Monsanto Technology LLC

Sam R Eathington

Kevin Lee Deppermann

Bruce J Schnicker

Heather M Forbes

David V Butruille

Jason Kendrick Bull

Stanton B Dotson

Michael W Petersen

John Tamulonis

Allen N Ondes

David W Finley

Brian J Forinash

Andrew M Singleton

Lee Yannakakis

Anju Gupta

Marlin Edwards

James H Crain

Steven H Modiano

Mike Graham

Kunsheng Wu

Angela Ranae Koestel

Richard Johnson

Nengbing Tao

Fenggao Dong

Wayne M Kennard

Jennifer Rinehart

Angela R Cargill

Frederic Achard

William M Fischer

John M Jensen

Zoe P McKiness

Kevin Cook

Travis J Frey

John R LeDeaux

Robert Stefan Reiter

Paul McLaird

Terri B Hinchey

G Richard Johnson

Mike Bohnert

Jeremy Conry

Jeff Hartsook

Jeremy Nefzger

Zoe McCuddin

Qiang Zhang

Heather Forbes

Jeremy Neizger

Stan Dotson

Fred Achard

Zoe Mccuddin

Brian J Forninash

A method is provided for use in analyzing seeds, in a population of seeds, for one or more desired characteristic. The method includes removing tissue from individual seeds in a population of seeds using an automated seed sampler, while preserving germination viability of the seeds, and analyzing the tissue for the presence or absence of one or more desired characteristic. The method then includes, based on the analysis of the tissue, quantifying the one or more desired characteristic for each of the individual seeds that possess the one or more desired characteristic.

Methods of seed breeding using high throughput nondestructive seed sampling

An automated method for operating an automated seed sampling system having a seed loading station, a seed transport subsystem, and a seed sampling station generally includes sensing whether individual seeds are successfully isolated from a bulk of seeds at the seed loading station, and sensing whether the isolated seeds are properly positioned by the seed transport subsystem adjacent the seed sampling station in preparation for removing tissue from the isolated seeds. In some aspects, the method further includes analyzing the tissue removed from the seeds for presence or absence of at least one characteristic, and selecting seeds based on presence or absence of the at least one characteristic.

Automated high-throughput seed sampler and methods of sampling, testing and bulking seeds

A method is provided for use in a plant breeding program to generate a population having one or more desired traits. The method includes removing a tissue sample from each of one or more seeds using an automated seed sampler while preserving germination viability of the sampled seeds; analyzing the tissue samples for the presence or absence of a genetic sequence associated with at least one desired trait; based on the analysis of the tissue samples, cultivating plants from the sampled seeds that either possess or lack the genetic sequence associated with the at least one desired trait; creating a parental cross using at least one of the cultivated plants; and selecting seeds from the parental cross and cultivating offspring of the parental cross using the selected seeds.

A seed sampling system is provided having an automated seed loading assembly including a seed bin and being operable to singulate seeds from a plurality of seeds within the seed bin. The system also includes an automated seed sampling assembly operable to remove tissue samples from the singulated seeds, and an automated seed transport assembly operable to transfer the singulated seeds from the seed loading assembly to the seed sampling assembly. The seed transport assembly includes multiple retention members. Each of the retention members is movable relative to the seed loading assembly and to the seed sampling assembly. The seed transport assembly is operable to position one of the multiple retention members adjacent to the seed loading assembly for engaging one of the singulated seeds, while positioning another of the retention members adjacent to the seed sampling assembly for presenting another of the singulated seeds to the seed sampling assembly.

Automated systems for removing tissue samples from seeds, and related methods

The present invention provides breeding methods and compositions to enhance the germplasm of a plant by the use of direct nucleic acid sequence information. The methods describe the identification and accumulation of preferred nucleic acid sequences in the germplasm of a breeding population of plants.

Methods for sequence-directed molecular breeding

An automated method for analyzing seeds generally includes collecting image data from individual seeds using a seed sampling system, determining at least one characteristic of each of the individual seeds based on the collected image data, and removing tissue from each of the individual seeds using the seed sampling system. The method also includes, prior to removing the tissue sample from each of the individual seeds, adjusting at least one operational parameter of the seed sampling system based on the at least one characteristic of the seed from which the tissue is to be removed to thereby allow for generally consistent removal of tissue from each of the individual seeds. In some aspects, the method further includes analyzing the tissue removed from the seeds for presence or absence of at least one characteristic, and selecting seeds based on presence or absence of the at least one characteristic.

The present invention relates to breeding methods to enhance the germplasm of a plant. The methods describe the identification and accumulation of preferred haplotype genomic regions in the germplasm of breeding populations of maize () and soybean (). The invention also relates to maize and soybean plants comprising preferred haplotypes.

Compositions and methods of plant breeding using high density marker information

The present invention provides breeding methods and compositions to enhance the germplasm of a plant. The methods describe the identification and accumulation of transgenes and favorable haplotype genomic regions in the germplasm of a breeding population of crop plants.

Methods and compositions to enhance plant breeding

Novel methods are provided to facilitate germplasm improvement activities through the use of high throughput, nondestructive sampling of seeds. A method for introgressive hybridization, for example, generally includes removing tissue samples from individual seeds using an automated seed sampler without affecting germination viability of the seeds, and analyzing nucleic acids extracted from the tissue samples for at least one genetic marker. The method then further includes selecting the sampled seeds that possess the at least one genetic marker, cultivating fertile plants from the selected seeds, and crossing the fertile plants with other plants.

A seed sorter system is operable to sort seeds based on one or more characteristics of the seeds. The system includes a seed loading station operable to isolate individual seeds from a plurality of seeds and load the isolated seeds into a seed tray, an imaging and analysis subsystem operable to collect image data of at least a top portion and a bottom portion of each of the seeds in the seed tray and determine one or more characteristics of each of the seeds, a seed off-load and sort station operable to remove the seeds from the seed tray and sort the seeds to desired receptacles based on the determined one or more characteristics of the seeds, and a seed transport operable to move the seed tray between the seed loading station, the imaging and analysis subsystem, and the seed off-load and sort station.

Seed sorter

Polymorphic soybean DNA loci useful for genotyping between at least two varieties of soybean. Sequences of the loci are useful for providing the basis for designing primers and probe oligonucleotides for detecting polymorphisms in soybean DNA. Polymorphisms are useful for genotyping applications in soybean. The polymorphic markers are useful to establish marker/trait associations, e.g. in linkage disequilibrium mapping and association studies, positional cloning and transgenic applications, marker-aided breeding and marker-assisted selection, hybrid prediction and identity by descent studies. The polymorphic markers are also useful in mapping libraries of DNA clones, e.g. for soybean QTLs and genes linked to polymorphisms.

Soybean polymorphisms and methods of genotyping

Growing community of inventors

St. Louis, MO, United States of America

Sam R Eathington