DELAYED HARVEST OF SHORT STATURE CORN PLANTS

INCORPORATION OF SEQUENCE LISTING

The instant application contains a Sequence Listing which has been submitted electronically in ASCII format and is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. Said ASCII copy, created on Nov. 19, 2021, is named P35026US01_SL.txt and is 1,161,026 bytes in size.

FIELD

The present disclosure relates to methods of delayed harvest of corn fields.

BACKGROUND

Corn can be harvested after fertilization, grain fill and maturity, but typically after drying down to a desired moisture content for storage. Growers have to balance product value, plant health, kernel moisture content, and standability (e.g., due to the propensity of corn to lodge) of corn plants when determining the optimum time for harvesting. If a grower harvests corn before it reaches its optimal kernel moisture content, the grower may have to use artificial drying methods to further reduce the kernel moisture content before storage. Conversely, if a grower waits to harvest corn (or cannot harvest due to physical weather barriers such as rain or snow) until it reaches or passes optimal kernel moisture, then the longer the amount of time the crop remains in the field, the greater the risk of lodging from weather events (e.g., strong winds) and/or plant senescence (i.e., deterioration from age). Thus, there is a need for farmers to have greater flexibility to leave corn plants in the field for later harvest to allow for greater access and/or dry down of kernels.

SUMMARY

In an aspect, this disclosure provides a method comprising harvesting a plurality of corn plants from a field at least 50 days after fertilization or silking of at least 50% of said plurality of corn plants, wherein fewer than or equal to 50% of said corn plants have lodged at the time of harvest, and wherein at least one corn plant of said plurality of corn plants comprises a mutant allele of the endogenous GA20 oxidase_3 locus, wherein the mutant allele comprises a DNA segment inserted into the endogenous GA20 oxidase_3 locus, wherein the DNA segment encodes an antisense RNA sequence that is at least 70% complementary to at least 20 consecutive nucleotides of one or more of SEQ ID NOs: 182-184 and 186-188, and wherein the mutant allele of the endogenous GA20 oxidase_3 locus produces a RNA transcript comprising the antisense RNA sequence.

In an aspect, this disclosure provides a method comprising harvesting a plurality of corn plants from a field at least 50 days after fertilization or silking of at least 50% of said plurality of corn plants, wherein fewer than or equal to 50% of said corn plants have lodged at the time of harvest, and wherein at least one corn plant of said plurality of corn plants comprises a mutant allele of the endogenous GA20 oxidase_5 locus, wherein the mutant allele comprises a DNA segment inserted into the endogenous GA20 oxidase_5 locus, wherein the DNA segment encodes an antisense RNA sequence that is at least 70% complementary to at least 20 consecutive nucleotides of one or more of SEQ ID NOs: 182-184 and 186-188, and wherein the mutant allele of the endogenous GA20 oxidase_5 locus produces a RNA transcript comprising the antisense RNA sequence.

In an aspect, this disclosure provides a method comprising harvesting a plurality of corn plants from a field at least 50 days after fertilization or silking of at least 50% of said plurality of corn plants, wherein fewer than or equal to 50% of said corn plants have lodged at the time of harvest, and wherein at least one corn plant of said plurality of corn plants comprises a mutant allele of an endogenous Brachytic2 (br2) locus, wherein the mutant allele comprises a DNA segment inserted into the endogenous br2 locus, wherein the DNA segment encodes an antisense RNA that is at least 70% complementary to at least 20 consecutive nucleotides of SEQ ID NO: 132 or 180, and wherein the mutant allele of the endogenous br2 locus produces an RNA transcript comprising the antisense RNA sequence.

In an aspect, this disclosure provides a method comprising harvesting a plurality of corn plants from a field at least 50 days after fertilization or silking of at least 50% of said plurality of corn plants, wherein fewer than or equal to 50% of said corn plants have lodged at the time of harvest, and wherein at least one corn plant of said plurality of corn plants comprises a mutant allele of an endogenous Brachytic2 (br2) locus, wherein the mutant allele comprises a deletion of at least one nucleotide from an endogenous br2 locus as compared to SEQ ID NO: 132.

In an aspect, this disclosure provides a method comprising harvesting a plurality of corn plants from a field at least 50 days after fertilization or silking of at least 50% of said plurality of corn plants, wherein fewer than or equal to 50% of said corn plants have lodged at the time of harvest, and wherein at least one corn plant of said plurality of corn plants comprises a dominant or semi-dominant transgene or mutant allele of a gene, and wherein the transgene or mutant allele causes a short stature phenotype in the at least one corn plant.

In an aspect, this disclosure provides a method comprising harvesting a plurality of corn plants from a field at least 50 days after fertilization or silking of at least 50% of said plurality of corn plants, wherein fewer than or equal to 50% of said corn plants have lodged at the time of harvest, and wherein at least one corn plant of said plurality of corn plants comprises a premature stop codon within a nucleic acid sequence encoding a Brachytic2 protein as compared to a control corn plant.

In an aspect, this disclosure provides a method comprising harvesting a plurality of corn plants from a field at least 50 days after fertilization or silking of at least 50% of said plurality of corn plants, wherein fewer than or equal to 50% of said corn plants have lodged at the time of harvest, and wherein at least one corn plant of said plurality of corn plants comprises a mutant allele of the endogenous GA20 oxidase_5 locus, wherein the mutant allele comprises a genome modification comprising a deletion of at least a portion of the transcription termination sequence of the endogenous Zm.SAMT gene, and wherein the mutant allele produces a RNA molecule comprising an antisense sequence complementary to all or part of the sense strand of the endogenous GA20 oxidase_5 gene.

In an aspect, this disclosure provides a method comprising harvesting a plurality of corn plants from a field at least 50 days after fertilization or silking of at least 50% of said plurality of corn plants, wherein fewer than or equal to 50% of said corn plants have lodged at the time of harvest, and wherein at least one corn plant of said plurality of corn plants comprises a mutant allele of the endogenous GA20 oxidase_5 locus, wherein the mutant allele comprises a genome modification comprising a deletion of at least a portion of the intergenic region between the endogenous GA20 oxidase_5 and Zm.SAMT genes, and wherein the mutant allele produces a RNA molecule comprising an antisense sequence complementary to all or part of the sense strand of the endogenous GA20 oxidase_5 gene.

In an aspect, this disclosure provides a method comprising harvesting a plurality of corn plants from a field at least 50 days after fertilization or silking of at least 50% of said plurality of corn plants, wherein fewer than or equal to 50% of said corn plants have lodged at the time of harvest, and wherein at least one corn plant of said plurality of corn plants comprises a mutant allele of the endogenous GA20 oxidase_5 locus, wherein the mutant allele comprises a genome modification comprising a deletion of at least a portion of one or more of the following: 5′ UTR, 1st exon, 1st intron, 2nd exon, 2nd intron, 3rd exon, 3′ UTR, and any portion thereof, and the 5′ UTR, 1st exon, 1st intron, 2nd exon, 2nd intron, 3rd exon, 3rd intron, 4th exon, 4th intron, 5th exon, 5th intron, 6th exon, 6th intron, 7th exon, 7th intron, 8th exon, 3′ UTR, and any portion thereof, of the endogenous Zm.SAMT gene.

In an aspect, this disclosure provides a method comprising harvesting a plurality of corn plants from a field at least 50 days after fertilization or silking of at least 50% of said plurality of corn plants, wherein fewer than or equal to 50% of said corn plants have lodged at the time of harvest, and wherein at least one corn plant of said plurality of corn plants comprises a mutant allele of the endogenous GA20 oxidase_5 locus, wherein the mutant allele comprises a genome modification which results in the transcription of an antisense strand of at least an exon, an intron, or an untranslated region (UTR) of the endogenous GA20 oxidase_5 gene, or any portion thereof.

In an aspect, this disclosure provides a method comprising harvesting a plurality of corn plants from a field at least 50 days after fertilization or silking of at least 50% of said plurality of corn plants, wherein fewer than or equal to 50% of said corn plants have lodged at the time of harvest, and wherein at least one corn plant of said plurality of corn plants comprises a mutant allele of the endogenous GA20 oxidase_5 locus, wherein the mutant allele comprises the Zm.SAMT gene promoter, or a functional part thereof, operably linked to at least one transcribable antisense sequence of at least an exon, intron or untranslated region (UTR) of the endogenous GA20 oxidase_5 gene, or any portion thereof.

In an aspect, this disclosure provides a method comprising harvesting a plurality of corn plants from a field at least 50 days after fertilization or silking of at least 50% of said plurality of corn plants, wherein fewer than or equal to 50% of said corn plants have lodged at the time of harvest, and wherein at least one corn plant of said plurality of corn plants comprises a mutant allele of the endogenous GA20 oxidase_5 locus, wherein the mutant allele comprises a sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 87-105.

In an aspect, this disclosure provides a method comprising harvesting a plurality of corn plants from a field at least 50 days after fertilization or silking of at least 50% of said plurality of corn plants, wherein fewer than or equal to 50% of said corn plants have lodged at the time of harvest, and wherein at least one corn plant of said plurality of corn plants comprises a mutant allele of the endogenous GA20 oxidase_5 locus, wherein the mutant allele comprises a first sequence and a second sequence; wherein the first sequence comprises one or more of the 5′ UTR, 1st exon, 1st intron, 2nd exon, 2nd intron, 3rd exon, 3′ UTR, and any complementary sequence thereof, and any portion of the foregoing, of the endogenous Zm.GA20 oxidase_5 gene; and wherein the second sequence comprises one or more of the 5′ UTR, 1st exon, 1st intron, 2nd exon, 2nd intron, 3rd exon, 3rd intron, 4th exon, 4th intron, 5th exon, 5th intron, 6th exon, 6th intron, 7th exon, 7th intron, 8th exon, 3′ UTR, and any complementary sequence thereof, and any portion of the foregoing, of the endogenous Zm.SAMT gene; wherein the first sequence and the second sequence are contiguous or separated only by an intervening sequence of fewer than 555 nucleotides.

In an aspect, this disclosure provides a method comprising harvesting a plurality of corn plants from a field at least 50 days after fertilization or silking of at least 50% of said plurality of corn plants, wherein fewer than or equal to 50% of said corn plants have lodged at the time of harvest, and wherein at least one corn plant of said plurality of corn plants comprises a mutant allele of the endogenous GA20 oxidase_5 locus, wherein the mutant allele comprises a genomic deletion relative to a wild type allele of the endogenous GA20 oxidase_5 locus, wherein the genomic deletion is flanked by a first sequence and a second sequence; wherein the first sequence comprises one or more of the 5′ UTR, 1st exon, 1st intron, 2nd exon, 2nd intron, 3rd exon, 3′ UTR, and any complementary sequence thereof, and any portion of the foregoing, of the endogenous Zm.GA20 oxidase_5 gene; and wherein the second sequence comprises one or more of the 5′ UTR, 1st exon, 1st intron, 2nd exon, 2nd intron, 3rd exon, 3rd intron, 4th exon, 4th intron, 5th exon, 5th intron, 6th exon, 6th intron, 7th exon, 7th intron, 8th exon, 3′ UTR, and any complementary sequence thereof, and any portion of the foregoing, of the endogenous Zm.SAMT gene.

In an aspect, this disclosure provides a method comprising harvesting a plurality of corn plants from a field at least 50 days after fertilization or silking of at least 50% of said plurality of corn plants, wherein fewer than or equal to 50% of said corn plants have lodged at the time of harvest, and wherein at least one corn plant of said plurality of corn plants comprises a mutant allele of the endogenous GA20 oxidase_5 locus, wherein the mutant allele comprises a genomic sequence comprising a first sequence and a second sequence; wherein the first sequence comprises at least 15 consecutive nucleotides of one or more of SEQ ID NOs: 228-235 and 276-283; wherein the second sequence comprises at least 15 consecutive nucleotides of one or more of SEQ ID NOs: 235-276; and wherein the genomic sequence is at least 50 consecutive nucleotides in length, and/or fewer than 9000 consecutive nucleotides in length.

In an aspect, this disclosure provides a method comprising harvesting a plurality of corn plants from a field at least 50 days after at least 50% of said corn plants have reached R3 stage, wherein fewer than or equal to 50% of said corn plants have lodged at the time of harvest, and wherein at least one corn plant of said plurality of corn plants comprises a mutant allele of the endogenous GA20 oxidase_3 locus, wherein the mutant allele comprises a DNA segment inserted into the endogenous GA20 oxidase_3 locus, wherein the DNA segment encodes an antisense RNA sequence that is at least 70% complementary to at least 20 consecutive nucleotides of one or more of SEQ ID NOs: 182-184 and 186-188, and wherein the mutant allele of the endogenous GA20 oxidase_3 locus produces a RNA transcript comprising the antisense RNA sequence.

In an aspect, this disclosure provides a method comprising harvesting a plurality of corn plants from a field at least 50 days after at least 50% of said corn plants have reached R3 stage, wherein fewer than or equal to 50% of said corn plants have lodged at the time of harvest, and wherein at least one corn plant of said plurality of corn plants comprises a mutant allele of the endogenous GA20 oxidase_5 locus, wherein the mutant allele comprises a DNA segment inserted into the endogenous GA20 oxidase_5 locus, wherein the DNA segment encodes an antisense RNA sequence that is at least 70% complementary to at least 20 consecutive nucleotides of one or more of SEQ ID NOs: 182-184 and 186-188, and wherein the mutant allele of the endogenous GA20 oxidase_5 locus produces a RNA transcript comprising the antisense RNA sequence.

In an aspect, this disclosure provides a method comprising harvesting a plurality of corn plants from a field at least 50 days after at least 50% of said corn plants have reached R3 stage, wherein fewer than or equal to 50% of said corn plants have lodged at the time of harvest, and wherein at least one corn plant of said plurality of corn plants comprises a mutant allele of an endogenous Brachytic2 (br2) locus, wherein the mutant allele comprises a DNA segment inserted into the endogenous br2 locus, wherein the DNA segment encodes an antisense RNA that is at least 70% complementary to at least 20 consecutive nucleotides of SEQ ID NO: 132 or 180, and wherein the mutant allele of the endogenous br2 locus produces an RNA transcript comprising the antisense RNA sequence.

In an aspect, this disclosure provides a method comprising harvesting a plurality of corn plants from a field at least 50 days after at least 50% of said corn plants have reached R3 stage, wherein fewer than or equal to 50% of said corn plants have lodged at the time of harvest, and wherein at least one corn plant of said plurality of corn plants comprises a mutant allele of an endogenous Brachytic2 (br2) locus, wherein the mutant allele comprises a deletion of at least one nucleotide from an endogenous br2 locus as compared to SEQ ID NO: 132.

In an aspect, this disclosure provides a method comprising harvesting a plurality of corn plants from a field at least 50 days after at least 50% of said corn plants have reached R3 stage, wherein fewer than or equal to 50% of said corn plants have lodged at the time of harvest, and wherein at least one corn plant of said plurality of corn plants comprises a dominant or semi-dominant transgene or mutant allele of a gene, and wherein the transgene or mutant allele causes a short stature phenotype in the at least one corn plant.

In an aspect, this disclosure provides a method comprising harvesting a plurality of corn plants from a field at least 50 days after at least 50% of said corn plants have reached R3 stage, wherein fewer than or equal to 50% of said corn plants have lodged at the time of harvest, and wherein at least one corn plant of said plurality of corn plants comprises a premature stop codon within a nucleic acid sequence encoding a Brachytic2 protein as compared to a control corn plant.

In an aspect, this disclosure provides a method comprising harvesting a plurality of corn plants from a field at least 50 days after at least 50% of said corn plants have reached R3 stage, wherein fewer than or equal to 50% of said corn plants have lodged at the time of harvest, and wherein at least one corn plant of said plurality of corn plants comprises a mutant allele of the endogenous GA20 oxidase_5 locus, wherein the mutant allele comprises a genome modification comprising a deletion of at least a portion of the transcription termination sequence of the endogenous Zm.SAMT gene, and wherein the mutant allele produces a RNA molecule comprising an antisense sequence complementary to all or part of the sense strand of the endogenous GA20 oxidase_5 gene.

In an aspect, this disclosure provides a method comprising harvesting a plurality of corn plants from a field at least 50 days after at least 50% of said corn plants have reached R3 stage, wherein fewer than or equal to 50% of said corn plants have lodged at the time of harvest, and wherein at least one corn plant of said plurality of corn plants comprises a mutant allele of the endogenous GA20 oxidase_5 locus, wherein the mutant allele comprises a genome modification comprising a deletion of at least a portion of the intergenic region between the endogenous GA20 oxidase_5 and Zm.SAMT genes, and wherein the mutant allele produces a RNA molecule comprising an antisense sequence complementary to all or part of the sense strand of the endogenous GA20 oxidase_5 gene.

