Sunflower plant

Abstract

Provided is a novel sunflower variety.　A sunflower plant having an upward-pointing flower stem according to the present disclosure contains a locus associated with flower stem upward-pointing characteristics located on chromosome-4.

Description

sunflower plant

[0001] The present disclosure relates to sunflower plants.

[0002] The sunflower plant (Helianthus annuus L.) is an annual or perennial herb belonging to the Asteraceae family, native to southwestern North America. This species is widely cultivated worldwide for its oilseed oil production, and many varieties are also sold for ornamental purposes.

[0003] Vandenbrink, Joshua P et al. “Turning heads: the biology of solar tracking in sunflower.” Plant science : an international journal of experimental plant biology vol. 224 (2014): 20-6. doi:10.1016 / j.plantsci.2014.04.006

[0004] In sunflower plants, the orientation of the flower stalk is genetically determined to face east (Non-Patent Document 1). For this reason, when multiple cut flowers are bundled together at commercial production sites to meet shipping standards, the flowers must be bundled in the same orientation, which requires time and effort. For the same reason, the flowers must also be bundled in the same orientation when boxing sunflower plants.

[0005] In the field of flower arranging, sunflowers with upward-facing stems require time and effort, such as straightening the bent stems with wire, so there is a demand for sunflowers with upward-facing stems.

[0006] Therefore, the object is to provide a new sunflower plant.

[0007] To achieve the above objectives, the sunflower plants of the present disclosure contain a mutant of the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene and have upward-facing flower stalks.

[0008] The sunflower plants with ascending flower stalks of the present disclosure comprise a flower stalk ascending locus on chromosome 4.

[0009] The method for producing a sunflower plant of the present disclosure (hereinafter referred to as the "production method") is a method for producing a sunflower plant that exhibits the trait of an upward-facing flower stalk, characterized by comprising the following steps (a) and (b): (a) a step of crossing the sunflower plant of the present disclosure with another sunflower plant; (b) a step of selecting a sunflower plant that exhibits the trait of an upward-facing flower stalk from the sunflower plant obtained by step (a) or its progeny line.

[0010] According to the present disclosure, a new sunflower plant can be provided.

[0011] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the relative loci of SNPs (single nucleotide polymorphisms) and the like on chromosome 4. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the inclination angle of the inflorescence stalk of a sunflower plant. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the flower growth stage of a sunflower plant. FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the orientation of the inflorescence head of a sunflower plant. FIG. 5 is a photograph comparing the inclination angle of the inflorescence stalk of each sunflower plant in Example 1. FIG. 6 is a diagram comparing the inclination angle of the inflorescence stalk of each sunflower plant in Example 1. FIG. 7 is a graph showing G value, which represents the contribution of each SNP on chromosome 4 to a trait indicated by QTL-seq analysis in Example 1. FIG. 8 is a graph showing the distribution of inflorescence stalk inclination angle by genotype of the inflorescence stalk upward trait SNP marker in Example 1. Fig. 9 is a graph showing the distribution of inclination angles of inflorescence stalks by genotype of the indel marker for the upward trait of the inflorescence stalk in Example 2. Fig. 10 is a graph showing the expression level of the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene in the stem in Example 2.

[0012] <Definition> In the present disclosure, "sunflower plant" refers to a plant belonging to the sunflower species Helianthus annuus of the genus Helianthus in the subfamily Asteroideae of the family Asteraceae. The sunflower plant may be, for example, a closely related species or a hybrid with a wild species. Examples of closely related species include Helianthus argophyllus (silverleaf sunflower), Helianthus debilis (cucumberleaf sunflower), and Helianthus giganteus (giant sunflower).

[0013] As used herein, "cultivated sunflower plant," "cultivated sunflower variety," or "cultivated sunflower" refers to an agronomically superior sunflower plant, or a variety, breeding line, or cultivar thereof, cultivated by humans. The "cultivated sunflower plant," "cultivated sunflower variety," or "cultivated sunflower" may be a pure line, a hybrid thereof, or a hybrid with another Helianthus argophyllus species, another Helianthus debilis species, or another closely related species such as Helianthus giganteus species.

[0014] As used herein, the term "plant body" or "plant" refers to an individual plant that refers to the entire plant.

[0015] As used herein, "plant part" or "plant part" refers to a part of an individual plant.

[0016] As used herein, the term "plant population" refers to a collection of two or more plants or plant parts that are gathered together as a single mass. The plant population can also be referred to as, for example, a collection of two or more plants or plant parts that are distinguishably separated from other plants or plant parts.

[0017] As used herein, "cross" refers to the crossing of two parental lines. Said crossing can also be referred to as, for example, mating.

[0018] As used herein, "loss of function" refers to, for example, a state in which the original function of the gene is (significantly) reduced or lost. That is, as used herein, "loss of function mutation" may mean either a mutation in which the original function of the gene is (significantly) weakened, or a mutation in which complete loss of function occurs. Furthermore, the "mutation in which complete loss of function occurs" can also be referred to as, for example, a null mutation or an amorph.

[0019] As used herein, "isolated" means identified and separated and / or recovered from components of its natural state.

[0020] Sequence information for the proteins described herein or the nucleic acids (e.g., DNA or RNA) encoding them is available from Protein Data Bank, UniProt, Ensembl, GenBank, etc. RNA nucleic acid sequences can also be obtained from the corresponding DNA nucleic acid sequences using appropriate sequence conversion software, etc.

[0021] The present disclosure will be described below using examples, but the present disclosure is not limited to the following examples and can be implemented with any modifications. Furthermore, the descriptions in the present disclosure are mutually applicable unless otherwise specified. In this specification, when the expression "to" is used, it is used to mean including the numerical or physical values ​​before and after it. In this specification, when multiple upper limit values ​​and / or multiple lower limit values ​​are exemplified in a numerical range, any of the exemplified upper limit values ​​and lower limit values ​​can be combined as the upper limit value and lower limit value of the numerical range. In addition, in this specification, the expression "A and / or B" includes "A only," "B only," and "both A and B."

[0022] <Sunflower Plant with Upward-Facing Flower Stems> In one aspect, the present disclosure provides a sunflower plant with upward-facing flower stems. A sunflower plant with upward-facing flower stems according to the present disclosure comprises, for example, a flower stem upward locus on chromosome 4. Furthermore, a sunflower plant with upward-facing flower stems according to the present disclosure has, for example, an angle or average angle of the flower stem of 0 to 45°. According to the present disclosure, a sunflower plant with upward-facing flower stems can be provided.

[0023] In the sunflower plant of the present disclosure, the inflorescence stalk up trait may be conferred, for example, by the presence of an inflorescence stalk up locus on chromosome 4. Hereinafter, the inflorescence stalk up locus on chromosome 4 is also referred to as an inflorescence stalk up marker.

[0024] The sunflower plant is known to have chromosomes 1 to 17. The chromosomes in the sunflower plant can be determined, for example, by comparing the genome sequence information of the target sunflower plant with the genome sequence information of HA412-HO (Helianthus annuus) based on the genome sequence information of HA412-HO. The comparison can be performed using analysis software such as BLAST or FASTA with default parameters. The genome sequence information of HA412-HO (Ha412HOv2.0) is available, for example, from the following website 1 of the sunflower genome database. The genome sequence information of another sunflower plant (HanXRQr2.0-SUNRISE) is available, for example, from the following website 2 of the sunflower genome database. Website 1: https: / / sunflowergenome.org / assembly-data / Website 2: https: / / www.heliagene.org / HanXRQr2.0-SUNRISE /

[0025] When a sunflower plant of the present disclosure is conferred the flower stalk up trait by the presence of a flower stalk up locus on chromosome 4, the sunflower plant of the present disclosure comprises a flower stalk up locus on chromosome 4. However, the sunflower plant of the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and for example, instead of chromosome 4, the flower stalk up locus on chromosome 4 may be on any chromosome other than chromosome 4. That is, a sunflower plant having the flower stalk up locus may have the flower stalk up locus on chromosome 4 on any chromosome among chromosomes 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, and 17.

[0026] The inflorescence stem-up locus can be defined using a molecular marker that indicates the locus on a chromosome, i.e., the position, i.e., can be identified using a molecular marker linked to the locus of interest. Techniques for defining loci such as QTL using molecular markers can be well known in the art.

[0027] The molecular marker used to define the inflorescence stem ascending locus is not particularly limited. Examples of the molecular marker include SNP markers, Indel (insertion / deletion) markers, AFLP (amplified fragment length polymorphism) markers, RFLP (restriction fragment length polymorphism) markers, microsatellite markers, SCAR (sequence-characterized amplified region) markers, and CAPS (cleaved amplified polymorphic sequence) markers. In the present disclosure, one type of molecular marker may be used, or two or more types may be used in combination. When an SNP marker is used as the molecular marker, the SNP marker may be, for example, a single SNP, or a combination of two or more SNPs, i.e., an SNP marker set.

[0028] The inflorescence stalk-up locus is linked to some or all of the molecular markers described below. Therefore, the present disclosure allows the inflorescence stalk-up locus to be specified, for example, by using the molecular markers. Specific examples of the inflorescence stalk-up locus include: (1) the inflorescence stalk-up locus (hereinafter also referred to as "specified"), (2) the inflorescence stalk-up locus (hereinafter also referred to as "specified"), (3) the inflorescence stalk-up locus (hereinafter also referred to as "specified"), (4) the inflorescence stalk-up locus (hereinafter also referred to as "specified"), (5) the inflorescence stalk-up locus (hereinafter also referred to as "specified"), (6) the inflorescence stalk-up locus (hereinafter also referred to as "specified"), (7) the inflorescence stalk-up locus (hereinafter also referred to as "specified"), (8) the inflorescence stalk-up locus (hereinafter also referred to as "specified"), (9) the inflorescence stalk-up locus (hereinafter also referred to as "specified"), (10) the inflorescence stalk-up locus (hereinafter also referred to as "specified"), (11) the inflorescence stalk-up locus (hereinafter also referred to as "specified"), (12) the inflorescence stalk-up locus (hereinafter also referred to as "specified"), (13) the inflorescence stalk-up locus (hereinafter also referred to as "specified"), (14) the inflorescence stalk-up locus (hereinafter also referred to as "specified"), (15) the inflorescence stalk-up locus (hereinafter also referred to as "specified"), (16) the inflorescence stalk-up locus (hereinafter also referred to as "specified"), (17) the inflorescence

[0029] A combination of (1) and (2); A combination of (1) and (3); A combination of (2) and (3); A combination of (1), (2) and (3).

[0030] (1) Identification by Molecular Marker The inflorescence stem ascending locus may be determined, for example, by the molecular marker, as described in (1) above. The molecular marker is not particularly limited, and examples include the indel markers Ha_chr04_172545117, Ha_chr04_175698294, Ha_chr04_181000331, Ha412HOChr04g0188691, Ha_chr04_200021302, Ha_chr04_204904126, and Ha_chr04_208654314. For SNP analysis, see, for example, References 1 to 4 below. Furthermore, the indel markers Ha_chr04_172545117, Ha_chr04_175698294, Ha_chr04_181000331, and Ha412HOChr04g0188691 genes, Ha_chr04_200021302, Ha_chr04_204904126, and Ha_chr04_208654314 are molecular markers newly identified by the present inventors, and a person skilled in the art can identify the locations of the molecular markers based on the base sequences containing these molecular markers described below.Reference 1: Erik W. Ohlson et.al., “Identification and Mapping of Late Blight Resistance Quantitative Trait Loci in Tomato Accession PI163245”, The Plant Genome, vol.11, no.3, 180007. Reference 2: Hamilton JP, Sim SC, Stoffel K, Van Deynze A, Buell CR, et al. (2012) “Single Nucleotide Polymorphism Discovery in Cultivated Tomato via Sequencing by Synthesis.”, The Plant Genome 5. Reference 3: Sim S-C, Durstewitz G, Plieske J, Wieseke R, Ganal MW, et al., (2012) “Development of a Large SNP Genotyping Array and Generation of High-Density.”, Genetic Maps in Tomato. PLoS ONE 7(7) Reference 4: Blanca J, Can izares J, Cordero L, Pascual L, Diez MJ, et al., (2012) “Variation Revealed by SNP Genotyping and Morphology Provides Insight into the Origin of the Tomato.”, PLoS ONE 7(10).

[0031] When the molecular marker is a SNP marker and / or an Indel marker, the analysis of the molecular marker can be carried out, for example, by specifically detecting a base sequence containing the SNP and / or Indel. The length of the base sequence containing the SNP and / or Indel can be, for example, 15 to 20,000 bases, 30 to 10,000 bases, 50 to 5,000 bases, 70 to 2,000 bases, 70 to 1,500 bases, 70 to 1,000 bases, 70 to 500 bases, or 70 to 200 bases.

[0032] The detection of the base sequence containing the SNP and / or Indel may be, for example, direct detection or indirect detection. The direct detection can be performed, for example, by detecting using a probe specific to a nucleic acid (polynucleotide) containing a base sequence containing the SNP and / or Indel in the chromosome of the sunflower plant. The indirect detection can be performed, for example, by amplifying the nucleic acid containing the SNP and / or Indel in the chromosome of the sunflower plant and detecting the resulting amplified fragment. In the analysis of the SNP and / or Indel, for example, the chromosome or the nucleic acid may be cleaved with a restriction enzyme or the like prior to detecting the base sequence containing the SNP and / or Indel.

[0033] The probe may be, for example, a polynucleotide capable of specifically hybridizing to a nucleic acid containing a base sequence containing the SNP and / or Indel. The probe may be designed as, for example, a polynucleotide having a base sequence of a partial region or the entire region of the base sequence containing the SNP and / or Indel or a base sequence complementary thereto, the length of which is at least 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, or more bases.

[0034] The detection using the probe can be carried out, for example, by Southern blotting, FISH (fluorescence in situ hybridization), or the like, on the chromosome or DNA extracted from the sunflower plant.

[0035] The nucleic acid amplification may be carried out using, for example, primers designed to specifically amplify a nucleic acid fragment. When using the primers, the nucleic acid amplification can be carried out by, for example, polymerase chain reaction (PCR), rolling circle amplification (RCA), cycling probe technology (CPT), isothermal and chimeric primer-initiated amplification of nucleic acids (ICAN), loop-mediated isothermal amplification of DNA (LAMP), strand displacement amplification (SDA), nucleic acid sequence-based amplification method (NASBA), and transcription mediated amplification method (TMA).

[0036] The detection of the amplified fragment may be carried out by detecting the presence or absence of the amplified fragment, or may be carried out using the probe. Specifically, the detection of the amplified fragment may be carried out, for example, by a method of subjecting a solution after the amplification reaction to agarose electrophoresis, binding a fluorescent intercalator such as ethidium bromide and SYBR Green, and observing specific fluorescence; a method of adding a fluorescent intercalator to a solution for nucleic acid amplification reaction and performing fluorescence detection after the amplification reaction; a method of performing nucleic acid amplification reaction using a fluorescently labeled primer and performing fluorescence detection after the amplification reaction; etc.

