Introgression of Festuca mairei Drought Tolerant Genome into Lolium Perenne Plants

Abstract

The present inventions relate to compositions and methods for providing drought resistant grass plants comprising Festuca mairei plant germplasm. Specifically, the inventions relate to providing compositions and methods for introgressing Festuca mairei germplasm and/or specific Festuca mairei genes into grass plants, such as Lolium perenne plants. Further, the invention relates to methods of grass plant breeding comprising genetic markers for identifying the preferred Festuca mairei germplasm introgressed into grass plants, and providing commercially desirable drought resistant cultivars of grass plants.

1 - 76 . (canceled) 
     
     
         77 . A method for producing perennial ryegrass  Lolium perenne  L. seeds, comprising:
 a) providing:
 i) a first parent  Lolium perenne  L. plant, and 
 ii) a second parent  Festuca mairei  plant, 
   b) crossing said first parent plant with said second parent plant to produce a progeny plant, and   c) growing said progeny plant to produce perennial ryegrass  Lolium perenne  L. seed that is capable of producing a progeny  Lolium perenne  L. plant that has increased drought tolerance compared to said first parent plant.   
     
     
         78 . The method of  claim 77 , further comprising d) growing said seed to produce a progeny  Lolium perenne  L. plant that has increased drought tolerance compared to said first parent plant. 
     
     
         79 . The method of  claim 78 , wherein said progeny plant comprises one or more genomic sequences from said second parent plant, wherein expression of one or more of said genomic sequences in said progeny plant results in increased drought tolerance of said progeny plant compared to said first parent plant. 
     
     
         80 . The method of  claim 77 , wherein said progeny plant is selected from the group consisting of F 1  hybrid plant, 4×F 1  hybrid plans, 3×F 1  hybrid plant, and backcross progeny plant. 
     
     
         81 . The method of  claim 80 , wherein said F 1  hybrid plant is a  Festuca mairei×Lolium perenne  plant, or a hybrid thereof. 
     
     
         82 . The method of  claim 80 , wherein said F 1  hybrid plant is a  Festuca mairei  plant×Calypso plant, or a  Festuca mairei  plant×Citation II plant. 
     
     
         83 . The method of  claim 80 , wherein said backcross progeny plant is selected from the group consisting of G11a deposited under ATCC Accession No. PTA-8920, G14 deposited under ATCC Accession No. PTA-8921, and G16 deposited under ATCC Accession No. PTA-8922. 
     
     
         84 . A seed produced by the method of  claim 77 . 
     
     
         85 . A plant produced by growing the seed of  claim 78 . 
     
     
         86 . The plant of  claim 85 , wherein said plant is capable of expressing drought tolerance characteristics of a perennial ryegrass  Lolium perenne  L. plant variety selected from the group consisting of G11a deposited under ATCC Accession No. PTA-8920, G14 deposited under ATCC Accession No. PTA-8921, and G16 deposited under ATCC Accession No. PTA-8922. 
     
     
         87 . A plant part of the plant of  claim 85 . 
     
     
         88 . The plant part of  claim 87 , wherein said plant part is selected from the group consisting of pollen, ovule, tissue, seed, cell, and germplasm.