Brassica
Hybrid, Spring Brassica napus with Winter Germplasm Introgression
Brassica napus, the most productive oilseed rape (canola) species, can be divided into two main groups: winter lines, which are robust enough to overwinter in Europe and China, and spring lines, which are grown in northern Europe, Canada, and the northern tier of the United States only during the spring and summer. Although winter lines generally produce higher yields, existing winter varieties are not sufficiently hardy to endure the harsh, winter climates of the northern United States and Canada. Thus, these areas typically only grow lower-yield spring lines. This invention provides a method for obtaining high-yield hybrid Brassica napus with the growth habit of a spring line. The method involves various crossing schemes to introduce genes from winter lines into spring lines. The resulting progeny that retain the spring-type growth pattern and have suitably high seed yield are selected for further breeding. Eventually, the favorable high yield genes from the winter line are introgressed into the spring line, resulting in high yielding B. napus suitable for growing in spring canola production areas.
BENEFITS:
Increases seed yield of hybrid B. napus with a spring-type growth habit
Introduction of winter line germplasm into spring lines can further enhance hybrid vigor in crosses between distantly related spring lines
Inventors: Thomas C. Osborn, David V. Butruille
Source: http://warf.wisc.edu/, WARF: P98024US
Fast-Cycling Dwarf Brassica oleracea (Wisconsin Fast Plants)
This invention is a method for producing a strongly dwarfed crucifer, Brassica oleracea, plant and seed. B. oleracea is one of the fast-plant crucifers which have been developed for plant study. This method genetically alters this fast-plant for dwarfism, reducing internode length. A single recessive gene, responsible for the strongly dwarfed characteristic, may be used in and transferred among the various B. oleracea varieties and to other Brassica species.
BENEFITS:
Is one of a fully fertile, fast-cycling population of Brassica oleracea plants offering a mean flower time of 30 days;
Offers a compact form, an average height of 23 centimeters and an internode length of 1-2 millimeters;
Has a shortened seed to seed life cycle;
Does not require a cool period for flowering and seed production;
Is a useful repository for many genetic mutations of scientific, educational, and economic interest;
Provides the possibility for genetic mapping of several distinctive phenotypes by introducing single gene mutations for disease resistance, color and morphological characteristics, etc.;
Readily adapts to a research laboratory environment;
Offers interesting possibilities of culinary, ornamental, and economic value.
Inventors: Paul H. Williams, Alex W. May
Source: http://warf.wisc.edu/, WARF: WARF: P87083US