[0037] Ha_chr04_172545117 (hereinafter also referred to as "SNP(a)") indicates a polymorphism in which the underlined base enclosed in parentheses in the base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 below (the 101st base of SEQ ID NO: 1) is A. That is, when SNP(a) is A, the sunflower plant exhibits, for example, the trait of an upward-facing flower stalk, and when the base is other than A (for example, T), the sunflower plant does not exhibit, for example, the trait of an upward-facing flower stalk. The base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 can be obtained, for example, from the sunflower plant deposited under FERM BP-22482, which will be described later. SNP(a) can also be identified from publicly known information on a database, such as the aforementioned website. Specifically, SNP(a) refers to a polymorphism of a base corresponding to the 172545117th base on chromosome 4 in the genome base sequence information (Ha412HOv2.0). SEQ ID NO: 1: 5'-AGTATAAACACGAATCGGAACCGAAAGTCTTGTAAATCGACTTTTTCGTAGACTATCGATTCGGATCCGTGCATGCATGTTTGAGATCTGTATTGGAGCC[A]ATTTTTGACCATTTTTATTTTAGTATAACTTTCTGGAATTTTTGATACTTGAGTCTATGCTTAGCCGATTCATTTGCATGTTTCCGATTTATGCTTAAAG-3'

[0038] Ha_chr04_175698294 (hereinafter also referred to as "SNP(b)") indicates a polymorphism in which the underlined bases enclosed in parentheses in the base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2 below (bases 202 to 213 of SEQ ID NO: 2) are TAAAAAAAAAAAA. That is, when SNP(b) is TAAAAAAAAAAAA, the sunflower plant exhibits, for example, the trait of an upward-facing flower stalk, whereas when SNP(b) is a base other than TAAAAAAAAAAAA (for example, TAAAAAAAAAAAA), the sunflower plant does not exhibit, for example, the trait of an upward-facing flower stalk. The base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2 can be obtained, for example, from the sunflower plant deposited under FERM BP-22482, which will be described later. SNP(b) can also be identified, for example, from publicly known information on databases such as the aforementioned websites. Specifically, the SNP (b) refers to a polymorphism of a base corresponding to the 175698294th base on chromosome 4 in the genome base sequence information (Ha412HOv2.0). SEQ ID NO: 2: 5'-CTACGACGCCCACTTGAATATGTTTTATTATATTCTTCGCAAAACCTATCGACGAACCCATTCATTTTTCGCCACTTAGATGACACCGAGTTGATATCTCGATACGGGCCTTGGTCCATTAGCTCAAGGAACTTCGCCAAAACCGCATTCCAAAACCCCTCACCCATTTGATTATTACCTACAAAATATGTTACAAAA AA[TAAAAAAAAAAA]CTAATACTACAAAATATAAACTTAAAAAAAAAGTTATTGTTACGAACCTTTTATCGGGTGTGTAGACATGCCTATGTAAGCGTTCGCTAAGGCTTCTTCATCGAGTTGCGTCTACGGTTTCGCCTTTGGTTTGGACGTTGCTCACCCACCACTTGCTTGCCTTTTCTTCGTTTGCCTTTTTGCGGTT-3'

[0039] Ha_chr04_181000331 (hereinafter also referred to as "SNP(c)") indicates a polymorphism in which the underlined base enclosed in parentheses in the base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 3 below (the 101st base of SEQ ID NO: 3) is T. That is, when SNP(c) is T, the sunflower plant exhibits, for example, the trait of an upward-facing flower stalk, and when the base is other than T (for example, C), the sunflower plant does not exhibit, for example, the trait of an upward-facing flower stalk. The base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 3 can be obtained, for example, from the sunflower plant deposited under FERM BP-22482, which will be described later. SNP(c) can also be identified from publicly known information on a database, such as the aforementioned website. Specifically, SNP(c) refers to a polymorphism of a base corresponding to the 181000331st base on chromosome 4 in the genome base sequence information (Ha412HOv2.0). SEQ ID NO: 3: 5'-TTTTTGACTAATTAATTAGTCATAAAGACTAGTATCCTCCACACTAACTTATTTTTGCATACACACATCAAAAGTTATCTTACAAATTTCGAAATTCACC[T]TACACCTTAAAATTTATCCTACACAACTCGTAATGTATCTTACACAACTCGTAATTTATCATACACTTTAAATTATTTTATTTCATTTTTTGAAAAAAA-3'

[0040] Ha_chr04_200021302 (hereinafter also referred to as "SNP(d)") indicates a polymorphism in which the underlined base enclosed in parentheses in the base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 4 below (the 101st base of SEQ ID NO: 4) is C. That is, when SNP(d) is C, the sunflower plant exhibits, for example, the trait of an upward-facing flower stalk, and when the base is other than C (for example, A), the sunflower plant does not exhibit, for example, the trait of an upward-facing flower stalk. The base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 4 can be obtained, for example, from the sunflower plant deposited under FERM BP-22482 described below. SNP(d) can also be identified from publicly known information on a database such as the aforementioned website. Specifically, SNP(d) refers to a polymorphism of a base corresponding to the 200021302 base on chromosome 4 in the genome base sequence information (Ha412HOv2.0). SEQ ID NO: 4: 5'-CGTTTATATTACAGATTATGCATAAATCGCAAAAAATAGCTTTCTGTTGACTTTTTAAAGTACGCGTTTGACTCGACATTTGAACTAGTTAGAGTGGTGATC[C]TAGGGAACCCTTTCAGAGGTTTATTACCCACATAAATACCAACACATAACCACTTTTGATTCGACAAGTGACTGAGCCATTAAGGATTTATCTTGAAGTC-3'

[0041] Ha_chr04_204904126 (hereinafter also referred to as "SNP(e)") indicates a polymorphism in which the underlined base enclosed in parentheses in the base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 5 below (the 101st base of SEQ ID NO: 5) is G. That is, when SNP(e) is G, the sunflower plant exhibits, for example, the trait of an upward-facing flower stalk, and when the base is other than G (for example, A), the sunflower plant does not exhibit, for example, the trait of an upward-facing flower stalk. The base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 5 can be obtained, for example, from the sunflower plant deposited under FERM BP-22482 described below. SNP(e) can also be identified, for example, from publicly known information on a database such as the aforementioned website. Specifically, SNP(e) refers to a polymorphism of a base corresponding to the 204904126th base on chromosome 4 in the genome base sequence information (Ha412HOv2.0). SEQ ID NO: 5: 5'-GACTAATTTCATGCCTGCCTTCAAAATGGMAAAAGAAACTAATTGGAAAWTTTTGTGTTTATATYTTGTAATAATATTTGTGCAAAAAGGTTCATGCCTT[G]TAATCTATCTCTTATACTAAAGCAAAATAATGTTGACTATTTGACTATGATGTGGCAGTGCTACWTATTCAGAGAATTGKGAATTRGGCGGCATTTGTTT-3'

[0042] Ha_chr04_208654314 (hereinafter also referred to as "SNP(f)") indicates a polymorphism in which the underlined base enclosed in parentheses in the base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 6 below (the 101st base of SEQ ID NO: 6) is A. That is, when SNP(f) is A, the sunflower plant exhibits, for example, the trait of an upward-facing flower stalk, and when the base is other than A (for example, G), the sunflower plant does not exhibit, for example, the trait of an upward-facing flower stalk. Furthermore, the base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 6 can be obtained, for example, from the sunflower plant deposited under FERM BP-22482 described below. SNP(f) can also be identified from publicly known information on a database such as the aforementioned website. Specifically, SNP(f) refers to a polymorphism of a base corresponding to the 208654314th base on chromosome 4 in the genome base sequence information (Ha412HOv2.0). SEQ ID NO: 6: 5'-CTCCATGGCGTGTAACAATTTCTCTCATGTAAATTTCAGCCAACTTGCTCGTGTTATCTTTCTTTCAGATAGGTAAGAAGTGCGCAGATTTCGTTAATCG[A]TCCACTATTACCCAAATAGTGTCATGGCCTCTTGGTGTTCTAGGAAACTTTGTAATAAAATCCATGGAGATTTGTTCCCATTTCCACTTGGGAATTTCTG-3'

[0043] The Indel marker (hereinafter also referred to as "Indel(ga)") of the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene shows the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 13 below. The nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 13 can be obtained, for example, from the sunflower plant deposited under FERM BP-22482, which will be described later. The Indel(ga) can also be identified, for example, from publicly known information on a database such as the aforementioned website. Specifically, the Indel(ga) refers to a polymorphism of a nucleotide inserted between positions 198408790 and 198408791 on chromosome 4 in the genomic nucleotide sequence information (Ha412HOv2.0).Sequence number 13: 5'-CAGTGGCGGACCCAAGAATTTTTCCATGGGGGTGCGAAACATTTTTAAAAATTTTAGGCCCCTAGGTATATAAGTAAAAAAATCGGTTCGTATCGGGTCGGTTCGGGTCGGGTCATGTAAAACAAAAGAAATTGCGCCATAACGTCCCTACTCATGGTTTCTATCACAAACAAATTGATGCATAAGTTTATCGCTCCATAAAATAATGTTTCAATTTTAATTTTCAACCCTAGAAATCGTGTGTAATCAGCCTAAAAATTATCTAAACAACATAATCACCCTAAAAATCATCTAAACAACCATAAACATCGTCAAAACACATGAAATTTCAAACCTATTTAAGAATTTTGTTACCCTTTGGTGTCGGACGGCGGTGGTTCGCGGCTGCTGATGACGTGCTGTTGTGGTCGATGATCGCTTGTAGGAGACGACCCAAGAGAGGGAGGGCGGGATGAATTCTAAGGGACTATTGGGCTTATTTTAATTATTATACTTTGAACTTAGGTTGAGTTTGGTTAATGGGCTAGTAATTAGTGGGCTAATTATGTTTAATGAAATAGTGGGTTAAGGTATTGGGTATTTGGGTTAAGTTGGGTAGTATAAGTTTATATAATTTAGATAGTTTTTTTAATTAGAGTTTACTAAAAAATTTAAAATATAAATCGAAAACATTTTTTACCTAAGGTGTGTGGACGAAAAATTCCAGGGGTGCAGATGAAAAAATTCAAGGGGTGCGGACGAAAAAATCCAAAGGGTGCAGACGAGATTTTCAACGGAAAATAGCACTAAATTTTTTTTTCCCGGGGGTGCGCCCGCCCACCTTGGGCTATATGTATGTCCGCCCTTGTAAGTATG-3'.

[0044] The locations of the molecular markers on the chromosomes are not particularly limited. As shown in Figure 1, for example, the molecular markers are located on chromosome 4 of a sunflower plant in the following order from the upstream side (Ha_chr04_172545117 side) to the downstream side (Ha_chr04_208654314): Ha_chr04_172545117, Ha_chr04_175698294, Ha_chr04_181000331, an Indel marker of the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene, Ha_chr04_200021302, Ha_chr04_204904126, and Ha_chr04_208654314.

[0045] The number of molecular markers possessed by the inflorescence stalk-up locus is not particularly limited, and may be, for example, any one or two or more of the molecular markers, i.e., 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, or all 7. Note that the association between these seven types of polymorphisms (SNP markers and / or Indel markers) and the inflorescence stalk-up trait has not been reported before, and these are novel polymorphisms involved in the inflorescence stalk-up trait that were discovered for the first time by the present inventors.

[0046] The combination of molecular markers is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include the following combinations. A combination of SNP(a) and SNP(b); A combination of SNP(a) and SNP(c); A combination of SNP(a) and SNP(d); A combination of SNP(a) and SNP(e); A combination of SNP(a) and SNP(f); A combination of SNP(a) and Indel(ga); A combination of SNP(b) and SNP(c); A combination of SNP(b) and SNP(d); A combination of SNP(b) and SNP(e); A combination of SNP(b) and SNP(f); A combination of SNP(b) and Indel(ga); A combination of SNP(c) and SNP(d); A combination of SNP(c) and SNP(e); A combination of SNP(c) and SNP(f); A combination of SNP(c) and Indel(ga); A combination of SNP(d) and SNP(e); A combination of SNP(d) and SNP(f); A combination of SNP(d) and Indel(ga); A combination of SNP(e) and SNP(f); A combination of SNP(e) and Indel(ga); A combination of SNP(f) and Indel(ga); A combination of SNP(a), SNP(b), and SNP(c); A combination of SNP(a), SNP(b), and SNP(d); A combination of SNP(a), SNP(b), and SNP(e); A combination of SNP(a), SNP(b), and SNP(f); A combination of SNP(a), SNP(b), and Indel(ga); A combination of SNP(a), SNP(c), and SNP(d); A combination of SNP(a), SNP(c), and SNP(e); A combination of SNP(a), SNP(c), and SNP(f); A combination of SNP(a), SNP(c), and Indel(ga); A combination of SNP(a), SNP(d), and SNP(e); A combination of SNP(a), SNP(d), and SNP(f); A combination of SNP(a), SNP(d), and Indel(ga); A combination of SNP(a), SNP(e), and SNP(f); A combination of SNP(a), SNP(e), and Indel(ga); A combination of SNP(a), SNP(f), and Indel(ga); a combination of SNP(b), SNP(c), and SNP(d);A combination of SNP(b), SNP(c), and SNP(e); A combination of SNP(b), SNP(c), and SNP(f); A combination of SNP(b), SNP(c), and Indel(ga); A combination of SNP(b), SNP(d), and SNP(e); A combination of SNP(b), SNP(d), and SNP(f); A combination of SNP(b), SNP(d), and Indel(ga); A combination of SNP(b), SNP(e), and SNP(f); A combination of SNP(b), SNP(e), and Indel(ga); A combination of SNP(b), SNP(f), and Indel(ga); A combination of SNP(c), SNP(d), and SNP(e); A combination of SNP(c), SNP(d), and SNP(f); A combination of SNP(c), SNP(d), and Indel(ga); A combination of SNP(c), SNP(e), and SNP(f); A combination of SNP(c), SNP(e), and Indel(ga); A combination of SNP(c), SNP(f), and Indel(ga); A combination of SNP(d), SNP(e), and SNP(f); A combination of SNP(d), SNP(e), and Indel(ga); A combination of SNP(d), SNP(f), and Indel(ga); A combination of SNP(e), SNP(f), and Indel(ga); A combination of SNP(a), SNP(b), SNP(c), and SNP(d); A combination of SNP(a), SNP(b), SNP(c), and SNP(e); A combination of SNP(a), SNP(b), SNP(c), and SNP(f); A combination of SNP(a), SNP(b), SNP(c), and Indel(ga); A combination of SNP(a), SNP(b), SNP(d), and SNP(e); A combination of SNP(a), SNP(b), SNP(d), and SNP(f); A combination of SNP(a), SNP(b), SNP(d), and Indel(ga); A combination of SNP(a), SNP(b), SNP(e), and SNP(f); A combination of SNP(a), SNP(b), SNP(e), and Indel(ga); A combination of SNP(a), SNP(b), SNP(f), and Indel(ga); A combination of SNP(a), SNP(c), SNP(d), and SNP(e);A combination of SNP(a), SNP(c), SNP(d), and SNP(f); A combination of SNP(a), SNP(c), SNP(d), and Indel(ga); A combination of SNP(a), SNP(c), SNP(e), and SNP(f); A combination of SNP(a), SNP(c), SNP(e), and Indel(ga); A combination of SNP(a), SNP(c), SNP(f), and Indel(ga); A combination of SNP(a), SNP(d), SNP(e), and SNP(f); A combination of SNP(a), SNP(d), SNP(e), and Indel(ga); A combination of SNP(a), SNP(d), SNP(f), and Indel(ga); A combination of SNP(a), SNP(e), SNP(f), and Indel(ga); A combination of SNP(b), SNP(c), SNP(d), and SNP(e); A combination of SNP(b), SNP(c), SNP(d), and SNP(f); A combination of SNP(b), SNP(c), SNP(d), and Indel(ga); A combination of SNP(b), SNP(c), SNP(e), and SNP(f); A combination of SNP(b), SNP(c), SNP(e), and Indel(ga); A combination of SNP(b), SNP(c), SNP(f), and Indel(ga); A combination of SNP(b), SNP(d), SNP(e), and SNP(f); A combination of SNP(b), SNP(d), SNP(e), and Indel(ga); A combination of SNP(b), SNP(d), SNP(f), and Indel(ga); A combination of SNP(b), SNP(e), SNP(f), and Indel(ga); A combination of SNP(c), SNP(d), SNP(e), and SNP(f); A combination of SNP(c), SNP(d), SNP(e), and Indel(ga); A combination of SNP(c), SNP(d), SNP(f), and Indel(ga); A combination of SNP(c), SNP(e), SNP(f), and Indel(ga); A combination of SNP(d), SNP(e), SNP(f), and Indel(ga); combinations of SNP(b), SNP(c), SNP(d), SNP(e), and Indel(ga);Combinations of SNP(a), SNP(b), SNP(c), SNP(d), SNP(e), SNP(f), and Indel(ga); Among the above combinations, the following combinations are preferred, for example, because they have a higher correlation with the upward-facing trait of flower stalks. A combination of SNP(b) and SNP(e); A combination of SNP(c) and SNP(d); A combination of SNP(c) and Indel(ga); A combination of SNP(d) and Indel(ga); A combination of SNP(b), SNP(c), and SNP(d); A combination of SNP(c), SNP(d), and SNP(e); A combination of SNP(c), SNP(d), and Indel(ga); A combination of SNP(b), SNP(c), SNP(d), and SNP(e); A combination of SNP(b), SNP(c), SNP(d), SNP(e), and Indel(ga).;

[0047] (2) Identification by a base sequence containing a molecular marker The inflorescence stalk-up locus may be defined by, for example, a base sequence containing the molecular marker, as described in (2) above. The inflorescence stalk-up locus may consist of, or include, the base sequence.

[0048] The base sequence containing the molecular marker is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include the polynucleotides (a), (b), (c), (d), (e), (f), (g), and (ga) described below. The polynucleotides (a), (b), (c), (d), (e), (f), and (ga) correspond to base sequences containing the molecular markers SNP(a), SNP(b), SNP(c), SNP(d), SNP(e), SNP(f), and Indel(ga), respectively.

