Wheat with increased resistant starch levels

Abstract

A series of independent human-induced non-transgenic mutations found at one or more of the SBEII genes of wheat; wheat plants having these mutations in one or more of their SBEII genes; and a method of creating and finding similar and/or additional mutations of SBEII by screening pooled and/or individual wheat plants. The seeds and flour from the wheat plants of the present invention exhibit an increase in amylose and resistant starch without having the inclusion of foreign nucleic acids in their genomes. Additionally, the wheat plants of the present invention exhibit altered SBEII activity without having the inclusion of foreign nucleic acids in their genomes.

1 .- 18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . A process for producing a milled product, comprising the steps of
 (i) obtaining wheat grain ( Triticum aestivum ) comprising an embryo and starch, wherein the embryo comprises two identical null alleles of an SBEIIa-A gene, two identical null alleles of an SBEIIa-B gene and two identical null alleles of an SBEIIa-D gene, wherein either the two identical null alleles of the SBEIIa-A gene, or of the SBEIIa-B gene or of the SBEIIa-D gene are point mutations, wherein SBEIIa protein is undetectable in the wheat grain, and wherein
 (a) the starch comprises amylase such that the grain has an amylose content of between 50-60% (w/w) as a proportion of the starch in the grain; and 
 (b) the wheat grain germinates, and 
   (ii) milling the grain, thereby producing the milled product.   
     
     
         20 . The process of  claim 19 , wherein the amylose content of between 50-60% (w/w) is as measured by the K-AMYL kit from Megazyme. 
     
     
         21 . The process of  claim 19 , wherein the wheat grain is free of any exogenous nucleic acid that encodes an RNA which reduces expression of an SBEIIa gene.