Patent ID: 6323392
Filing Date: 2001-11-27
Classification: A01H,C12N

Abstract:
A process for producing F.sub.1 hybrid Brassica napus seeds comprising:(a) planting in pollinating proximity in a planting area parent plants (i) and (ii), wherein parent (i) is a Brassica napus plant possessing solely in either the A-genome or the C-genome a homozygous modified FAD-2 gene pair obtained by mutagenesis that causes expression of an elevated oleic acid concentration in the endogenously formed oil of the seeds formed thereon, and further possesses at least one homozygous modified FAD-3 gene pair obtained by mutagenesis that causes the expression of a reduced linolenic acid concentration in the endogenously formed oil of said seeds, and wherein parent (ii) is a Brassica napus plant possessing in each of the A-genome and the C-genome a homozygous modified FAD-2 gene pair obtained by mutagenesis that causes the expression of an elevated oleic acid concentration in the endogenously formed oil of the seeds formed thereon whereby oleic acid is formed in the endogenously formed oil of said seeds in a greater concentration than in the seeds of parent (i) under the same growing conditions, and further possesses at least one homozygous modified FAD-3 gene pair obtained by mutagenesis that results in a reduced linolenic acid concentration in the endogenously formed oil of the seeds formed thereon;(b) growing Brassica napus plants resulting from said planting of step (a);(c) preventing self-pollination of the plants of parent (i);(d) transferring pollen between said parent (ii) and said parent (i); and(e) harvesting F.sub.1 hybrid seeds produced on plants of parent (i) that produce Brassica napus plants that upon self-pollination form seeds possessing an endogenously formed vegetable oil having an oleic acid concentration of at least 80 percent by weight and which exceeds that of parent (i), and a linolenic acid concentration of no more than 3 percent by weight, and wherein said resulting F.sub.1 hybrid seeds when planted produce a crop in a yield that exceeds that of parent (i) and parent (ii) when each parent is pollinated by a pollen source possessing a genotype substantially the same as that of each parent plant and is grown under the same conditions.