[0049] The polynucleotide (a) is a base sequence containing the SNP (a), i.e., Ha_chr04_172545117, and is, for example, the polynucleotide (a1), (a2), or (a3) ​​below. The polynucleotides (a2) and (a3) ​​are polynucleotides that, at the inflorescence stalk upward locus, respectively, have a function equivalent to that of the polynucleotide (a1) with respect to the inflorescence stalk upward trait. The equivalent function means, for example, that a sunflower plant having the inflorescence stalk upward locus identified by the polynucleotide (a2) or (a3) ​​exhibits the inflorescence stalk upward trait. (a) A polynucleotide of the following (a1), (a2), or (a3): (a1) a polynucleotide consisting of SEQ ID NO: 1; (a2) a polynucleotide in which the 101st base (A) of (a1) is conserved and which consists of a base sequence in which one or more bases are deleted, substituted, inserted, and / or added in the base sequence of (a1), and which has a function equivalent to that of the polynucleotide of (a1) with respect to the upward trait of the flower stalk at the upward locus of the flower stalk; (a3) ​​a polynucleotide in which the 101st base (A) of (a1) is conserved and which consists of a base sequence which is 80% or more identical to the base sequence of (a1), and which has a function equivalent to that of the polynucleotide of (a1) with respect to the upward trait of the flower stalk at the upward locus of the flower stalk.

[0050] In the polynucleotide (a1), the underlined base (A) enclosed in parentheses in SEQ ID NO: 1 corresponds to the polymorphism of SNP (a). The polynucleotide (a1) can be obtained, for example, from the sunflower plant deposited under the accession number FERM BP-22482 described below.

[0051] In the polynucleotide of (a2), the one or several is, for example, 1 to 40, 1 to 35, 1 to 30, 1 to 25, 1 to 20, 1 to 18, 1 to 12, 1 to 8, 1 to 4, 1 to 3, or 1 or 2. In the present disclosure, a numerical range of the number of bases, etc., discloses, for example, all positive integers falling within that range. That is, for example, the description "1 to 5" means the disclosure of all of "1, 2, 3, 4, and 5" (the same applies hereinafter).

[0052] In the polynucleotide (a3), the identity is, for example, 80% or more, 85% or more, 89% or more, 90% or more, 95% or more, 96% or more, 97% or more, 98% or more, or 99% or more. The identity can be determined by aligning two base sequences (the same applies hereinafter). Specifically, the identity can be calculated using analysis software such as BLAST or FASTA with default parameters (the same applies hereinafter).

[0053] The polynucleotide (b) is a base sequence containing the SNP (b), i.e., Ha_chr04_175698294, and is, for example, the polynucleotide (b1), (b2), or (b3) below. The polynucleotides (b2) and (b3) are polynucleotides that, at the inflorescence stalk upward locus, respectively, have a function equivalent to that of the polynucleotide (b1) with respect to the inflorescence stalk upward trait. The equivalent function means, for example, that a sunflower plant having the inflorescence stalk upward locus identified by the polynucleotide (b2) or (b3) exhibits the inflorescence stalk upward trait. (b) A polynucleotide of (b1), (b2), or (b3) below: (b1) a polynucleotide consisting of SEQ ID NO: 2; (b2) a polynucleotide in which the 202nd to 213th bases (TAAAAAAAAAAA) of (b1) are conserved, and which consists of a base sequence in which one or more bases have been deleted, substituted, inserted, and / or added in the base sequence of (b1), and which has a function equivalent to that of the polynucleotide of (b1) with respect to the upward trait of the flower stalk at the upward-orientation locus of the flower stalk; (b3) a polynucleotide in which the 202nd to 213th bases (A) of (a1) are conserved, and which consists of a base sequence which is 80% or more identical to the base sequence of (b1), and which has a function equivalent to that of the polynucleotide of (b1) with respect to the upward trait of the flower stalk at the upward-orientation locus of the flower stalk.

[0054] In the polynucleotide (b1), the underlined base (TAAAAAAAAAAAAA) enclosed in parentheses in SEQ ID NO: 2 corresponds to the polymorphism of SNP (b). The polynucleotide (b1) can be obtained, for example, from the sunflower plant deposited under the accession number FERM BP-22482 described below.

[0055] In the polynucleotide (b2), the one or several are, for example, 1 to 80, 1 to 70, 1 to 60, 1 to 50, 1 to 40, 1 to 38, 1 to 36, 1 to 30, 1 to 24, 1 to 20, 1 to 18, 1 to 16, 1 to 12, 1 to 10, 1 to 8, 1 to 6, 1 to 4, 1 to 3, or 1 or 2.

[0056] In the polynucleotide (b3), the identity is, for example, 80% or more, 85% or more, 89% or more, 90% or more, 95% or more, 96% or more, 97% or more, 98% or more, or 99% or more.

[0057] The polynucleotide (c) is a base sequence containing the SNP (c), i.e., Ha_chr04_181000331, and is, for example, the polynucleotide (c1), (c2), or (c3) below. The polynucleotides (c2) and (c3) are polynucleotides that, at the inflorescence stalk upward locus, have a function equivalent to that of the polynucleotide (c1) with respect to the inflorescence stalk upward trait. The equivalent function means, for example, that a sunflower plant having the inflorescence stalk upward locus identified by the polynucleotide (c2) or (c3) exhibits the inflorescence stalk upward trait. (c) A polynucleotide of (c1), (c2), or (c3) below: (c1) a polynucleotide consisting of SEQ ID NO: 3; (c2) a polynucleotide in which the 101st base (T) of (c1) is conserved and which consists of a base sequence in which one or more bases are deleted, substituted, inserted, and / or added in the base sequence of (c1), and which has a function equivalent to that of the polynucleotide of (c1) with respect to the upward trait of the flower stalk at the upward locus of the flower stalk; (c3) a polynucleotide in which the 101st base (T) of (c1) is conserved and which consists of a base sequence which is 80% or more identical to the base sequence of (c1), and which has a function equivalent to that of the polynucleotide of (c1) with respect to the upward trait of the flower stalk at the upward locus of the flower stalk.

[0058] In the polynucleotide (c1), the underlined base (T) enclosed in parentheses in SEQ ID NO: 3 corresponds to the polymorphism of SNP (c). The polynucleotide (c1) can be obtained, for example, from the sunflower plant deposited under the accession number FERM BP-22482 described below.

[0059] In the polynucleotide (c2), the one or several is, for example, 1 to 40, 1 to 35, 1 to 30, 1 to 25, 1 to 20, 1 to 18, 1 to 12, 1 to 10, 1 to 8, 1 to 4, 1 to 3, 1 or 2.

[0060] In the polynucleotide (c3), the identity is, for example, 80% or more, 85% or more, 89% or more, 90% or more, 95% or more, 96% or more, 97% or more, 98% or more, or 99% or more.

[0061] The polynucleotide (d) is a base sequence containing the SNP (d), i.e., Ha_chr04_200021302, and is, for example, the polynucleotide (d1), (d2), or (d3) below. The polynucleotides (d2) and (d3) are polynucleotides that, at the inflorescence stalk upward locus, have a function equivalent to that of the polynucleotide (d1) with respect to the inflorescence stalk upward trait. The equivalent function means, for example, that a sunflower plant having the inflorescence stalk upward locus identified by the polynucleotide (d2) or (d3) exhibits the inflorescence stalk upward trait. (d) A polynucleotide of the following (d1), (d2), or (d3): (d1) a polynucleotide consisting of SEQ ID NO: 4; (d2) a polynucleotide in which the 101st base (C) of (d1) is conserved and which consists of a base sequence in which one or more bases are deleted, substituted, inserted, and / or added in the base sequence of (d1), and which has a function equivalent to that of the polynucleotide of (d1) with respect to the upward trait of the flower stalk at the upward locus of the flower stalk; (d3) a polynucleotide in which the 101st base (C) of (d1) is conserved and which consists of a base sequence which is 80% or more identical to the base sequence of (d1), and which has a function equivalent to that of the polynucleotide of (d1) with respect to the upward trait of the flower stalk at the upward locus of the flower stalk.

[0062] In the polynucleotide (d1), the underlined base (C) enclosed in parentheses in SEQ ID NO: 4 corresponds to the polymorphism of SNP (d). The polynucleotide (d1) can be obtained, for example, from the sunflower plant deposited under the accession number FERM BP-22482 described below.

[0063] In the polynucleotide (d2), the one or several is, for example, 1 to 40, 1 to 35, 1 to 30, 1 to 25, 1 to 20, 1 to 18, 1 to 12, 1 to 10, 1 to 8, 1 to 4, 1 to 3, 1 or 2.

[0064] In the polynucleotide (d3), the identity is, for example, 80% or more, 85% or more, 89% or more, 90% or more, 95% or more, 96% or more, 97% or more, 98% or more, or 99% or more.

[0065] The polynucleotide (e) is a base sequence containing the SNP (e), i.e., Ha_chr04_204904126, and is, for example, the polynucleotide (e1), (e2), or (e3) below. The polynucleotides (e2) and (e3) are polynucleotides that, at the inflorescence stalk upward locus, have a function equivalent to that of the polynucleotide (e1) with respect to the inflorescence stalk upward trait. The equivalent function means, for example, that a sunflower plant having the inflorescence stalk upward locus identified by the polynucleotide (e2) or (e3) exhibits the inflorescence stalk upward trait. (e) A polynucleotide of (e1), (e2), or (e3) below: (e1) a polynucleotide consisting of SEQ ID NO: 5; (e2) a polynucleotide in which the 101st base (G) of (e1) is conserved and which consists of a base sequence in which one or more bases are deleted, substituted, inserted, and / or added in the base sequence of (e1), and which has a function equivalent to that of the polynucleotide of (e1) with respect to the upward trait of the flower stalk at the upward locus of the flower stalk; (e3) a polynucleotide in which the 101st base (G) of (e1) is conserved and which consists of a base sequence which is 80% or more identical to the base sequence of (e1), and which has a function equivalent to that of the polynucleotide of (e1) with respect to the upward trait of the flower stalk at the upward locus of the flower stalk.

[0066] In the polynucleotide (e1), the underlined base (G) enclosed in parentheses in SEQ ID NO: 5 corresponds to the polymorphism of SNP (e). The polynucleotide (e1) can be obtained, for example, from the sunflower plant deposited under the accession number FERM BP-22482 described below.

[0067] In the polynucleotide (e2), the one or several is, for example, 1 to 40, 1 to 35, 1 to 30, 1 to 25, 1 to 20, 1 to 18, 1 to 12, 1 to 10, 1 to 8, 1 to 4, 1 to 3, 1 or 2.

[0068] In the polynucleotide (e3), the identity is, for example, 80% or more, 85% or more, 89% or more, 90% or more, 95% or more, 96% or more, 97% or more, 98% or more, or 99% or more.

[0069] The polynucleotide (f) is a base sequence containing the SNP (f), i.e., Ha_chr04_208654314, and is, for example, the polynucleotide (f1), (f2), or (f3) below. The polynucleotides (f2) and (f3) are polynucleotides that, at the inflorescence stalk upward locus, respectively, have a function equivalent to that of the polynucleotide (f1) with respect to the inflorescence stalk upward trait. The equivalent function means, for example, that a sunflower plant having the inflorescence stalk upward locus identified by the polynucleotide (f2) or (f3) exhibits the inflorescence stalk upward trait. (f) A polynucleotide of (f1), (f2), or (f3) below: (f1) a polynucleotide consisting of SEQ ID NO: 6; (f2) a polynucleotide in which the 101st base (A) of (f1) is conserved and which consists of a base sequence in which one or more bases are deleted, substituted, inserted, and / or added in the base sequence of (f1), and which has a function equivalent to that of the polynucleotide of (f1) with respect to the upward trait of the flower stalk at the upward locus of the flower stalk; (f3) a polynucleotide in which the 101st base (A) of (f1) is conserved and which consists of a base sequence which is 80% or more identical to the base sequence of (f1), and which has a function equivalent to that of the polynucleotide of (f1) with respect to the upward trait of the flower stalk at the upward locus of the flower stalk.

[0070] In the polynucleotide (f1), the underlined base (A) enclosed in parentheses in SEQ ID NO: 6 corresponds to the polymorphism of SNP (f). The polynucleotide (f1) can be obtained, for example, from the sunflower plant deposited under the accession number FERM BP-22482 described below.

[0071] In the polynucleotide (f2), the one or several is, for example, 1 to 40, 1 to 35, 1 to 30, 1 to 25, 1 to 20, 1 to 18, 1 to 12, 1 to 10, 1 to 8, 1 to 4, 1 to 3, 1 or 2.

[0072] In the polynucleotide (f3), the identity is, for example, 80% or more, 85% or more, 89% or more, 90% or more, 95% or more, 96% or more, 97% or more, 98% or more, or 99% or more.

[0073] The polynucleotide (g) is a nucleotide sequence containing a portion of the Indel(ga), i.e., the nucleotide sequence of the Indel marker of the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene, and is, for example, the polynucleotide (g1), (g2), or (g3) below. The polynucleotides (g2) and (g3) are polynucleotides that, at the inflorescence stalk upward locus, respectively, have a function equivalent to that of the polynucleotide (g1) with respect to the inflorescence stalk upward trait. The equivalent function means, for example, that a sunflower plant having the inflorescence stalk upward locus identified by the polynucleotide (g2) or (g3) exhibits the inflorescence stalk upward trait. (g) A polynucleotide of (g1), (g2), or (g3) below: (g1) A polynucleotide having a polynucleotide of 1 to 855 bases between a polynucleotide consisting of the base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 14 and a polynucleotide consisting of the base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 15; (g2) A polynucleotide that conserves the base sequence of the polynucleotide of 1 to 855 bases in (g1) above and consists of a base sequence in which one or several bases have been deleted, substituted, inserted, and / or added in the base sequence of (g1); (g3) A polynucleotide that conserves the base sequence of the polynucleotide of 1 to 855 bases in (g1) above and consists of a base sequence that has 80% or more identity to the base sequence of (g1).

[0074] SEQ ID NO: 14: 5'-AAAGCTTGTAAGTATG-3'

[0075] SEQ ID NO: 15: 5'-GGTTCTTTCATGATAA-3'

[0076] The polynucleotide (g1) can be obtained, for example, from the sunflower plant deposited under accession number FERM BP-22482 described below.

[0077] In the polynucleotide (g1), the length of the polynucleotide (polynucleotide between the base sequences) present between the polynucleotide consisting of the base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 14 and the polynucleotide consisting of the base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 15 may be, for example, 1 to 855 bases, 50 to 855 bases, 100 to 855 bases, 150 to 855 bases, 200 to 855 bases, 250 to 855 bases, 300 to 855 bases, 400 to 855 bases, 500 to 855 bases, 600 to 855 bases, 700 to 855 bases, 800 to 855 bases, 900 to 855 bases, 1000 to 855 bases, 1100 to 855 bases, 1200 to 855 bases, 1300 to 855 bases, 1400 to 855 bases, 1500 to 855 bases, 1600 to 855 bases, 1700 to 855 bases, 1800 to 1855 bases, 1900 to 1955 bases, 2000 to 855 bases, 2100 to 2155 bases, 2200 to 2255 bases, 2300 to 2355 bases, 2400 to 2455 bases, 2500 to 2655 bases, 2600 to 2755 bases, 2700 to 2855 bases, 2800 to 2955 bases, 3000 to 3155 bases, 3100 to 3255 bases, 3200 to 3 855 bases, 350 to 855 bases, 400 to 855 bases, 450 to 855 bases, 500 to 855 bases, 550 to 855 bases, 600 to 855 bases, 650 to 855 bases, 700 to 855 bases, 750 to 855 bases, 800 to 855 bases, 820 to 855 bases, 830 to 855 bases, 840 to 855 bases, 850 to 855 bases, 853 to 855 bases, 854 or 855 bases.

[0078] The base sequence of the polynucleotide between the base sequences may be, for example, any base sequence, and a specific example thereof may be the polynucleotide (ga) described above. When the polynucleotide between the base sequences is present between a polynucleotide consisting of the base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 14 and a polynucleotide consisting of the base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 15, the base sequence of the polynucleotide between the base sequences may be, for example, the polynucleotide (ga) below, where (ga1) is a polynucleotide consisting of the base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 13.

[0079] In the polynucleotide (g2), the one or several is, for example, 1 to 6, 1 to 5, 1 to 4, 1 to 3, or 1 or 2.

[0080] In the polynucleotide (g3), the identity is, for example, 80% or more, 85% or more, 89% or more, 90% or more, 95% or more, 96% or more, 97% or more, 98% or more, or 99% or more.

