This disclosure concerns methods and compositions for identifying sunflower plants that have a low palmitic acid content phenotype. Some embodiments concern molecular markers to identify, select, and/or construct low palmitic acid content plants and germplasm, or to identify and counter-select relatively high palmitic acid content plants. This disclosure also concerns sunflower plants comprising a low palmitic acid content phenotype that are generated by methods utilizing at least one marker described herein.

A sunflower seed having imidazolinone resistance and an oleic acid content of greater than 85 percent is provided. Sunflower cultivars designated E83329, OI1601A, OI2653R, and OI1601B and having high oleic acid and imidazolinone resistance, plants and seeds of the E83329, OI1601A, OI2653R, and OI1601B sunflower cultivars, methods for producing a sunflower plant produced by crossing the E83329, OI1601A, OI2653R, or OI1601B cultivar with itself or with another sunflower plant, and hybrid sunflower seeds and plants produced by crossing the E83329, OI1601A, OI2653R, or OI1601B cultivar with another sunflower line or plant are also provided.

This invention describes a new method to generate rice seed. The process involves the delivery of pollen of the male parent at will, as available either in a preserved pollen bank, or using real-time collection from male plants as they become available. Desired pollen is delivered to fertile females during the period when viable pollen from the females and locally proximal unrelated plants is not being released. The delivered male pollen is in such amounts and fortuitously timed that it preferentially pollinates the females. Such fortuitous timing may involve the intentional application of pollen to females a day or two prior to female parent pollen becoming viable, and/or during several periods wherein female parent pollen and/or other proximal plant pollen is not being shed.

A sunflower hybrid designated P64ME01 and seed, plants and plant parts thereof is provided. Methods for producing a sunflower plant that comprises crossing hybrid sunflower variety P64ME01 with another sunflower plant. Methods for producing a sunflower plant containing in its genetic material one or more traits introgressed into P64ME01 through backcross conversion and/or transformation, and to the sunflower seed, plant and plant part produced thereby. This invention relates to the sunflower variety P64ME01, the seed, the plant produced from the seed, and variants, mutants, and minor modifications of sunflower variety P64ME01. This invention further relates to methods for producing sunflower varieties derived from wunflower variety P64ME01.

Herbicide-resistant sunflower plants, isolated polynucleotides that encode herbicide-resistant and wild-type acetohydroxyacid synthase large subunit 1 (AHASL1) polypeptides, and the amino acid sequences of these polypeptides, are described. Expression cassettes and transformation vectors comprising the polynucleotides of the invention, as well as plants and host cells transformed with the polynucleotides, are described. Methods of using the polynucleotides to enhance the resistance of plants to imidazolinone herbicides, and methods for controlling weeds in the vicinity of herbicide-resistant plants are also described.

The present invention relates to a non-transgenic sunflower plant comprising a mutated protoporphyrinogen IX oxidase (PPO) gene encoding a mutated sunflower protoporphyrinogen IX oxidase. The present invention further relates to a method of weed control at a plant cultivation site, comprising providing the plant of the present invention and applying to said site an effective amount of a PPO inhibiting herbicide. Further encompassed by the present invention is a method for producing sunflower oil.

A hybrid sunflower, designated X4237, is disclosed. The invention relates to the seeds of hybrid sunflower X4237, to the plants of hybrid sunflower X4237 and to methods for producing a sunflower plant by crossing the cultivar X4237 with itself or another sunflower. The invention further relates to methods for producing a sunflower plant containing in its genetic material one or more transgenes and to the transgenic sunflower plants and plant parts produced by those methods and to methods for producing other hybrid sunflower derived from hybrid sunflower X4237.

An inbred sunflower line, designated PH5015R, the plants, plant parts and seeds of inbred sunflower line PH5015R are provided. A sunflower plant, such as an inbred or hybrid, can be produced by crossing the inbred sunflower line PH5015R with itself or with another sunflower plant. Inbred and hybrid sunflower seeds and plants produced by crossing the inbred line PH5015R with another sunflower line or plants are provided. Methods for producing a sunflower plant such as inbred line PH5015R containing in its genetic material one or more transgenes and to the transgenic sunflower plants produced by that method are also disclosed. Inbred sunflower lines derived from the inbred sunflower line PH5015R, methods for producing other inbred sunflower lines derived from inbred sunflower line PH5015R, and the inbred sunflower lines derived by the use of those methods are further described.

The present invention relates to a novel mutant allele of sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) designated NSMA, which confers white seed color to sunflower plants. The present invention also relates to plants and seeds of the family or line carrying the NSMA allele. In addition, the present invention is also directed to transferring the NSMA allele to plants in the same species lacking the allele, and is useful for producing novel types and varieties of white-seeded sunflowers.

Provided are sunflowers, parts thereof, cultures of, and seeds that are capable of producing sunflower oil that is low in saturated fat as well as associated methods.