Abstract: The formation of a carotenoid compound containing a 4-keto-?-ionene ring such as astaxanthin or canthaxanthin in flowers, and particularly in the corolla and reproductive parts of a flower of a higher plant whose flowers produce a carotenoid compound containing a ?-ionene ring such as ?-carotene or zeaxanthin, but otherwise do not produce astaxanthin or canthaxanthin is disclosed. One or more genes controlled by a promoter are inserted (transformed) into a higher plant. The inserted gene encodes a chimeric enzyme including (a) a carotenoid-forming enzyme that is at least a ketolase. That gene is operatively linked to (b) a plastid-directed transit peptide. Some higher plants to be transformed produce at least zeaxanthin or ?-carotene in their flowers prior to transformation, whereas other plants produce little if any colored carotenoid pigments prior to transformation and are transformed with a cassette of carotenoids-forming genes. Methods of transformation and use of the transformed plants are described.

Abstract: The formation of a carotenoid compound containing a 4-keto-&bgr;-ionene ring such as astaxanthin or canthaxanthin in flowers, and particularly in the corolla and reproductive parts of a flower of a higher plant whose flowers produce a carotenoid compound containing a &bgr;-ionene ring such as &bgr;-carotene or zeaxanthin, but otherwise do not produce astaxanthin or canthaxanthin is disclosed. One or more genes controlled by a promoter are inserted (transformed) into a higher plant. The inserted gene encodes a chimeric enzyme including (a) a carotenoid-forming enzyme that is at least a ketolase. That gene is operatively linked to (b) a plastid-directed transit peptide. Some higher plants to be transformed produce at least zeaxanthin or &bgr;-carotene in their flowers prior to transformation, whereas other plants produce little if any colored carotenoid pigments prior to transformation and are transformed with a cassette of carotenoids-forming genes.

Abstract: The present invention relates to developed seed that is singulated and free-flowing, and comprises a modified root structure whose root development is interrupted and altered, but that root development is capable of resuming when the developed seed is sown in a suitable environment. The developed seed can exhibit an emerged hypocotyl or lack an emerged hypocotyl. The developed seed is prepared as desiccation-intolerant seed and can be converted to be desiccation-tolerant. The present invention also relates to methods of making the developed seed.