[0081] The polynucleotide (ga) is the base sequence of the Indel(ga), i.e., the Indel marker of the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene, and is, for example, the polynucleotide (ga1), (ga2), or (ga3) below. The polynucleotides (ga2) and (ga3) are polynucleotides that have, at the inflorescence stalk upward locus, a function equivalent to that of the polynucleotide (ga1) with respect to the inflorescence stalk upward trait. The equivalent function means, for example, that a sunflower plant having an inflorescence stalk upward locus identified by the polynucleotide (ga2) or (ga3) exhibits the inflorescence stalk upward trait. (ga) A polynucleotide of the following (ga1), (ga2), or (ga3): (ga1) A polynucleotide consisting of the base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 13; (ga2) A polynucleotide consisting of a base sequence in which one or more bases have been deleted, substituted, inserted, and / or added in the base sequence of (ga1), and which has a function equivalent to that of the polynucleotide of (ga1) with respect to the upward trait of the flower stalk at the upward locus of the flower stalk; (ga3) A polynucleotide consisting of a base sequence having 80% or more identity to the base sequence of (ga1), and which has a function equivalent to that of the polynucleotide of (ga1) with respect to the upward trait of the flower stalk at the upward locus of the flower stalk.

[0082] SEQ ID NO: 13: 5'--3'

[0083] The polynucleotide (ga1) can be obtained, for example, from the sunflower plant deposited under accession number FERM BP-22482 described below.

[0084] In the polynucleotide (ga2), the one or several are, for example, 1 to 171, 1 to 128, 1 to 85, 1 to 42, 1 to 34, 1 to 25, 1 to 17, 1 to 12, 1 to 10, 1 to 8, 1 to 4, 1 to 3, 1, or 2.

[0085] In the polynucleotide (ga3), the identity is, for example, 80% or more, 85% or more, 89% or more, 90% or more, 95% or more, 96% or more, 97% or more, 98% or more, or 99% or more.

[0086] The number of base sequences containing the SNP markers contained in the inflorescence stalk-up locus, i.e., the number of base sequences containing SNP markers linked to the inflorescence stalk-up locus, is not particularly limited, and may be, for example, any one or two or more of the polynucleotides (a), (b), (c), (d), (e), (f), (g), and (ga), i.e., two, three, four, five, six, seven, or all eight of them.

[0087] The combination of base sequences containing the SNP markers is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include the following combinations. A combination of polynucleotides of (a) and (b); A combination of polynucleotides of (a) and (c); A combination of polynucleotides of (a) and (d); A combination of polynucleotides of (a) and (e); A combination of polynucleotides of (a) and (f); A combination of polynucleotides of (a) and (g); A combination of polynucleotides of (a) and (ga); A combination of polynucleotides of (b) and (c); A combination of polynucleotides of (b) and (d); A combination of polynucleotides of (b) and (e); A combination of polynucleotides of (b) and (f); A combination of polynucleotides of (b) and (g); A combination of polynucleotides of (b) and (ga); A combination of polynucleotides of (c) and (d); A combination of polynucleotides of (c) and (e); A combination of polynucleotides of (c) and (f); A combination of polynucleotides of (c) and (g); A combination of polynucleotides of (c) and (ga); A combination of polynucleotides of (d) and (e); A combination of polynucleotides of (d) and (f); A combination of polynucleotides of (d) and (g); A combination of polynucleotides of (d) and (ga); A combination of polynucleotides of (e) and (f); A combination of polynucleotides of (e) and (g); A combination of polynucleotides of (e) and (ga); A combination of polynucleotides of (f) and (g); A combination of polynucleotides of (f) and (ga); A combination of polynucleotides of (g) and (ga); A combination of polynucleotides of (a), (b), and (c); A combination of polynucleotides of (a), (b), and (d); A combination of polynucleotides of (a), (b), and (e); A combination of polynucleotides of (a), (b), and (f); A combination of polynucleotides of (a), (b), and (g); A combination of polynucleotides (a), (b), and (ga); A combination of polynucleotides (a), (c), and (d); A combination of polynucleotides (a), (c), and (e); A combination of polynucleotides (a), (c), and (f);A combination of polynucleotides of (a), (c), and (g); A combination of polynucleotides of (a), (c), and (ga); A combination of polynucleotides of (a), (d), and (e); A combination of polynucleotides of (a), (d), and (f); A combination of polynucleotides of (a), (d), and (g); A combination of polynucleotides of (a), (d), and (ga); A combination of polynucleotides of (a), (e), and (f); A combination of polynucleotides of (a), (e), and (g); A combination of polynucleotides of (a), (e), and (ga); A combination of polynucleotides of (a), (f), and (g); A combination of polynucleotides of (a), (f), and (ga); A combination of polynucleotides of (a), (g), and (ga); A combination of polynucleotides of (b), (c), and (d); A combination of polynucleotides of (b), (c), and (e); A combination of polynucleotides of (b), (c), and (f); A combination of polynucleotides of (b), (c), and (g); A combination of polynucleotides of (b), (c), and (ga); A combination of polynucleotides of (b), (d), and (e); A combination of polynucleotides of (b), (d), and (f); A combination of polynucleotides of (b), (d), and (g); A combination of polynucleotides of (b), (d), and (ga); A combination of polynucleotides of (b), (e), and (f); A combination of polynucleotides of (b), (e), and (g); A combination of polynucleotides of (b), (e), and (ga); A combination of polynucleotides of (b), (f), and (g); A combination of polynucleotides of (b), (f), and (ga); A combination of polynucleotides of (b), (g), and (ga); A combination of polynucleotides of (c), (d), and (e); A combination of polynucleotides (c), (d), and (f); A combination of polynucleotides (c), (d), and (g); A combination of polynucleotides (c), (d), and (ga); A combination of polynucleotides (c), (e), and (f); A combination of polynucleotides (c), (e), and (g); A combination of polynucleotides (c), (e), and (ga);A combination of polynucleotides of (c), (f), and (g); A combination of polynucleotides of (c), (f), and (ga); A combination of polynucleotides of (c), (g), and (ga); A combination of polynucleotides of (d), (e), and (f); A combination of polynucleotides of (d), (e), and (g); A combination of polynucleotides of (d), (e), and (ga); A combination of polynucleotides of (d), (f), and (g); A combination of polynucleotides of (d), (f), and (ga); A combination of polynucleotides of (d), (g), and (ga); A combination of polynucleotides of (e), (f), and (g); A combination of polynucleotides of (e), (f), and (ga); A combination of polynucleotides of (e), (g), and (ga); A combination of polynucleotides of (f), (g), and (ga); A combination of polynucleotides of (a), (b), (c), and (g); A combination of polynucleotides of (a), (b), (c), and (ga); A combination of polynucleotides of (b), (c), (d), and (e); A combination of polynucleotides of (b), (c), (d), and (g); A combination of polynucleotides of (b), (c), (d), and (ga); A combination of polynucleotides of (b), (c), (e), and (g); A combination of polynucleotides of (b), (c), (e), and (ga); A combination of polynucleotides of (b), (c), (g), and (ga); A combination of polynucleotides of (b), (d), (e), and (g); A combination of polynucleotides of (b), (d), (e), and (ga); A combination of polynucleotides of (b), (d), (e), and (ga); A combination of polynucleotides of (b), (d), (g), and (ga); A combination of polynucleotides (b), (e), (g), and (ga); A combination of polynucleotides (c), (d), (e), and (g); A combination of polynucleotides (c), (d), (e), and (ga); A combination of polynucleotides (c), (d), (g), and (ga); A combination of polynucleotides (c), (e), (g), and (ga); A combination of polynucleotides (d), (e), (f), and (g); A combination of polynucleotides (d), (e), (f), and (ga);A combination of polynucleotides (d), (e), (g), and (ga); A combination of polynucleotides (b), (c), (d), (e), and (g); A combination of polynucleotides (b), (c), (d), (e), and (ga); A combination of polynucleotides (a), (b), (c), (d), (e), (f), (g), and (ga); Of the above combinations, the following combinations are preferred, for example, because they have a higher correlation with the upward-directed flower stalk trait. A combination of polynucleotides of (b) and (e); A combination of polynucleotides of (c) and (d); A combination of polynucleotides of (c) and (g); A combination of polynucleotides of (c) and (ga); A combination of polynucleotides of (d) and (g); A combination of polynucleotides of (d) and (ga); A combination of polynucleotides of (g) and (ga); A combination of polynucleotides of (b), (c), and (d); A combination of polynucleotides of (c), (d), and (e); A combination of polynucleotides of (c), (d), and (g); A combination of polynucleotides of (c), (d), and (ga); A combination of polynucleotides of (b), (c), (d), and (e); A combination of polynucleotides of (b), (c), (d), (e), and (g); A combination of polynucleotides of (b), (c), (d), (e), and (g); A combination of polynucleotides of (b), (c), (d), (e), and (ga).

[0088] (3) Identification by the Region Between the Sites of Two Molecular Markers As described above, the inflorescence stalk-up locus is linked to a molecular marker. Therefore, as shown in (3) above, the inflorescence stalk-up locus may be identified by, for example, the nucleotide sequence of the region between the sites of the two molecular markers or the region defined by the two molecular markers (also referred to as the locus position or mapping region). The base sequence of the region between the two molecular markers is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include the base sequence of the region between the two molecular markers in the chromosome, selected from the group consisting of Ha_chr04_172545117, Ha_chr04_175698294, Ha_chr04_181000331, Indel marker of the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene, Ha_chr04_200021302, Ha_chr04_204904126, and Ha_chr04_208654314. The base sequence of the region between the two molecular markers can be, for example, the base sequence of the region between the corresponding two molecular markers in the sunflower plant deposited under accession number FERM BP-22482 (hereinafter also referred to as the "deposited line") described below. When referring to the nucleotide sequence of the deposited line, the nucleotide sequence of the region between the two molecular markers may, for example, completely or partially match the nucleotide sequence of the deposited line. In the latter case, the nucleotide sequence of the region between the two molecular markers may be, for example, such that a sunflower plant having a flower stalk-up locus identified by the nucleotide sequence of the region between the two molecular markers exhibits the flower stalk-up trait. The partial match can be defined, for example, by identity to the nucleotide sequence of the deposited line. The identity is, for example, 50% or more, 55% or more, 60% or more, 65% or more, 70% or more, 75% or more, 80% or more, 85% or more, 89% or more, 90% or more, 95% or more, 96% or more, 97% or more, 98% or more, 99% or more, 99.1% or more, 99.2% or more, 99.3% or more, 99.4% or more, 99.5% or more, 99.6% or more, 99.7% or more, 99.8% or more, or 99.9% or more.

[0089] When the inflorescence stalk-up locus is identified by (3), it can also be said that the inflorescence stalk-up locus is located in the region between the sites of the two molecular markers. In this case, the sunflower plant is conferred with the inflorescence stalk-up trait, for example, by the presence of the inflorescence stalk-up locus. When the inflorescence stalk-up locus is identified by the region in which it is located, it can also be identified in combination with the molecular marker or a base sequence containing the molecular marker. Furthermore, when the inflorescence stalk-up locus is identified by (3), it can also be said that the inflorescence stalk-up locus is included in or exists in the genomic region between the sites of the two molecular markers.

[0090] Examples of the two molecular markers include a combination of Ha_chr04_175698294 and Ha_chr04_204904126, a combination of the molecular markers Ha_chr04_181000331 and Ha_chr04_200021302, a combination of the SNP marker Ha_chr04_181000331 and an Indel marker in the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene, and a combination of the Indel marker in the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene and the SNP marker Ha_chr04_200021302.

[0091] As described above, the upstream end and downstream end of the region can be identified, for example, by the sites of the two molecular markers. The region may be, for example, between the sites of the two molecular markers, and may or may not include both or one of the sites of the two molecular markers. Furthermore, when the region includes the sites of the molecular markers, the upstream end and the downstream end of the region are the sites of the molecular markers, and the bases at the upstream end and the downstream end may be, for example, the underlined bases in the base sequence described above, or may be other bases.

[0092] When the inflorescence stalk-up locus is defined by the region between the two molecular markers, the inflorescence stalk-up locus preferably further includes the molecular marker located in the region, for example, selected from the group consisting of Ha_chr04_172545117, Ha_chr04_175698294, Ha_chr04_181000331, an indel marker for the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene, Ha_chr04_200021302, Ha_chr04_204904126, and Ha_chr04_208654314.

[0093] The molecular marker located in the region may be, for example, one or both of the sites of the two molecular markers that define the region on the chromosome, or may be a molecular marker located between the sites of the two molecular markers that define the region. The former is also referred to as a molecular marker at the end of the region, and the latter is also referred to as a molecular marker within the region. The molecular marker located in the region may be, for example, both a molecular marker at the end of the region and a molecular marker within the region.

[0094] The molecular markers within the region may be, for example, SNP markers located between the upstream and downstream molecular marker sites that define the region, and can be appropriately determined based on the locations of the molecular markers shown in Figure 1. The number of molecular markers between the two molecular marker sites may be, for example, one or more, and a specific example is all molecular markers located between the molecular marker sites that define the region.

[0095] The molecular marker within the region may be, for example, a molecular marker located between the upstream molecular marker site and the downstream SNP marker site that define the region, and can be designed using conventional methods in the technical field of the present application. The molecular marker within the region can be designed, for example, with reference to Reference 5 below. As a specific example, first, the base sequence between two molecular markers selected from the group consisting of Ha_chr04_172545117, Ha_chr04_175698294, Ha_chr04_181000331, Indel markers in the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene of the deposited strain, Ha_chr04_200021302, Ha_chr04_204904126, and Ha_chr04_208654314 is used as a reference sequence, and the base sequence information obtained by sequencing or the like is mapped to detect polymorphisms such as SNPs and / or Indels. The molecular markers can be set, for example, by creating markers based on the obtained polymorphisms. Reference 5: LL Qi et al., "Development and dissection of diagnostic SNP markers for the downy mildew resistance genes PlArg and Pl8 and maker-assisted gene pyramiding in sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.)," Molecular Genetics and Genomics, volume 292, pages 551-563 (2017)

[0096] The sunflower plants of the present disclosure exhibit an upward orientation of flower stalks (hereinafter also referred to as "upward-facing flower stalk trait"). The orientation of the flower stalks can be measured by a cultivation test of the target sunflower plants. The cultivation test for the upward-facing flower stalk trait can be carried out under the following cultivation test conditions. As shown in Figure 2, the orientation of the flower stalks can be measured as the angle (flower stalk inclination angle: D) between a line (B) perpendicular to the bottom direction (A) of the flower base and a line (C) in the axial direction of the stem, on the flower stalks of the target sunflower plants. The measurement of the flower stalk inclination angle can be carried out under the following measurement conditions. The orientation of the flower stalks of the target sunflower plants can be evaluated as upward-facing when the average value of the inclination angle (D) of the flower stalks of the target sunflower plants is 45° or less, 40° or less, 35° or less, 30° or less, 25° or less, 20° or less, 15° or less, or 10° or less. The average value is, for example, the average value of the measured values ​​of the inclination angle of the flower stalk of 20 or more target sunflower plants. (Cultivation test conditions) Cultivation start time (sowing time): April to May in general areas of Japan (a period when the germination temperature is 20 to 25°C and the growth temperature is 15 to 30°C) Cultivation environment: unheated greenhouse Distance between plants: 20 cm x 20 cm Number of rows: 4 Seeding: direct sowing Watering: watering only when wilting of leaves is observed from 2 weeks after germination (Measurement conditions) Measurement time: stages E to F shown in Figure 3 Measurement target: flowers in the center of the ridges (individuals excluding the three rows at both ends of each ridge)

[0097] In the sunflower plants of the present disclosure, for example, the inflorescence stem angle or average angle is 45° or less, 40° or less, 35° or less, 30° or less, 25° or less, 20° or less, 15° or less, 10° or less, or 5° or less. The average angle is, for example, the average value of measurements of the inflorescence stem tilt angle of 20 or more target sunflower plants.

[0098] An example of the sunflower plant of the present disclosure is the sunflower plant (deposited line) deposited under accession number FERM BP-22482 or its progeny line. Deposit information is shown below. Type of deposit: International deposit Name of depository institution: National Institute of Technology and Evaluation, Patent Organism Depositary Center Address: Room 120, 2-5-8 Kazusa Kamatari, Kisarazu City, Chiba Prefecture, 292-0818, Japan Accession number: FERM BP-22482 Identification mark: Takii34 Date of receipt: August 4, 2023

[0099] When the sunflower plant of the present disclosure is the deposited line or a progeny line thereof, the sunflower plant of the present disclosure exhibits, for example, the morphological and physiological characteristics shown in Table 1 below. In Table 1 below, the morphological and physiological characteristics are based on a trial production in Japan in 2021. In Table 1 below, the morphological and physiological characteristics are evaluated based on the evaluation criteria for sunflower (Helianthus L.) (issued in March 2007) published by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan (MAFF). The morphological and physiological characteristics in Table 1 below are evaluated based on the criteria described below. For the morphological and physiological characteristics, see FIG. 4.