In an aspect, this disclosure provides a method comprising harvesting a plurality of corn plants from a field at least 50 days after at least 50% of said corn plants have reached R3 stage, wherein fewer than or equal to 50% of said corn plants have lodged at the time of harvest, and wherein at least one corn plant of said plurality of corn plants comprises a mutant allele of the endogenous GA20 oxidase_5 locus, wherein the mutant allele comprises a genome modification comprising a deletion of at least a portion of one or more of the following: 5′ UTR, 1st exon, 1st intron, 2nd exon, 2nd intron, 3rd exon, 3′ UTR, and any portion thereof, and the 5′ UTR, 1st exon, 1st intron, 2nd exon, 2nd intron, 3rd exon, 3rd intron, 4th exon, 4th intron, 5th exon, 5th intron, 6th exon, 6th intron, 7th exon, 7th intron, 8th exon, 3′ UTR, and any portion thereof, of the endogenous Zm.SAMT gene.

In an aspect, this disclosure provides a method comprising harvesting a plurality of corn plants from a field at least 50 days after at least 50% of said corn plants have reached R3 stage, wherein fewer than or equal to 50% of said corn plants have lodged at the time of harvest, and wherein at least one corn plant of said plurality of corn plants comprises a mutant allele of the endogenous GA20 oxidase_5 locus, wherein the mutant allele comprises a genome modification which results in the transcription of an antisense strand of at least an exon, an intron, or an untranslated region (UTR) of the endogenous GA20 oxidase_5 gene, or any portion thereof.

In an aspect, this disclosure provides a method comprising harvesting a plurality of corn plants from a field at least 50 days after at least 50% of said corn plants have reached R3 stage, wherein fewer than or equal to 50% of said corn plants have lodged at the time of harvest, and wherein at least one corn plant of said plurality of corn plants comprises a mutant allele of the endogenous GA20 oxidase_5 locus, wherein the mutant allele comprises the Zm.SAMT gene promoter, or a functional part thereof, operably linked to at least one transcribable antisense sequence of at least an exon, intron or untranslated region (UTR) of the endogenous GA20 oxidase_5 gene, or any portion thereof.

In an aspect, this disclosure provides a method comprising harvesting a plurality of corn plants from a field at least 50 days after at least 50% of said corn plants have reached R3 stage, wherein fewer than or equal to 50% of said corn plants have lodged at the time of harvest, and wherein at least one corn plant of said plurality of corn plants comprises a mutant allele of the endogenous GA20 oxidase_5 locus, wherein the mutant allele comprises a sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 87-105.

In an aspect, this disclosure provides a method comprising harvesting a plurality of corn plants from a field at least 50 days after at least 50% of said corn plants have reached R3 stage, wherein fewer than or equal to 50% of said corn plants have lodged at the time of harvest, and wherein at least one corn plant of said plurality of corn plants comprises a mutant allele of the endogenous GA20 oxidase_5 locus, wherein the mutant allele comprises a first sequence and a second sequence; wherein the first sequence comprises one or more of the 5′ UTR, 1st exon, 1st intron, 2nd exon, 2nd intron, 3rd exon, 3′ UTR, and any complementary sequence thereof, and any portion of the foregoing, of the endogenous Zm.GA20 oxidase_5 gene; and wherein the second sequence comprises one or more of the 5′ UTR, 1st exon, 1st intron, 2nd exon, 2nd intron, 3rd exon, 3rd intron, 4th exon, 4th intron, 5th exon, 5th intron, 6th exon, 6th intron, 7th exon, 7th intron, 8th exon, 3′ UTR, and any complementary sequence thereof, and any portion of the foregoing, of the endogenous Zm.SAMT gene; wherein the first sequence and the second sequence are contiguous or separated only by an intervening sequence of fewer than 555 nucleotides.

In an aspect, this disclosure provides a method comprising harvesting a plurality of corn plants from a field at least 50 days after at least 50% of said corn plants have reached R3 stage, wherein fewer than or equal to 50% of said corn plants have lodged at the time of harvest, and wherein at least one corn plant of said plurality of corn plants comprises a mutant allele of the endogenous GA20 oxidase_5 locus, wherein the mutant allele comprises a genomic deletion relative to a wild type allele of the endogenous GA20 oxidase_5 locus, wherein the genomic deletion is flanked by a first sequence and a second sequence; wherein the first sequence comprises one or more of the 5′ UTR, 1st exon, 1st intron, 2nd exon, 2nd intron, 3rd exon, 3′ UTR, and any complementary sequence thereof, and any portion of the foregoing, of the endogenous Zm.GA20 oxidase_5 gene; and wherein the second sequence comprises one or more of the 5′ UTR, 1st exon, 1st intron, 2nd exon, 2nd intron, 3rd exon, 3rd intron, 4th exon, 4th intron, 5th exon, 5th intron, 6th exon, 6th intron, 7th exon, 7th intron, 8th exon, 3′ UTR, and any complementary sequence thereof, and any portion of the foregoing, of the endogenous Zm.SAMT gene.

In an aspect, this disclosure provides a method comprising harvesting a plurality of corn plants from a field at least 50 days after at least 50% of said corn plants have reached R3 stage, wherein fewer than or equal to 50% of said corn plants have lodged at the time of harvest, and wherein at least one corn plant of said plurality of corn plants comprises a mutant allele of the endogenous GA20 oxidase_5 locus, wherein the mutant allele comprises a genomic sequence comprising a first sequence and a second sequence; wherein the first sequence comprises at least 15 consecutive nucleotides of one or more of SEQ ID NOs: 228-235 and 276-283; wherein the second sequence comprises at least 15 consecutive nucleotides of one or more of SEQ ID NOs: 235-276; and wherein the genomic sequence is at least 50 consecutive nucleotides in length, and/or fewer than 9000 consecutive nucleotides in length.

In an aspect, this disclosure provides a method comprising harvesting a plurality of corn plants from a field at least 50 days after fertilization or silking of at least 50% of said plurality of corn plants, wherein the average kernel moisture content is less than or equal to 30%, and wherein fewer than or equal to 50% of said corn plants have lodged at the time of harvest, and wherein at least one corn plant of said plurality of corn plants comprises a mutant allele of the endogenous GA20 oxidase_3 locus, wherein the mutant allele comprises a DNA segment inserted into the endogenous GA20 oxidase_3 locus, wherein the DNA segment encodes an antisense RNA sequence that is at least 70% complementary to at least 20 consecutive nucleotides of one or more of SEQ ID NOs: 182-184 and 186-188, and wherein the mutant allele of the endogenous GA20 oxidase_3 locus produces a RNA transcript comprising the antisense RNA sequence.

In an aspect, this disclosure provides a method comprising harvesting a plurality of corn plants from a field at least 50 days after fertilization or silking of at least 50% of said plurality of corn plants, wherein the average kernel moisture content is less than or equal to 30%, and wherein fewer than or equal to 50% of said corn plants have lodged at the time of harvest, and wherein at least one corn plant of said plurality of corn plants comprises a mutant allele of the endogenous GA20 oxidase_5 locus, wherein the mutant allele comprises a DNA segment inserted into the endogenous GA20 oxidase_5 locus, wherein the DNA segment encodes an antisense RNA sequence that is at least 70% complementary to at least 20 consecutive nucleotides of one or more of SEQ ID NOs: 182-184 and 186-188, and wherein the mutant allele of the endogenous GA20 oxidase_5 locus produces a RNA transcript comprising the antisense RNA sequence.

In an aspect, this disclosure provides a method comprising harvesting a plurality of corn plants from a field at least 50 days after fertilization or silking of at least 50% of said plurality of corn plants, wherein the average kernel moisture content is less than or equal to 30%, and wherein fewer than or equal to 50% of said corn plants have lodged at the time of harvest, and wherein at least one corn plant of said plurality of corn plants comprises a mutant allele of the endogenous GA20 oxidase_5 locus, wherein the mutant allele comprises a genome modification comprising a deletion of at least a portion of one or more of the following: 5′ UTR, 1st exon, 1st intron, 2nd exon, 2nd intron, 3rd exon, 3′ UTR, and any portion thereof, and the 5′ UTR, 1st exon, 1st intron, 2nd exon, 2nd intron, 3rd exon, 3rd intron, 4th exon, 4th intron, 5th exon, 5th intron, 6th exon, 6th intron, 7th exon, 7th intron, 8th exon, 3′ UTR, and any portion thereof, of the endogenous Zm.SAMT gene.

In an aspect, this disclosure provides a method comprising harvesting a plurality of corn plants from a field at least 50 days after fertilization or silking of at least 50% of said plurality of corn plants, wherein the average kernel moisture content is less than or equal to 30%, and wherein fewer than or equal to 50% of said corn plants have lodged at the time of harvest, and wherein at least one corn plant of said plurality of corn plants comprises a mutant allele of the endogenous GA20 oxidase_5 locus, wherein the mutant allele comprises a first sequence and a second sequence; wherein the first sequence comprises one or more of the 5′ UTR, 1st exon, 1st intron, 2nd exon, 2nd intron, 3rd exon, 3′ UTR, and any complementary sequence thereof, and any portion of the foregoing, of the endogenous Zm.GA20 oxidase_5 gene; and wherein the second sequence comprises one or more of the 5′ UTR, 1st exon, 1st intron, 2nd exon, 2nd intron, 3rd exon, 3rd intron, 4th exon, 4th intron, 5th exon, 5th intron, 6th exon, 6th intron, 7th exon, 7th intron, 8th exon, 3′ UTR, and any complementary sequence thereof, and any portion of the foregoing, of the endogenous Zm.SAMT gene; wherein the first sequence and the second sequence are contiguous or separated only by an intervening sequence of fewer than 555 nucleotides.

In an aspect, this disclosure provides a method comprising harvesting a plurality of corn plants from a field at least 50 days after fertilization or silking of at least 50% of said plurality of corn plants, wherein the average kernel moisture content is less than or equal to 30%, and wherein fewer than or equal to 50% of said corn plants have lodged at the time of harvest, and wherein at least one corn plant of said plurality of corn plants comprises a mutant allele of the endogenous GA20 oxidase_5 locus, wherein the mutant allele comprises a genomic deletion relative to a wild type allele of the endogenous GA20 oxidase_5 locus, wherein the genomic deletion is flanked by a first sequence and a second sequence; wherein the first sequence comprises one or more of the 5′ UTR, 1st exon, 1st intron, 2nd exon, 2nd intron, 3rd exon, 3′ UTR, and any complementary sequence thereof, and any portion of the foregoing, of the endogenous Zm.GA20 oxidase_5 gene; and wherein the second sequence comprises one or more of the 5′ UTR, 1st exon, 1st intron, 2nd exon, 2nd intron, 3rd exon, 3rd intron, 4th exon, 4th intron, 5th exon, 5th intron, 6th exon, 6th intron, 7th exon, 7th intron, 8th exon, 3′ UTR, and any complementary sequence thereof, and any portion of the foregoing, of the endogenous Zm.SAMT gene.

In an aspect, this disclosure provides a method comprising harvesting a plurality of corn plants from a field at least 50 days after fertilization or silking of at least 50% of said plurality of corn plants, wherein the average kernel moisture content is less than or equal to 30%, and wherein fewer than or equal to 50% of said corn plants have lodged at the time of harvest, and wherein at least one corn plant of said plurality of corn plants comprises a mutant allele of the endogenous GA20 oxidase_5 locus, wherein the mutant allele comprises a genomic sequence comprising a first sequence and a second sequence; wherein the first sequence comprises at least 15 consecutive nucleotides of one or more of SEQ ID NOs: 228-235 and 276-283; wherein the second sequence comprises at least 15 consecutive nucleotides of one or more of SEQ ID NOs: 235-276; and wherein the genomic sequence is at least 50 consecutive nucleotides in length, and/or fewer than 9000 consecutive nucleotides in length.

In an aspect, this disclosure provides a method comprising harvesting a plurality of corn plants from a field at least 50 days after at least 50% of said corn plants have reached R3 stage, wherein average kernel moisture content is less than or equal to 30%, and wherein fewer than or equal to 50% of said corn plants have lodged at the time of harvest, and wherein at least one corn plant of said plurality of corn plants comprises a mutant allele of the endogenous GA20 oxidase_5 locus, wherein the mutant allele comprises a genome modification comprising a deletion of at least a portion of one or more of the following: 5′ UTR, 1st exon, 1st intron, 2nd exon, 2nd intron, 3rd exon, 3′ UTR, and any portion thereof, and the 5′ UTR, 1st exon, 1st intron, 2nd exon, 2nd intron, 3rd exon, 3rd intron, 4th exon, 4th intron, 5th exon, 5th intron, 6th exon, 6th intron, 7th exon, 7th intron, 8th exon, 3′ UTR, and any portion thereof, of the endogenous Zm.SAMT gene.

In an aspect, this disclosure provides a method comprising harvesting a plurality of corn plants from a field at least 50 days after at least 50% of said corn plants have reached R3 stage, wherein average kernel moisture content is less than or equal to 30%, and wherein fewer than or equal to 50% of said corn plants have lodged at the time of harvest, and wherein at least one corn plant of said plurality of corn plants comprises a mutant allele of the endogenous GA20 oxidase_5 locus, wherein the mutant allele comprises a first sequence and a second sequence; wherein the first sequence comprises one or more of the 5′ UTR, 1st exon, 1st intron, 2nd exon, 2nd intron, 3rd exon, 3′ UTR, and any complementary sequence thereof, and any portion of the foregoing, of the endogenous Zm.GA20 oxidase_5 gene; and wherein the second sequence comprises one or more of the 5′ UTR, 1st exon, 1st intron, 2nd exon, 2nd intron, 3rd exon, 3rd intron, 4th exon, 4th intron, 5th exon, 5th intron, 6th exon, 6th intron, 7th exon, 7th intron, 8th exon, 3′ UTR, and any complementary sequence thereof, and any portion of the foregoing, of the endogenous Zm.SAMT gene; wherein the first sequence and the second sequence are contiguous or separated only by an intervening sequence of fewer than 555 nucleotides.

In an aspect, this disclosure provides a method comprising harvesting a plurality of corn plants from a field at least 50 days after at least 50% of said corn plants have reached R3 stage, wherein average kernel moisture content is less than or equal to 30%, and wherein fewer than or equal to 50% of said corn plants have lodged at the time of harvest, and wherein at least one corn plant of said plurality of corn plants comprises a mutant allele of the endogenous GA20 oxidase_5 locus, wherein the mutant allele comprises a genomic deletion relative to a wild type allele of the endogenous GA20 oxidase_5 locus, wherein the genomic deletion is flanked by a first sequence and a second sequence; wherein the first sequence comprises one or more of the 5′ UTR, 1st exon, 1st intron, 2nd exon, 2nd intron, 3rd exon, 3′ UTR, and any complementary sequence thereof, and any portion of the foregoing, of the endogenous Zm.GA20 oxidase_5 gene; and wherein the second sequence comprises one or more of the 5′ UTR, 1st exon, 1st intron, 2nd exon, 2nd intron, 3rd exon, 3rd intron, 4th exon, 4th intron, 5th exon, 5th intron, 6th exon, 6th intron, 7th exon, 7th intron, 8th exon, 3′ UTR, and any complementary sequence thereof, and any portion of the foregoing, of the endogenous Zm.SAMT gene.

In an aspect, this disclosure provides a method comprising harvesting a plurality of corn plants from a field at least 50 days after at least 50% of said corn plants have reached R3 stage, wherein average kernel moisture content is less than or equal to 30%, and wherein fewer than or equal to 50% of said corn plants have lodged at the time of harvest, and wherein at least one corn plant of said plurality of corn plants comprises a mutant allele of the endogenous GA20 oxidase_5 locus, wherein the mutant allele comprises a genomic sequence comprising a first sequence and a second sequence; wherein the first sequence comprises at least 15 consecutive nucleotides of one or more of SEQ ID NOs: 228-235 and 276-283; wherein the second sequence comprises at least 15 consecutive nucleotides of one or more of SEQ ID NOs: 235-276; and wherein the genomic sequence is at least 50 consecutive nucleotides in length, and/or fewer than 9000 consecutive nucleotides in length.

In an aspect, this disclosure provides a method comprising harvesting a plurality of corn plants from a field at least 50 days after at fertilization or silking of at least 50% of said plurality of corn plants, wherein the average yield of said field is at least 170 bushels per acre, wherein fewer than or equal to 50% of said corn plants have lodged at the time of harvest, and wherein at least one corn plant of said plurality of corn plants comprises a mutant allele of the endogenous GA20 oxidase_3 locus, wherein the mutant allele comprises a DNA segment inserted into the endogenous GA20 oxidase_3 locus, wherein the DNA segment encodes an antisense RNA sequence that is at least 70% complementary to at least 20 consecutive nucleotides of one or more of SEQ ID NOs: 182-184 and 186-188, and wherein the mutant allele of the endogenous GA20 oxidase_3 locus produces a RNA transcript comprising the antisense RNA sequence.

