Novel genetic factor capable of increasing yield in maize and method thereof

A method of producing a maize plant exhibiting an additional leaves above the ear (LAE) architecture, comprising the steps of introgressing from a donor plant, a non dominant ELE1 genetic determinant allele, co-segregating with a molecular marker having a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:1 to SEQ ID NO:9 and any combination thereof and controlling additional LAE architecture, into a recipient plant by (a) crossing said donor plant with said recipient plant to obtain progeny plants, (b) screening for and selecting from the progeny plants at least one plant exhibiting an additional leaves above the ear architecture co-segregating with a molecular marker having a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:1 to SEQ ID NO:9 and any combination thereof, and (c) optionally, harvesting the resultant progeny seed.

A molecular marker having at least 90% nucleotide sequence identity with a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:1 to SEQ ID NO:9 and any combination thereof, wherein said molecular marker is co-segregating with ELE1 co-dominant genetic determinant capable of conferring additional leaves above the ear (LAE) architecture.