[0100]

[0101] (Trait No. 20) The "main color of ray florets" refers to the color of bloomed ray florets. The "main color of ray florets" can be evaluated by visual observation of F3.2 sunflower plants. The "main color of ray florets" can be evaluated based on the following criteria: Grade 1 (yellow-white), Grade 2 (light yellow), Grade 3 (yellow), Grade 4 (orange-yellow), Grade 5 (orange), Grade 6 (purple), Grade 7 (reddish-brown), and Grade 8 (bicolored). For the F3.2 sunflowers, this refers to the stage when the anthers of the three outermost rows of disc florets have opened and become visible, and the stigma has developed.

[0102] (Trait No. 21) The "disk flower color" refers to the color of the bloomed disk flower. The "disk flower color" can be evaluated by visual observation of F3.2 sunflower plants. The "disk flower color" can be evaluated based on the following criteria: Grade 1 (yellow), Grade 2 (orange), and Grade 3 (purple).

[0103] (Trait No. 24) The "presence or absence of tubular pollen" refers to the presence or absence of tubular pollen. The "presence or absence of tubular pollen" can be evaluated by visual observation of F3.2 sunflower plants. The "presence or absence of tubular pollen" can be evaluated based on the criteria of grade 1 (absence) and grade 9 (presence).

[0104] (Trait No. 33) The "flower head orientation" refers to the orientation of the flower head. In the case of ornamental varieties, the "flower head orientation" can be evaluated by visual observation of an F3.2 sunflower plant. With reference to Figure 4, the "flower head orientation" can be evaluated based on the following criteria: Grade 1 (facing upward), Grade 2 (diagonally upward, standard variety: Taiyo), Grade 3 (facing sideways), Grade 4 (upright stem, slightly downward), Grade 5 (curved stem, slightly downward), Grade 6 (upright stem, downward), Grade 7 (slightly curved stem, downward), Grade 8 (strongly curved stem, downward), and Grade 9 (curled).

[0105] In the present disclosure, a plant having "essentially all physiological and morphological characteristics of the deposited line" means a plant that has the major traits of the deposited line when grown in the same environment. The major traits include the upward-facing flower stalk trait and traits Nos. 20, 21, 24, and 33. The major trait is preferably the upward-facing flower stalk trait. A plant having "essentially all physiological and morphological characteristics of the deposited line" may be a plant that has the same traits as the deposited line except for, for example, five or less, four or less, three or less, two or less, or one trait; that is, it may have five or less, four or less, three or less, two or less, or one trait that is different from the deposited line. The "traits different from the deposited line" may be the major traits of the deposited line or traits other than the major traits of the deposited line, but traits other than the major traits of the deposited line are preferred. The "traits different from those of the deposited line" can be implemented, for example, by introducing the traits and / or genes described below. In a plant having "essentially all of the physiological and morphological characteristics of the deposited line," the trait of an upward-facing flower stalk and all of the traits of trait numbers 20, 21, 24, and 33 may be the same as those of the deposited line.

[0106] The inflorescence stalk-up locus is, for example, the inflorescence stalk-up locus on chromosome 4 of the sunflower plant deposited under the aforementioned accession number FERM BP-22482.

[0107] The sunflower plant of the present disclosure can also be produced, for example, by introducing the inflorescence stalk-up locus into a sunflower plant. The method for introducing the inflorescence stalk-up locus into the sunflower plant is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include crossing with the sunflower plant of the present disclosure, tissue culture such as embryo culture, or conventionally known genetic engineering techniques. Examples of the genetic engineering techniques include methods using genetic recombination techniques and genome editing techniques. The inflorescence stalk-up locus to be introduced can be, for example, the inflorescence stalk-up locus described above. When introducing the inflorescence stalk-up locus by crossing with the sunflower plant of the present disclosure, it is preferable that the sunflower plant of the present disclosure used for crossing contains, for example, the inflorescence stalk-up locus in a homozygous form.

[0108] Regarding the sunflower plant of the present disclosure, characteristics other than the upward-facing trait of the flower stalk, such as phenotypic and ecological characteristics, are not particularly limited.

[0109] Sunflower plant comprising a variant of the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene In another aspect, the present disclosure provides a sunflower plant having an upward-facing flower stalk. The sunflower plant of the present disclosure comprises a variant of the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene (a mutated allele of the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene), and has an upward-facing flower stalk.

[0110] In the present disclosure, examples of the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene include, for example, a polynucleotide consisting of the nucleotide sequence (SEQ ID NO: 16) registered in GenBank under accession number XM_022179978.2 as mRNA, and a polynucleotide consisting of the amino acid sequence (SEQ ID NO: 19) registered in GenBank under accession number XP_022035670.1 as protein. The Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene is located, for example, on chromosome 4.

[0111] As a specific example, the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene of the sunflower plant (wild-type Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene) can be exemplified by the polynucleotide (P) below or a genomic region encoding the same.

[0112] (P) any of the polynucleotides (P1) to (P7) below: (P1) a polynucleotide consisting of the nucleotide sequence of any of SEQ ID NOs: 16 to 18; (P2) a polynucleotide consisting of the nucleotide sequence of (P1) in which one or several nucleotides have been deleted, substituted, inserted and / or added, and encoding a protein that controls the upward trait of the flower stalk; (P3) a polynucleotide consisting of a nucleotide sequence having 80% or more identity to the nucleotide sequence of (P1) in which the polynucleotide encodes a protein that controls the upward trait of the flower stalk; (P4) a polynucleotide consisting of a nucleotide sequence complementary to a polynucleotide that hybridizes under stringent conditions to a polynucleotide consisting of the nucleotide sequence of (P1), and encoding a protein that controls the upward trait of the flower stalk; (P5) a polynucleotide encoding a protein consisting of the amino acid sequence of any of SEQ ID NOs: 19 to 21; (P6) a polynucleotide consisting of the amino acid sequence of (P5) in which one or several amino acids have been deleted, substituted, inserted and / or added, and encoding a protein that controls the upward trait of the flower stalk; (P7) A polynucleotide consisting of an amino acid sequence having 80% or more identity to the amino acid sequence of (P5), encoding a protein that controls the upward orientation of the inflorescence stalk.

[0113] Nucleotide sequence of the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene of sunflower plants (corresponding to Chr04g0181821 in the HanXRQr2 database) (SEQ ID NO: 16) 5’-ATGAAGATCTTCAACTGGGTTCATCGTCGATTTCATCACAAATATGAAGTTAGCCAAGATGTAAAGAAAGCCGAATTTACTGCGAATGGGAAGGATAATCTATCACTTCTTGAAAATGAAGGAATGGATGGTGTGTTTGATGGTTGGAAAGAAGGCATACTTGCTATTGGGACATTTGGGTTTGATCCTTCGTTATTGAAAGATTTCGATCATGAAGACGACGACACATACTTATGTGAATACACGCGTAAAGAATTATCTATTGATCATGATGAGGATAATGGTGGAGACCAAGAAGAAGAAGAAGAAGAAGTTGAGTTTCCATTGGTGTTCAAAGCTTGTAAGTATGGATTCTTTCATGATCAAAAAGATGATCACACGCAATGTGATGACGTTTGTAAACCTAATGATCATGAAGACTGTGTGGATGATCATACTGACCAGATGAAAAAGGGAAAGAAGGCTGGAGAAAGAACCACTCTTGCTGATCTGTTTTTGGCTGATTCTGATAAGAACTTGTTGAACAAGAAGTTGACTGATGAAGATGATCAAGAAGTCAAAGTCCACTACATACCTGAATCCAACATAAAACATACTTCATATGATGAAAGGGTTGCTTTGATCTCTAAAAAGAAGATAACGAAAGATGTTGCTGCTCGCCCGATCAAGAAAATTAACCGAATGGTGAGGAAAATGTTAAAGAAGAAGATCCATCCCGACGTCGAAAATCAAAAGGATAAATGCAGGTTTGAAGCCATGCGCGTACATGGATGA-3’

[0114] Base sequence of the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene of sunflower plants (base sequence isolated from a horizontally-oriented sunflower plant) (SEQ ID NO: 17) 5’-ATGAAGATCTTCAACTGGGTTCATCGTCGATTTCATCACAAATATGAAGTTAGCCAAGATGTGAAGAAAGCCGAATTTACTGCGAATGGGAAGGACAATCTATCACTTCTTGAAAATGAAGGAATGGATGGTGTGTTTGATGGTTGGAAAGAAGGCATACTTGCTATTGGGACATTTGGGTTTGATCCTTCGTTATTGAAAGATTTCGATCATGAAGACGACGACACATACTTATGTGAATACACGCGTAAAGAATTATCTATTGATCATGATGAGGATAATGGTGGAGACCAAGAAGAAGAAGAAGAAGAAGTTGAGTTTCCATTGGTGTTCAAAGCTTGTAAGTATGGGTTCTTTCATGATAAAAAAGATGATCACACGCAATGTGATGACGTTTGTAAACCTAATGATCATGAAGACTGTGTGGATGATCATACTGACCAGATGAAAAAGGGAAAGAAGGCTGGAGAAAGAACCACTCTTGCTGATCTGTTTTTGGCTGATTCTGATAAGAACTTGTTGAACAAGAAGTTGACTGATGAAGATGATCAAGAAGTCAAAGTCCACTACATACCTGAATCCAACATAAAACATACTTCATGTGATGAAAGGGTTGCTTTGATCTCTAAAAAGAAGATAACGAAAGATGTTGCTGCTCGCCCGATCAAGAAAATTAACCGAATGGTGAGGAAAATGTTGAAGAAGAAGATCCATCCCGACGTCGAAAATCAAAAGGATAAATGCAGGTTTGAAGCCATGCGCGTACATGGATGA-3’

[0115] Nucleotide sequence of the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene of the sunflower plant (corresponding to Chr04g0188691 in the Ha412HOv2.0 database) (SEQ ID NO: 18) 5’-ATGAAGATCTTCAACTGGGTTCACCGTCGATTTCATCACAAATATGAAGTTAGCCAAGATGTGAAGAAAGCCGAATTTACCGTGAATGGGAAGGACAATCTATCACTTCTTGAAAATGAAGGAATGGATGGTGTGTTTGATGGTTGGAAAGAAGGCATACTTGCTATTGGGACATTTGGGTTTGATCCTTCGTTATTGAAAGATTTCGATCATGAAGACGACGACACATACTTATGTGAATACACGCGTAAAGAATTATCTATTGATCATGATGAGGATAATGGTGGAGACCAAGAAGAAGAAGAAGAAGAAGTTGAGTTTCCATTGGTGTTCAAAGCTTGTAAGTATGGGTTCTTTCATGATAAAAAAGATGATCACACGCAATGTGATGACGTTTGTAAACCTAATGATCATGAAGACTGTGTGGATGATCATACTGACCAGATGAAAAAGGGAAAGAAGGCTGGAGAAAGAACCACTCTTGCTGATCTGTTTTTGGCTGATTCTGATAAGAACTTGTTGAACAAGAAGTTGACTGATGAAGATGATCAAGAAGTCAAAGTCCACTACATACCTGAATCCAACATAAAACATACTTCATATGATGAAAGGGTTGCTTTGATCTCTAAAAAGAAGATAACGAAAGATGTTGCTGCTCGCCCGATCAAGAAAATTAACCGAATGGTGAGGAAAATGTTAAAGAAGAAGATCCATCCCGACGTCGAAAATCAAAAGGATAAATGCAGGTTTGAAGCCATGCGCGTACATGGATGA-3’

[0116] In (P1), the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 16 is a nucleotide sequence that encodes the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 19 in (P5). In (P1), the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 17 is a nucleotide sequence that encodes the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 20 in (P5). In (P1), the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 18 is a nucleotide sequence that encodes the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 21 in (P5). The nucleotide sequences of SEQ ID NOs: 16 to 18 can be obtained, for example, from a sunflower plant (Helianthus annuus).

[0117] In (P2), "one or several" may be within a range in which the protein encoded by the polynucleotide of (P2) can control the upward trait of the flower stalk. The control of the upward trait of the flower stalk means, for example, a function that can inhibit, suppress, or reduce the expression of the upward trait of the flower stalk (the same applies hereinafter). The "one or several" in (P2) may be, for example, 1 to 155, 1 to 116, 1 to 77, 1 to 38, 1 to 31, 1 to 23, 1 to 15, 1 to 7, 1 to 5, 1 to 3, 1 or 2, or 1 in the base sequence of (P1).

[0118] In the (P3), the "identity" may be within a range in which the protein encoded by the polynucleotide of (P3) can control the upward inflorescence trait. The identity of (P3) to the nucleotide sequence of (P1) is, for example, 80% or more, 85% or more, 90% or more, 95% or more, 96% or more, 97% or more, 98% or more, or 99% or more.

[0119] In (P4), "stringent conditions" may be, for example, low stringency conditions, moderate stringency conditions, or high stringency conditions. "Low stringency conditions" are, for example, 5x SSC, 5x Denhardt's solution, 0.5% SDS, 50% formamide, and 32°C. "Medium stringency conditions" are, for example, 5x SSC, 5x Denhardt's solution, 0.5% SDS, 50% formamide, and 42°C. "High stringency conditions" are, for example, 5x SSC, 5x Denhardt's solution, 0.5% SDS, 50% formamide, and 50°C. Those skilled in the art can set the degree of stringency by appropriately selecting conditions such as temperature, salt concentration, probe concentration and length, ionic strength, and time. The "stringent conditions" may be, for example, those described in "Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual 2nd Ed." edited by Sambrook et al. [Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press (1989)].

[0120] The polynucleotide (P5) may be any polynucleotide as long as the protein encoded by the polynucleotide (P5) is capable of controlling the upward inflorescence trait. The base sequence of the polynucleotide (P5) can be designed, for example, by substituting the corresponding codons based on the amino acid sequence of any one of SEQ ID NOs: 19 to 21.

[0121] Amino acid sequence of Ha412HOChr04g0188691 protein (corresponding to Chr04g0181821 in the HanXRQr2 database) (SEQ ID NO: 19): MKIFNWVHRRFHHKYEVSQDVKKAEFTANGKDNLSLLENEGMDGVFDGWKEGILAIGTFGFDPSLLKDFDHEDDDTYLCEYTRKELSIDHDEDNGGDQEEEEEEEVEFPLVFKACKYGFFHDQKDDHTQCDDVCKPNDHEDCVDDHTDQMKKGKKAGERTTLADLFLADSDKNLLNKKLTDEDDQEVKVHYIPESNIKHTSYDERVALISKKKITKDVAARPIKKINRMVRKMLKKKIHPDVENQKDKCRFEAMRVHG

[0122] Amino acid sequence of Ha412HOChr04g0188691 protein (isolated from a landscape sunflower plant) (SEQ ID NO: 20) MKIFNWVHRRFHHKYEVSQDVKKAEFTANGKDNLSLLENEGMDGVFDGWKEGILAIGTFGFDPSLLKDFDHEDDDTYLCEYTRKELSIDHDEDNGGDQEEEEEEEVEFPLVFKACKYGFFHDKKDDHTQCDDVCKPNDHEDCVDDHTDQMKKGKKAGERTTLADLFLADSDKNLLNKKLTDEDDQEVKVHYIPESNIKHTSCDERVALISKKKITKDVAARPIKKINRMVRKMLKKKIHPDVENQKDKCRFEAMRVHG

[0123] Amino acid sequence of Ha412HOChr04g0188691 protein (corresponding to Chr04g0188691 in the Ha412HOv2.0 database) (SEQ ID NO: 21): MKIFNWVHRRFHHKYEVSQDVKKAEFTVNGKDNLSLLENEGMDGVFDGWKEGILAIGTFGFDPSLLKDFDHEDDDTYLCEYTRKELSIDHDEDNGGDQEEEEEEEVEFPLVFKACKYGFFHDKKDDHTQCDDVCKPNDHEDCVDDHTDQMKKGKKAGERTTLADLFLADSDKNLLNKKLTDEDDQEVKVHYIPESNIKHTSYDERVALISKKKITKDVAARPIKKINRMVRKMLKKKIHPDVENQKDKCRFEAMRVHG

[0124] In (P6), the "one or several" in the amino acid sequence may be within a range in which the protein encoded by the polynucleotide of (P1) can control the upward inflorescence trait. The "one or several" in (P6) may be, for example, 1 to 51, 1 to 38, 1 to 25, 1 to 12, 1 to 10, 1 to 7, 1 to 5, 1 to 3, 1 or 2, or 1 in the amino acid sequence of any of SEQ ID NOs: 19 to 21.

