Abstract: This invention is directed to the breeding of self-incompatible plants, especially crop plants. In particular, the invention is directed to novel self-incompatable crops and hybrid seeds thereof.

Abstract: This invention comprises a family of distinctive chrysanthemum morifolium cultivars originating from a selected seedling of a genotype produced by cross-breeding and developed from the genotype by irradiation of selected clones of successive mutants induced by radiation.

Abstract: An improved procedure utilizing a cytoplasmic-genetic male sterile system for forming F.sub.1 hybrid cottonseeds (i.e., seeds capable of forming hybrid cotton plants of the first filial generation) is provided which is readily amenable to the determination and maintenance of the desired level of purity in the hybrid cottonseed product. The parent plants required for hybrid formation are each homozygotes (as described) with respect to differing leaf shape configurations (i.e., the male sterile female parent plants have a broad-leafed configuration and the fertility-restoring male parent has a narrow-leafed configuration). The resulting F.sub.1 hybrid cotton plants are heterozygotes with respect to leaf shape phenotype and can be visually differentiated from each parent. Following the F.sub.1 hybrid-forming cross-pollination, at least a portion of the resulting cottonseeds are grown, and the approximate proportion of F.sub.

Abstract: Most of the corn in the United States is grown from hybrid seed. The production of hybrid seeds necessitates the emasculation of the desired female parent plant. If this emasculation is carried out by hand, then it becomes a major cost factor. One method to overcome these costs is to obtain inbred lines of corn which have stable cytoplasmic male sterility. Such cytoplasmic male sterility should remain stable when the genome of the inbred line is replaced by the genomes of other inbred lines by backcrossing.Three major groups of cytoplasmic male sterility (C, T and S) have been extensively studied. In the past the cms S-type has not been extensively utilized in the production of hybrid corn seed because cms S-cytoplasms do not show stable male sterility and also in some backgrounds have a high rate of genetic reversion to male fertility. We describe here the production of a novel stable cytoplasmic male sterile strain (LBN) which remains stably sterile in combination with a large number of inbred corn lines.

Abstract: An improved procedure for forming F.sub.1 hybrid soybean plants (i.e., hybrid soybean plants of the first filial generation) is provided which is capable of being readily implemented on a commercial scale. Unlike processes proposed in the prior art the requisite cross-pollination needed to produce the F.sub.1 hybrid having hybrid vigor is precisely controlled. The seed parent upon which seeds capable of forming F.sub.1 hybrid plants are produced is fully male sterile (as described herein) thereby eliminating the possibility of self-pollination. It surprisingly has been found that the required male sterility is made possible in the seed parent by combining via a controlled plant breeding program previously widely dispersed factors comprising an atypical Cms cytoplasm and two distinct pairs of recessive genes for fertility restoration r.sub.1 r.sub.1 and r.sub.2 r.sub.2. For instance, the Cms cytoplasm conveniently may be derived from a Mandarin cytoplasmic source (e.g., the Elf variety), the r.sub.1 r.sub.

Abstract: This invention relates to a novel full and semi-dwarf hybrid sunflower (Helianthus annuus var. marcocarpus (DC.) Ckll.) (herein H. annuus) seed and a method of producing the hybrid seed. The hybrid sunflower seeds upon growth yield full and semi-dwarf sunflower plants having a reduced internode length. The hybrid seed is produced by cross pollinating a pair of parent plants P.sub.1 and P.sub.2 wherein, in at least one parent substantially all pollen is nonfunctional and at least one parent has gametes with nuclei carrying at least one dominant gene for reduced internode length.

Abstract: The process of the present invention provides a convenient route for producing a predetermined hybrid variety of a crop which is capable of undergoing both self-pollination and cross-pollination. Cytoplasmic male sterile plants which also exhibit cytoplasmic herbicide tolerance are the key plants for use in the present process. Such cytoplasmic male sterile plants may be readily multiplied and uniformly produced in accordance with the process of the present invention on a relatively economical basis by crossing with suitable maintainer plants. Economical bulk planting of the key plants with either maintainer or restorer plants is made possible. Following cross-pollination from a pollen source which lacks the herbicide tolerance unneeded plants effectively are eliminated by use of a herbicide.

Abstract: A single substantially dominant genetic factor which confers an extra leaf phenotype in corn plants provides for the enhanced production of corn in such plants.Seed corn bearing the genetic factor Lfy (Inbred 101Lfy/Lfy) was deposited at the National Seed Storage Laboratory, Fort Collins, Colo. in March, 1983, and granted laboratory serial no. 174,429 ZM 10235.

