplasm are provided. In some embodiments, the methods include providing a Zea mays plant that contains an allele of interest of a locus associated with a yield trait, wherein the locus associated with the yield trait is identifiable by PCR amplification of a Zea mays nucleic acid with a pair of oligonucleotides primers as disclosed herein, and introgressing the allele of interest into Zea mays germplasm that lacks the allele. Also provided are methods for identifying Zea mays plants that contain at least one allele associated with improved yield, improved maize plants, elite Zea mays plants, biomass produced from improved Zea mays plants, isolated and purified genetic markers, and compositions that include an amplification primer pair capable of amplifying a Zea mays nucleic acid to generate a Zea mays marker amplicon.

Abstract: Methods for introgressing an allele of interest of a locus associated with a yield trait into Zea mays germplasm are provided. In some embodiments, the methods include providing a Zea mays plant that contains an allele of interest of a locus associated with a yield trait, wherein the locus associated with the yield trait is identifiable by PCR amplification of a Zea mays nucleic acid with a pair of oligonucleotides primers as disclosed herein, and introgressing the allele of interest into Zea mays germplasm that lacks the allele. Also provided are methods for identifying Zea mays plants that contain at least one allele associated with improved yield, improved maize plants, elite Zea mays plants, biomass produced from improved Zea mays plants, isolated and purified genetic markers, and compositions that include an amplification primer pair capable of amplifying a Zea mays nucleic acid to generate a Zea mays marker amplicon.

Abstract: The invention overcomes the deficiencies of the prior art by providing methods for marker assisted selection to create plants of a soybean variety that exhibit a mid/low linolenic acid content with a commercially significant yield and an agronomically elite phenotype. The invention also provides derivatives and plant parts of these plants. Further provided by the invention are methods for the use of these plants. The invention is significant in that oil with decreased linolenic acid exhibits numerous beneficial characteristics yet prior art varieties with decreased linolenic acid also exhibited decreased yield and poor agronomic quality.

Abstract: The invention overcomes the deficiencies of the prior art by providing methods for marker assisted selection to create plants of a soybean variety that exhibit a mid/low linolenic acid content with a commercially significant yield and an agronomically elite phenotype. The invention also provides derivatives and plant parts of these plants. Further provided by the invention are methods for the use of these plants. The invention is significant in that oil with decreased linolenic acid exhibits numerous beneficial characteristics yet prior art varieties with decreased linolenic acid also exhibited decreased yield and poor agronomic quality.

Abstract: The invention overcomes the deficiencies of the prior art by providing methods for marker assisted selection to create plants of a soybean variety that exhibit a mid/low linolenic acid content with a commercially significant yield and an agronomically elite phenotype. The invention also provides derivatives and plant parts of these plants. Further provided by the invention are methods for the use of these plants. The invention is significant in that oil with decreased linolenic acid exhibits numerous beneficial characteristics yet prior art varieties with decreased linolenic acid also exhibited decreased yield and poor agronomic quality.

Abstract: Methods for introgressing an allele of interest of a locus associated with a yield trait into Zea mays germplasm are provided. In some embodiments, the methods include providing a Zea mays plant that contains an allele of interest of a locus associated with a yield trait, wherein the locus associated with the yield trait is identifiable by PCR amplification of a Zea mays nucleic acid with a pair of oligonucleotides primers as disclosed herein, and introgressing the allele of interest into Zea mays germplasm that lacks the allele. Also provided are methods for identifying Zea mays plants that contain at least one allele associated with improved yield, improved maize plants, elite Zea mays plants, biomass produced from improved Zea mays plants, isolated and purified genetic markers, and compositions that include an amplification primer pair capable of amplifying a Zea mays nucleic acid to generate a Zea mays marker amplicon.