[0125] In the (P7) polynucleotide, the "identity" of the amino acid sequence may be within a range in which the protein encoded by the (P7) polynucleotide can control the upward inflorescence trait. The identity of the (P7) polynucleotide to the amino acid sequence of any one of SEQ ID NOs: 19 to 21 is, for example, 80% or more, 85% or more, 90% or more, 95% or more, 96% or more, 97% or more, 98% or more, or 99% or more.

[0126] The Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene is presumed to control the orientation of the inflorescence stalk. More specifically, in the case of the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene, a normal gene, for example, causes the inflorescence stalk to orient in a direction other than upward, i.e., horizontal, and when a mutation that reduces or eliminates the function of the normal gene is introduced, it is presumed to cause the inflorescence stalk to orient upward. Therefore, the "control of the upward inflorescence stalk trait" can also be referred to as, for example, "inhibitory activity against the upward inflorescence stalk." Furthermore, the normal Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene can also be referred to as, for example, an inhibitory gene against the upward inflorescence stalk.

[0127] In the present disclosure, "control of the upward-directed inflorescence stalk trait" may be evaluated directly based on the inflorescence stalk orientation of a target sunflower plant (test sunflower plant), or indirectly based on the expression of the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene or a protein encoded by the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene in a plant sample of the test sunflower plant. The plant sample of the test sunflower plant is not particularly limited and may be, for example, either the entire sunflower plant or a part of the test sunflower plant, preferably the stem of a sunflower plant. The type of plant sample used may be, for example, one type or two or more types.

[0128] When evaluation is based on the orientation of the flower stalks of the test sunflower plants, the control of the upward-facing trait of flower stalks can be carried out in accordance with the above-mentioned method for measuring sunflower flower stalks. Specifically, when the test sunflower plants grown under the cultivation test conditions are subjected to the measurement under the above-mentioned conditions, and the average inclination angle (D) of the flower stalks of the test sunflower plants is more than 45°, 50° or more, 55° or more, 60° or more, 65° or more, 70° or more, 75° or more, 80° or more, 85° or more, or 90° or more, the test sunflower plants can be evaluated as having controllable upward-facing trait of flower stalks, for example. On the other hand, when the average inclination angle (D) of the inflorescence stalks of the test sunflower plants is 45° or less, 40° or less, 35° or less, 30° or less, 25° or less, 20° or less, 15° or less, or 10° or less, the test sunflower plants can be evaluated as, for example, unable to control the upward inflorescence stalk trait. The average value is, for example, the average value of the inflorescence stalk inclination angles of 20 or more target sunflower plants.

[0129] When evaluating the expression of the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene, the expression of the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene can be detected, for example, by detecting the expression of mRNA of the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene. mRNA can be extracted from a plant sample of the sunflower plant by a conventional method. The expression of mRNA of the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene can be detected, for example, by semi-quantitative PCR, quantitative PCR, Northern blotting, digital PCR, RNA sequence analysis (RNAseq), and the like. Primers and / or probes used to detect the expression of the mRNA can be designed, for example, by methods commonly used in the art. If the expression level of the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene in the plant sample of the test sunflower plant is the same as (no significant difference from) the expression level of the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene in a sunflower plant having the wild-type Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene in a homozygous form, it is possible to determine whether the expression level of the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene in the plant sample of the test sunflower plant is the same as (no significant difference from) the expression level of the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene in a sunflower plant having the wild-type Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene in a homozygous form. If the expression level of the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene is (significantly) higher than that in sunflower plants that have the 91 gene in a homozygous form, and / or if the expression level of the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene is (significantly) higher than that in a plant sample of sunflower plants that have a loss-of-function form of the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene in a homozygous or heterozygous form, the test sunflower plant can be evaluated as being, for example, capable of controlling the upward flower stalk trait.On the other hand, if the expression level of the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene in the plant sample of the test sunflower plant is (significantly) lower than the expression level of the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene in the plant sample of the sunflower plant having the wild-type Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene in a homozygous form, the plant is a sunflower plant having a loss-of-function form of the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene in a homozygous or heterozygous form. If the expression level of the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene in a plant sample is the same (no significant difference) as that in a plant sample of a sunflower plant having a homozygous or heterozygous loss-of-function form of the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene, and / or is (significantly) lower than the expression level of the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene in a plant sample of a sunflower plant having a homozygous or heterozygous loss-of-function form of the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene, the test sunflower plant can be evaluated as being unable to control, for example, the upward flower stalk trait.

[0130] When evaluation is based on the expression of the protein encoded by the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene, the expression of the protein encoded by the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene can be detected by, for example, ultraviolet absorption method, a method using a spectrophotometer such as the bicinchoninic acid method, ELISA, Western blotting, etc. The extract containing the protein from the sunflower plant can be prepared by a method commonly used in the art, such as ultrasonic disruption or physical disruption using a homogenizer. If the expression level of the protein encoded by the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene in the plant sample of the test sunflower plant is the same (no significant difference) as the expression level of the protein encoded by the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene in a sunflower plant having the wild-type Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene in a homozygous form, it is determined that the expression level of the protein encoded by the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene in the plant sample of the test sunflower plant is the same (no significant difference) as the expression level of the protein encoded by the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene in the sunflower plant having the wild-type Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene in a homozygous form. If the expression level of the protein encoded by the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene is (significantly) higher than that in sunflower plants that have the 188691 gene in homozygous form, and / or if the expression level of the protein encoded by the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene is (significantly) higher than that in plant samples of sunflower plants that have a loss-of-function form of the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene in homozygous or heterozygous form, the test sunflower plant can be evaluated as being, for example, capable of controlling the upward flower stalk trait.On the other hand, if the expression level of the protein encoded by the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene in a plant sample of the sunflower plant is (significantly) lower than the expression level of the protein encoded by the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene in a plant sample of a sunflower plant having the wild-type Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene in a homozygous form, the sunflower plant is considered to have a loss-of-function form of the protein encoded by the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene in a homozygous or heterozygous form. If the expression level of the protein encoded by the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene in a plant sample of a sunflower plant is the same (not significantly different) as that in a plant sample of a sunflower plant, and / or is (significantly) lower than the expression level of the protein encoded by the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene in a plant sample of a sunflower plant that has a loss-of-function form of the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene in a homozygous or heterozygous form, the test sunflower plant can be evaluated as, for example, unable to control the upward flower stalk trait.

[0131] Furthermore, when evaluation is based on the expression of the protein encoded by the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene, if the molecular weight of the protein encoded by the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene in a plant sample of the test sunflower plant is the same as the molecular weight of the protein encoded by the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene in a sunflower plant that has the wild-type Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene in homozygous form, the test sunflower plant can be evaluated as being capable of controlling, for example, the upward flower stalk trait. On the other hand, if the molecular weight of the protein encoded by the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene in a plant sample of the sunflower plant is larger or smaller than the molecular weight of the protein encoded by the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene in a plant sample of a sunflower plant that has the wild-type Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene in homozygous form, the test sunflower plant can be evaluated as, for example, unable to control the upward flower stalk trait.

[0132] In the present disclosure, the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene may exist in the form of RNA (e.g., mRNA) or DNA (cDNA or genomic DNA). The DNA may be double-stranded or single-stranded. In the present disclosure, the gene may include additional sequences, such as sequences of untranslated regions (UTRs).

[0133] The mutation of the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene may mean a state in which the function of the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene is (significantly) reduced or lost to the extent that a sunflower plant having a mutant Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene has an upward-facing flower stalk compared to a sunflower plant having a wild-type Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene (hereinafter also referred to as a "wild-type sunflower plant"). Specifically, the mutation of the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene may mean, for example, a state in which the expression level of the mRNA of the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene or the protein encoded by the gene is (significantly) reduced, or a state in which the mRNA of the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene or the protein encoded by the gene is not expressed at all; or it may mean a state in which the expression level of the mRNA of the functional Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene or the protein encoded by the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene is reduced, or a state in which the mRNA of the functional Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene or the protein encoded by the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene is not expressed at all. Therefore, in the present disclosure, the loss of function of the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene may be achieved by introducing a loss-of-function mutation into the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene, or by introducing a polynucleotide that suppresses the expression of the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene. The "suppression of gene expression" may be suppression of gene transcription or suppression of translation into protein.

[0134] In the present disclosure, a sunflower plant comprising a mutation in the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene can also be referred to as a sunflower plant having a variant of the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene. The sunflower plant comprising a mutation in the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene may, for example, have the variant of the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene in a heterozygous or homozygous form. The sunflower plant comprising a mutation in the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene may further have genes other than the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene modified, altered, introduced, and / or have their functions lost.

[0135] Mutations in the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene can be induced, for example, by introducing a loss-of-function mutation or other mutation into the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene. The type of mutation is not particularly limited, and examples include point mutations, missense mutations, nonsense mutations, frameshift mutations, splicing mutations, and large deletions of bases. The mutations may result in partial or complete deletion of the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene. Frameshift mutations occur when a base is deleted or inserted, resulting in a shift in the triplet reading frame (codon). Compared to base pair substitution mutations, frameshift mutations have a much greater impact on gene function. This is because frameshift mutations significantly shift the genetic code in the gene after the point where the frameshift mutation was introduced, resulting in not only a change in amino acid but also a shift in the stop codon, etc. For example, when the mutation causes loss of function in the mutant of the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene, it can also be said to be a loss-of-function form of the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene.

[0136] The mutant of the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene is, for example, a gene in which a mutation such as an insertion, deletion, and / or substitution of one or several bases (hereinafter also referred to as "one or more bases") has been introduced into the base sequence of the wild-type Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene. The one or more bases can be, for example, the same as the explanation of the number of bases in (P2) above. The frameshift mutation occurs, for example, by the insertion or deletion of 3m+1 or 3m+2 bases (m is an integer of 0 or more).

[0137] In the present disclosure, mutations in the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene can be induced, for example, by introducing mutations into a target gene in the genome of a target sunflower plant using standard methods. The method for introducing mutations can be carried out, for example, by homologous recombination; genome editing techniques using ZFN, TALEN, CRISPR-CAS9, CRISPR-CPF1, etc. The method for introducing mutations can also be carried out, for example, by site-directed mutagenesis or other mutagenesis methods. Alternatively, the method for introducing mutations can also be carried out, for example, by random mutagenesis. Examples of random mutagenesis include irradiation with alpha rays, beta rays, gamma rays, X-rays, or other radiation; chemical treatment with mutagens such as ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS) or ethynylnitrosourea (ENU); and heavy ion beam treatment. Introduction of mutations using genome editing techniques can be carried out, for example, by introducing proteins and nucleic acids constituting the genome editing techniques, or vectors encoding these. Examples of the protein include CRISPR (Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats) enzymes, and specific examples include Cas1, Cas1B, Cas2, Cas3, Cas4, Cas5, Cas6, Cas7, Cas8, Cas9, Cas10, Csy1, Csy2, Csy3, Cse1, Cse2, Csc1, Csc2, Csa5, Csn2, Csm2, and Css3. Examples of such nucleic acids include Csm3, Csm4, Csm5, Csm6, Cmr1, Cmr3, Cmr4, Cmr5, Cmr6, Csb1, Csb2, Csb3, Csx17, Csx14, Csx10, Csx16, CsaX, Csx3, Csx1, Csx15, Csf1, Csf2, Csf3, and Csf4. Examples of such nucleic acids include crRNA and tracrRNA, or single-stranded nucleic acids formed by linking these together via a linker. In this case, the nucleic acid is designed, for example, so that the base sequence that anneals to the target sequence in crRNA is complementary to the base sequence encoding the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene. One type of nucleic acid may be used alone, or two or more types may be used in combination.When the genome editing technique is used, for example, by using two or more types of nucleic acids, a large deletion of the base sequence between target sequences can be induced. The method for introducing the mutation may be carried out by a mutagenesis method such as site-directed mutagenesis.

[0138] The location of the mutation in the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene is not particularly limited and can be set in any region related to each gene. Specific examples of the location of the mutation in the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene include expression control regions such as the promoter region of the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene, exon regions including coding regions encoding proteins encoded by the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene, and non-coding regions (e.g., intron regions, enhancer regions, etc.) that do not encode proteins encoded by the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene. Examples of the exon regions include the first, second, third, or fourth exon regions.

[0139] As a specific example, the position of the mutation in the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene is, for example, between bases 300 and 400, preferably between bases 340 and 360, and more preferably base 353 in the base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 22. The mutation introduced at these mutation positions is preferably a nonsense mutation, a frameshift mutation, or a splicing mutation.

[0140] Base sequence of the inserted sequence at the mutation position of the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene of the sunflower plant (SEQ ID NO: 13) 5’-CAGTGGCGGACCCAAGAATTTTTCCATGGGGGTGCGAAACATTTTTAAAAATTTTAGGCCCCTAGGTATATAAGTAAAAAAATCGGTTCGTATCGGGTCGGTTCGGGTCGGGTCATGTAAAACAAAAGAAATTGCGCCATAACGTCCCTACTCATGGTTTCTATCACAAACAAATTGATGCATAAGTTTATCGCTCCATAAAATAATGTTTCAATTTTAATTTTCAACCCTAGAAATCGTGTGTAATCAGCCTAAAAATTATCTAAACAACATAATCACCCTAAAAATCATCTAAACAACCATAAACATCGTCAAAACACATGAAATTTCAAACCTATTTAAGAATTTTGTTACCCTTTGGTGTCGGACGGCGGTGGTTCGCGGCTGCTGATGACGTGCTGTTGTGGTCGATGATCGCTTGTAGGAGACGACCCAAGAGAGGGAGGGCGGGATGAATTCTAAGGGACTATTGGGCTTATTTTAATTATTATACTTTGAACTTAGGTTGAGTTTGGTTAATGGGCTAGTAATTAGTGGGCTAATTATGTTTAATGAAATAGTGGGTTAAGGTATTGGGTATTTGGGTTAAGTTGGGTAGTATAAGTTTATATAATTTAGATAGTTTTTTTAATTAGAGTTTACTAAAAAATTTAAAATATAAATCGAAAACATTTTTTACCTAAGGTGTGTGGACGAAAAATTCCAGGGGTGCAGATGAAAAAATTCAAGGGGTGCGGACGAAAAAATCCAAAGGGTGCAGACGAGATTTTCAACGGAAAATAGCACTAAATTTTTTTTTCCCGGGGGTGCGCCCGCCCACCTTGGGCTATATGTATGTCCGCCCTTGTAAGTATG-3’

[0141] Examples of the mutant of the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene of sunflower include the following polynucleotide (M) or a genomic region encoding the same:

[0142] (M) A polynucleotide selected from any of the following (M1) to (M7): (M1) a polynucleotide consisting of the base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 22; (M2) a polynucleotide consisting of the base sequence of (M1) in which one or more bases have been deleted, substituted, inserted and / or added; (M3) a polynucleotide encoding a protein consisting of a base sequence having 80% or more identity to the base sequence of (M1); (M4) a polynucleotide encoding a protein consisting of a base sequence complementary to a polynucleotide that hybridizes under stringent conditions to a polynucleotide consisting of the base sequence of (M1); (M5) a polynucleotide encoding a protein consisting of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 23; (M6) a polynucleotide consisting of the amino acid sequence of (M5) in which one or more amino acids have been deleted, substituted, inserted and / or added; (M7) a polynucleotide encoding a protein consisting of an amino acid sequence having 80% or more identity to the amino acid sequence of (M5).

[0143]

[0144] The polynucleotides (M1) to (M7) are preferably polynucleotides that encode proteins that cause the expression of an upward-facing flower stalk trait.

[0145] In the polynucleotides (M1) to (M7), "expressing the upward trait of the inflorescence stalk" means, for example, that the control of the upward trait of the inflorescence stalk is significantly suppressed compared to the proteins encoded by the polynucleotides (P1) to (P7), and preferably means that the control of the upward trait of the inflorescence stalk is completely lost.

[0146] The "one or several" in (M2) means, for example, 1 to 326, 1 to 244, 1 to 163, 1 to 81, 1 to 65, 1 to 48, 1 to 32, 1 to 16, 1 to 10, 1 to 8, 1 to 5, 1 to 3, 1 or 2, or 1 in the base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 22.

[0147] The identity of (M3) to the base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 22 is, for example, 80% or more, 85% or more, 90% or more, 95% or more, 96% or more, 97% or more, 98% or more, or 99% or more.

[0148] In (M4), the "hybridizing polynucleotide" is, for example, a polynucleotide that is completely or partially complementary to the polynucleotide consisting of the base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 22. The hybridization can be detected, for example, by various hybridization assays. In (M4), the hybridization and stringent conditions can be determined as described in (P4).

[0149] The base sequence of the polynucleotide (M5) can be designed, for example, based on the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 23, by substituting the corresponding codons.

