Plants Containing a Bacterial Gdha Gene and Methods of Use Thereof
Project Leader: David Lightfoot
Unit: College of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Plant, Soil, and General Agriculture
Brief Description:
This invention is a new composition of matter of agricultural plants. By expressing the foreign gene the transgenic plants are able to assimilate fertilizer nitrogen to make glutamate. Field tests have been successful.
Patent Status:
U.S. Patents No. 5,998,700 and 6,329,573. Canadian patent pending.
Potential Commercial Uses:
This invention has several economically desirable consequences:
- Resistance to the broad spectrum herbicide phosphinothricin is conferred.
- More of the nitrogen applied is captured by the plant. Less fertilizer nitrogen is washed out of fields and into groundwater.
- Plant protein content and yield is higher.
- Drought resistance is conferred.
- Resistance to aluminum toxicity is conferred.
- Amino acid content is increased; silage is more nutritive.
Contact:
Jeff Myers, Senior Technology Transfer Specialist, (618) 453-4543, fax: (618) 453-8038