Mutations in Solanaceae plants that modulate shoot architecture and enhance yield-related phenotypes

1. A genetically-altered semi-determinate tomato plant homozygous for a mutant suppressor of sp1 (ssp1) gene that encodes a mutant ssp1 protein that comprises a mutant SAP motif and homozygous for a mutant self pruning (sp) gene.

2. A genetically-altered semi-determinate tomato plant homozygous for a mutant ssp1 gene that encodes a mutant ssp1 protein that comprises a mutant SAP motif and homozygous for a mutant sp gene, wherein the mutant ssp1 gene comprises a nucleic acid sequence that encodes a mutant ssp1 protein that comprises a mutant SAP motif that comprises the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 14 or SEQ ID NO: 15.

3. A genetically-altered semi-determinate tomato plant homozygous for a mutant ssp1 gene that encodes a mutant ssp1 polypeptide comprising the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 5 or SEQ ID NO: 6; homozygous for a mutant ssp1 gene that comprises a C to T mutation at position 641 of SEQ ID NO: 1, a C to T mutation at position 647 of SEQ ID NO: 1 or a C to T mutation at position 641 and position 647 of SEQ ID NO: 1; or homozygous for a mutant ssp1 gene that comprises the nucleic acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2 or SEQ ID NO: 3.

4. The genetically-altered semi-determinate tomato plant of claim 3 , wherein the mutant sp gene comprises the nucleic acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 8.

5. The genetically-altered semi-determinate tomato plant of claim 1 , wherein the genetically-altered semi-determinate tomato plant is isogenic.

6. The genetically-altered semi-determinate tomato plant of claim 1 , wherein the genetically-altered semi-determinate tomato plant is inbred.

7. A seed for producing a genetically-altered semi-determinate tomato plant of claim 1 .

8. A method of producing a genetically-altered semi-determinate tomato plant comprising:

(a) genetically altering a ssp1 gene in a tomato-plant containing a mutant sp gene, thereby producing a genetically-altered tomato plant containing a mutant ssp1 gene that encodes a mutant ssp1 protein that comprises a mutant SAP motif and a mutant sp gene; and

(b) self-crossing the genetically-altered tomato plant produced in (a) or crossing two genetically-altered tomato plants produced in (a) under conditions appropriate for producing a genetically-altered tomato plant homozygous for the mutant ssp1 gene that encodes a mutant ssp1 protein that comprises a mutant SAP motif and homozygous for the mutant sp gene, thereby producing a genetically-altered tomato plant that is semi-determinate.

9. A method of producing a genetically-altered semi-determinate tomato plant comprising:

(a) producing a genetically-altered tomato plant part containing a mutant ssp1 gene that encodes a mutant ssp1 protein that comprises a mutant SAP motif and a mutant sp gene;

(b) maintaining the genetically-altered tomato plant part containing a mutant ssp1 and a mutant sp gene produced in (a) under conditions and for sufficient time for production of a genetically-altered tomato plant containing the mutant ssp1 gene and the mutant sp gene from the plant part, thereby producing a genetically-altered tomato plant containing the mutant ssp1 gene and the mutant sp gene;

(c) self-crossing the genetically-altered tomato plant produced in (b) or crossing two genetically-altered tomato plants produced in (b) under conditions appropriate for producing a genetically-altered tomato plant homozygous for the mutant ssp1 gene and the mutant sp gene, thereby producing a genetically-altered tomato plant that is semi-determinate.

10. A method of producing a genetically-altered semi-determinate tomato plant comprising:

(a) producing a genetically-altered tomato plant containing a mutant ssp1 gene that encodes a mutant ssp1 protein that comprises a mutant SAP motif and a mutant sp gene; and

(b) self-crossing the genetically-altered tomato plant produced in (a) or crossing two genetically-altered tomato plants produced in (a) under conditions appropriate for producing a genetically-altered tomato plant homozygous for the mutant ssp1 gene that encodes a mutant ssp1 protein that comprises a mutant SAP motif and homozygous for the mutant sp gene, thereby producing a genetically-altered tomato plant that is semi-determinate, wherein the mutant ssp1 gene comprises a nucleic acid sequence that encodes a mutant ssp1 protein that comprises a mutant SAP motif with a sequence of SEQ ID NO: 14 or SEQ ID NO: 15.

11. A method of producing a genetically-altered semi-determinate tomato plant comprising:

(a) producing a genetically-altered tomato plant containing a mutant ssp1 gene that encodes a mutant ssp1 protein that comprises a mutant SAP motif and a mutant sp gene; and

(b) self-crossing the genetically-altered tomato plant produced in (a) or crossing two genetically-altered tomato plants produced in (a) under conditions appropriate for producing a genetically-altered tomato plant homozygous for the mutant ssp1 gene that encodes a mutant ssp1 protein that comprises a mutant SAP motif and homozygous for the mutant sp gene, thereby producing a genetically-altered tomato plant that is semi-determinate, wherein the mutant ssp1 gene encodes a mutant ssp1 polypeptide comprising the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 5 or SEQ ID NO: 6.

12. A method of producing a genetically-altered semi-determinate tomato plant comprising:

(a) producing a genetically-altered tomato plant containing a mutant ssp1 gene that encodes a mutant ssp1 protein that comprises a mutant SAP motif and a mutant sp gene; and

(b) self-crossing the genetically-altered tomato plant produced in (a) or crossing two genetically-altered tomato plants produced in (a) under conditions appropriate for producing a genetically-altered tomato plant homozygous for the mutant ssp1 gene that encodes a mutant ssp1 protein that comprises a mutant SAP motif and homozygous for the mutant sp gene, thereby producing a genetically-altered tomato plant that is semi-determinate, wherein the mutant ssp1 gene comprises a C to T mutation at position 641 of SEQ ID NO: 1, a C to T mutation at position 647 of SEQ ID NO: 1, or a C to T mutation at position 641 and 647 of SEQ ID NO: 1.

13. A method of producing a genetically-altered semi-determinate tomato plant comprising:

(a) producing a genetically-altered tomato plant containing a mutant ssp1 gene that encodes a mutant ssp1 protein that comprises a mutant SAP motif and a mutant sp gene; and

(b) self-crossing the genetically-altered tomato plant produced in (a) or crossing two genetically-altered tomato plants produced in (a) under conditions appropriate for producing a genetically-altered tomato plant homozygous for the mutant ssp1 gene that encodes a mutant ssp1 protein that comprises a mutant SAP motif and homozygous for the mutant sp gene, thereby producing a genetically-altered tomato plant that is semi-determinate, wherein the mutant ssp1 gene comprises the nucleic acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2 or SEQ ID NO: 3.

14. The method of claim 10 , wherein the mutant sp gene comprises the nucleic acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 8.

15. The method of claim 8 , wherein the tomato plant is inbred.