[0150] Amino acid sequence of Ha412HOChr04g0188691 protein from a sunflower plant exhibiting the upward-facing flower stalk trait (SEQ ID NO: 23) MKIFNWVHRRFHHKYEVSQDVKKAEFTANGKDNLSLLENEGMDGVFDGWKEGILAIGTFGFDPSLLKDFDHEDDDTYLCEYTRKELSIDHDEDNGGDQEEEEEEEVEFPLVFKACKYAVADPRIFPWGCETFLKILGP

[0151] The "one or several" in (M6) means, for example, 1 to 27, 1 to 20, 1 to 13, 1 to 10, 1 to 6, 1 to 5, 1 to 3, 1 or 2, or 1 in the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 23.

[0152] The identity of (M7) to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 23 is, for example, 80% or more, 85% or more, 90% or more, 95% or more, 96% or more, 97% or more, 98% or more, or 99% or more.

[0153] In the present disclosure, when the function of the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene is lost by suppressing its expression, the loss of function of the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene can be achieved, for example, by introducing a polynucleotide that suppresses the expression of the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene into a target sunflower plant. The method for introducing the polynucleotide is not particularly limited and can be, for example, RNA interference, antisense RNA, genome editing, or other techniques. An expression cassette, such as an expression vector, containing the polynucleotide can be introduced into a target sunflower plant by, for example, microinjection, polyethylene glycol, electroporation, Agrobacterium, or particle gun technology. The target sunflower plant may be, for example, a plant cell, callus, plant tissue, or an individual plant.

[0154] As described above, the sunflower plant of the present disclosure is obtained by inducing a mutation in the wild-type Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene. Therefore, the sunflower plant of the present disclosure can also be referred to as, for example, a "mutant sunflower plant exhibiting the trait of upward-oriented flower stalks." The sunflower plant of the present disclosure may also be a progeny line of a "mutant sunflower plant exhibiting the trait of upward-oriented flower stalks" and a sunflower plant having a mutation in the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene. The sunflower plant of the present disclosure can also be referred to as, for example, a mutant sunflower plant having a genetic mutation introduced into the nucleotide sequence of the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene by the above-described method for introducing a mutation. The sunflower plant of the present disclosure can also be referred to as, for example, a sunflower plant exhibiting the trait of upward-oriented flower stalks, excluding sunflower plants obtained solely by means of an essentially biological process.

[0155] The method for producing a sunflower plant of the present disclosure can be based on the description of the production method described below.

[0156] <Plant Population of Sunflower Plants> In another aspect, the present disclosure provides a plant population of sunflower plants with upward-facing flower stalks. The plant population of sunflower plants of the present disclosure includes sunflower plants with upward-facing flower stalks, and the proportion of individuals in the plant population with flower stalk angles of 0 to 45 degrees is 50% or more. The plant population of sunflower plants of the present disclosure can use the description of sunflower plants with upward-facing flower stalks of the present disclosure.

[0157] A population of sunflower plants according to the present disclosure may be composed, for example, of a plant in which some or all of the plants are the sunflower plants according to the present disclosure. A population of sunflower plants according to the present disclosure may be composed, for example, of two or more individual sunflower plants, or may be composed of two or more parts of sunflower plants (e.g., flowers, stems, seeds, etc.).

[0158] The number of plants constituting the plant population is 2 or more, and there is no particular upper limit. The number of plants constituting the plant population is, for example, 10 to 200 individuals, 20 to 150 individuals, or 20 to 100 individuals.

[0159] In a population of sunflower plants according to the present disclosure, for example, if the proportion of individuals with inflorescence stalk angles of 0 to 45° is 40% or more, 45% or more, 50% or more, 55% or more, 60% or more, 65% or more, 70% or more, 75% or more, 80% or more, 85% or more, 90% or more, 95% or more, 96% or more, 97% or more, 98% or more, or 99% or more, the population can be evaluated as a population of sunflower plants exhibiting the upward-facing inflorescence stalk trait. The population of sunflower plants may, for example, consist of 10 to 200, 20 to 150, or 50 to 100 sunflower plants.

[0160] <Part of a sunflower plant having an upward-facing flower stalk> In another aspect, the present disclosure provides a part of a sunflower plant having an upward-facing flower stalk. The present disclosure relates to a sunflower plant having an upward-facing flower stalk of the present disclosure and / or a part of a sunflower plant comprising a variant of the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene.

[0161] Examples of the plant parts include plant cells, plant protoplasts, plant cell cultures or tissue cultures capable of regenerating plants, plant callus, plant clumps, plant cells isolated from plants or plant parts, leaves, pollen, embryos, cotyledons, hypocotyls, roots, root tips (root tips), anthers, pistils, flowers, ovaries, ovules, seeds, fruits, stems, seedlings, etc. Examples of the plant parts include organs, tissues, cells, propagules, etc., and any of these may be used. Examples of the organs include petals, corollas, flowers, leaves, seeds, fruits, stems, roots, etc. The tissues are, for example, parts of the organs. Specific examples of the part of a plant individual include a microspore, flower, flower bud, pistil, anther, pollen, ovary, embryo, ovule, hypocotyl, embryo sac, egg cell, cutting, root, root tip, stem, stalk, leaf, petiole, leaf pith, cotyledon, cell, meristematic cell, protoplast, and seed. The pollen may be mature or immature pollen. The part of a plant individual may be derived from any growth stage of a plant, such as pre-rooting, post-rooting, seedling, cutting, mature individual, and the like. The part of a plant individual may be, for example, one type of organ, tissue, and / or cell, or two or more types of organs, tissues, and / or cells.

[0162] Parts of the plants of the present disclosure can be produced, for example, by obtaining a desired part of a sunflower plant of the present disclosure.

[0163] <Method for producing a sunflower plant or a plant population of sunflower plants> In another aspect, the present disclosure provides a method for producing a sunflower plant or a plant population of sunflower plants that exhibits the upward-facing flower stalk trait. The method for producing a sunflower plant or a plant population of sunflower plants of the present disclosure comprises the following steps (a) and (b). The production method of the present disclosure may comprise only the following step (a).

[0164] (a) crossing the sunflower plant having upward-facing flower stalks of the present disclosure with another sunflower plant; (b) selecting a sunflower plant exhibiting the upward-facing flower stalk trait from the sunflower plant or its progeny obtained by the (a) step.

[0165] According to the production method of the present disclosure, a sunflower plant or a plant population of sunflower plants exhibiting the upward-facing flower stalk trait can be obtained from the resulting progeny line by crossing the sunflower plant of the present disclosure with another sunflower plant. According to the production method of the present disclosure, any sunflower plant can be used to breed a sunflower plant variety exhibiting the upward-facing flower stalk trait. Therefore, the production method of the present disclosure can also be referred to as, for example, a breeding method or a cultivation method.

[0166] In the step (a), the sunflower plant exhibiting the upward-facing flower stalk trait to be used as the first parent may be any sunflower plant as described herein. The sunflower plant as described herein is preferably, for example, the sunflower plant deposited under the accession number FERM BP-22482 described above or a progeny line thereof. The sunflower plant with an upward-facing flower stalk to be used as the first parent in the step (a) may also be obtained, for example, by the screening method of the present disclosure described below. For this reason, the sunflower plant exhibiting the upward-facing flower stalk trait may be prepared, for example, by selecting from a test sunflower plant in the following step (x) prior to the step (a). (x) Step of selecting sunflower plants exhibiting the upward-facing flower stalk trait of the present disclosure from test sunflower plants

[0167] In the step (x), the selection of sunflower plants exhibiting the upward-facing trait of flower stalks can be carried out, for example, by directly and / or indirectly evaluating the upward-facing trait of flower stalks in test sunflower plants and selecting sunflower plants exhibiting the upward-facing trait of flower stalks. The direct evaluation can be carried out by referring to the explanation of the cultivation test for the upward-facing trait of flower stalks described above.

[0168] When the indirect evaluation is carried out, in the step (x), sunflower plants exhibiting the upward-facing flower stalk trait may be selected using, for example, the presence or absence of a mutant of the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene as an indicator. The description of the sunflower plants disclosed herein can be used for the description of the mutant of the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene. Specifically, the selection of sunflower plants exhibiting the upward-facing flower stalk trait in the step (x) can be said to be the selection of sunflower plants having the mutant of the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene. The mutation of the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene may be carried out, for example, by decoding the nucleotide sequence of the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene of the test sunflower plant and comparing it with the nucleotide sequence of the normal Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene. Then, for example, if a mutation has been introduced into the nucleotide sequence of the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene of the test sunflower plant compared to the nucleotide sequence of the normal Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene, the test sunflower plant is selected as a sunflower plant that exhibits the upward-directed inflorescence stalk trait of the present disclosure. The comparison of the nucleotide sequences can be carried out, for example, using known nucleotide sequence analysis software. Furthermore, when the mutation in the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene is caused by introducing a mutation such as an insertion, deletion, and / or substitution of one or more bases into the nucleotide sequence of the normal Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene, the detection may be performed, for example, using a primer set, probe, or a combination thereof that can detect at least one mutation. The primer set and probe may be designed, for example, using a known design method based on the type of mutation. The mutation in the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene may also be determined, for example, based on the mRNA of the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene or the function of the protein encoded by the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene in the test sunflower plant.Furthermore, the mutation of the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene may be determined, for example, based on the presence or absence of expression of the protein encoded by the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene in the test sunflower plant, the expression level of the protein encoded by the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene, or the molecular weight of the protein encoded by the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene.

[0169] When making a judgment based on the molecular weight of the protein encoded by the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene in the test sunflower plant, the production method of the present disclosure includes, for example, a measurement step of measuring the molecular weight of the protein encoded by the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene in a plant sample of the test sunflower plant, and by comparing the molecular weight of the protein encoded by the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene in the plant sample of the test sunflower plant with the molecular weight of the protein encoded by a normal Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene, it is possible to select a test sunflower plant in which the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene is mutated. The molecular weight of the protein encoded by the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene measured in the measurement step can be determined by a known method for quantifying the molecular weight of proteins, such as Western blotting.

[0170] Furthermore, when the indirect evaluation is carried out, in the step (x), for example, the presence or absence of a flower stalk-up locus on chromosome 4 may be used as an indicator to select sunflower plants that exhibit the flower stalk-up trait. Specifically, in the step (x), the selection of sunflower plants that exhibit the flower stalk-up trait can be said to be the selection of sunflower plants that have the flower stalk-up locus. Therefore, the step (x) can be carried out, for example, by the following steps (x1) and (x2).

[0171] (x1) a detection step of detecting the presence or absence of the inflorescence stalk upward locus on the chromosome of the test sunflower plant; and (x2) a selection step of selecting the test sunflower plant as a sunflower plant exhibiting the inflorescence stalk upward trait based on the presence of the inflorescence stalk upward locus.

[0172] As described above, the selection in the step (x) is, for example, the selection of a sunflower plant having the inflorescence stalk upward locus on chromosome 4. Specifically, by examining the inflorescence stalk upward locus for the test sunflower plant, a sunflower plant exhibiting the inflorescence stalk upward trait can be selected.

[0173] The detection of the inflorescence stalk-up locus in step (x1) can be performed using, for example, (1) the molecular marker, (2) a base sequence including the molecular marker, (3) a region between the sites of the two molecular markers, or a combination thereof, which define the inflorescence stalk-up locus, as described for the sunflower plant of the present disclosure. Specifically, in step (x1), for example, molecular markers such as SNPs and / or Indels associated with the inflorescence stalk-up locus on the chromosome of the test sunflower plant are detected, and the presence or absence of the inflorescence stalk-up locus is detected from the obtained detection results.

[0174] In the step (x2), for example, if the inflorescence stalk upward locus is present in one chromosome of a pair of chromosomes, the test sunflower plant may be selected as a sunflower plant that exhibits the inflorescence stalk upward trait, or if the inflorescence stalk upward locus is present in both chromosomes of a pair of chromosomes, the test sunflower plant may be selected as a sunflower plant that exhibits the inflorescence stalk upward trait, the latter being preferred.

[0175] (1) Identification by Molecular Marker The selection in step (x) is, for example, selection of sunflower plants that exhibit the trait of upward-facing inflorescence stalks, having an upward-facing inflorescence stalk locus identified by at least one molecular marker selected from the group consisting of Ha_chr04_172545117, Ha_chr04_175698294, Ha_chr04_181000331, Indel markers in the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene, Ha_chr04_200021302, Ha_chr04_204904126, and Ha_chr04_208654314. The molecular marker selected is not particularly limited, and the explanation for "(1) Identification by Molecular Marker" in the sunflower plants of the present disclosure can be used, for example.

[0176] (2) Identification by base sequence including molecular markers The selection in the step (x) is, for example, selection of sunflower plants that exhibit the trait of inflorescence stalk upwards, having an inflorescence stalk upwards locus identified by at least one polynucleotide selected from the group consisting of (a), (b), (c), (d), (e), (f), (g), and (ga). The polynucleotides (a), (b), (c), (d), (e), (f), (g), and (ga) can be identified by, for example, the explanation of "(2) Identification by base sequence including SNP markers" in the sunflower plants of the present disclosure.

[0177] (3) Identification by Region Between Two Molecular Markers The selection in step (x) is, for example, selection of sunflower plants that exhibit the inflorescence stalk upward trait, having an inflorescence stalk upward locus that includes the nucleotide sequence of the region between two molecular markers on chromosome 4 selected from the group consisting of Ha_chr04_172545117, Ha_chr04_175698294, Ha_chr04_181000331, Indel marker of the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene, Ha_chr04_200021302, Ha_chr04_204904126, and Ha_chr04_208654314. For the nucleotide sequence of the region between the two molecular markers, the explanation of "(3) Identification by Region Between Two Molecular Markers" in the sunflower plants of the present disclosure can be used.

[0178] As a specific example, the selection in the step (x) may include the selection of sunflower plants that exhibit an up-facing inflorescence trait and have an up-facing inflorescence locus located between two molecular markers on the chromosome selected from the group consisting of Ha_chr04_172545117, Ha_chr04_175698294, Ha_chr04_181000331, an Indel marker in the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene, Ha_chr04_200021302, Ha_chr04_204904126, and Ha_chr04_208654314.

[0179] When detecting based on the presence or absence of a base sequence in the region between the two molecular markers, in step (x1), for example, the base sequence of the genome (genomic DNA) of the test sunflower plant is decoded. Next, in step (x1), the obtained base sequence is compared with the base sequence of the genome (genomic DNA) of the deposited line, and detection can be performed based on whether the base sequences match. The base sequence can be decoded, for example, using a sample containing the genome (genomic DNA) of the test sunflower plant, a sequencing reagent, and a sequencer. The comparison of the base sequences can also be performed, for example, using base sequence analysis software (e.g., the aforementioned BLAST). In the obtained base sequence, the region for base sequence comparison is the region between the two molecular markers. Specifically, the decoded sequence in step (x1) can be determined by scaffolding using a sequencer, for example, with reference to Reference 6 below. Thus, in the step (x1), a sunflower plant having a base sequence that matches the base sequence of the region between the two molecular markers in the deposited line or that satisfies the above-mentioned identity can be specified (identified or detected) as a test sunflower plant containing the inflorescence stalk-up locus. In the step (x1), the detection may be performed on the entire genome of the test sunflower plant, or on a portion of the genome. Furthermore, the detection may be performed on all chromosomes, or on a portion of chromosomes. Then, in the step (x2), for example, a test sunflower plant containing the inflorescence stalk-up locus is selected as the sunflower plant of the present disclosure or its progeny line, i.e., a sunflower plant that exhibits the inflorescence stalk-up trait. Reference 6: Helene Badouin et al., "The sunflower genome provides insights into oil metabolism, flowering and asterid evolution", Nature volume 546, pages 148-152 (2017)

[0180] When detecting a flower stalk-up locus in the genomic region between the sites of the two molecular markers, the flower stalk-up locus may be detected by QTL analysis in the step (x1). The QTL analysis allows for identification of a chromosomal region that contributes to the flower stalk-up orientation in the test sunflower plant. For example, the method of QTL analysis in sunflower plants can be found in Reference 1. Then, in the step (x2), for example, a test sunflower plant that contains the flower stalk-up locus in the region between the sites of the two molecular markers on the chromosome is selected as the sunflower plant of the present disclosure or its progeny line, i.e., a sunflower plant that exhibits the flower stalk-up trait.

[0181] The chromosome for detecting the presence or absence of the inflorescence stem upward locus is preferably chromosome 4.

[0182] In the step (a), the sunflower plant used as the other parent is not particularly limited, and may be, for example, a sunflower plant that exhibits the known upward-facing trait of flower stalks or does not exhibit the upward-facing trait of flower stalks, or a sunflower plant that exhibits the upward-facing trait of flower stalks of the present disclosure.