Abstract: The invention describes gametocidal and microbicidal compositions which contain, as active ingredient, a nitroarylalkylsulfone derivative of the formula I ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 is alkyl, R.sub.2 and R.sub.3 are each hydrogen, alkyl, alkoxy, haloalkyl, halogen, cyano, nitro or amino or together they complete a naphthalene ring; R.sub.4 is hydrogen or --COR.sub.5, wherein R.sub.5 is alkyl, alkoxy, haloalkoxy, alkenyl, haloalkenyl, alkynyl, cycloalkyl, phenyl, benzyl, furyl or tetrahydrofuryl. The invention relates also to the use of these compositions and compounds for stimulating generative plant growth and for obtaining hybrid seeds, as well as to a method of preparing the hydrazinium and ammonium salts within the scope of the formula I, and to a process for preparing agrochemical compositions which contain compounds of the formula I as active ingredient.

Abstract: A method is disclosed which selects for different types of mutants expressed in cereal seed. The method allows rapid qualitative or quantitative screening of the aleurone GA.sub.3 -induced expression of alpha-amylase activity in half-seeds (without embryo). Half-seeds of the M.sub.2 population of mutagenized cereal seeds are incubated under selection pressures that normally inhibit the expression of alpha-amylase activity. These selection agents include metabolic inhibitors which may function at the level of transcription, translation, or protein secretion.These selection agents include antimetabolites such as amino acid analogs (e.g., S-2-aminoethylcysteine, p-flourophenylalaine, canavanine, etc.), antibiotics (e.g. Actinomycin D, cycloheximide, erythromycin, kanamycin, streptomycin, or tunicamycin), biocides, herbicides, water or salt stress. Such selection pressures may be applied to the half-seed method in the presence of absence of GA.sub.3, ABA, and at various incubation temperatures.

Abstract: Novel methods and compositions are provided for preparing vectors for the introduction of DNA into plant cells for transcription and expression of the DNA. Particularly, cauliflower mosaic virus DNA is inserted into a bacterial cloning vehicle to provide a recombinant plasmid for cloning in a microorganism. The resulting cloned plasmid is genetically manipulated to introduce exogenous or heterologous DNA. Conveniently, linkers can be inserted which provide for a unique restriction site for insertion of exogenous or heterologous DNA. At each stage the modified plasmid may be cloned to provide for relatively large amounts of material for modification and isolation. Besides insertions, deletions may be made, removing non-essential portions of the virus. After completion of the viral modifications, the CaMV is excised from the hybrid plasmid by restriction enzyme cleavage and may be used for systemic infection of plants.

Abstract: The method of producing wheat seeds comprising the steps of crossing plants grown from a first cross of `Thorne` and `Clarkan`; and crossing the plants from the seeds of Thorne/Clarkan with plants from the seed of `Etoile de Choisy`; crossing seeds from a semi-dwarf mutant of the Etoile de Choisy//Thorne/Clarkan cross with plants grown from the seeds of CI 13390; and crossing the offspring therefrom with plants grown from seeds of `Coker 68-15`; and selfing plants grown from the seeds of this cross. Selfing of plants after each cross to permit a pure line selection is done. The product of this method further defines the invention.

Abstract: The quality of snap bean seed stock is improved by reducing the number of stringed or hard-point bean plants by selecting out seed which have their placenta attached. This can be done by hand-picking.

Abstract: A process for commercially producing high purity hybrid cabbage seed. One (or both) of the parental lines is rendered sib-incompatible by cloning a maximally self-incompatible parent plant so that the resulting line (or lines), consisting of cloned plants, is sib-as well as self-incompatible. The two parental lines, one or both of which is clonally derived, may then be crossed by natural pollination without encountering inbreeding of the cloned parental line (or lines). Prior difficulties in maintaining the parental inbred breeding lines are eliminated.

Abstract: This invention relates to a novel semi-dwarf hybrid sunflower (Helianthus annuus var. macrocarpus (DC.) Ckll. (herein H. annuus) seed and a method of producing the hybrid seed. The hybrid sunflower seed upon growth yields a semi-dwarf sunflower plant having a reduced internode length. The hybrid seed is produced by cross pollinating a pair of parent plants P.sub.1 and P.sub.2 wherein, in at least one parent substantially all pollen is nonfunctional and at least one parent has gametes with nuclei carrying at least one dominant gene for reduced internode length.

Abstract: Methods for use of genic dominant semi-dwarfism in the production of commercial hybrid maize including producing and maintaining seed stocks substantially of a homozygous semi-dwarf genotype and stocks substantially of a heterozygous, semi-dwarf allele and a non-semi-dwarf allele, genotype, which provide a semi-dwarf phenotype.

Abstract: A recessive gene for tallness in plants is used as the fourth genetic element along with cytoplasmic-genetic male sterility, sterility maintainers and fertility restorers to facilitate hybrid seed production. The recessive tall gene is incorporated into the pollen fertility restoring parent (R-line) in hybrid seed production crosses (A-line.times.R-line crosses).

