METHODS OF IMPROVING THE YIELD OF 2,4-D RESISTANT CROP PLANTS
This invention is related to methods for improving plant height and/or yield of crop plants that are resistant to herbicide 2,4-D by treating the plants with 2,4-D at application rates which are not harmful to the plants. In particular, provided is a method using 2,4-D application to increase yield of crop plants that express an AAD-12 gene for 2,4-D resistance. Soybeans are a preferred crop for use according to the subject invention.
1 .- 29 . (canceled)
30 . A method of improving yield of 2,4-D resistant crop plants, comprising treating the plants with a stimulating amount of a herbicide comprising an aryloxyalkanoate moiety.
31 . The method of claim 30 , wherein the 2,4-D resistant crop plants are transgenic plants transformed with an aryloxyalkanoate dioxygenase (AAD).
32 . The method of claim 31 , wherein the aryloxyalkanoate dioxygenase (AAD) is AAD-1 or AAD-12.
33 . The method of claim 30 , wherein the herbicide comprising an aryloxyalkanoate moiety is a phenoxy herbicide or phenoxyacetic herbicide.
34 . The method of claim 30 , wherein the herbicide comprising an aryloxyalkanoate moiety is 2,4-D.
35 . The method of claim 34 , wherein the 2,4-D comprises 2,4-D choline or 2,4-D dimethylamine (DMA).
36 . The method of claim 30 , wherein the treating is performed at least once at an application rate of 2,4-D as employed also for weed control.
37 . The method of claim 30 , wherein the treating is performed twice at an application rate of 2,4-D as employed also for weed control.
38 . The method of claim 37 , wherein 2,4-D is applied at the V3 and R2 growth stages of soybean with 2,4-D tolerance.
39 . The method of claim 30 , wherein the treating is performed at least three times at an application rate of 2,4-D as employed also for weed control.
40 . The method of claim 30 , wherein the 2,4-D resistant crop plants are under stress.
41 . The method of claim 30 , wherein the 2,4-D resistant crop plants are also treated with a herbicide different than 2,4-D for weed control.
42 . The method of 41 , wherein the herbicide different than 2,4-D is a phosphor-herbicide or aryloxyphenoxypropionic herbicide.
43 . The method of claim 42 , wherein the phosphor-herbicide comprises glyphosate, glufosinate, their derivatives, or combinations thereof.
44 . The method of claim 42 , wherein the phosphor-herbicide is in form of ammonium salt, isopropylammonium salt, isopropylamine salt, or potassium salt.
45 . The method of claim 42 , wherein the aryloxyphenoxypropionic herbicide comprises chlorazifop, fenoxaprop, fluazifop, haloxyfop, quizalofop, their derivatives, or combinations thereof.
46 . The method of claim 30 , wherein the 2,4-D resistant crop plants are treated at least once with 25 g ae/ha to 5000 g ae/ha 2,4-D.
47 . The method of claim 30 , wherein the 2,4-D resistant crop plants are treated at least once with 100 g ae/ha to 2000 g ae/ha 2,4-D.
48 . The method of claim 30 , wherein the herbicide comprising an aryloxyalkanoate moiety reaches the 2,4-D resistant crop plants via root absorption.
49 . The method of claim 42 , wherein the phosphor-herbicide reaches the 2,4-D resistant crop plants via root absorption.
50 . The method of claim 42 , wherein the aryloxyphenoxypropionic herbicide reaches the 2,4-D resistant crop plants via root absorption.
51 . The method of claim 31 , wherein the transgenic plants transformed with an aryloxyalkanoate dioxygenase (AAD) are selected from corn, soybean, and canola.
52 . The method of claim 30 , further comprising,
(a) transforming plant cells with a nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleotide sequence encoding an aryloxyalkanoate dioxygenase (AAD);
(b) selecting transformed cells; and
(c) regenerating the plants from the transformed cells.
53 . The method of claim 52 , wherein the aryloxyalkanoate dioxygenase (AAD) is AAD-1 or AAD-12.
54 . The method of claim 52 , wherein the nucleic acid molecule comprises a selectable marker which is not an aryloxyalkanoate dioxygenase (AAD).
55 . The method of claim 54 , wherein the selectable marker is phosphinothricin acetyltransferase gene (pat) or bialaphos resistance gene (bar).
56 . The method of claim 52 , wherein the nucleic acid molecule is plant-optimized.
57 . The use of 2,4-D in the manufacture of transgenic plants with 2,4-D resistance with increased yield as compared to its non-transgenic parent plants.
58 . The use of claim 57 , wherein the 2,4-D is applied at least once with 25 g ae/ha to 5000 g/ha 2,4-D.
59 . The use of claim 57 , wherein the 2,4-D is applied at least once with 100 g ae/ha to 2000 g ae/ha 2,4-D.
60 . The use of claim 57 , wherein the 2,4-D comprises 2,4-D choline or 2,4-D dimethylamine (DMA).
61 . The use of claim 57 , wherein the 2,4-D resistant crop plants are treated with 2,4-D at least two times before flowering.