Abstract: Methods for introgressing an allele of interest of a locus associated with a yield trait into Zea mays germplasm are provided. In some embodiments, the methods include providing a Zea mays plant that contains an allele of interest of a locus associated with a yield trait, wherein the locus associated with the yield trait is identifiable by PCR amplification of a Zea mays nucleic acid with a pair of oligonucleotides primers as disclosed herein, and introgressing the allele of interest into Zea mays germplasm that lacks the allele. Also provided are methods for identifying Zea mays plants that contain at least one allele associated with improved yield, improved maize plants, elite Zea mays plants, biomass produced from improved Zea mays plants, isolated and purified genetic markers, and compositions that include an amplification primer pair capable of amplifying a Zea mays nucleic acid to generate a Zea mays marker amplicon.

Abstract: The invention overcomes the deficiencies of the prior art by providing methods for marker assisted selection to create plants of a soybean variety that exhibit a mid/low linolenic acid content with a commercially significant yield and an agronomically elite phenotype. The invention also provides derivatives and plant parts of these plants. Further provided by the invention are methods for the use of these plants. The invention is significant in that oil with decreased linolenic acid exhibits numerous beneficial characteristics yet prior art varieties with decreased linolenic acid also exhibited decreased yield and poor agronomic quality.

Abstract: Provided herein are methods for evaluating associations between candidate genes and a trait of interest in a population. The methods include a combination of genome-wide association analysis and one or more of nested association mapping (NAM), expression QTL analysis (eQTL), and allele epistastic analysis (AEA). Markers are selected or prioritized if they are shown to be positively-correlated with a trait of interest using GWA and a combination of one or both of NAM and eQTL. Also provided are models for evaluating the association between a candidate marker and a trait in a nested population of organisms. These methods include single marker regression and multiple marker regression models. Markers identified using the methods of the invention can be used in marker assisted breeding and selection, as genetic markers for constructing linkage maps, for gene discovery, for identifying genes contributing to a trait of interest, and for generating transgenic organisms having a desired trait.

Abstract: The invention overcomes the deficiencies of the prior art by providing methods for marker assisted selection to create plants of a soybean variety that exhibit a mid/low linolenic acid content with a commercially significant yield and an agronomically elite phenotype. The invention also provides derivatives and plant parts of these plants. Further provided by the invention are methods for the use of these plants. The invention is significant in that oil with decreased linolenic acid exhibits numerous beneficial characteristics yet prior art varieties with decreased linolenic acid also exhibited decreased yield and poor agronomic quality.

Abstract: The invention overcomes the deficiencies of the prior art by providing methods for marker assisted selection to create plants of a soybean variety that exhibit a mid/low linolenic acid content with a commercially significant yield and an agronomically elite phenotype. The invention also provides derivatives and plant parts of these plants. Further provided by the invention are methods for the use of these plants. The invention is significant in that oil with decreased linolenic acid exhibits numerous beneficial characteristics yet prior art varieties with decreased linolenic acid also exhibited decreased yield and poor agronomic quality.

Abstract: Methods for introgressing an allele of interest of a locus associated with a yield trait into Zea mays germplasm are provided. In some embodiments, the methods include providing a Zea mays plant that contains an allele of interest of a locus associated with a yield trait, wherein the locus associated with the yield trait is identifiable by PCR amplification of a Zea mays nucleic acid with a pair of oligonucleotides primers as disclosed herein, and introgressing the allele of interest into Zea mays germplasm that lacks the allele. Also provided are methods for identifying Zea mays plants that contain at least one allele associated with improved yield, improved maize plants, elite Zea mays plants, biomass produced from improved Zea mays plants, isolated and purified genetic markers, and compositions that include an amplification primer pair capable of amplifying a Zea mays nucleic acid to generate a Zea mays marker amplicon.

Abstract: Polynucleotides useful for improvement of plants are provided. In particular, polynucleotide sequences are provided from plant sources. Polypeptides encoded by the polynucleotide sequences are also provided. The disclosed polynucleotides and polypeptides find use in production of transgenic plants to produce plants having improved properties.

