Abstract: Recombinant or isolated nucleic acid sequences which:(a) encode enzymes or other proteins involved in plant abscission or dehiscence;(b) contain a promoter or other regulatory sequence which naturally controls expression of a gene involved in plant abscission or dehiscence;(c) when introduced into a plant, prevent or otherwise interfere with normal plant abscission or dehiscence; or(d) hybridise under stringent conditions to nucleic acid satisfying criterion (a), (b) or (c) or would do so but for the degeneracy of the genetic codeare useful in regulating abscission and dehiscence, particularly in reducing pod shatter in Brassica napus.