# US 10,945,391 B2 · Yield traits for maize

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- Number: US 10,945,391 B2
- Document ID: US10945391B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/662,302
- Filed: 2019-10-24
- Published: 2020-02-06
- Granted: 2021-03-16
- Earliest claimed: 2009-08-05
- Assignees: Syngenta Participations AG
- Applicants: Syngenta Participations AG
- Inventors: Venkata Krishna Kishore; Libardo Andres Gutierrez-Rojas; Zhigang Guo; Joseph Richard Byrum
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10945391B2

## CPC

- A01H 1/045: {using molecular markers}
- A01H 3/00: Processes for modifying phenotypes {, e.g. symbiosis with bacteria} (A01H4/00 takes precedence)
- A01H 5/10: Seeds
- A01H 6/4684: {Zea mays [maize]}
- C12N 15/8261: {with agronomic (input) traits, e.g. crop yield}
- C12Q 1/6895: for plants, fungi or algae
- C12Q 2600/13: Plant traits
- A01H: NEW PLANTS OR {NON-TRANSGENIC} PROCESSES FOR OBTAINING THEM; PLANT REPRODUCTION BY TISSUE CULTURE TECHNIQUES
- C12N: MICROORGANISMS OR ENZYMES; COMPOSITIONS THEREOF; PROPAGATING, PRESERVING, OR MAINTAINING MICROORGANISMS; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING; CULTURE MEDIA (microbiological testing media C12Q1/00)
- C12Q: MEASURING OR TESTING PROCESSES INVOLVING ENZYMES, NUCLEIC ACIDS OR MICROORGANISMS (immunoassay G01N33/53); COMPOSITIONS OR TEST PAPERS THEREFOR; PROCESSES OF PREPARING SUCH COMPOSITIONS; CONDITION-RESPONSIVE CONTROL IN MICROBIOLOGICAL OR ENZYMOLOGICAL PROCESSES

## Abstract

Methods for introgressing an allele of interest of a locus associated with a yield trait into Zea mays germplasm are provided. In some embodiments, the methods include providing a Zea mays plant that contains an allele of interest of a locus associated with a yield trait, wherein the locus associated with the yield trait is identifiable by PCR amplification of a Zea mays nucleic acid with a pair of oligonucleotides primers as disclosed herein, and introgressing the allele of interest into Zea mays germplasm that lacks the allele. Also provided are methods for identifying Zea mays plants that contain at least one allele associated with improved yield, improved maize plants, elite Zea mays plants, biomass produced from improved Zea mays plants, isolated and purified genetic markers, and compositions that include an amplification primer pair capable of amplifying a Zea mays nucleic acid to generate a Zea mays marker amplicon.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of producing a maize plant having improved digestibility or increased starch, the method comprising the steps of:
(a) isolating at least one nucleic acid from a population of maize plants;
(b) genotyping said nucleic acid for the presence of a marker located within a chromosomal interval, wherein said chromosome interval is defined by and comprises SEQ ID NO: 43 and, wherein said chromosome interval further comprises a T allele corresponding to position 278 of SEQ ID NO: 43;
(c) selecting a first maize plant on the basis of the presence of the marker detected in (b);
(d) crossing the first maize plant of (c) with a second maize plant not having said chromosome interval;
(e) collecting seed from the cross of (d); and
(f) growing a progeny maize plant from the seed of (e), wherein said progeny maize plant comprises in its genome said chromosome interval, thereby producing a plant with improved digestibility or increased starch.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the maize progeny plant of (f) is a hybrid maize plant.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the first or second maize plant is an inbred.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the chromosome interval is located on Zea mays chromosome 5.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the progeny maize plant is an elite maize plant.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the maize progeny plant displays improved digestibility at any one of 24 hours, 48 hours or 72 hours as compared to a control plant.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the chromosome interval is detected through the use of a PCR primer pair that anneals to any one of SEQ ID NOs: 43 or 125, wherein the primer pair is capable of initiating DNA polymerization by a DNA polymerase on a Zea mays nucleic acid template to generate a amplicon diagnostic for the presence of said chromosome interval.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, wherein the PCR primer pair comprises SEQ ID NOs: 44 and 45.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the maize progeny plant further comprises at least one other locus in its genome selected from the group consisting of MTL1, MTL2, MTL3, MTL4, MTL5, MTL6, MTL7, MTL8, MTL9, MTL10, MTL11, MTL12, MTL13, MTL14, MTL16, MTL17; and MTL18.