In an aspect, this disclosure provides a method comprising harvesting a plurality of corn plants from a field at least 50 days after at fertilization or silking of at least 50% of said plurality of corn plants, wherein the average yield of said field is at least 170 bushels per acre, wherein fewer than or equal to 50% of said corn plants have lodged at the time of harvest, and wherein at least one corn plant of said plurality of corn plants comprises a mutant allele of the endogenous GA20 oxidase_5 locus, wherein the mutant allele comprises a DNA segment inserted into the endogenous GA20 oxidase_5 locus, wherein the DNA segment encodes an antisense RNA sequence that is at least 70% complementary to at least 20 consecutive nucleotides of one or more of SEQ ID NOs: 182-184 and 186-188, and wherein the mutant allele of the endogenous GA20 oxidase_5 locus produces a RNA transcript comprising the antisense RNA sequence.

In an aspect, this disclosure provides a method comprising harvesting a plurality of corn plants from a field at least 50 days after at fertilization or silking of at least 50% of said plurality of corn plants, wherein the average yield of said field is at least 170 bushels per acre, wherein fewer than or equal to 50% of said corn plants have lodged at the time of harvest, and wherein at least one corn plant of said plurality of corn plants comprises a mutant allele of the endogenous GA20 oxidase_5 locus, wherein the mutant allele comprises a genome modification comprising a deletion of at least a portion of one or more of the following: 5′ UTR, 1st exon, 1st intron, 2nd exon, 2nd intron, 3rd exon, 3′ UTR, and any portion thereof, and the 5′ UTR, 1st exon, 1st intron, 2nd exon, 2nd intron, 3rd exon, 3rd intron, 4th exon, 4th intron, 5th exon, 5th intron, 6th exon, 6th intron, 7th exon, 7th intron, 8th exon, 3′ UTR, and any portion thereof, of the endogenous Zm.SAMT gene.

In an aspect, this disclosure provides a method comprising harvesting a plurality of corn plants from a field at least 50 days after at fertilization or silking of at least 50% of said plurality of corn plants, wherein the average yield of said field is at least 170 bushels per acre, wherein fewer than or equal to 50% of said corn plants have lodged at the time of harvest, and wherein at least one corn plant of said plurality of corn plants comprises a mutant allele of the endogenous GA20 oxidase_5 locus, wherein the mutant allele comprises a first sequence and a second sequence; wherein the first sequence comprises one or more of the 5′ UTR, 1st exon, 1st intron, 2nd exon, 2nd intron, 3rd exon, 3′ UTR, and any complementary sequence thereof, and any portion of the foregoing, of the endogenous Zm.GA20 oxidase_5 gene; and wherein the second sequence comprises one or more of the 5′ UTR, 1st exon, 1st intron, 2nd exon, 2nd intron, 3rd exon, 3rd intron, 4th exon, 4th intron, 5th exon, 5th intron, 6th exon, 6th intron, 7th exon, 7th intron, 8th exon, 3′ UTR, and any complementary sequence thereof, and any portion of the foregoing, of the endogenous Zm.SAMT gene; wherein the first sequence and the second sequence are contiguous or separated only by an intervening sequence of fewer than 555 nucleotides.

In an aspect, this disclosure provides a method comprising harvesting a plurality of corn plants from a field at least 50 days after at fertilization or silking of at least 50% of said plurality of corn plants, wherein the average yield of said field is at least 170 bushels per acre, wherein fewer than or equal to 50% of said corn plants have lodged at the time of harvest, and wherein at least one corn plant of said plurality of corn plants comprises a mutant allele of the endogenous GA20 oxidase_5 locus, wherein the mutant allele comprises a genomic deletion relative to a wild type allele of the endogenous GA20 oxidase_5 locus, wherein the genomic deletion is flanked by a first sequence and a second sequence; wherein the first sequence comprises one or more of the 5′ UTR, 1st exon, 1st intron, 2nd exon, 2nd intron, 3rd exon, 3′ UTR, and any complementary sequence thereof, and any portion of the foregoing, of the endogenous Zm.GA20 oxidase_5 gene; and wherein the second sequence comprises one or more of the 5′ UTR, 1st exon, 1st intron, 2nd exon, 2nd intron, 3rd exon, 3rd intron, 4th exon, 4th intron, 5th exon, 5th intron, 6th exon, 6th intron, 7th exon, 7th intron, 8th exon, 3′ UTR, and any complementary sequence thereof, and any portion of the foregoing, of the endogenous Zm.SAMT gene.

In an aspect, this disclosure provides a method comprising harvesting a plurality of corn plants from a field at least 50 days after at fertilization or silking of at least 50% of said plurality of corn plants, wherein the average yield of said field is at least 170 bushels per acre, wherein fewer than or equal to 50% of said corn plants have lodged at the time of harvest, and wherein at least one corn plant of said plurality of corn plants comprises a mutant allele of the endogenous GA20 oxidase_5 locus, wherein the mutant allele comprises a genomic sequence comprising a first sequence and a second sequence; wherein the first sequence comprises at least 15 consecutive nucleotides of one or more of SEQ ID NOs: 228-235 and 276-283; wherein the second sequence comprises at least 15 consecutive nucleotides of one or more of SEQ ID NOs: 235-276; and wherein the genomic sequence is at least 50 consecutive nucleotides in length, and/or fewer than 9000 consecutive nucleotides in length.

In an aspect, this disclosure provides a method comprising harvesting a plurality of corn plants from a field at least 50 days after at least 50% of said corn plants have reached R3 stage, wherein the average yield of said field is at least 170 bushels per acre, wherein fewer than or equal to 50% of said corn plants have lodged at the time of harvest, and wherein at least one corn plant of said plurality of corn plants comprises a mutant allele of the endogenous GA20 oxidase_5 locus, wherein the mutant allele comprises a genome modification comprising a deletion of at least a portion of one or more of the following: 5′ UTR, 1st exon, 1st intron, 2nd exon, 2nd intron, 3rd exon, 3′ UTR, and any portion thereof, and the 5′ UTR, 1st exon, 1st intron, 2nd exon, 2nd intron, 3rd exon, 3rd intron, 4th exon, 4th intron, 5th exon, 5th intron, 6th exon, 6th intron, 7th exon, 7th intron, 8th exon, 3′ UTR, and any portion thereof, of the endogenous Zm.SAMT gene.

In an aspect, this disclosure provides a method comprising harvesting a plurality of corn plants from a field at least 50 days after at least 50% of said corn plants have reached R3 stage, wherein the average yield of said field is at least 170 bushels per acre, wherein fewer than or equal to 50% of said corn plants have lodged at the time of harvest, and wherein at least one corn plant of said plurality of corn plants comprises a mutant allele of the endogenous GA20 oxidase_5 locus, wherein the mutant allele comprises a first sequence and a second sequence; wherein the first sequence comprises one or more of the 5′ UTR, 1st exon, 1st intron, 2nd exon, 2nd intron, 3rd exon, 3′ UTR, and any complementary sequence thereof, and any portion of the foregoing, of the endogenous Zm.GA20 oxidase_5 gene; and wherein the second sequence comprises one or more of the 5′ UTR, 1st exon, 1st intron, 2nd exon, 2nd intron, 3rd exon, 3rd intron, 4th exon, 4th intron, 5th exon, 5th intron, 6th exon, 6th intron, 7th exon, 7th intron, 8th exon, 3′ UTR, and any complementary sequence thereof, and any portion of the foregoing, of the endogenous Zm.SAMT gene; wherein the first sequence and the second sequence are contiguous or separated only by an intervening sequence of fewer than 555 nucleotides.

In an aspect, this disclosure provides a method comprising harvesting a plurality of corn plants from a field at least 50 days after at least 50% of said corn plants have reached R3 stage, wherein the average yield of said field is at least 170 bushels per acre, wherein fewer than or equal to 50% of said corn plants have lodged at the time of harvest, and wherein at least one corn plant of said plurality of corn plants comprises a mutant allele of the endogenous GA20 oxidase_5 locus, wherein the mutant allele comprises a genomic deletion relative to a wild type allele of the endogenous GA20 oxidase_5 locus, wherein the genomic deletion is flanked by a first sequence and a second sequence; wherein the first sequence comprises one or more of the 5′ UTR, 1st exon, 1st intron, 2nd exon, 2nd intron, 3rd exon, 3′ UTR, and any complementary sequence thereof, and any portion of the foregoing, of the endogenous Zm.GA20 oxidase_5 gene; and wherein the second sequence comprises one or more of the 5′ UTR, 1st exon, 1st intron, 2nd exon, 2nd intron, 3rd exon, 3rd intron, 4th exon, 4th intron, 5th exon, 5th intron, 6th exon, 6th intron, 7th exon, 7th intron, 8th exon, 3′ UTR, and any complementary sequence thereof, and any portion of the foregoing, of the endogenous Zm.SAMT gene.

In an aspect, this disclosure provides a method comprising harvesting a plurality of corn plants from a field at least 50 days after at least 50% of said corn plants have reached R3 stage, wherein the average yield of said field is at least 170 bushels per acre, wherein fewer than or equal to 50% of said corn plants have lodged at the time of harvest, and wherein at least one corn plant of said plurality of corn plants comprises a mutant allele of the endogenous GA20 oxidase_5 locus, wherein the mutant allele comprises a genomic sequence comprising a first sequence and a second sequence; wherein the first sequence comprises at least 15 consecutive nucleotides of one or more of SEQ ID NOs: 228-235 and 276-283; wherein the second sequence comprises at least 15 consecutive nucleotides of one or more of SEQ ID NOs: 235-276; and wherein the genomic sequence is at least 50 consecutive nucleotides in length, and/or fewer than 9000 consecutive nucleotides in length.

In an aspect, this disclosure provides a method comprising harvesting a plurality of corn plants from a field at least 1 day after the average kernel moisture content of at least 50% of said plurality of corn plants is between 10% and 30%, wherein fewer than or equal to 50% of said corn plants have lodged at the time of harvest, and wherein at least one corn plant of said plurality of corn plants comprises a mutant allele of the endogenous GA20 oxidase_5 locus, wherein the mutant allele comprises a genome modification comprising a deletion of at least a portion of one or more of the following: 5′ UTR, 1st exon, 1st intron, 2nd exon, 2nd intron, 3rd exon, 3′ UTR, and any portion thereof, and the 5′ UTR, 1st exon, 1st intron, 2nd exon, 2nd intron, 3rd exon, 3rd intron, 4th exon, 4th intron, 5th exon, 5th intron, 6th exon, 6th intron, 7th exon, 7th intron, 8th exon, 3′ UTR, and any portion thereof, of the endogenous Zm.SAMT gene.

In an aspect, this disclosure provides a method comprising harvesting a plurality of corn plants from a field at least 1 day after the average kernel moisture content of at least 50% of said plurality of corn plants is between 10% and 30%, wherein fewer than or equal to 50% of said corn plants have lodged at the time of harvest, and wherein at least one corn plant of said plurality of corn plants comprises a mutant allele of the endogenous GA20 oxidase_5 locus, wherein the mutant allele comprises a first sequence and a second sequence; wherein the first sequence comprises one or more of the 5′ UTR, 1st exon, 1st intron, 2nd exon, 2nd intron, 3rd exon, 3′ UTR, and any complementary sequence thereof, and any portion of the foregoing, of the endogenous Zm.GA20 oxidase_5 gene; and wherein the second sequence comprises one or more of the 5′ UTR, 1st exon, 1st intron, 2nd exon, 2nd intron, 3rd exon, 3rd intron, 4th exon, 4th intron, 5th exon, 5th intron, 6th exon, 6th intron, 7th exon, 7th intron, 8th exon, 3′ UTR, and any complementary sequence thereof, and any portion of the foregoing, of the endogenous Zm.SAMT gene; wherein the first sequence and the second sequence are contiguous or separated only by an intervening sequence of fewer than 555 nucleotides.

In an aspect, this disclosure provides a method comprising harvesting a plurality of corn plants from a field at least 1 day after the average kernel moisture content of at least 50% of said plurality of corn plants is between 10% and 30%, wherein fewer than or equal to 50% of said corn plants have lodged at the time of harvest, and wherein at least one corn plant of said plurality of corn plants comprises a mutant allele of the endogenous GA20 oxidase_5 locus, wherein the mutant allele comprises a genomic deletion relative to a wild type allele of the endogenous GA20 oxidase_5 locus, wherein the genomic deletion is flanked by a first sequence and a second sequence; wherein the first sequence comprises one or more of the 5′ UTR, 1st exon, 1st intron, 2nd exon, 2nd intron, 3rd exon, 3′ UTR, and any complementary sequence thereof, and any portion of the foregoing, of the endogenous Zm.GA20 oxidase_5 gene; and wherein the second sequence comprises one or more of the 5′ UTR, 1st exon, 1st intron, 2nd exon, 2nd intron, 3rd exon, 3rd intron, 4th exon, 4th intron, 5th exon, 5th intron, 6th exon, 6th intron, 7th exon, 7th intron, 8th exon, 3′ UTR, and any complementary sequence thereof, and any portion of the foregoing, of the endogenous Zm.SAMT gene.

In an aspect, this disclosure provides a method comprising harvesting a plurality of corn plants from a field at least 1 day after the average kernel moisture content of at least 50% of said plurality of corn plants is between 10% and 30%, wherein fewer than or equal to 50% of said corn plants have lodged at the time of harvest, and wherein at least one corn plant of said plurality of corn plants comprises a mutant allele of the endogenous GA20 oxidase_5 locus, wherein the mutant allele comprises a genomic sequence comprising a first sequence and a second sequence; wherein the first sequence comprises at least 15 consecutive nucleotides of one or more of SEQ ID NOs: 228-235 and 276-283; wherein the second sequence comprises at least 15 consecutive nucleotides of one or more of SEQ ID NOs: 235-276; and wherein the genomic sequence is at least 50 consecutive nucleotides in length, and/or fewer than 9000 consecutive nucleotides in length.

In an aspect, this disclosure provides a method comprising harvesting a plurality of corn plants from a field at least 50 days after fertilization or silking of at least 50% of said plurality of corn plants, wherein fewer than or equal to 50% of said corn plants have lodged at the time of harvest, and wherein at least one corn plant of said plurality of corn plants comprises a recombinant DNA construct comprising a transcribable DNA sequence encoding a GA2 oxidase protein and a plant-expressible promoter, wherein the transcribable DNA sequence is operably linked to the plant-expressible promoter.

In an aspect, this disclosure provides a method comprising harvesting a plurality of corn plants from a field at least 50 days after at least 50% of said corn plants have reached R3 stage, wherein fewer than or equal to 50% of said corn plants have lodged at the time of harvest, and wherein at least one corn plant of said plurality of corn plants comprises a recombinant DNA construct comprising a transcribable DNA sequence encoding a GA2 oxidase protein and a plant-expressible promoter, wherein the transcribable DNA sequence is operably linked to the plant-expressible promoter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 depicts the stalk health ratings of short and tall corn plants at normal and late harvest times.

FIG. 2 depicts an example of a planting, maturation, and harvesting schedule for corn.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure belongs. Unless otherwise provided, where a term is provided in the singular, this disclosure also contemplates the plural of that term. Where there are discrepancies in terms and definitions used in references that are incorporated by reference, the terms used in this application shall have the definitions given herein. Other technical terms used have their ordinary meaning in the art in which they are used, as exemplified by various art-specific dictionaries, for example, “The American Heritage® Science Dictionary” (Editors of the American Heritage Dictionaries, 2011, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Boston and New York), the “McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific and Technical Terms” (6th edition, 2002, McGraw-Hill, New York), or the “Oxford Dictionary of Biology” (6th edition, 2008, Oxford University Press, Oxford and New York). Any references cited herein, including, e.g., all patents, published patent applications, and non-patent publications, are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

When a grouping of alternatives is presented, any and all combinations of the members that make up that grouping of alternatives is specifically envisioned. For example, if an item is selected from a group consisting of A, B, C, and D, the inventors specifically envision each alternative individually (e.g., A alone, B alone, etc.), as well as combinations such as A, B, and D; A, C, and D; A, B, and C; A and C; B and C; A and B; etc. The term “and/or” when used in a list of two or more items means any one of the listed items by itself or in combination with any one or more of the other listed items. For example, the expression “A and/or B” is intended to mean either or both of A and B—i.e., A alone, B alone, or A and B in combination. The expression “A, B and/or C” is intended to mean A alone, B alone, C alone, A and B in combination, A and C in combination, B and C in combination, or A, B, and C in combination.

