Patent ID: 7638680

Claim:
A method of producing an angiospermous apomictic plant that exhibits an increased genetic stability for apomixis compared to an apomictic parent plant from which the apomictic plant is produced, the method comprising: (a) producing a facultatively apomictic parent plant by: selecting sexual plants from an angiospermous plant species, genus, or family; cytoembryologically ascertaining the developmental timing of the nongametophytic ovule and ovary tissues consisting of the nucellus, integument, pericarp, hypanthium, or pistil wall for each of the selected plants; choosing a first and a second plant based on the cytoembryologically ascertained developmental timing of the nongametophytic ovule and ovary tissues, wherein the initiation of embryo sac formation of the first plant is at the same time or before meiosis in the second plant; hybridizing the first plant with the second plant; recovering hybrid seed therefrom; sowing the hybrid seed; and selecting a hybrid plant that is apomictic to be the apomictic parent plant; and (b) doubling the chromosome number of the apomictic parent plant, thereby producing an angiospermous apomictic plant with increased genetic stability for apomixis.