Overcoming self-incompatibility in diploid plants for breeding and production of hybrids

A method for modulating self-incompatibility in a Solanaceae plant comprising the step of decreasing the expression and/or activity of an S RNAse gene and/or protein in said plant or plant part, plant organ or plant cell of said plant.

A Solanaceae plant comprising a mutant allele of an S RNAse gene, said mutant allele resulting in a decrease of the expression and/or activity of the S RNAse protein encoded by said gene compared to a plant of the same species not comprising said mutant allele.

A method for identifying a Solanaceae plant with a modulated self-incompatibility comprising the steps of a. providing a population of Solanaceae plants, b. identifying one or more plants with a mutant allele of an S RNAse gene, and c. identifying within said plants with a mutant allele of an S RNAse gene one or more plants that have a modulated self-incompatibility compared to a plant not comprising said mutation.

A method for producing a self-compatible potato plant comprising:

• reducing or eliminating the activity of an S RNAse of SEQ ID NO:1, 2, or 3.

A method for breeding a self-compatible inbred potato plant comprising:

• crossing a plant variety having reduced or eliminated S RNAse activity in which elongation of self-pollen tubes is inhibited with a second self-compatible plant to create a progeny plant.

A method of screening a self-compatible Solanaceae plant, comprising:

• preparing a DNA sample from a test Solanaceae plant;
• amplifying a DNA fragment containing a nucleotide sequence of an S RNAse nucleic acid that has been inactivated and selecting said Solanaceae plant.

A method of manipulating self-incompatibility in a plant, said method including introducing into said plant an effective amount of a nucleic acid or nucleic acid fragment according to 28.