Gene controlling shell phenotype in palm

1. A method for determining the shell phenotype of an E. oleifera or E. guineensis palm plant or seed, the method comprising,

providing a sample from the plant or seed;

amplifying nucleic acids from a genomic region corresponding to SEP ID NO:8218 from the sample to generate amplified nucleic acids and assaying or sequencing the amplified nucleic acids to determine the genotype of at least one polymorphic marker in the genomic region corresponding to SEQ ID NO: 8218, wherein heterozygosity within the region indicates the presence of the tenera shell phenotype.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plant or seed is generated from (i) a cross between a plant having the dura shell phenotype and a plant having the pisifera shell phenotype, (ii) selfing of a tenera palm, (iii) a cross between two plants having the tenera shell phenotype, (iv) a cross between dura and tenera palms or (v) a cross between tenera and pisifera palms.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plant is less than 5 years old.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plant is less than one year old.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the polymorphic marker is within a position in the genomic region corresponding to SEQ ID NO: 8219.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the polymorphic marker is within 1000 kb from a position in the genomic region corresponding to SEQ ID NO: 8219.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the polymorphic marker is at least 86% predictive of the tenera phenotype.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising selecting the plant for cultivation if the plant is heterozygous for the polymorphic marker.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising selecting the plant for cultivation if the plant has a dura genotype.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising selecting the plant for cultivation if the plant has a pisifera genotype.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plants or seeds are discarded if the plants or seeds do not have a genotype predictive of the tenera shell phenotype.

12. A method for segregating a plurality of E. oleifera or E. guineensis palm plants into different categories based on predicted shell phenotype, the method comprising,

providing a sample from each plant in the plurality of plants;

amplifying nucleic acids from a genomic region corresponding to SEQ ID NO:8218 from the sample to generate amplified nucleic acids and assaying or sequencing the amplified nucleic acids to determine the genotype of at least one polymorphic marker in the genetic region corresponding to SEQ ID NO: 8218; and

segregating the plants into groups based on the genotype of the polymorphic marker, wherein at least one group only contains one of (i) plants predicted to have the tenera shell phenotype, (i) plants predicted to have the dura shell phenotype, or (iii) plants predicted to have the pisifera shell phenotype.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the palm plant or seed is an E. oleifera palm plant or seed.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the palm plant or seed is an E. guineensis palm plant or seed.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein the plant is less than 5 years old.

16. The method of claim 12 , wherein the plant is less than one year old.

17. The method of claim 12 , wherein the polymorphic marker is within a position in the genomic region corresponding to SEQ ID NO: 8219.

18. The method of claim 1 , wherein the palm plant or seed is an E. oleifera palm plant or seed.

19. The method of claim 1 , wherein the palm plant or seed is an E. guineensis palm plant or seed.

20. The method of claim 1 , wherein the polymorphic marker is within 20 kb from a position in the genomic region corresponding to SEQ ID NO: 8219.