Formation of brassica napus F1 hybrid seeds which exhibit a highly elevated oleic acid content and a reduced linolenic acid content in the endogenously formed oil of the seeds

摘要

An improved route is provided for producing seeds capable of forming a Brassica napus F₁ hybrid via plant breeding wherein the vegetable oil of the seeds exhibits a highly elevated oleic acid (C18:1) content of at least 80 percent by weight (e.g. 80 to 86 percent by weight) and a reduced linolenic acid (C18:3) content of no more than 3 percent by weight (e.g. 1 to 3 percent by weight) based upon the total fatty acid content. The female parent plant (i.e., the seed parent) possesses a homozygous modified FAD-2 gene pair for elevated oleic acid production solely in either the A-genome or the C-genome, and the male parent (i.e, the pollen parent) possesses a homozygous modified FAD-2 gene pair for highly elevated oleic acid production in both the A-genome and the C-genome. Both parent plants also include at least one homozygous modified FAD-3 gene pair for reduced linolenic acid production. The seed yield depression commonly observed in the past in Brassica napus plants exhibiting a comparable highly elevated oleic acid concentration effectively is ameliorated in an efficient manner. The grower of the resulting seeds can produce a Brassica napus crop in improved yields wherein the endogenously formed oil of the seed harvest contains on average the desired elevated oleic acid content and reduced linolenic acid content. An endogenously formed Brassica napus oil is provided that is particularly well suited for use in frying applications. Such oil exhibits further stability in view of the low concentration of linolenic acid that concomitantly is produced within the seeds.