As well understood in the art, metric measurement values provided herein can be easily converted to standard (S.I.) units where relevant, and vice versa.

As used herein, a “plant” includes an explant, plant part, seedling, plantlet or whole plant at any stage of regeneration or development. As commonly understood, a “corn plant” or “maize plant” refers to any plant of species Zea mays and includes all plant varieties that can be bred with corn, including wild maize species.

As used herein, a “plant part” can refer to any organ or intact tissue of a plant, such as a meristem, shoot organ/structure (e.g., leaf, stem or node), root, flower or floral organ/structure (e.g., bract, sepal, petal, stamen, carpel, anther and ovule), seed, embryo, endosperm, seed coat, fruit, the mature ovary, propagule, or other plant tissues (e.g., vascular tissue, dermal tissue, ground tissue, and the like), or any portion thereof. Plant parts of the present disclosure can be viable, nonviable, regenerable, and/or non-regenerable. A “propagule” can include any plant part that can grow into an entire plant.

As used herein, a “locus” is a chromosomal locus or region where a polymorphic nucleic acid, trait determinant, gene, or marker is located. A “locus” can be shared by two homologous chromosomes to refer to their corresponding locus or region. Without being limiting, a locus can comprise a polynucleotide that encodes a protein or an RNA. A locus can also comprise a non-coding RNA. A locus can comprise a gene. A locus can comprise a promoter, a 5′-untranslated region (UTR), an exon, an intron, a 3′-UTR, or any combination thereof. A locus can comprise a coding region.

As used herein, an “allele” refers to an alternative (e.g., variant) nucleic acid sequence of a gene or at a particular locus (e.g., a nucleic acid sequence of a gene or locus that is different than other alleles for the same gene or locus). Such an allele can be considered (i) wild-type or (ii) mutant if one or more mutations or edits are present in the nucleic acid sequence of the mutant allele relative to the wild-type allele. A mutant or edited allele for a gene may have a reduced or eliminated activity or expression level for the gene relative to the wild-type allele. According to present embodiments, a mutant or edited allele for a gene may have an inversion or antisense sequence that may be complementary to another portion of the gene and/or a coding sequence of another copy or allele of the gene and/or another gene. For diploid organisms such as corn, a first allele can occur on one chromosome, and a second allele can occur at the same locus on a second homologous chromosome. If one allele at a locus on one chromosome of a plant is a mutant or edited allele and the other corresponding allele on the homologous chromosome of the plant is wild-type, then the plant is described as being heterozygous for the mutant or edited allele. However, if both alleles at a locus are mutant or edited alleles, then the plant is described as being homozygous for the mutant or edited alleles. A plant homozygous for mutant alleles at a locus may comprise the same mutant or edited allele or different mutant or edited alleles if heteroallelic or biallelic.

As used herein, an “endogenous locus” refers to a locus at its natural and original chromosomal location. As used herein, the “endogenous GA20 oxidase_3 locus” refers to the GA20 oxidase_3 genic locus at its original chromosomal location. As used herein, the “endogenous GA20 oxidase_5 locus” refers to the GA20 oxidase_5 genic locus at its original chromosomal location. As used herein, the “endogenous GA3 oxidase locus” refers to the GA3 oxidase genic locus at its original chromosomal location. As used herein, the “endogenous br2 locus” refers to the br2 genic locus at its original chromosomal location.

As used herein, a “female” corn plant refers to a corn plant that comprises one or more female reproductive structures that are capable of producing corn ear(s) and kernels (seed). In an aspect, a corn plant provided herein is a female corn plant. In an aspect, a female corn plant is male sterile. In another aspect, a female corn plant is detasseled. In an aspect, the male reproductive organs or flowers (e.g., tassels) of a female corn plant are chemically sterilized (e.g., by application of an herbicide to plants lacking tolerance to the herbicide in those male reproductive organs, flowers or tassels), such as with a Roundup® Hybridization System (RHS). In another aspect, the male reproductive organs or flowers (e.g., tassels) of a female corn plant are sterilized due to cytoplasmic male sterility (or CMS). It is appreciated in the art that a corn plant is monoecious and can be considered both a male corn plant and a female corn plant. In an aspect, a female corn plant is capable of producing pollen. For purposes of the present disclosure, a corn plant having one or more male reproductive organ or structure, such as tassels, and/or capable of producing pollen, is considered a “female” plant if used to generate a corn ear(s) and/or corn seed (i.e., kernels) for production and harvest. A corn plant lacking a male reproductive organ or structure, such as tassels, having a sterilized male reproductive organ or structure, and/or incapable of producing pollen, is also considered a “female” plant if used to generate a corn ear(s) and/or seed (i.e., kernels) for production and harvest. A “female” corn plant may include any pollen-receiving corn plant that produces an ear or female reproductive organ, which can receive pollen from a pollen-bearing corn plant.

As used herein, a “male” corn plant refers to a corn plant that is capable of producing pollen (e.g., form one or more tassels) and is used to pollinate and/or fertilize one or more female corn plant(s) for seed production and harvest, even if the male plant further has a female reproductive structure(s) that is/are capable of producing a corn ear and kernels (seed), which may or may not be harvested. A “male” corn plant may include any pollen-bearing (or pollen-producing) corn plant, which can provide its pollen to a pollen-receiving corn plant.

As used herein, the phrase “at least one” in reference to something (e.g., any object, method step, etc.) means one or more of that something. For example, “at least one plant” or “at least one plants” each means one or more plants. Accordingly, “at least one” can include one or a plurality. Thus, where the present disclosure provides “one or more” of something or “at least one” of something, then the description further supports a plurality of that something.

In an aspect, any mutant allele, mutation (e.g., without being limiting, a deletion, inversion, insertion, or combinations thereof) or transgene provided herein is present in the genome of a female plant. In an aspect, any mutant allele, mutation (e.g., without being limiting, a deletion, inversion, insertion, or combinations thereof) or transgene provided herein is present in the genome of a male plant.

In an aspect, this disclosure provides corn plants comprising a dominant mutant allele. In an aspect, this disclosure provides corn plants comprising a semi-dominant mutant allele. Dominant alleles are alleles that mask the contribution of a second allele at the same locus. A dominant allele can be a “dominant negative allele” or a “dominant positive allele.” Dominant negative alleles, or antimorphs, are alleles that act in opposition to normal allelic function. A dominant negative allele typically does not function normally and either directly inhibits the activity of a wild-type protein (e.g., through dimerization) or inhibits the activity of a second protein that is required for the normal function of the wild-type protein (e.g., an activator or a downstream component of a pathway). For example, a dominant negative allele abrogates or reduces the normal function of an allele in a heterozygous or homozygous state. Dominant positive alleles can increase normal gene function (e.g., a hypermorph) or provide new functions for a gene (e.g., a neomorph). A semi-dominant allele occurs when penetrance of a linked phenotype in individuals heterozygous for the allele is less than that which is observed in individuals homozygous for the allele.

Creation of dominant alleles that work in a heterozygous state, can speed up effective trait development, deployment, and launch of gene editing-derived products in hybrid crops such as corn. Dominant negative alleles have the potential advantage of providing a positive or beneficial plant trait in a heterozygous state—e.g., when present in a single copy. As a result, a dominant negative mutant allele can be introduced through crossing into a progeny plant from a single parent without having to introduce the allele from both parent plants as with a recessive allele.

In an aspect, a dominant mutant allele is a dominant negative allele. In an aspect, a dominant mutant allele is a dominant positive allele.

In an aspect, a dominant mutant allele or a semi-dominant mutant allele comprises an insertion, an inversion, a deletion, or any combination thereof as compared to a wildtype allele of a gene.

In an aspect, a mutant allele provided herein is a dominant mutant allele. In an aspect, a mutant allele provided herein is a semi-dominant mutant allele. In an aspect, a mutant allele provided herein is a dominant negative mutant allele.

In an aspect, a female corn plant is a modified corn plant. In another aspect, a female inbred corn plant is a modified corn plant. In an aspect, a modified plant provided herein is homozygous (or biallelic) for a dominant mutant allele(s) or transgene. In an aspect, a modified plant provided herein is homozygous (or biallelic) for a semi-dominant mutant allele(s). In an aspect, a modified plant provided herein is homozygous (or biallelic) for a dominant negative mutant allele. In an aspect, a modified plant provided herein is heterozygous or hemizygous for a dominant mutant allele or transgene. In an aspect, a modified plant provided herein is heterozygous or hemizygous for a semi-dominant mutant allele or transgene. In an aspect, a modified plant provided herein is heterozygous for a dominant negative mutant allele. As used herein, “modified”, in the context of plants, seeds, plant components, plant cells, and plant genomes, refers to a state containing changes or variations from their natural or native state. According to an aspect, a modified corn plant, which may be a female corn plant, has a shorter plant height as compared to a control plant and/or a male corn plant.

As used herein, the term “control plant” (or likewise a “control” plant seed, plant part, plant cell and/or plant genome) refers to a plant (or plant seed, plant part, plant cell and/or plant genome) that is used for comparison to a modified plant (or modified plant seed, plant part, plant cell and/or plant genome) and has the same or similar genetic background (e.g., same parental lines, hybrid cross, inbred line, testers, etc.) as the modified plant (or plant seed, plant part, plant cell and/or plant genome), except for a transgenic event and/or genome edit(s) (e.g., an inversion or antisense insertion) affecting one or more genes. For example, a control plant may be an inbred line that is the same as the inbred line used to make the modified plant, or a control plant may be the product of the same hybrid cross of inbred parental lines as the modified plant, except for the absence in the control plant of any transgenic or genome edit(s) affecting one or more GA oxidase or br2 genes. Similarly, an unmodified control plant refers to a plant that shares a substantially similar or essentially identical genetic background as a modified plant, but without the one or more engineered changes to the genome (e.g., transgene, mutation or edit) of the modified plant. For purposes of comparison to a modified plant, plant seed, plant part, plant cell and/or plant genome, a “wild-type plant” (or likewise a “wild-type” plant seed, plant part, plant cell and/or plant genome) refers to a non-transgenic and non-genome edited control plant, plant seed, plant part, plant cell and/or plant genome. As used herein, a “control” plant, plant seed, plant part, plant cell and/or plant genome may also be a plant, plant seed, plant part, plant cell and/or plant genome having a similar (but not the same or identical) genetic background to a modified plant, plant seed, plant part, plant cell and/or plant genome, if deemed sufficiently similar for comparison of the characteristics or traits to be analyzed.

In an aspect, this disclosure provides a dominant mutant allele in a GA20 oxidase_3 gene. In an aspect, this disclosure provides a dominant mutant allele in a GA20 oxidase_5 gene. In an aspect, this disclosure provides a dominant mutant allele in a GA3 oxidase gene. In an aspect, this disclosure provides a dominant mutant allele in a brachytic2 gene.

In an aspect, this disclosure provides a semi-dominant mutant allele in a GA20 oxidase_3 gene. In an aspect, this disclosure provides a semi-dominant mutant allele in a GA20 oxidase_5 gene. In an aspect, this disclosure provides a semi-dominant mutant allele in a GA3 oxidase gene. In an aspect, this disclosure provides a semi-dominant mutant allele in a brachytic2 gene.

In an aspect, this disclosure provides a dominant negative mutant allele in a GA20 oxidase_3 gene. In an aspect, this disclosure provides a dominant negative mutant allele in a GA20 oxidase_5 gene. In an aspect, this disclosure provides a dominant negative mutant allele in a GA3 oxidase gene. In an aspect, this disclosure provides a dominant negative mutant allele in a brachytic2 gene.

In an aspect, a female corn plant is homozygous (or biallelic) for a mutant allele or transgene provided herein. In an aspect, a female corn plant is heterozygous for a mutant allele provided herein. In an aspect, a male corn plant is homozygous (or biallelic) for a mutant allele or transgene provided herein. In an aspect, a male corn plant is heterozygous for a mutant allele provided herein. In an aspect, a corn plant is homozygous (or biallelic) for a mutant allele or transgene provided herein. In an aspect, a corn plant is heterozygous for a mutant allele provided herein.

In an aspect, a dominant negative mutant allele generates an antisense RNA transcript capable of triggering suppression of an unmodified or wildtype allele of the gene. In an aspect, a dominant negative mutant allele encodes a truncated protein as compared to an unmodified allele of the gene. In an aspect, a dominant negative mutant allele generates at least one RNA transcript capable of forming a hairpin-loop secondary structure. In an aspect, the coding sequence of a dominant negative mutant allele is operably linked to a promoter of the native copy of the gene. In an aspect, a dominant negative mutant allele comprises a heterologous non-coding RNA target site in the endogenous locus of the gene. In an aspect, a dominant negative mutant allele comprises an inverted copy of the gene, or a portion thereof, adjacent to a wildtype copy of the gene at the endogenous locus of the gene. As used herein, a “portion” of a gene refers to at least 10, at least 20, at least 30, at least 40, at least 50, at least 100, at least 250, at least 500, at least 1000, or at least 2500 consecutive nucleotides of the gene. As used herein, “adjacent” refers to a nucleic acid sequence that is in close proximity, or next to another nucleic acid sequence. In one aspect, adjacent nucleic acid sequences are physically linked. In another aspect, adjacent nucleic acid sequences or genes are immediately next to each other such that there are no intervening nucleotides between the end of a first nucleic acid sequence and the start of a second nucleic acid sequence. In an aspect, a first gene and a second gene are adjacent to each other if they are separated by less than 50,000, less than 25,000, less than 10,000, less than 9000, less than 8000, less than 7000, less than 6000, less than 5000, less than 4000, less than 3000, less than 2500, less than 2000, less than 1750, less than 1500, less than 1250, less than 1000, less than 900, less than 800, less than 700, less than 600, less than 500, less than 400, less than 300, less than 200, less than 100, less than 75, less than 50, less than 25, less than 20, less than 10, less than 5, less than 4, less than 3, less than 2, or less than 1 nucleotides.

In an aspect, a dominant negative mutant allele comprises a deletion of a portion of a chromosome between a first region of the gene and a second region of the gene, wherein an antisense RNA transcript of the first region of the gene is generated following the deletion of the portion of the chromosome. In an aspect, a dominant negative mutant allele comprises a first promoter and a second promoter separated by an intervening region, wherein the first promoter and the second promoter are positioned in opposite orientations, wherein the second promoter generates at least one antisense RNA transcript, and wherein expression of the gene is reduced as compared to a control corn plant that lacks the dominant negative mutant allele. In an aspect, a dominant negative mutant allele comprises a tissue-specific or tissue-preferred promoter inserted into the gene in reverse orientation as compared to the native promoter of the gene, wherein the tissue-specific or tissue-preferred promoter generates at least one antisense RNA transcript, and wherein expression of the gene is reduced as compared to a control corn plant that lacks the dominant negative mutant allele.

In an aspect, this disclosure provides corn plants comprising a dominant or semi-dominant transgene or mutant allele of a gene that causes a short stature phenotype. As used herein, a “short stature phenotype” refers to a dwarf corn plant, a semi-dwarf corn plant, or a brachytic corn plant. In an aspect, a plant is homozygous (or biallelic) for a transgene. In an aspect, a plant is heterozygous for a transgene. In an aspect, a plant is hemizygous for a transgene. In an aspect, a corn plant is homozygous (or biallelic) for a transgene provided herein. In an aspect, a corn plant is heterozygous for a transgene provided herein. In an aspect, a corn plant is hemizygous for a transgene provided herein.

In an aspect, a transgene comprises a recombinant polynucleotide encoding an RNA molecule that suppresses expression of an endogenous GA20 oxidase gene. In an aspect, a transgene comprises a recombinant polynucleotide encoding an RNA molecule that suppresses expression of an endogenous GA20 oxidase_3 gene. In an aspect, a transgene comprises a recombinant polynucleotide encoding an RNA molecule that suppresses expression of an endogenous GA20 oxidase_5 gene. In an aspect, a transgene comprises a recombinant polynucleotide encoding an RNA molecule that suppresses expression of an endogenous GA3 oxidase gene. In an aspect, a transgene comprises a recombinant polynucleotide encoding an RNA molecule that suppresses expression of an endogenous br2 gene. In an aspect, a recombinant polynucleotide is operably linked to a promoter. In an aspect, a transgene comprises a recombinant DNA construct comprising a transcribable DNA sequence encoding a GA2 oxidase protein.

As used herein, the term “plurality” in reference to an item means two or more of such items. For example, a “plurality of plants” means two or more plants.