Abstract: Methods for the production of seed for growing hybrid rice comprising the planting of rows of male parent seed interspersed with rows of female seed, synchronization of heading and pollination.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for killing plant and animal bacteria and plant viroids by electrically generated silver ions. The silver ions serve as germicidal agents in infection control and are generated by very slow electrical anodic corrosion of a silver wire located closely adjacent the infection site. In particular, a silver anode and a cathode of non-corroding metal are located in an electrolytic nutrient medium with the silver anode being within five millimeters of the infection site, and a direct voltage is applied to the anode and cathode in a manner passing a positive current in the microampere range into the silver anode causing it to corrode slightly and give off silver ions which produce a germicidal environment about the infection site.

Abstract: The production of sunflower seeds (i.e. Helianthus annus seeds) is an important industry in the United States as well as in many other parts of the world. Such seeds are useful in the production of sunflower oil or may serve as a food source for man and other animals. The present invention provides a novel and highly effective technique for enhancing the production of sunflower seeds via an agricultural process wherein a greater proportion of the florets which make up the sunflower are effectively pollinated. The production of sunflower achene which lack the desired kernels accordingly is minimized and a greater seed yield is made possible per growing area.

Abstract: A method of breeding yellow dent hybrid seed corn by causing pollination of the silks of an ear other than the top ear of the corn plant with the resulting fertilization of the lower ear. The method is accomplished by causing the ear shoot at the top of the plant to abort before the silks emerge from that shoot, and then allowing a lower ear to produce silks and receive pollen from the male seed parent. Fertilization of the second or lower ear is then accomplished resulting in a corn plant that provides seed (F.sub.1) which will in turn produce a higher yield in the farmer's field. (F is the designation of generations of plants, F.sub.1 being the first filial generation.

Abstract: This invention is a method for inducing early flowering in juvenile phase softwood tree species, particularly those within the genus Pinus. This is accomplished by reducing temperature and photoperiod conditions, during a time in which growth would otherwise be active, so that the tree falls into a quiescent or resting phase short of full dormancy. Early bud set occurs, yet active bud development continues. The resting phase is maintained for a sufficient time for sexual buds to differentiate and form. The plant is then allowed to resume normal growth and flowering. By this method both male and female flowers have been produced in grafted loblolly pine scions as young as three years from seed. Normally little or no flowering occurs in this species until trees are from 15 to 18 years old.

Abstract: Seeds of alloplasmic wheat, which contain at least one specific nuclear gene (Ms) and a cytoplasm which interacts with the specific nuclear gene (Ms) or genes (Ms Ms) to maintain the plant fertile, are treated by a mutagenic agent and, if necessary selfed to obtain seeds having embryos that contain only mutated nuclear genes (ms ms). The seeds having embryos without at least one specific nuclear gene (Ms), produce plants which are male sterile (A-line). The A-line plants are pollinated with pollen from euplasmic or alloplasmic wheat (R-line), having chromosomes including specific nuclear genes (Ms Ms), to produce hybrid wheat seeds. The available A-line seeds may be multiplied by crossing the A-line plants with B-line plants to produce A-line seeds.

Abstract: A method of breeding new varieties of a first filial generation plant is disclosed. The first filial generation plant is obtained by crossing an allopolyploidy plant as female with several species in Brassica genus as male. The allopolyploidy plant is composed of an interspecific plant or reciprocal cross formed of Brassica olesacea and another species in Brassica genus.

Abstract: A process for the efficient production of seed capable of growing F.sub.1 hybrid L. plants comprising the steps of:(a) growing a first population of normal soybean plants characterized by relatively large seeds in pollinating proximity to a second population of soybean plants characterized by delayed pollen release and relatively smaller seeds, each of said populations being of the closed floret types;(b) exposing the two plant populations to a population of leaf-cutter bees (Megachile rotundata L.);(c) harvesting the seed crop which is formed on said plants of said second population; and(d) recovering from said harvested seed crop the relatively larger seed resulting from cross-pollination.

Abstract: Beer is brewed by a method in which a malted grain is combined with starch from a barley variety characterized by containing starch granules which are self-liquefying and produced by cross-breeding a first barley variety characterized by a hulless gene, n n on chromosome 1 and a second barley variety which is characterized by a waxy endosperm gene wx wx on chromosome 1.

Abstract: The use of alien chromosomes from Tripsacum to mask the expression of undesirable recessive traits in the production of hybrid corn seed is disclosed. When an alien addition monosome is used as a parent in a hybrid cross, the low transmission rate of the alien chromosome results in the expression of desirable traits in the progeny which were masked with the undesirable traits.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for obtaining plants having improved characteristics. This process consists in placing and culturing on a specific synthetic, non-morphogenic nutrient medium the tissues obtained from the germination of the seeds of a single seed-plant, in sub-culturing the calluses so formed on a morphogenic medium and on potting up the plants so obtained.