Abstract: Provided herein are methods for evaluating associations between candidate genes and a trait of interest in a population. The methods include a combination of genome-wide association analysis and one or more of nested association mapping (NAM), expression QTL analysis (eQTL), and allele epistastic analysis (AEA). Markers are selected or prioritized if they are shown to be positively-correlated with a trait of interest using GWA and a combination of one or both of NAM and eQTL. Also provided are models for evaluating the association between a candidate marker and a trait in a nested population of organisms. These methods include single marker regression and multiple marker regression models. Markers identified using the methods of the invention can be used in marker assisted breeding and selection, as genetic markers for constructing linkage maps, for gene discovery, for identifying genes contributing to a trait of interest, and for generating transgenic organisms having a desired trait.

Abstract: The present invention is in the field of plant genetics. More specifically the invention relates to nucleic acid molecules and nucleic acid molecules that contain markers, in particular, single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) and repetitive element markers. In addition, the present invention provides nucleic acid molecules having regulatory elements or encoding proteins or fragments thereof. The invention also relates to proteins and fragments of proteins so encoded and antibodies capable of binding the proteins. The invention also relates to methods of using the nucleic acid molecules, markers, repetitive elements and fragments of repetitive elements, regulatory elements, proteins and fragments of proteins.

Abstract: The invention overcomes the deficiencies of the prior art by providing methods for marker assisted selection to create plants of a soybean variety that exhibit a mid/low linolenic acid content with a commercially significant yield and an agronomically elite phenotype. The invention also provides derivatives and plant parts of these plants. Further provided by the invention are methods for the use of these plants. The invention is significant in that oil with decreased linolenic acid exhibits numerous beneficial characteristics yet prior art varieties with decreased linolenic acid also exhibited decreased yield and poor agronomic quality.

Abstract: The invention overcomes the deficiencies of the prior art by providing methods for marker assisted selection to create plants of a soybean variety that exhibit a mid/low linolenic acid content with a commercially significant yield and an agronomically elite phenotype. The invention also provides derivatives and plant parts of these plants. Further provided by the invention are methods for the use of these plants. The invention is significant in that oil with decreased linolenic acid exhibits numerous beneficial characteristics yet prior art varieties with decreased linolenic acid also exhibited decreased yield and poor agronomic quality.

Abstract: Expressed Sequence Tags (ESTs) isolated from soybean are disclosed. The ESTs provide a unique molecular tool for the targeting and isolation of novel genes for plant protection and improvement. The disclosed ESTs have utility in the development of new strategies for understanding critical plant developmental and metabolic pathways. The disclosed ESTs have particular utility in isolating genes and promoters, identifying and mapping the genes involved in developmental and metabolic pathways, and determining gene function. Sequence homology analyses using the ESTs provided in the present invention, will result in more efficient gene screening for desirable agronomic traits. An expanding database of these select pieces of the plant genomics puzzle will quickly expand the knowledge necessary for subsequent functional validation, a key limitation in current plant biotechnology efforts.

Abstract: Expressed Sequence Tags (ESTs) isolated from soybean are disclosed. The ESTs provide a unique molecular tool for the targeting and isolation of novel genes for plant protection and improvement. The disclosed ESTs have utility in the development of new strategies for understanding critical plant developmental and metabolic pathways. The disclosed ESTs have particular utility in isolating genes and promoters, identifying and mapping the genes involved in developmental and metabolic pathways, and determining gene function. Sequence homology analyses using the ESTs provided in the present invention, will result in more efficient gene screening for desirable agronomic traits. An expanding database of these select pieces of the plant genomics puzzle will quickly expand the knowledge necessary for subsequent functional validation, a key limitation in current plant biotechnology efforts.

Abstract: Expressed Sequence Tags (ESTs) isolated from soybean are disclosed. The ESTs provide a unique molecular tool for the targeting and isolation of novel genes for plant protection and improvement. The disclosed ESTs have utility in the development of new strategies for understanding critical plant developmental and metabolic pathways. The disclosed ESTs have particular utility in isolating genes and promoters, identifying and mapping the genes involved in developmental and metabolic pathways, and determining gene function. Sequence homology analyses using the ESTs provided in the present invention, will result in more efficient gene screening for desirable agronomic traits. An expanding database of these select pieces of the plant genomics puzzle will quickly expand the knowledge necessary for subsequent functional validation, a key limitation in current plant biotechnology efforts.