Patent ID: 8319010

Claim:
A method of producing a maize plant or a maize germplasm using marker-assisted breeding, wherein said maize plant or said maize germplasm has a phenotype selected from the group consisting of an increased oil content, an increased oleic acid content, an increased oleic acid/linoleic acid ratio, and any combinations thereof, said method comprising crossing a first maize plant or a progeny thereof, or a first maize germplasm or a progeny thereof, with a second maize plant or a second maize germplasm, wherein said first maize plant or said progeny thereof, or said first maize germplasm or said progeny thereof, has been selected for said crossing based on the presence of at least one polymorphism within a marker locus in its genome, wherein said marker locus is associated with said phenotype, and wherein said marker locus is SEQ ID NO:51, and wherein said polymorphism occurs at a nucleotide (nt) position or at a codon within said marker locus selected from the group consisting of: a) the nucleotide at position 134 of SEQ ID NO:51, wherein said polymorphism results in a polymorphic change within said marker locus from T to G; b) the nucleotide at position 163 of SEQ ID NO:51, wherein said polymorphism results in a polymorphic change within said marker locus from C to T; c) a codon within SEQ ID NO:51 corresponding to nt 190-192, or nt 193-195 or nt 196-198 or nt 199-201, wherein said polymorphism results in a polymorphic change within said marker locus, wherein said polymorphic change is the deletion of CAG; and d) the nucleotide at position 1407 of SEQ ID NO:51, wherein said polymorphism results in a polymorphic change within said marker locus, wherein said polymorphic change is the insertion of TTC immediately following the nucleotide.