In an aspect, corn plants disclosed herein are selected from the subspecies Zea mays L. ssp. mays. In an additional aspect, corn plants disclosed herein are selected from the group Zea mays L. subsp. mays Indentata, otherwise known as dent corn. In another aspect, corn plants disclosed herein are selected from the group Zea mays L. subsp. mays Indurata, otherwise known as flint corn. In an aspect, corn plants disclosed herein are selected from the group Zea mays L. subsp. mays Saccharata, otherwise known as sweet corn. In another aspect, corn plants disclosed herein are selected from the group Zea mays L. subsp. mays Amylacea, otherwise known as flour corn. In a further aspect, corn plants disclosed herein are selected from the group Zea mays L. subsp. mays Everta, otherwise known as popcorn. Plants disclosed herein also include hybrids, inbreds, partial inbreds, or members of defined or undefined populations.

Growers must balance crop prices, standability, plant health, and kernel moisture content when determining when to harvest a corn field. As provided herein, corn plants with better standability, such as dwarf corn plants, semi-dwarf corn plants, and brachytic corn plants, are resistant to lodging and thus can remain in the field for a longer period of time prior to harvest without significant loss of yield, or with improved yield relative to taller corn plants (especially when compared to corn plants that have lodged). According to aspects of the present disclosure, the improved standability of short stature corn plants provides growers and seed producers with more flexibility on when to harvest, allows more time for drying down seed or grain prior to harvest, and/or enables or improves direct harvest applications, particularly in corn seed production operations. As used herein, “direct harvesting” refers to the harvesting of crop seeds from plants with a combine harvester in the field with little or no further drying or other processing or desiccation steps prior to seed storage. As used herein, “standability” refers to the ability of a plant or a plurality, population or field of plants, such as a corn plant or a plurality, population or field of corn plants, to stand upright in a position that enables the plant(s) to be harvested by standard farm equipment (e.g., a combine harvester). As used herein, “lodging” can refer to either “stalk lodging” or “root lodging.” Stalk lodging occurs when the corn plant stalk is severely bent or broken below the ear. Root lodging occurs when the corn plant is leaning at an angle (e.g., greater than or equal to 45° relative to perpendicular from the ground, or at an angle less than 45° relative to the ground). Lodged corn plants, whether stalk lodged and/or root lodged, severely limit harvestability by standard farm equipment (e.g., a combine harvester) resulting in up to 100% yield loss of the lodged corn plants.

In an aspect, a modified corn plant provided herein has improved lodging resistance relative to an unmodified control plant.

Growers will leave harvestable corn standing in a field to reduce the kernel moisture content of the grain. Optimal kernel moisture content can vary by growing region and by individual grower. Typically, kernel moisture content decreases the longer the corn plants are left in the field (e.g., the longer the period of time between fertilization or reaching maturity and harvest). However, extending the period of time between fertilization (or reaching maturity or some other developmental stage) and harvesting can increase the chance that plants will lodge, which can result in significant decreases in yield (even up to 100%). As provided herein, by providing plants with reduced heights that have high standability performance (i.e., resistance to lodging), growers are enabled to allow for greater periods of time until harvest without increasing (or significantly or substantially increasing) their risk of yield loss due to lodging. Typical grain moisture contents for harvesting corn are between 15% and 25%, although wider ranges of 13-30% or higher are possible. According to present embodiments, corn plants may be left in the field for a longer period of time after reaching a given grain moisture content percentage.

In an aspect, a method provided herein comprises harvesting a plurality of corn plants from a field at least 30 days, at least 40 days, at least 50 days, at least 60 days, at least 70 days, at least 80 days, at least 90 days, at least 100 days, or at least 110 days after at least 50%, at least 60%, at least 70%, at least 80%, at least 90% or 100% of said corn plants have reached R3 stage, wherein fewer than or equal to 50% of said corn plants have lodged at the time of harvest. In another aspect, a method comprises harvesting a plurality of corn plants from a field at least 30 days, at least 40 days, at least 50 days, at least 60 days, at least 70 days, at least 80 days, at least 90 days, at least 100 days, or at least 110 days after at least 50%, at least 60%, at least 70%, at least 80%, at least 90% or 100% of said corn plants have reached R3 stage, wherein average kernel moisture content is less than or equal to 30% or the kernel moisture content of a corn plant of the plurality of corn plants is less than or equal to 30%, and wherein fewer than or equal to 50% of said corn plants have lodged at the time of harvest. In another aspect, a method comprising harvesting a plurality of corn plants from a field at least 30 days, at least 40 days, at least 50 days, at least 60 days, at least 70 days, at least 80 days, at least 90 days, at least 100 days, or at least 110 days after at least 50%, at least 60%, at least 70%, at least 80%, at least 90% or 100% of said corn plants have reached R3 stage, wherein the average yield of said field is at least 170 bushels per acre, and wherein fewer than or equal to 50% of said corn plants have lodged at the time of harvest.

In an aspect, a method provided herein comprises harvesting a plurality of corn plants from a field at least 30 days, at least 40 days, at least 50 days, at least 60 days, at least 70 days, at least 80 days at least 90 days, at least 100 days, or at least 110 days after fertilization or silking of said plurality of corn plants, wherein fewer than or equal to 50% of said corn plants have lodged at the time of harvest. In another aspect, a method provided herein comprises harvesting a plurality of corn plants from a field at least 30 days, at least 40 days, at least 50 days, at least 60 days, at least 70 days, at least 80 days at least 90 days, at least 100 days, or at least 110 days after fertilization or silking of said plurality of corn plants, wherein the average kernel moisture content is less than or equal to 30% or the kernel moisture content of a corn plant of the plurality of corn plants is less than or equal to 30%, and wherein fewer than or equal to 50% of said corn plants have lodged at the time of harvest. In another aspect, a method provided herein comprises harvesting a plurality of corn plants from a field at least 30 days, at least 40 days, at least 50 days, at least 60 days, at least 70 days, at least 80 days at least 90 days, at least 100 days, or at least 110 days after at fertilization or silking of said plurality of corn plants, wherein the average yield of said field is at least 170 bushels per acre, and wherein fewer than or equal to 50% of said corn plants have lodged at the time of harvest.

In an aspect, a method provided herein comprises harvesting a plurality of corn plants from a field when, or at least 1 day after, the average kernel moisture content of said plurality of corn plants is between 10% and 30%, or less than or equal to 30%, or the kernel moisture content of a corn plant of the plurality of corn plants is between 10% and 30%, or less than or equal to 30%, wherein fewer than or equal to 50% of said corn plants have lodged at the time of harvest. In an aspect, methods provided herein comprise harvesting a plurality of corn plants from a field when, or at least 1 day after, the average kernel moisture content of said plurality of corn plants is between 15% and 25%, or less than or equal to 25%, or less than or equal to 20%, or less than or equal to 15%, or the kernel moisture content of a corn plant of the plurality of corn plants is between 15% and 25%, or less than or equal to 25%, or less than or equal to 20%, or less than or equal to 15%, wherein fewer than or equal to 50% of said corn plants have lodged at the time of harvest. In each of these aspects, the average yield of said plants in a field may be at least 170 bushels per acre.

In an aspect, a method provided herein comprises harvesting a plurality of corn plants from a field at least 30 days, at least 40 days, at least 50 days, at least 60 days, at least 70 days, at least 80 days, at least 90 days, at least 100 days, or at least 110 days after fertilization or silking of at least 50%, at least 60%, at least 70%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, or 100% of said plurality of corn plants, wherein fewer than or equal to 50% of said corn plants have lodged at the time of harvest. In another aspect, a method provided herein comprises harvesting a plurality of corn plants from a field at least 30 days, at least 40 days, at least 50 days, at least 60 days, at least 70 days, at least 80 days, at least 90 days, at least 100 days, or at least 110 days after fertilization or silking of at least 50%, at least 60%, at least 70%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, or 100% of said plurality of corn plants, wherein the average kernel moisture content is less than or equal to 30% or the kernel moisture content of a corn plant of the plurality of corn plants is less than or equal to 30%, and wherein fewer than or equal to 50% of said corn plants have lodged at the time of harvest. In another aspect, a method provided herein comprises harvesting a plurality of corn plants from a field at least 30 days, at least 40 days, at least 50 days, at least 60 days, at least 70 days, at least 80 days, at least 90 days, at least 100 days, or at least 110 days after at fertilization or silking of at least 50%, at least 60%, at least 70%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, or 100% of said plurality of corn plants, wherein the average yield of said field is at least 170 bushels per acre, and wherein fewer than or equal to 50% of said corn plants have lodged at the time of harvest.

In an aspect, a method provided herein comprises harvesting a plurality of corn plants from a field when, or at least 1 day after, the average kernel moisture content of at least 50%, at least 60%, at least 70%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, or 100% of said plurality of corn plants is between 10% and 30%, or less than or equal to 30%, or the kernel moisture content of a corn plant of the plurality of corn plants is between 10% and 30%, or less than or equal to 30%, wherein fewer than or equal to 50% of said corn plants have lodged at the time of harvest. In an aspect, methods provided herein comprise harvesting a plurality of corn plants from a field when, or at least 1 day after, the average kernel moisture content of at least 50%, at least 60%, at least 70%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, or 100% of said plurality of corn plants is between 15% and 25%, or less than or equal to 25%, or less than or equal to 20%, or less than or equal to 15%, or the kernel moisture content of a corn plant of the plurality of corn plants is between 15% and 25%, or less than or equal to 25%, or less than or equal to 20%, or less than or equal to 15%, wherein fewer than or equal to 50% of said corn plants have lodged at the time of harvest. In each of these aspects, the average yield of said plants in a field may be at least 170 bushels per acre.

In an aspect, a method provided herein further comprises growing a plurality of corn plants in a corn field prior to harvesting the plurality of corn plants.

In an aspect, corn plants provided herein are inbred corn plants. As used herein, the term “inbred” means a line that has been bred for genetic homogeneity. In another aspect, corn plants provided herein are hybrid corn plants. As used herein, the term “hybrid” means a progeny of mating between at least two genetically dissimilar parents or inbreds. In an aspect, corn plants provided herein are transgenic, mutant and/or edited corn plants.

In an aspect, at least 10% of the corn plants in a field are inbred corn plants. In an aspect, at least 20% of the corn plants in a field are inbred corn plants. In an aspect, at least 30% of the corn plants in a field are inbred corn plants. In an aspect, at least 40% of the corn plants in a field are inbred corn plants. In an aspect, at least 50% of the corn plants in a field are inbred corn plants. In an aspect, at least 60% of the corn plants in a field are inbred corn plants. In an aspect, at least 70% of the corn plants in a field are inbred corn plants. In an aspect, at least 80% of the corn plants in a field are inbred corn plants. In an aspect, at least 90% of the corn plants in a field are inbred corn plants. In an aspect, 100% of the corn plants in a field are inbred corn plants.

In an aspect, between 1% and 100% of the corn plants in a field are inbred corn plants. In an aspect, between 10% and 100% of the corn plants in a field are inbred corn plants. In an aspect, between 20% and 100% of the corn plants in a field are inbred corn plants. In an aspect, between 30% and 100% of the corn plants in a field are inbred corn plants. In an aspect, between 40% and 100% of the corn plants in a field are inbred corn plants. In an aspect, between 50% and 100% of the corn plants in a field are inbred corn plants. In an aspect, between 60% and 100% of the corn plants in a field are inbred corn plants. In an aspect, between 70% and 100% of the corn plants in a field are inbred corn plants. In an aspect, between 80% and 100% of the corn plants in a field are inbred corn plants. In an aspect, between 90% and 100% of the corn plants in a field are inbred corn plants.

In an aspect, at least 10% of the corn plants in a field are hybrid corn plants. In an aspect, at least 20% of the corn plants in a field are hybrid corn plants. In an aspect, at least 30% of the corn plants in a field are hybrid corn plants. In an aspect, at least 40% of the corn plants in a field are hybrid corn plants. In an aspect, at least 50% of the corn plants in a field are hybrid corn plants. In an aspect, at least 60% of the corn plants in a field are hybrid corn plants. In an aspect, at least 70% of the corn plants in a field are hybrid corn plants. In an aspect, at least 80% of the corn plants in a field are hybrid corn plants. In an aspect, at least 90% of the corn plants in a field are hybrid corn plants. In an aspect, 100% of the corn plants in a field are hybrid corn plants.

In an aspect, between 1% and 100% of the corn plants in a field are hybrid corn plants. In an aspect, between 10% and 100% of the corn plants in a field are hybrid corn plants. In an aspect, between 20% and 100% of the corn plants in a field are hybrid corn plants. In an aspect, between 30% and 100% of the corn plants in a field are hybrid corn plants. In an aspect, between 40% and 100% of the corn plants in a field are hybrid corn plants. In an aspect, between 50% and 100% of the corn plants in a field are hybrid corn plants. In an aspect, between 60% and 100% of the corn plants in a field are hybrid corn plants. In an aspect, between 70% and 100% of the corn plants in a field are hybrid corn plants. In an aspect, between 80% and 100% of the corn plants in a field are hybrid corn plants. In an aspect, between 90% and 100% of the corn plants in a field are hybrid corn plants.

In another aspect, a corn plant provided herein is a semi-dwarf corn plant. As used herein, a “semi-dwarf plant” refers to a plant having a stature or height that is reduced relative to a control wild-type plant by at least 5%, at least 10%, at least 15%, at least 20%, at least 25%, at least 30%, at least 35%, at least 40%, at least 45%, or at least 50%. Such a semi-dwarf plant can be characterized by a reduced stem, stalk, or trunk length when compared to the control wild-type plant under comparable growth conditions, which can result from fewer internodes or shorter average internode length. As used herein, an “internode” refers to the region between two nodes on a corn stalk, and a “node” refers to the point on the corn stalk (e.g., stem) where leaves and/or ears originate.

In an aspect, at least 10% of the corn plants in a field are semi-dwarf corn plants. In an aspect, at least 20% of the corn plants in a field are semi-dwarf corn plants. In an aspect, at least 30% of the corn plants in a field are semi-dwarf corn plants. In an aspect, at least 40% of the corn plants in a field are semi-dwarf corn plants. In an aspect, at least 50% of the corn plants in a field are semi-dwarf corn plants. In an aspect, at least 60% of the corn plants in a field are semi-dwarf corn plants. In an aspect, at least 70% of the corn plants in a field are semi-dwarf corn plants. In an aspect, at least 80% of the corn plants in a field are semi-dwarf corn plants. In an aspect, at least 90% of the corn plants in a field are semi-dwarf corn plants. In an aspect, 100% of the corn plants in a field are semi-dwarf corn plants.

In an aspect, between 1% and 100% of the corn plants in a field are semi-dwarf corn plants. In an aspect, between 10% and 100% of the corn plants in a field are semi-dwarf corn plants. In an aspect, between 20% and 100% of the corn plants in a field are semi-dwarf corn plants. In an aspect, between 30% and 100% of the corn plants in a field are semi-dwarf corn plants. In an aspect, between 40% and 100% of the corn plants in a field are semi-dwarf corn plants. In an aspect, between 50% and 100% of the corn plants in a field are semi-dwarf corn plants. In an aspect, between 60% and 100% of the corn plants in a field are semi-dwarf corn plants. In an aspect, between 70% and 100% of the corn plants in a field are semi-dwarf corn plants. In an aspect, between 80% and 100% of the corn plants in a field are semi-dwarf corn plants. In an aspect, between 90% and 100% of the corn plants in a field are semi-dwarf corn plants.

In an aspect, a corn plant provided herein is a dwarf corn plant. As used herein, a “dwarf” plant refers to an atypically small plant. Generally, such a “dwarf plant” has a stature or height that is reduced from that of a control wild-type plant (e.g., a sibling plant comprising all other traits except the dwarf trait) by at least 30%, at least 35%, at least 40%, at least 45%, at least 50%, at least 55%, at least 60%, or at least 75%.

In an aspect, at least 10% of the corn plants in a field are dwarf corn plants. In an aspect, at least 20% of the corn plants in a field are dwarf corn plants. In an aspect, at least 30% of the corn plants in a field are dwarf corn plants. In an aspect, at least 40% of the corn plants in a field are dwarf corn plants. In an aspect, at least 50% of the corn plants in a field are dwarf corn plants. In an aspect, at least 60% of the corn plants in a field are dwarf corn plants. In an aspect, at least 70% of the corn plants in a field are dwarf corn plants. In an aspect, at least 80% of the corn plants in a field are dwarf corn plants. In an aspect, at least 90% of the corn plants in a field are dwarf corn plants. In an aspect, 100% of the corn plants in a field are dwarf corn plants.

