Methods for modification of plant inflorescence architecture

Abstract

The present invention relates to methods for the use of the Arabidopsis “BREVIPEDICELLUS” (BP) gene for alteration of plant architecture, in particular alteration of the morphology of the inflorescence of a flowering plant. The methods of the present invention provide a means to alter the development of the peduncle, notably the inflorescence branches, and the pedicels that subtend the individual flowers as well as aspects of flower structure such as the style, and subsequent seed pods, of a flowering plant. The invention also relates to methods to identify and isolate polynucleotides encoding genes with BP-related functions from other plant species and methods for utilizing said polynucleotides to alter the inflorescence of said plant species. Furthermore, the invention encompasses transgenic plants generated by the methods disclosed, and nucleotide sequences for use in generating the transgenic plants.

1 . A method of producing a transgenic plant comprising:
 (a) introducing into a plant cell capable of being transformed and regenerated into a whole plant a construct comprising, in addition to DNA sequences required for transformation and selection in plants, a nucleotide sequence having at least 90% sequence identity to the nucleotide sequence as set forth in nucleotides 74 to 1231 of SEQ ID NO: 11 operably linked to a promoter; and   (b) recovering a plant which contains said nucleotide sequence and has shortened pedicel length as a result of expression of said nucleotide sequence compared to an unmodified plant.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the nucleotide sequence has at least 95% sequence identity to the nucleotide sequence as set forth in nucleotides 74 to 1231 of SEQ ID NO: 11. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the nucleotide sequence has at least 99% sequence identity to the nucleotide sequence as set forth in nucleotides 74 to 1231 of SEQ ID NO: 11. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the nucleotide sequence comprises nucleotides 74 to 1231 of SEQ ID NO: 11. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plant further has shortened internode length compared to an unmodified plant. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plant further comprises downwardly pointing pedicels and siliques compared to an unmodified plant. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plant further comprises downwardly pointing flowers compared to an unmodified plant. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plant is of genus  Arabidopsis.    
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plant is of genus  Brassica.    
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plant is a dicot, a monocot or a member of Cruciferae. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the promoter comprises a transcriptional regulatory region normally in operable association with an endogenous brevipedicellus gene or homologue thereof. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the promoter comprises a transcriptional regulatory region that is not normally in operable association with an endogenous brevipedicellus gene or homologue thereof. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the promoter is a constitutive promoter, an inducible promoter, an organ specific promoter, a strong promoter, a weak promoter, or an endogenous promoter from  Arabidopsis  as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 24. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the nucleotide sequence comprises nucleotides 74 to 1231 of SEQ ID NO: 11, the plant is of genus  Brassica , and the plant further has shortened internode length and downwardly pointing flowers compared to an unmodified plant. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the promoter is a constitutive promoter, an inducible promoter, an organ specific promoter, a strong promoter, a weak promoter, or an endogenous promoter from  Arabidopsis  as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 24. 
     
     
         16 . An isolated nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleotide sequence as set forth in nucleotides 74 to 1231 of SEQ ID NO: 11 for generating a transgenic plant with decreased pedicel length compared with an unmodified plant.