Method to increase crop grain yield utilizing complementary paired growth and yield genes

Abstract

The present invention provides methods to increase crop yield utilizing transgenic complementary paired genes controlling plant growth and yield. The specific genes increase female reproductive organs and are paired with genes responsible for modifying the growth of non-yield specific plant tissues. Plants, plant progeny, seeds and tissues created by these methods are also described. Polynucleotides encoding the paired sequences are provided for expression in a plant of interest. Expression cassettes, plants, plant cells, plant parts and seeds comprising the sequences of the invention are further provided. In specific embodiments, the polynucleotide is operably linked to a constitutive promoter.

1 . A method for improving crop yield improvement by:
 a. preparing constructs that contain a growth enhancement gene and a growth suppression gene for crop yield improvement,   b. inserting the constructs into plant tissues by either molecular stacking or breeding stacking, and   c. culturing the plant tissues containing the stacked genes under plant growing conditions; wherein the yield in the resulting plant is improved.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , whereby the growth enhancement and growth suppression genes comprise the stacked polynucleotides selected from the group consisting of:
 a. a polynucleotide having at least 90% sequence identity, as determined by the GAP algorithm under default parameters, to the full length sequence of a polynucleotide selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOS: 1, 3 or 9, stacked with a polynucleotide having at least 90% sequence identity, as determined by the GAP algorithm under default paramenters, to the full length sequence of a polynucleotide of SEQ ID NOS: 5 or 7; wherein the paired polynucleotides function to enhance yield;   b. a polynucleotide selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOS: 1, 3 or 9 encoding a polypeptide selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOS: 2, 4 or 10, stacked with a polynucleotide of SEQ ID NO: 5 or 7, encoding SEQ ID NOS: 6 or 8; and   c. a polynucleotide selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOS: 1, 3 or 9, stacked with a polynucleotide of SEQ ID NOS: 5 or 7.   
     
     
         3 . A recombinant expression cassette, comprising the stacked polynucleotides of  claim 2 , wherein the polynucleotides are operably linked, in sense or anti-sense orientation, to promoters. 
     
     
         4 . A host cell comprising the expression cassette of  claim 3 . 
     
     
         5 . A transgenic plant comprising the recombinant expression cassette of  claim 4 . 
     
     
         6 . The transgenic plant of  claim 5 , wherein said plant is a monocot. 
     
     
         7 . The transgenic plant of  claim 5 , wherein said plant is a dicot. 
     
     
         8 . The transgenic plant of  claim 5 , wherein said plant is selected from the group consisting of: maize, soybean, sunflower, sorghum, canola, wheat, alfalfa, cotton, rice, barley, millet, peanut and cocoa. 
     
     
         9 . A transgenic seed from the transgenic plant of  claim 5 . 
     
     
         10 . A method of improving yield in plants, comprising:
 a. introducing into a plant cell a recombinant expression cassette comprising the stacked polynucleotides of  claim 2  operably linked to a promoter; and   b. culturing the plant under plant cell growing conditions; wherein the growth in said plant cell is modified.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the plant cell is from a plant selected from the group consisting of: maize, soybean, sunflower, sorghum, canola, wheat, alfalfa, cotton, rice, barley and millet. 
     
     
         12 . A method of modulating the whole plant or tissue size in a plant, comprising:
 a. introducing into a plant cell a recombinant expression cassette comprising the stacked polynucleotides of  claim 2  operably linked to a promoter;   b. culturing the plant cell under plant cell growing conditions; and   c. regenerating a plant from said plant cell; wherein the yield in said plant is enhanced.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the plant is selected from the group consisting of: maize, soybean, sorghum, canola, wheat, alfalfa, cotton, rice, barley, millet, peanut and cocoa. 
     
     
         14 . A product derived from the method of processing of transgenic plant tissues expressing the stacked polynucleotides of  claim 2  encoding a yield improvement gene, the method comprising:
 a. transforming a plant cell with the stacked polynucleotides of  claim 2 ; and 
 b. culturing the transformed plant cell under plant cell growing conditions; wherein the growth in said transformed plant cell is modulated; 
 c. growing the plant cell under plant-forming conditions to express the polynucleotide in the plant tissue; and 
 d. processing the plant tissue to obtain a product. 
 
     
     
         15 . A product according to  claim 14 , wherein the stacked polynucleotides further encodes polypeptides selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 2, 4, 6, 8 or 10. 
     
     
         16 . The transgenic plant of  claim 14 , wherein the plant is a monocot. 
     
     
         17 . The transgenic plant of  claim 14 , wherein the plant is selected from the group consisting of: maize, soybean, sunflower, sorghum, canola, wheat, alfalfa, cotton, rice, barley and millet. 
     
     
         18 . A product according to  claim 14 , which improves stalk strength of a plant by overexpression of the polynucleotide. 
     
     
         19 . A product according to  claim 14 , which increases yield by increasing biomass. 
     
     
         20 . A product according to  claim 14 , which is a constituent of ethanol. 
     
     
         21 . A plant containing the stacked polynucleotides of  claim 2 . 
     
     
         22 . The plant of  claim 21 , wherein said plant is a monocot. 
     
     
         23 . The plant of  claim 21 , wherein said plant is a dicot. 
     
     
         24 . The plant of  claim 21 , wherein said plant is selected form the group consisting of maize soybean, sunflower, sorghum, canola, wheat, alfalfa, cotton, rice, barley and millet. 
     
     
         25 . The seed from the plant of  claim 21 .