In an aspect, between 1% and 100% of the corn plants in a field are dwarf corn plants. In an aspect, between 10% and 100% of the corn plants in a field are dwarf corn plants. In an aspect, between 20% and 100% of the corn plants in a field are dwarf corn plants. In an aspect, between 30% and 100% of the corn plants in a field are dwarf corn plants. In an aspect, between 40% and 100% of the corn plants in a field are dwarf corn plants. In an aspect, between 50% and 100% of the corn plants in a field are dwarf corn plants. In an aspect, between 60% and 100% of the corn plants in a field are dwarf corn plants. In an aspect, between 70% and 100% of the corn plants in a field are dwarf corn plants. In an aspect, between 80% and 100% of the corn plants in a field are dwarf corn plants. In an aspect, between 90% and 100% of the corn plants in a field are dwarf corn plants.

As used herein, the term “polynucleotide” refers to a nucleic acid molecule containing multiple nucleotides and generally comprises at least 2, at least 5, at least 10, at least 20, at least 30, at least 40, at least 50, at least 100, at least 250, at least 500, at least 1,000, at least 1,500, at least 2,000, at least 2,500, at least 3,000, at least 5,000, or at least 10,000 nucleotide bases. As an example, a polynucleotide provided herein can be a plasmid. The use of the terms “polynucleotide” or “nucleic acid molecule” is not intended to limit the present disclosure to polynucleotides comprising deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA). For example, ribonucleic acid (RNA) molecules are also envisioned. Those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that polynucleotides and nucleic acid molecules can comprise ribonucleotides and combinations of ribonucleotides and deoxyribonucleotides. Such deoxyribonucleotides and ribonucleotides include both naturally occurring molecules and synthetic analogues. The polynucleotides of the present disclosure also encompass all forms of sequences including, but not limited to, single-stranded forms, double-stranded forms, hairpins, stem-and-loop structures, and the like. In an aspect, a nucleic acid molecule provided herein is a DNA molecule. In another aspect, a nucleic acid molecule provided herein is an RNA molecule. In an aspect, a nucleic acid molecule provided herein is single-stranded. In another aspect, a nucleic acid molecule provided herein is double-stranded. In an aspect, a polynucleotide provided herein is single-stranded. In another aspect, a polynucleotide provided herein is double-stranded.

A non-coding RNA molecule can act as a suppression element that targets one or more gene(s) in a plant cell, such as one or more endogenous br2, GA20 or GA3 oxidase gene(s), or as a RNA molecule, such as a guide RNA, etc., that guides a sequence-specific nuclease to cut and trigger a genome editing event at a target site in the genome. Non-limiting examples of non-coding RNA molecules include a microRNA (miRNA), a miRNA precursor (pre-miRNA), a small interfering RNA (siRNA), a small RNA (18-26 nt in length) and precursor encoding same, a heterochromatic siRNA (hc-siRNA), a Piwi-interacting RNA (piRNA), a hairpin double strand RNA (hairpin dsRNA), a trans-acting siRNA (ta-siRNA), a naturally occurring antisense siRNA (nat-siRNA), a CRISPR RNA (crRNA), a tracer RNA (tracrRNA), a guide RNA (gRNA), and a single-guide RNA (sgRNA). In an aspect, a non-coding RNA provided herein is selected from the group consisting of a microRNA, a small interfering RNA, a secondary small interfering RNA, a transfer RNA, a ribosomal RNA, a trans-acting small interfering RNA, a naturally occurring antisense small interfering RNA, a heterochromatic small interfering RNA, and precursors thereof. In another aspect, a non-coding RNA provided herein is selected from the group consisting of a miRNA, a pre-miRNA, a siRNA, a hc-siRNA, a piRNA, a hairpin dsRNA, a ta-siRNA, a nat-siRNA, a crRNA, a tracrRNA, a gRNA, and a sgRNA. In another aspect, a non-coding RNA provided herein is a miRNA. In another aspect, a non-coding RNA provided herein is a siRNA.

As used herein, a “stem-loop structure” refers to a secondary structure in a RNA molecule having a double stranded region (e.g., stem) made up by two annealing RNA strands, sequences or segments of the RNA molecule, connected by a single stranded intervening RNA sequence of the RNA molecule (e.g., a loop or hairpin). A “stem-loop structure” of a RNA molecule can have a more complicated secondary RNA structure, for example, comprising self-annealing double stranded RNA sequences having internal mismatches, bulges and/or loops.

As used herein, a “native sequence” refers to a nucleic acid sequence naturally present in its original chromosomal location.

As used herein, a “wild-type gene” or “wild-type allele” refers to a gene or allele having a sequence or genotype that is most common in a particular plant species or another sequence or genotype having only natural variations, polymorphisms, or other silent mutations relative to the most common sequence or genotype that do not significantly impact the expression and activity of the gene or allele. Indeed, a “wild-type” gene or allele contains no variation, polymorphism, or any other type of mutation that substantially affects the normal function, activity, expression, or phenotypic consequence of the gene or allele relative to the most common sequence or genotype.

The terms “percent identity” or “percent identical” as used herein in reference to two or more nucleotide or protein sequences is calculated by (i) comparing two optimally aligned sequences (nucleotide or protein) over a window of comparison, (ii) determining the number of positions at which the identical nucleic acid base (for nucleotide sequences) or amino acid residue (for proteins) occurs in both sequences to yield the number of matched positions, (iii) dividing the number of matched positions by the total number of positions in the window of comparison, and then (iv) multiplying this quotient by 100% to yield the percent identity. For purposes of calculating “percent identity” between DNA and RNA sequences, a uracil (U) of a RNA sequence is considered identical to a thymine (T) of a DNA sequence. If the window of comparison is defined as a region of alignment between two or more sequences (i.e., excluding nucleotides at the 5′ and 3′ ends of aligned polynucleotide sequences, or amino acids at the N-terminus and C-terminus of aligned protein sequences, that are not identical between the compared sequences), then the “percent identity” may also be referred to as a “percent alignment identity”. If the “percent identity” is being calculated in relation to a reference sequence without a particular comparison window being specified, then the percent identity is determined by dividing the number of matched positions over the region of alignment by the total length of the reference sequence. Accordingly, for purposes of the present disclosure, when two sequences (query and subject) are optimally aligned (with allowance for gaps in their alignment), the “percent identity” for the query sequence is equal to the number of identical positions between the two sequences divided by the total number of positions in the query sequence over its length (or a comparison window), which is then multiplied by 100%.

For optimal alignment of sequences to calculate their percent identity, various pair-wise or multiple sequence alignment algorithms and programs are known in the art, such as ClustalW, or Basic Local Alignment Search Tool® (BLAST®), etc., that may be used to compare the sequence identity or similarity between two or more nucleotide or protein sequences. Although other alignment and comparison methods are known in the art, the alignment between two sequences (including the percent identity ranges described above) may be as determined by the ClustalW or BLAST® algorithm, see, e.g., Chenna R. et al., “Multiple sequence alignment with the Clustal series of programs,” Nucleic Acids Research 31: 3497-3500 (2003); Thompson J D et al., “Clustal W: Improving the sensitivity of progressive multiple sequence alignment through sequence weighting, position-specific gap penalties and weight matrix choice,” Nucleic Acids Research 22: 4673-4680 (1994); and Larkin M A et al., “Clustal W and Clustal X version 2.0,” Bioinformatics 23: 2947-48 (2007); and Altschul, S. F., Gish, W., Miller, W., Myers, E. W. & Lipman, D. J. (1990) “Basic local alignment search tool.” J. Mol. Biol. 215:403-410 (1990), the entire contents and disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.

The terms “percent complementarity” or “percent complementary”, as used herein in reference to two nucleotide sequences, is similar to the concept of percent identity but refers to the percentage of nucleotides of a query sequence that optimally base-pair or hybridize to nucleotides of a subject sequence when the query and subject sequences are linearly arranged and optimally base paired without secondary folding structures, such as loops, stems or hairpins. Such a percent complementarity may be between two DNA strands, two RNA strands, or a DNA strand and a RNA strand. The “percent complementarity” is calculated by (i) optimally base-pairing or hybridizing the two nucleotide sequences in a linear and fully extended arrangement (i.e., without folding or secondary structures) over a window of comparison, (ii) determining the number of positions that base-pair between the two sequences over the window of comparison to yield the number of complementary positions, (iii) dividing the number of complementary positions by the total number of positions in the window of comparison, and (iv) multiplying this quotient by 100% to yield the percent complementarity of the two sequences. Optimal base pairing of two sequences may be determined based on the known pairings of nucleotide bases, such as G-C, A-T, and A-U, through hydrogen bonding. If the “percent complementarity” is being calculated in relation to a reference sequence without specifying a particular comparison window, then the percent identity is determined by dividing the number of complementary positions between the two linear sequences by the total length of the reference sequence. Thus, for purposes of the present disclosure, when two sequences (query and subject) are optimally base-paired (with allowance for mismatches or non-base-paired nucleotides but without folding or secondary structures), the “percent complementarity” for the query sequence is equal to the number of base-paired positions between the two sequences divided by the total number of positions in the query sequence over its length (or by the number of positions in the query sequence over a comparison window), which is then multiplied by 100%.

As used herein, with respective to a given sequence, a “complement”, a “complementary sequence” and a “reverse complement” are used interchangeably. All three terms refer to the inversely complementary sequence of a nucleotide sequence, i.e. to a sequence complementary to a given sequence in reverse order of the nucleotides. As an example, the reverse complement of a nucleotide sequence having the sequence 5′-atggttc-3′ is 5′-gaaccat-3′.

As used herein, the term “antisense” refers to DNA or RNA sequences that are complementary to a specific DNA or RNA sequence. Antisense RNA molecules are single-stranded nucleic acids which can combine with a sense RNA strand or sequence or mRNA to form duplexes due to complementarity of the sequences. The term “antisense strand” refers to a nucleic acid strand that is complementary to the “sense” strand. The “sense strand” of a gene or locus is the strand of DNA or RNA that has the same sequence as a RNA molecule transcribed from the gene or locus (with the exception of Uracil in RNA and Thymine in DNA).

As used herein, an “inverted genomic fragment” refers to a genomic segment that is inverted in the genome such that the original sense strand and anti sense strand sequences are reversed or switched in the opposite orientation for the entire genomic segment.

As used herein, in the context of a “corresponding endogenous sequence” or a “corresponding endogenous DNA segment,” an endogenous sequence or endogenous DNA segment is considered to correspond to another sequence or DNA segment (e.g., an non-endogenous, introduced or inserted sequence or DNA segment) when the sequences or DNA segments share sufficient sequence homology, identity, or complementarity.

The term “operably linked” refers to a functional linkage between a promoter or other regulatory element and an associated transcribable DNA sequence or coding sequence of a gene (or transgene), such that the promoter, etc., operates or functions to initiate, assist, affect, cause, and/or promote the transcription and expression of the associated transcribable DNA sequence or coding sequence, at least in certain cell(s), tissue(s), developmental stage(s), and/or condition(s). Two transcribable DNA sequences can also be “operably linked” to each other if their transcription is subject to the control of a common promoter or other regulatory element. In an aspect, a promoter is selected from the group consisting of a constitutive promoter, an inducible promoter, a tissue-specific promoter, and a tissue-preferred promoter. In an aspect, a promoter is a native promoter.

As used herein, an “encoding region” or “coding region” refers to a portion of a polynucleotide that encodes a functional unit or molecule (e.g., without being limiting, a mRNA, protein, or non-coding RNA sequence or molecule). An “encoding region” or “coding region” can contain, for example, one or more exons, one or more introns, a 5′-UTR, a 3′-UTR, or any combination thereof.

As used herein, an “intervening region” or “intervening sequence” refers to a polynucleotide sequence between a physically linked first polynucleotide sequence and second polynucleotide sequence. The intervening sequence may form a loop, and the first and second sequences may hybridize to form a stem, of a stem-loop structure. In one aspect, an intervening region or intervening sequence comprises at least 1, at least 2, at least 3, at least 4, at least 5, at least 10, at least 25, at least 50, at least 100, at least 150, at least 200, at least 250, at least 500, at least 1000, at least 1250, at least 1500, at least 1750, at least 2000, at least 2500, at least 3000, at least 4000, at least 5000, at least 6000, at least 7000, at least 8000, at least 9000, at least 10,000, at least 15,000, at least 20,000, at least 25,000, or at least 50,000 nucleotides. In one aspect, an intervening region or intervening sequence comprises a DNA sequence. In one aspect, an intervening region or intervening sequence comprises an RNA sequence. In one aspect, an intervening region or intervening sequences comprises an endogenous or native nucleic acid sequence. In another aspect, an intervening region or intervening sequences comprises a transgenic or exogenous nucleic acid sequence. In one aspect, an intervening region or intervening sequences comprises an endogenous or native nucleic acid sequence and a transgenic or exogenous nucleic acid sequence.

The term “recombinant” in reference to a polynucleotide (DNA or RNA) molecule, protein, construct, vector, etc., refers to a polynucleotide or protein molecule or sequence that is man-made and not normally found in nature, and/or is present in a context in which it is not normally found in nature, including a polynucleotide (DNA or RNA) molecule, protein, construct, etc., comprising a combination of two or more polynucleotide or protein sequences that would not naturally occur together in the same manner without human intervention, such as a polynucleotide molecule, protein, construct, etc., comprising at least two polynucleotide or protein sequences that are operably linked but heterologous with respect to each other. For example, the term “recombinant” can refer to any combination of two or more DNA or protein sequences in the same molecule (e.g., a plasmid, construct, vector, chromosome, protein, etc.) where such a combination is man-made and not normally found in nature. As used in this definition, the phrase “not normally found in nature” means not found in nature without human introduction. A recombinant polynucleotide or protein molecule, construct, etc., can comprise polynucleotide or protein sequence(s) that is/are (i) separated from other polynucleotide or protein sequence(s) that exist in proximity to each other in nature, and/or (ii) adjacent to (or contiguous with) other polynucleotide or protein sequence(s) that are not naturally in proximity with each other. Such a recombinant polynucleotide molecule, protein, construct, etc., can also refer to a polynucleotide or protein molecule or sequence that has been genetically engineered and/or constructed outside of a cell. For example, a recombinant DNA molecule can comprise any engineered or man-made plasmid, vector, etc., and can include a linear or circular DNA molecule. Such plasmids, vectors, etc., can contain various maintenance elements including a prokaryotic origin of replication and selectable marker, as well as one or more transgenes or expression cassettes perhaps in addition to a plant selectable marker gene, etc.

As used herein, the term “transgene” refers to a recombinant DNA molecule, construct, or sequence comprising a gene and/or transcribable DNA sequence and integrated or inserted into a plant genome.

As used herein, a “transgenic plant” refers to a plant whose genome has been altered by the integration or insertion of a recombinant DNA molecule, construct, cassette or sequence for expression of a non-coding RNA molecule, mRNA and/or protein in the plant. A transgenic plant includes an R₀plant developed or regenerated from an originally transformed plant cell(s) as well as progeny transgenic plants in later generations or crosses from the R₀transgenic plant that comprise the recombinant DNA molecule, construct, cassette or sequence. A plant having an integrated or inserted recombinant DNA molecule, construct, cassette or sequence is considered a transgenic plant even if the plant also has other mutation(s) or edit(s) that would not themselves be considered transgenic.

As used herein, the term “heterologous” can refer broadly to a combination of two or more DNA molecules or sequences, such as a promoter and an associated transcribable DNA sequence, coding sequence, or gene, when such a combination is man-made and not normally found in nature. The term “heterologous” in reference to a promoter or other regulatory sequence in relation to an associated polynucleotide sequence (e.g., a transcribable DNA sequence or coding sequence or gene) is a promoter or regulatory sequence that is not operably linked to such associated polynucleotide sequence in nature—e.g., the promoter or regulatory sequence has a different origin relative to the associated polynucleotide sequence and/or the promoter or regulatory sequence is not naturally occurring in a plant species to be transformed with the promoter or regulatory sequence. For example, a transcribable DNA sequence encoding a non-coding RNA molecule that targets one or more GA oxidase gene(s) for suppression can be operably linked to a heterologous plant-expressible promoter.

As used herein, the term “expression” refers to the process for converting the genetic information of a gene into a functional unit (without being limiting, for example, a mRNA and/or protein or a non-coding RNA molecule).

As used herein, the terms “suppress,” “suppression,” “inhibit,” “inhibition,” “inhibiting,” and “downregulation” refer to a lowering, reduction or elimination of the expression level of a mRNA and/or protein encoded by a gene in a plant, plant cell, or plant tissue at one or more stage(s) of plant development, as compared to the expression level of such mRNA and/or protein in a wild-type or control plant, cell, or tissue at the same stage(s) of plant development. In an aspect, a polynucleotide provided herein can suppress the expression of a complementary target gene. In another aspect, a non-coding RNA molecule can suppress the expression of a complementary target gene.

As used herein, a “mutation” refers to an insertion, deletion, substitution, duplication, or inversion of one or more nucleotides and/or encoded amino acids as compared to a reference or wild-type nucleotide and/or amino acid sequence, which can be introduced by any suitable mutagenesis or gene editing technique.

