Pioneer Hi-bred International, Inc.

Jan P Hazebroek

Glenn S Cole

Thomas C Heaton

James A Janni

Jon Lightner

The invention provides methods for characterizing metabolic profiles, phenotypic profiles and trait profiles in plants or groups of plants. Additionally, methods for establishing an unbiased model between a phenotypic profile and a metabolic profile, or between a trait profile and metabolic profile, are also provided by the invention. Further, methods for using such unbiased models to accurately predict the development of a phenotype of interest or a trait of interest in an independent, immature plant are also provided. In one embodiment, immature plants are selected for use based on their predicted development of a phenotype or trait of interest.

Prediction of phenotypes and traits based on the metabolome

Sunflower plants, seeds capable of forming the same, and a novel endogenous vegetable oil derived from such sunflower seeds are provided. The plants have the ability to yield an endogenous vegetable oil wherein the levels of palmitic acid and oleic acid are provided in an atypical combination via genetic control. The concentration of palmitic acid in the endogenous oil constitutes at least 20 (e.g., approximately 20 to 45) percent by weight of the total fatty acid content, and the concentration of oleic acid in the oil constitutes at least 45 (e.g., approximately 45 to 65) percent by weight of the total fatty acid content in the absence of hydrogenation or other chemical or physical modification. It was found that the plants of the present invention can be formed through the combination (as described) of genetic determinants that were found to be present in the Pervenets sunflower and the H-55-9-2-1 or H-55-9-2-2 sunflower. The novel endogenous oil of the present invention is particularly useful, inter alia, in the production of margarine, or a cocoa butter equivalent.

Growing community of inventors

Johnston, IA, United States of America

Jan P Hazebroek