There are different ways in which a corn plant can be made to have a shorter semi-dwarf plant height. According to many aspects, a corn plant can be made shorter or semi-dwarf relative to a control plant by lowering the level(s) of active GAs in one or more tissue(s) of the plant, such as by suppressing, mutating or editing a GA oxidase gene in the corn plant. In an aspect, a corn plant provided herein comprises a recombinant polynucleotide capable of suppressing expression of one or more GA20 oxidase and/or GA3 oxidase gene(s) and/or mRNA(s) transcribed therefrom. Alternatively, a corn plant provided herein comprises one or more mutation(s) or edit(s) in one or more GA20 oxidase and/or GA3 oxidase gene(s). According to other aspects, corn plants can have a mutation or edit in an auxin, brassinosteroid, jasmonic acid, cell cycle regulation, and/or other pathway gene(s) that are shown to affect plant height. According to yet further embodiments, corn plants can be made shorter by application of one or more chemistries shown to affect plant height. According to another aspect, a corn plant or plurality of corn plants provided herein can comprise a mutation or edit in one or more loci or genes, or a transgene targeting such one or more loci or genes, that have been associated with a short stature phenotype in corn, such as one or more of the following: anther ear 1 (An1), brachytic 1 (Br1), brevis plant 1 (Bv1) or brachytic 3 (br3), crinkly 4 (Cr4), compact plant 2 (Ct2), dwarf plant 1 (d1), dwarf plant 8 (d8), dwarf plant 9 (d9), nana plant 1 (Na1), nana plant 2 (Na2), non-chromosomal stripe 3 (Nsc3), narrow leaf dwarf/(Nld1), reduced plant 1 (Rd1), semi-dwarf/(Sdw1), semi-dwarf 2 (Sdw2), tangled 1 (Tan1), terminal ear 1 (Te1), and vanishing tassel 2 (Vt2). As used herein, a “mutation” includes an edit—i.e., a mutation introduced via a genome editing technique.

In an aspect, a corn plant(s) is homozygous for one or more mutation(s) and/or edit(s) in one of the foregoing native corn genes. In an aspect, a corn plant is biallelic for a first mutation and/or edit and a second mutation and/or edit in one of the foregoing native corn genes.

As used herein, a “brachytic plant” refers to a plant having a mutated, edited or suppressed brachytic gene and a short semi-dwarf height and stature relative to a control plant (e.g., a wild-type sibling plant comprising all other traits except the brachytic trait) due to a shortening of the average internode length. Such a brachytic mutant plant can have a short semi-dwarf height and stature due to a shortening of the average internode length. As used herein, a “brachytic gene”, “Br gene” or “br gene”, or “Br gene” refers to any brachytic gene in a corn plant that when suppressed, mutated or edited to reduce its expression or function can result in a shorter, semi-dwarf corn plant and phenotype.

Certain mutations of brachytic genes have been shown to result in a short stature, semi-dwarf phenotype. In an aspect of the present disclosure, a corn plant is provided having a non-silent mutation or edit in a brachytic gene. See, e.g., PCT Application No. PCT/US2016/029492 and PCT/US2017/067888, the entire contents and disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. Thus, a shorter corn plant can comprise a mutation (or edit) in a brachytic gene, and can be homozygous (or biallelic) for a mutation (or edit) in a brachytic gene. As used herein, a “brachytic mutant plant” refers to a plant having a short semi-dwarf height and stature relative to a control plant (e.g., a wild-type sibling plant comprising all other traits except the brachytic trait) due to a shortening of the average internode length. Such a brachytic mutant plant can have a short semi-dwarf height and stature due to a shortening of the average internode length. As used herein, a “brachytic gene”, “BR gene” or “br gene”, or “Br gene” refers to any brachytic gene in a corn plant that when mutated or edited to reduce its expression or function can result in a shorter, semi-dwarf corn plant and phenotype. In an aspect, an inbred corn plant or plurality of inbred corn plants provided herein each has a non-silent mutation or edit in a brachytic gene. In an aspect, the brachytic gene is a br1 mutant gene. In another aspect, the brachytic gene is a br2 mutant gene. In yet another aspect, the brachytic gene is a br3 mutant gene.

In maize, brachytic mutants have a short stature due to a shortening of the internode length without a corresponding reduction in the number of internodes or the number and size of other organs, including the leaves, ear and tassel. See Kempton J. Hered. 11:111-115(1920); Pilu et al., Molecular Breeding, 20:83-91(2007). Three brachytic mutants have been isolated in maize to date: brachytic1 (br1), brachytic2 (br2) and brachytic3 (br3). Both br1 and br3 mutations cause a reduction in corn plant height, which has been thought too severe for commercial exploitation due to potential impacts on yield. In contrast, the br2 mutant has particular agronomic potential because of shortening of the internodes of the lower stalk without an obvious reduction in other plant organs. In addition, br2 lines exhibit an unusual stalk strength and tolerance to wind lodging, while the leaves are often darker and persist longer in the active green than those of the wild-type plants. The br2 phenotype is insensitive to treatment with gibberellins, auxins, brassinosteroids and cytokinins, suggesting that the biosynthesis of these hormones is not modified by the br2 mutation. Multani et al. identified the genomic sequence of the br2 gene (SEQ ID NO: 58) and deposited it under GenBank Accession No. AY366085. See Multani et al., Science, 302(5642)81-84 (2003). br2 was annotated to encode a putative protein similar to adenosine triphosphate (ATP)-binding cassette transporters of the multidrug resistant (MDR) class of P-glycoproteins (PGPs). Pilu et al. reported a br2-23 allele having an 8-bp deletion in the 3′ end of the br2 gene and claimed a direct relationship between this deletion and the brachytic phenotype in their br2-23 plants. See Pilu et al., Molecular Breeding, 20:83-91(2007). Nevertheless, the use of brachytic mutations in corn has not been exploited commercially partly because of the severity of the available brachytic mutant alleles.

A wild-type genomic DNA sequence of the br2 locus from a reference genome is provided in SEQ ID NO: 132. A wild-type cDNA sequence of the br2 locus from a reference genome is provided in SEQ ID NO: 180. A wild-type amino acid sequence encoded by SEQ ID NO: 180 is provided in SEQ ID NO: 181.

For the br2 gene, SEQ ID NO: 132 provides 954 nucleotides upstream of the br2 5′-UTR; nucleotides 955-1000 correspond to the 5′-UTR; nucleotides 1001-1604 correspond to the first exon; nucleotides 1605-1747 correspond to the first intron; nucleotides 1748-2384 correspond to the second exon; nucleotides 2385-2473 correspond to the second intron; nucleotides 2474-2784 correspond to the third exon; nucleotides 2785-3410 correspond to the third intron; nucleotides 3411-3640 correspond to the fourth exon; nucleotides 3641-5309 correspond to the fourth intron; nucleotides 5310-7667 correspond to the fifth exon; and nucleotides 7668-8029 correspond to the 3′-UTR. SEQ ID NO: 132 also provides 638 nucleotides downstream of the end of the 3′-UTR (nucleotides 8030-8667).

As used herein, a “brachytic allele” is an allele at a particular genomic locus that confers, or contributes to, a brachytic or semi-dwarf phenotype, such as an allele of a brachytic gene that causes a brachytic or semi-dwarf phenotype, or alternatively, is an allele that allows for the identification of plants that comprise a brachytic phenotype or plants that can give rise to progenies with a brachytic phenotype. For example, a brachytic allele of a marker can be a marker allele that segregates with a brachytic phenotype.

In some aspects, a brachytic, dwarf, or semi-dwarf corn plant comprises a reduced level of br2 mRNA and/or protein, as compared to a control corn plant not having the brachytic allele. In other aspects, the corn plants or seeds comprise reduced Br2 protein activity compared to a control plant not having the brachytic allele. In some aspects, the height of a brachytic, dwarf, or semi-dwarf plant comprising a brachytic allele at maturity is reduced by at least 10%, at least 20%, at least 30%, at least 40%, at least 50%, at least 60%, or at least 70% compared to a control plant not having a brachytic allele. In another aspect, the yield of a brachytic, dwarf, or semi-dwarf corn plant comprising a brachytic allele is equal to or more than the yield of a control plant not having the brachytic allele. In an aspect, a brachytic, dwarf, or semi-dwarf corn plant comprising a brachytic allele requires about 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, or 25% fewer heat units than a control plant not having the brachytic allele to reach anthesis. In an aspect, a brachytic, dwarf, or semi-dwarf corn plant is homozygous for a brachytic allele. In another aspect, a brachytic, dwarf, or semi-dwarf corn plant is heterozygous for a brachytic allele. In another aspect, a brachytic, dwarf, or semi-dwarf corn plant is a hybrid. In another aspect, a brachytic, dwarf, or semi-dwarf corn plant is an inbred, such as a female inbred.

In an aspect, this disclosure provides brachytic, dwarf, or semi-dwarf corn plants comprising a brachytic allele comprising one or more sequences selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 59-85. In another aspect, a brachytic, dwarf, or semi-dwarf corn plant comprises a single gene conversion of the br2 genomic region.

In an aspect, a brachytic, dwarf, or semi-dwarf corn plant comprises a brachytic allele at a polymorphic locus, wherein the polymorphic locus is associated with, or linked to, a marker selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 86-131. In another aspect, a brachytic allele at a polymorphic locus is within 20 cM (centimorgans), within 10 cM, within 5 cM, within 1 cM, or within 0.5 cM of a marker selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 86-131. In another aspect, a brachytic allele is at a polymorphic locus within 20 cM, within 10 cM, within 5 cM, within 1 cM, or within 0.5 cM of a marker selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 90-117. In another aspect, a brachytic allele is at a polymorphic locus within 20 cM, within 10 cM, within 5 cM, within 1 cM, or within 0.5 cM of a marker selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 92 and 117.

In an aspect, a corn plant or plurality of corn plants provided herein, such as a female corn plant or inbred or a plurality or population of female corn plants, can comprise at least one non-natural brachytic mutation, where the corn plant exhibits a semi-dwarf phenotype compared to a control corn plant not comprising the at least one non-natural brachytic mutation when grown under comparable conditions. In another aspect, a corn plant provided herein can comprise at least one non-natural brachytic mutation. In another aspect, a corn plant provided herein can comprise at least one non-natural brachytic mutant allele. In another aspect, a corn plant provided herein can comprise at least one non-natural brachytic mutation and exhibits a semi-dwarf phenotype. In another aspect, a corn plant provided herein can comprise at least one non-natural brachytic mutant allele and exhibit a semi-dwarf phenotype. In another aspect, a corn plant provided herein can comprise a non-naturally occurring mutation in a br gene reducing the activity of the br gene, where the mutation is not introduced via a transposon. In another aspect, a corn plant provided herein can comprise a mutation in a br2 locus or gene as compared to a wildtype br2 locus or gene. In an aspect, a corn plant provided herein is homozygous (or biallelic) for a mutation in a br2 locus or gene as compared to a wildtype br2 locus or gene. In another aspect, a corn plant provided herein is heterozygous for a mutation in a br2 locus or gene as compared to a wildtype br2 locus or gene. In another aspect, a corn plant provided herein can comprise a modified br2 gene with reduced activity, where the corn plant does not comprise a br2-23 brachytic allele or SNP5259. In another aspect, a corn plant provided herein can comprise a synthetic mutation in a br gene, reducing the activity of the br gene.

In an aspect, a corn plant or plurality of corn plants provided herein, such as a female corn plant or inbred or a plurality or population of female corn plants, can each comprise a non-transgene or non-transposon mediated mutation in a br gene reducing the activity of the br gene. In another aspect, a corn plant provided herein can comprise a recessive, non-transgenic br mutant allele. In another aspect, a corn plant provided herein can comprise a heterologous polynucleotide capable of suppressing expression of a br gene or an mRNA transcribed therefrom. In another aspect, a corn plant provided herein can comprise a heterologous polynucleotide capable of suppressing expression of a br1 gene or an mRNA transcribed therefrom. In another aspect, a corn plant provided herein can comprise a heterologous polynucleotide capable of suppressing expression of a br2 gene or an mRNA transcribed therefrom. In another aspect, a corn plant provided herein can comprise a heterologous polynucleotide capable of suppressing expression of a br3 gene or an mRNA transcribed therefrom. Additional details about altering the expression of br genes can be found in PCT Application No. PCT/US2016/029492 and PCT/US2017/067888, the entire contents and disclosure of which are incorporated herein by reference.

In an aspect, this disclosure provides a mutant allele of an endogenous br2 locus, where the mutant allele comprises a DNA segment inserted into the endogenous br2 locus, wherein the DNA segment encodes an antisense RNA that is at least 70%, at least 80%, at least 90%, at least 91%, at least 92%, at least 93%, at least 94%, at least 95%, at least 96%, at least 97%, at least 98%, at least 99%, or 100% complementary to at least 20, at least 30, at least 40, at least 50, at least 100, at least 200, at least 300, at least 400, at least 500, at least 600, at least 700, at least 800, at least 900, or at least 1000 consecutive nucleotides of SEQ ID NOs: 132 or 180, and wherein the mutant allele of the endogenous br2 locus produces an RNA transcript comprising the antisense RNA sequence. In an aspect, a mutant allele of an endogenous br2 locus further comprises deletion of at least one portion of the endogenous br2 locus. In an aspect, a “portion” of an endogenous br2 locus refers to at least 1 nucleotide.

In an aspect, a modified corn plant, or plant part thereof, is homozygous for a deletion within an endogenous br2 locus. In an aspect, a modified corn plant, or plant part thereof, is biallelic for a first mutant allele and a second mutant allele each within an endogenous br2 locus. In an aspect, a first mutant allele comprises a deletion and/or an inversion or antisense sequence. In an aspect, a second mutant allele comprises a deletion and/or an inversion or antisense sequence. In an aspect, a modified corn plant, or plant part thereof, is heterozygous for a deletion and/or an inversion or antisense sequence within an endogenous br2 locus.

In an aspect, a modified corn plant, or plant part thereof, is homozygous for a mutant allele at an endogenous br2 locus. In an aspect, a modified corn plant, or plant part thereof, is biallelic for a first mutant allele and a second mutant allele at an endogenous br2 locus. In an aspect, a modified corn plant, or plant part thereof, is heterozygous for a mutant allele at an endogenous br2 locus.

In an aspect, a deletion within an endogenous br2 locus comprises between 1 nucleotide and 8667 nucleotides, between 1 nucleotide and 8000 nucleotides, between 1 nucleotide and 7000 nucleotides, between 1 nucleotide and 6000 nucleotides, between 1 nucleotide and 5000 nucleotides, between 1 nucleotide and 4000 nucleotides, between 1 nucleotide and 3000 nucleotides, between 1 nucleotide and 2000 nucleotides, between 1 nucleotide and 1000 nucleotides, between 1 nucleotide and 750 nucleotides, between 1 nucleotide and 500 nucleotides, between 1 nucleotide and 250 nucleotides, between 1 nucleotide and 100 nucleotides, between 1 nucleotide and 50 nucleotides, between 10 nucleotide and 8000 nucleotides, between 10 nucleotide and 5000 nucleotides, between 10 nucleotide and 2500 nucleotides, between 10 nucleotide and 1000 nucleotides, between 10 nucleotide and 100 nucleotides, between 100 nucleotide and 8000 nucleotides, between 100 nucleotide and 5000 nucleotides, between 100 nucleotide and 2500 nucleotides, between 100 nucleotide and 1000 nucleotides, or between 100 nucleotide and 500 nucleotides. In an aspect, a deletion within an endogenous br2 locus comprises at least 1 nucleotide. In an aspect, a deletion within an endogenous br2 locus comprises at least 2 nucleotides. In an aspect, a deletion within an endogenous br2 locus comprises at least 5 nucleotides. In an aspect, a deletion within an endogenous br2 locus comprises at least 10 nucleotides. In an aspect, a deletion within an endogenous br2 locus comprises at least 20 nucleotides. In an aspect, a deletion within an endogenous br2 locus comprises at least 30 nucleotides. In an aspect, a deletion within an endogenous br2 locus comprises at least 40 nucleotides. In an aspect, a deletion within an endogenous br2 locus comprises at least 50 nucleotides. In an aspect, a deletion within an endogenous br2 locus comprises at least 100 nucleotides. In an aspect, a deletion within an endogenous br2 locus comprises at least 200 nucleotides. In an aspect, a deletion within an endogenous br2 locus comprises at least 300 nucleotides. In an aspect, a deletion within an endogenous br2 locus comprises at least 400 nucleotides. In an aspect, a deletion within an endogenous br2 locus comprises at least 500 nucleotides.

In an aspect, this disclosure provides a mutant allele of an endogenous br2 locus, where the mutant allele comprises a deletion of at least one nucleotide from at least one exon of an endogenous br2 locus as compared to SEQ ID NO: 132. In an aspect, a deletion further comprises the deletion of at least one exon of an endogenous br2 locus as compared to SEQ ID NO: 132. In an aspect, a deletion comprises the deletion of an endogenous br2 locus. In an aspect, a deletion comprises the deletion of at least two exons from an endogenous br2 locus. In an aspect, two deleted exons from an endogenous br2 locus are contiguous. In an aspect, two deleted exons from an endogenous br2 locus are not contiguous. In an aspect, the first exon of an endogenous br2 locus is deleted. In an aspect, the second exon of an endogenous br2 locus is deleted. In an aspect, the third exon of an endogenous br2 locus is deleted. In an aspect, the fourth exon of an endogenous br2 locus is deleted. In an aspect, the fifth exon of an endogenous br2 locus is deleted. In an aspect, a deletion further comprises the deletion of at least one nucleotide from at least one intron of an endogenous br2 locus. In an aspect, a deletion further comprises the deletion of at least one nucleotide from at least one intron of an endogenous br2 locus. In an aspect, a deletion comprises the deletion of at least one intron of an endogenous br2 locus. In an aspect, a deletion comprises the deletion of at least one nucleotide of the 5′-untranslated region of the endogenous br2 locus. In an aspect, a deletion comprises the deletion of at least one nucleotide of the 3′-untranslated region of the endogenous br2 locus.

In an aspect, a deletion comprises deletion of at least one nucleotide of the first exon of an endogenous br2 locus. In an aspect, a deletion comprises deletion of at least one nucleotide of the second exon of an endogenous br2 locus. In an aspect, a deletion comprises deletion of at least one nucleotide of the third exon of an endogenous br2 locus. In an aspect, a deletion comprises deletion of at least one nucleotide of the fourth exon of an endogenous br2 locus. In an aspect, a deletion comprises deletion of at least one nucleotide of the fifth exon of an endogenous br2 locus.

In an aspect, a deletion comprises deletion of the first exon of an endogenous br2 locus. In an aspect, a deletion comprises deletion of the second exon of an endogenous br2 locus. In an aspect, a deletion comprises deletion of the third exon of an endogenous br2 locus. In an aspect, a deletion comprises deletion of the fourth exon of an endogenous br2 locus. In an aspect, a deletion comprises deletion of the fifth exon of an endogenous br2 locus.

In an aspect, a deletion comprises deletion of at least one nucleotide of at least one intron of an endogenous br2 locus. In an aspect, a deletion comprises deletion of at least one intron of an endogenous br2 locus. In an aspect, a deletion comprises deletion of at least one nucleotide of the 5′-untranslated region of an endogenous br2 locus. In an aspect, a deletion comprises deletion of the 5′-untranslated region of an endogenous br2 locus. In an aspect, a deletion comprises deletion of at least one nucleotide of the 3′-untranslated region of an endogenous br2 locus. In an aspect, a deletion comprises deletion of the 3′-untranslated region of an endogenous br2 locus.

In an aspect, a deletion comprises a deletion of at least one nucleotide of at least one intron, a deletion of at least one nucleotide of at least one exon, at least one nucleotide of a 5′-untranslated region (UTR), at least one nucleotide of a 3′-UTR, or any combination thereof of an endogenous br2 locus.

In an aspect, a deletion comprises deletion of at least one nucleotide from a first exon and at least one nucleotide from a second exon of an endogenous br2 locus. In an aspect, a deletion comprises deletion of at least one nucleotide from a first exon, at least one nucleotide from a second exon, and at least one nucleotide from a third exon of an endogenous br2 locus. In an aspect, a deletion comprises deletion of at least one nucleotide from a first exon, at least one nucleotide from a second exon, at least one nucleotide from a third exon, and at least one nucleotide from a fourth exon of an endogenous br2 locus. In an aspect, a deletion comprises deletion of at least one nucleotide from a first exon, at least one nucleotide from a second exon, at least one nucleotide from a third exon, at least one nucleotide from a fourth exon, and at least one nucleotide from a fifth exon of an endogenous br2 locus.

In an aspect, a deletion comprises a deletion of a first exon and a second exon from an endogenous br2 locus. In an aspect, a first deleted exon and a second deleted exon are contiguous. In an aspect, a first deleted exon and a second deleted exon are not contiguous. In an aspect, a deletion comprises deletion of a first exon and a second exon from an endogenous br2 locus. In an aspect, a deletion comprises deletion of a first exon, a second exon, and a third exon from an endogenous br2 locus. In an aspect, a deletion comprises deletion of a first exon, a second exon, a third exon, and a fourth exon from an endogenous br2 locus. In an aspect, a deletion comprises deletion of a first exon, a second exon, a third exon, a fourth exon, and a fifth exon from an endogenous br2 locus.

In an aspect, a deletion in an endogenous br2 locus results in a premature stop codon within an mRNA transcript encoding a Br2 protein. In an aspect, this disclosure provides a modified corn plant, or plant part thereof, comprising a premature stop codon within a nucleic acid sequence encoding a Brachytic2 protein as compared to a control corn plant or plant part thereof. In an aspect, a mutant allele encodes an mRNA transcript comprising a premature stop codon as compared to SEQ ID NO: 180.

According to some embodiments, an endogenous gene can be edited or engineered to express a truncated protein relative to a wild type protein by the introduction of a premature stop codon into the coding sequence and the encoded mRNA transcript of the endogenous gene. Without being bound by theory, a truncated Br2 protein expressed from an edited endogenous br2 gene comprising a premature stop codon may not only be non-functional or have reduced function, but also interfere with the functioning of a wild type Br2 protein to act in a dominant or semi-dominant manner. In an aspect, a premature stop codon within an mRNA transcript results in translation of a truncated protein as compared to a control mRNA transcript that lacks the premature stop codon. As used herein, a “stop codon” refers to a nucleotide triplet within an mRNA transcript that signals a termination of protein translation. A “premature stop codon” refers to a stop codon positioned earlier (e.g., on the 5′-side) than the normal stop codon position in an endogenous mRNA transcript. A stop codon is a nucleotide triplet in a mRNA that signals the termination of protein translation from the mRNA. Without being limiting, several stop codons are known in the art, including “UAG,” “UAA,” “UGA,” “TAG,” “TAA,” and “TGA.” In an aspect, a premature stop codon can arise from a frameshift mutation. Frameshift mutations can be caused by the insertion or deletion of one or more nucleotides in a protein-coding sequence. In an aspect, a premature stop codon can arise from a substitution, missense or nonsense mutation. In an aspect, a nonsense, missense or frameshift mutation provided herein is located in an exon of a br2 gene. In an aspect, a substitution, insertion or deletion provided herein is located in a gene element selected from the group consisting of an exon and an intron/exon splice site. A substitution, insertion or deletion provided herein can generate a protein with one or more, two or more, three or more, four or more, five or more, six or more, seven or more, eight or more, nine or more, or ten or more nonsense mutations. According to present embodiments, a premature stop codon may be introduced into the coding sequence of an endogenous br2 gene via a targeted editing technique and/or site-directed integration. The premature stop codon may be generated via imperfect DNA repair following a double strand break introduced into a br2 gene, or via template-assisted repair following introduction of the double strand break using a DNA donor template comprising the premature stop codon. Such a DNA donor template may further comprise one or more flanking homologous arms or sequences that are identical, homologous or complementary to a corresponding sequence of the endogenous br2 gene to help promote recombination between the donor template and the target site in the endogenous br2 gene for insertion of a sequence comprising the premature stop codon at the desired target site.

In an aspect, a premature stop codon is positioned within the first exon of an endogenous br2 locus. In an aspect, a premature stop codon is positioned within the second exon of an endogenous br2 locus. In an aspect, a premature stop codon is positioned within the third exon of an endogenous br2 locus. In an aspect, a premature stop codon is positioned within the fourth exon of an endogenous br2 locus. In an aspect, a premature stop codon is positioned within the fifth exon of an endogenous br2 locus.

In an aspect, a mutant allele provided herein encodes a truncated protein as compared to SEQ ID NO: 181. As used herein, a “truncated” protein or polypeptide comprises at least one fewer amino acid as compared to an endogenous control protein or polypeptide. For example, if endogenous Protein A comprises 100 amino acids, a truncated version of Protein A can comprise between 1 and 99 amino acids.

In an aspect, this disclosure provides a modified corn plant, or plant part thereof, comprising a premature stop codon within a nucleic acid sequence encoding a Brachytic2 protein as compared to a nucleic acid sequence of a control corn plant or plant part thereof. In an aspect, this disclosure provides a modified corn plant, or plant part thereof, comprising a premature stop codon within a nucleic acid sequence encoding a Brachytic2 protein. In an aspect, this disclosure provides a modified corn plant, or plant part thereof, comprising a truncated Brachytic2 protein encoded by a nucleic acid sequence comprising a premature stop codon as compared to a wildtype or control nucleic acid sequence. In an aspect, this disclosure provides a modified corn plant, or plant part thereof, comprising a premature stop codon in a nucleic acid sequence as compared to SEQ ID NO: 180.

In an aspect, a premature stop codon is positioned within a region of a br2 mRNA transcript selected from the group consisting of the first exon, the second exon, the third exon, the fourth exon, and the fifth exon.

In an aspect, a truncated Br2 protein sequence comprises fewer than 1378 amino acids. In an aspect, a truncated Br2 protein sequence comprises fewer than 1375 amino acids. In an aspect, a truncated Br2 protein sequence comprises fewer than 1350 amino acids. In an aspect, a truncated Br2 protein sequence comprises fewer than 1300 amino acids. In an aspect, a truncated Br2 protein sequence comprises fewer than 1200 amino acids. In an aspect, a truncated Br2 protein sequence comprises fewer than 1100 amino acids. In an aspect, a truncated Br2 protein sequence comprises fewer than 1000 amino acids. In an aspect, a truncated Br2 protein sequence comprises fewer than 900 amino acids. In an aspect, a truncated Br2 protein sequence comprises fewer than 800 amino acids. In an aspect, a truncated Br2 protein sequence comprises fewer than 700 amino acids. In an aspect, a truncated Br2 protein sequence comprises fewer than 600 amino acids. In an aspect, a truncated Br2 protein sequence comprises fewer than 500 amino acids. In an aspect, a truncated Br2 protein sequence comprises fewer than 400 amino acids. In an aspect, a truncated Br2 protein sequence comprises fewer than 300 amino acids. In an aspect, a truncated Br2 protein sequence comprises fewer than 200 amino acids. In an aspect, a truncated Br2 protein sequence comprises fewer than 100 amino acids. In an aspect, a truncated Br2 protein sequence comprises fewer than 50 amino acids.

In an aspect, a truncated Br2 protein sequence comprises between 1 amino acid and 1378 amino acids. In an aspect, a truncated Br2 protein sequence comprises between 25 amino acids and 1378 amino acids. In an aspect, a truncated Br2 protein sequence comprises between 50 amino acids and 1378 amino acids. In an aspect, a truncated Br2 protein sequence comprises between 100 amino acids and 1378 amino acids. In an aspect, a truncated Br2 protein sequence comprises between 250 amino acids and 1378 amino acids. In an aspect, a truncated Br2 protein sequence comprises between 500 amino acids and 1378 amino acids. In an aspect, a truncated Br2 protein sequence comprises between 750 amino acids and 1378 amino acids. In an aspect, a truncated Br2 protein sequence comprises between 1000 amino acids and 1378 amino acids. In an aspect, a truncated Br2 protein sequence comprises between 1250 amino acids and 1378 amino acids. In an aspect, a truncated Br2 protein sequence comprises between 100 amino acids and 1000 amino acids. In an aspect, a truncated Br2 protein sequence comprises between 250 amino acids and 1000 amino acids. In an aspect, a truncated Br2 protein sequence comprises between 500 amino acids and 1000 amino acids. In an aspect, a truncated Br2 protein sequence comprises between 750 amino acids and 1000 amino acids. In an aspect, a truncated Br2 protein sequence comprises between 1000 amino acids and 1378 amino acids.

In an aspect, a mutant allele of an endogenous br2 locus suppresses the expression of a wild-type allele of the endogenous br2 locus.

In an aspect, an RNA transcript comprises one or more sequence elements of the endogenous br2 locus selected from the group consisting of 5′-UTR, first exon, first intron, second exon, second intron, third exon, third intron, fourth exon, fourth intron, fifth exon, 3′-UTR, and any portion thereof. In an aspect, an endogenous sequence of an RNA transcript is at least 85%, at least 90%, at least 91%, at least 92%, at least 93%, at least 94%, at least 95%, at least 96%, at least 97%, at least 98%, at least 99%, or 100% identical to at least 20, at least 30, at least 40, at least 50, at least 100, at least 200, at least 300, at least 400, at least 500, at least 600, at least 700, at least 800, at least 900, or at least 1000 consecutive nucleotides of SEQ ID NOs: 132 or 180.

In an aspect, a DNA segment comprises a nucleotide sequence originating from the endogenous br2 locus. In an aspect, a DNA segment comprises an inverted genomic fragment of the endogenous br2 locus. In an aspect, a DNA segment is inserted near or adjacent to a corresponding endogenous DNA segment of an endogenous br2 locus. In an aspect, a DNA segment is inserted within a region selected from the group consisting of the 5′ untranslated region (UTR), first exon, first intron, second exon, second intron, third exon, third intron, fourth exon, fourth intron, fifth exon, and 3′ UTR of an endogenous br2 locus, and a combination thereof. In an aspect, the sense strand of a DNA segment comprises a sequence that is at least 70%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, at least 91%, at least 92%, at least 93%, at least 94%, at least 95%, at least 96%, at least 97%, at least 98%, at least 99%, or 100% identical or complementary to an exon sequence of an endogenous br2 locus. In an aspect, the sense strand of a DNA segment comprises a sequence at least 70%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, at least 91%, at least 92%, at least 93%, at least 94%, at least 95%, at least 96%, at least 97%, at least 98%, at least 99%, or 100% identical or complementary to an untranslated region (UTR) sequence of the endogenous br2 locus. In an aspect, the sense strand of a DNA segment comprises a sequence at least 70%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, at least 91%, at least 92%, at least 93%, at least 94%, at least 95%, at least 96%, at least 97%, at least 98%, at least 99%, or 100% identical or complementary to an exon sequence and an intron sequence of the endogenous br2 locus, the exon sequence and the intron sequence being contiguous within the endogenous locus. In an aspect, a DNA segment comprises a sequence having at least 70%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, at least 91%, at least 92%, at least 93%, at least 94%, at least 95%, at least 96%, at least 97%, at least 98%, at least 99%, or 100% identical or complementary to SEQ ID NOs: 132 or 180.

In an aspect, a mutant allele encodes a truncated Br2 protein as compared to SEQ ID NO: 181. In an aspect, a truncated Br2 protein is at least 1, at least 2, at least 3, at least 4, at least 5, at least 10, at least 20, at least 30, at least 40, at least 50, at least 60, at least 70, at least 80, at least 90, at least 100, or at least 150 amino acids shorter than the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 181.

In an aspect, an intervening DNA sequence comprises a native sequence of an endogenous br2 locus. In an aspect, an intervening DNA sequence comprises an exogenous sequence inserted into an endogenous br2 locus.

Corn plants or seeds can be screened and/or selected for the presence of mutations, edits, or transgenes using any methodologies known to those having ordinary skill in the art. Examples of screening and selection methodologies include, but are not limited to, Southern analysis, PCR amplification for detection of a polynucleotide, Northern blots, RNase protection, primer-extension, RT-PCR amplification for detecting RNA transcripts, Sanger sequencing, Next Generation sequencing technologies (e.g., Illumina, PacBio, Ion Torrent, 454) enzymatic assays for detecting enzyme or ribozyme activity of polypeptides and polynucleotides, and protein gel electrophoresis, Western blots, immunoprecipitation, and enzyme-linked immunoassays to detect polypeptides. Other techniques such as in situ hybridization, enzyme staining, and immunostaining also can be used to detect the presence or expression of polypeptides and/or polynucleotides. Methods for performing all of the referenced techniques are known.

In an aspect, selecting is performed following genotyping seeds. In an aspect, selecting is performed following phenotypic analysis. In an aspect, selecting is performed following germination of the seeds. In an aspect, selecting is performed after determining the zygosity of the seed. In an aspect, selecting comprises a visual assay of the seed. In an aspect, selecting comprises separating seeds. In an aspect, selecting comprises placing selected seeds in a container or packet.

Without being limiting, this disclosure provides several methods related to the harvesting of corn plants.