[0183] In the step (a), the method for crossbreeding the sunflower plant exhibiting the upward-facing flower stalk trait with the other sunflower plant is not particularly limited, and any known method can be used.

[0184] In step (b), the target for selecting sunflower plants exhibiting the upward inflorescence trait may be, for example, the sunflower plant obtained in step (a), or may further be a progeny line obtained from that sunflower plant. Specifically, the target may be, for example, an F1 sunflower plant obtained by the crossing in step (a), or a progeny line thereof. The progeny line may be, for example, a self-crossed progeny or backcrossed progeny of the F1 sunflower plant obtained by the crossing in step (a), or a sunflower plant obtained by crossing the F1 sunflower plant with another sunflower plant.

[0185] In the step (b), the selection of sunflower plants exhibiting the upward-facing trait of flower stalks can be carried out, for example, by directly or indirectly confirming the upward-facing trait of flower stalks.

[0186] In the step (b), the direct confirmation can be performed by, for example, evaluating the orientation of the flower stalk of the obtained F1 sunflower plant or its progeny line through a cultivation test for the upward-facing flower stalk trait described above. Specifically, for example, when the inclination angle of the flower stalk of the F1 sunflower plant or its progeny line is 45° or less, 40° or less, 35° or less, 30° or less, 25° or less, 20° or less, 15° or less, or 10° or less, the orientation of the flower stalk of the target sunflower plant can be evaluated as upward-facing. In this case, for example, the F1 sunflower plant or its progeny line that meets the predetermined criteria can be selected as a sunflower plant that exhibits the upward-facing flower stalk trait.

[0187] In the step (b), the selection by indirect confirmation can be carried out, for example, by the following steps (b1) and (b2): (b1) a detection step of detecting the presence or absence of a flower stalk-up locus on chromosome 4 for the sunflower plant obtained in the step (a) or its progeny line, and (b2) a selection step of selecting the sunflower plant obtained in the step (a) or its progeny line as a sunflower plant exhibiting the flower stalk-up trait based on the presence of the flower stalk-up locus.

[0188] The selection of sunflower plants exhibiting the upward-facing flower stalk trait in step (b) by indirect evaluation can be carried out, for example, by detecting the presence or absence of the upward-facing flower stalk locus, similar to the method described in step (x).

[0189] In the production method of the present disclosure, it is preferable to further cultivate the sunflower plants exhibiting the upward-facing flower stalk trait selected in step (b).

[0190] In this way, the sunflower plant or its progeny line in which the upward-facing flower stalk trait has been confirmed can be selected as a sunflower plant exhibiting the upward-facing flower stalk trait.

[0191] The production method of the present disclosure may further include a seed collection step of collecting seeds from the progeny line obtained by crossbreeding.

[0192] The production method of the present disclosure includes the steps (a) and (b), but the present disclosure is not limited thereto and may include only the step (a). In this case, the sunflower plant of the present disclosure used in the step (a) preferably contains the inflorescence stalk-up locus in a homozygous form.

[0193] <Method for screening sunflower plants with upward-facing flower stalk trait> In another aspect, the present disclosure provides a method for screening sunflower plants that exhibit the upward-facing flower stalk trait. The screening method of the present disclosure is a method for screening sunflower plants that exhibit the upward-facing flower stalk trait, and includes a selection step of selecting, from test sunflower plants, test sunflowers in which the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene is mutated, as sunflower plants that exhibit the upward-facing flower stalk trait. The screening method of the present disclosure is also a method for screening sunflower plants that exhibit the upward-facing flower stalk trait, and includes a selection step of selecting, from test sunflower plants, sunflower plants that include a flower stalk-up locus on chromosome 4, as sunflower plants that exhibit the upward-facing flower stalk trait. The screening method of the present disclosure makes it possible to screen sunflower plants that may exhibit the upward-facing flower stalk trait. Additionally, the screening method of the present disclosure allows for screening of parents for crossing to produce sunflower plants that exhibit the upward-facing flower stalk trait.

[0194] For the selection of sunflower plants that exhibit the upward-facing flower stalk trait, the explanation of the indirect selection (selection using indirect evaluation) in step (x) or step (x1) in the method for producing sunflower plants that exhibit the upward-facing flower stalk trait of the present disclosure can be used, for example.

[0195] <Method for detecting the upward-oriented flower stalk trait in sunflower plants> In another aspect, the present disclosure provides a method for detecting the upward-oriented flower stalk trait in sunflower plants. The detection method of the present disclosure is a method for detecting the upward-oriented flower stalk trait in sunflower plants, and includes a detection step of detecting whether the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene is mutated in a test sunflower plant. The detection method of the present disclosure is also a method for detecting the upward-oriented flower stalk trait in sunflower plants, and includes a detection step of detecting a flower stalk-up locus on chromosome 4 of the test sunflower plant. The detection method of the present disclosure can detect whether a target sunflower plant exhibits the upward-oriented flower stalk trait. The method for detecting the upward-oriented flower stalk trait in sunflower plants of the present disclosure can also be referred to as, for example, a method for screening for the upward-oriented flower stalk trait in sunflower plants.

[0196] The detection of sunflower plants exhibiting the upward-facing flower stalk trait can be carried out by, for example, referring to the indirect selection in step (x) in the method for producing sunflower plants exhibiting the upward-facing flower stalk trait of the present disclosure, i.e., the description of step (x1).

[0197] <Method for imparting an upward-facing flower stalk trait to a sunflower plant> In another aspect, the present disclosure provides a method for imparting an upward-facing flower stalk trait to a sunflower plant. The method of the present disclosure for imparting an upward-facing flower stalk trait to a sunflower plant comprises an upward-facing step of altering the function of the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene in the sunflower plant to make the flower stalk of the sunflower plant face upward. The method of the present disclosure for imparting an upward-facing flower stalk trait to a sunflower plant also comprises an introduction step of introducing a flower stalk upward-facing locus on chromosome 4 into the sunflower plant. According to the imparting method of the present disclosure, the upward-facing flower stalk trait can be imparted to a sunflower plant by altering the function of the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene and / or introducing the flower stalk upward-facing locus on chromosome 4.

[0198] The Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene of the sunflower plant is presumed to express an elevated trait by, for example, inhibiting its gene function. Therefore, the elevated step may be a suppression step of suppressing the expression of the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene of the sunflower plant, or a mutation step of mutating the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene of the sunflower plant.

[0199] The inhibition of gene function may be achieved, for example, by applying genome editing technology to the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene. Alternatively, the inhibition of gene function may be achieved, for example, by introducing an expression-inhibiting nucleic acid molecule against the mRNA encoded by the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene. Examples of the expression-inhibiting nucleic acid molecule include siRNA and antisense. The siRNA and antisense can be designed, for example, based on the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene.

[0200] In the mutation step, the method for introducing a mutation into the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene is not particularly limited. The introduction method can be carried out, for example, by introducing a mutation such as deletion, substitution, insertion, and / or addition of one or more bases into the base sequence of the normal Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene. In the introduction step, the mutation can be, for example, a partial deletion mutation or a complete deletion mutation of the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene. The location and type of mutation in the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene can be determined by referring to the explanation of the location and type of mutation in the sunflower plant containing a mutant of the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene described above in the present disclosure.

[0201] In the introduction step, the method for introducing the inflorescence stalk-up locus on chromosome 4 is not particularly limited. Examples of the introduction method include crossing with a sunflower plant that exhibits the inflorescence stalk-up trait, tissue culture such as embryo culture, and conventionally known genetic engineering techniques. The inflorescence stalk-up locus to be introduced can be, for example, the inflorescence stalk-up locus described above. When the inflorescence stalk-up locus is introduced by crossing with a sunflower plant that exhibits the inflorescence stalk-up trait, it is preferable that the sunflower plant that exhibits the inflorescence stalk-up trait contains the inflorescence stalk-up locus in a homozygous form, for example.

[0202] <Flower stalk up trait marker in sunflower plants> In one aspect, the present disclosure provides a marker that can be used as an indicator of the flower stalk up trait in sunflower plants. The marker of the present disclosure is a flower stalk up trait marker in sunflower plants, and comprises a flower stalk up locus on chromosome 4. The marker of the present disclosure can detect whether or not the flower stalk is up.

[0203] <Nucleic Acid> In one aspect, the present disclosure provides a nucleic acid that can be used as an indicator of the upward-facing flower stalk trait in sunflower plants. The isolated nucleic acid of the present disclosure that has the function of determining the upward-facing flower stalk trait in sunflower plants comprises a base sequence of 15 or more consecutive bases in a base sequence selected from the group consisting of the following (a) to (g) and (ga) in a chromosome of a sunflower plant. The nucleic acid of the present disclosure can be suitably used to detect whether or not the sunflower plant has an upward-facing flower stalk: (a) a base sequence of (a1), (a2), or (a3) ​​below: (a1) the base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1; (a2) a base sequence in which the 101st base (A) of (a1) is conserved and one or several bases have been deleted, substituted, inserted, and / or added in the base sequence of (a1); (a3) ​​a base sequence in which the 101st base (A) of (a1) is conserved and has an identity of 80% or more to the base sequence of (a1); (b) a base sequence of (b1), (b2), or (b3) below: (b1) the base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2; (b2) a base sequence in which the 202nd to 213th bases (TAAAAAAAAAAA) of (b1) are conserved and one or several bases have been deleted, substituted, inserted, and / or added in the base sequence of (b1); (b3) A base sequence in which the 202nd to 213th bases (TAAAAAAAAAAA) of (b1) are conserved and which has an identity of 80% or more to the base sequence of (b1); (c) A base sequence of the following (c1), (c2), or (c3): (c1) The base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 3; (c2) A base sequence in which the 101st base (T) of (c1) is conserved and which is the base sequence of (c1) in which one or several bases have been deleted, substituted, inserted, and / or added; (c3) A base sequence in which the 101st base (T) of (c1) is conserved and which has an identity of 80% or more to the base sequence of (c1); (d) A base sequence of the following (d1), (d2), or (d3): (d1) The base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 4; (d2) a base sequence in which the 101st base (C) of (d1) is conserved and one or several bases have been deleted, substituted, inserted and / or added in the base sequence of (d1); (d3) a base sequence in which the 101st base (C) of (d1) is conserved and which has an identity of 80% or more to the base sequence of (d1);(e) a base sequence of (e1), (e2), or (e3) below: (e1) the base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 5; (e2) a base sequence in which the 101st base (G) of (e1) is conserved and one or several bases have been deleted, substituted, inserted, and / or added in the base sequence of (e1); (e3) a base sequence in which the 101st base (G) of (e1) is conserved and has an identity of 80% or more to the base sequence of (e1); (f) a base sequence of (f1), (f2), or (f3) below: (f1) the base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 6; (f2) a base sequence in which the 101st base (A) of (f1) is conserved and one or several bases have been deleted, substituted, inserted, and / or added in the base sequence of (f1); (f3) A base sequence in which the 101st base (A) of (f1) is conserved and which has an identity of 80% or more to the base sequence of (f1); (g) A base sequence of (g1), (g2), or (g3) below: (g1) A base sequence having a base sequence of 1 to 855 bases between the base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 14 and the base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 15; (g2) A base sequence in which the base sequence of the polynucleotide of 1 to 855 bases in (g1) is conserved and in which one or several bases have been deleted, substituted, inserted, and / or added in the base sequence of (g1); (g3) A base sequence in which the base sequence of the polynucleotide of 1 to 855 bases in (g1) is conserved and which has an identity of 80% or more to the base sequence of (g1); (ga) A base sequence of (ga1), (ga2), or (ga3) below: (ga1) A base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 13; (ga2) A base sequence in which 1 to 171 bases are deleted, substituted, inserted and / or added in the base sequence of (ga1); (ga3) A base sequence having an identity of 80% or more to the base sequence of (ga1);

[0204] The explanation of the base sequences (a) to (g) and (ga) can be made in accordance with the explanation of the polynucleotides (a) to (g) and (ga), respectively.

[0205] The nucleic acid is, for example, a nucleic acid having a contiguous base sequence of 15 or more, 30 or more, 50 or more, 100 or more, or 200 or more bases in a base sequence selected from the group consisting of (a) to (g) and (ga).

[0206] The nucleic acid preferably contains a part or all of the conserved bases or base sequences in each polynucleotide.

[0207] The length of the nucleic acid is, for example, 15 to 10,000 bases, 30 to 10,000 bases, 50 to 5,000 bases, or 70 to 2,000 bases.

[0208] Harvested and Processed Products of Sunflower Plants In another aspect, the present disclosure provides harvested and / or processed products of sunflower plants exhibiting the upward inflorescence trait, the harvested products being whole plants or parts of individual plants, preferably including flowers, flowers and stems (inflorescence stalks), or seeds.

[0209] When the harvested product is a flower, the harvested product may include the stems immediately below the flowers in addition to the flowers. The length of the harvested stems is, for example, about 40 to 100 cm, or about 60 to 80 cm. When the harvested product is a flower stalk, the flower stalk may be a bundle of multiple flower stalks.

[0210] The processed product includes any product obtained by processing the sunflower plant, the deposited line, or the progeny line. The processing is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include cutting, slicing, grinding, pureeing, drying, canning, bottling, washing, packaging, freezing, and / or heat treatment. Regarding the deposited line or the progeny line, the plant or plant part used for the processed product may be, for example, flowers, flowers and stems, or seeds. The processed product may be, for example, the deposited line or the progeny line that has been washed and packaged. The processed product may be, for example, housed in a container of any size or shape. Specific examples of the container include a bag, a box, a carton, etc.

[0211] The present disclosure may provide a container containing one or more sunflower plants, the container including the whole plant or parts of the plant, preferably the flower or the flower and stem.

[0212] The present disclosure may also provide a method for producing a sunflower plant as a cut flower (a method for producing a cut flower). The method for producing a cut flower of the present disclosure may include, for example, collecting or harvesting a whole sunflower plant or a part of a plant that exhibits the upward-facing flower stalk trait of the present disclosure, preferably a flower or a flower and a stem of a sunflower plant that exhibits the upward-facing flower stalk trait of the present disclosure.

[0213] The present disclosure will be described in detail below using examples, but the present disclosure is not limited to the aspects described in the examples.

[0214] [Example 1] It was confirmed that sunflower plants exhibiting a novel upward-facing flower stalk trait exhibited the upward-facing flower stalk trait. Furthermore, a novel upward-facing flower stalk gene locus in the sunflower plants having the upward-facing flower stalk trait was identified.

[0215] (1) Breeding of the Deposited Line In 2005, a sunflower line (manufactured by Takii Seed Co., Ltd.) with the upward flower stalk trait was selected from various sunflower lines owned by Takii Seed Co., Ltd. In 2006, the sunflower line with the upward flower stalk trait selected was crossed with several sunflower lines (manufactured by Takii Seed Co., Ltd.), and it was confirmed that the progeny lines also had the upward flower stalk trait. The several sunflower lines used did not have the upward flower stalk trait and had various flower colors. Since 2007, progeny lines obtained by crossing with these several sunflower lines have been repeatedly crossed and selected. The selection was carried out based on the upward flower stalk trait, early maturity, etc. Then, in 2012, the progeny lines were determined to be fixed lines in which the target traits were fixed, and development was terminated.

[0216] In 2023, the fixed line was sown at the Takii Seed Headquarters Production Department to confirm that there was no variation in characteristics. This confirmed that the fixed line possesses uniformity and stability. Seeds obtained by mass seed collection of the fixed line were then deposited with NITE-IPOD under accession number FERM BP-22482.

[0217] (2) Traits of the deposited line The characteristics and traits of the plant individuals of the deposited line were evaluated in accordance with the evaluation criteria for sunflower varieties issued by MAFF. Specifically, seeds of the deposited line, which had been collected for more than three months, were sown on April 28, 2019 at a test site (Konan City, Shiga Prefecture) and cultivated in an unheated greenhouse under rain protection. The cultivation was carried out at 30 g / m ２ Fertilizer IB Kasei No. 1 (Zennoh 10-10-10) and 4g / m ２ The seeds were mixed with trace element fertilizer F.T.E (19% manganese, 9% boron, manufactured by TOMATEC), and 80 cm-bottom ridges were set up in a north-south direction, with four rows of 20 cm x 20 cm plant spacing. Seeds of the deposited lines were directly sown to a depth of approximately 2 cm and then covered with field soil. After sowing and covering, the seeds were thoroughly irrigated. After two weeks of germination, irrigation was only performed if wilting of the leaves was observed. To prevent the sunflowers from tipping over during cultivation, a 20 cm x 20 cm flower net was installed according to plant height. This installation was performed after sowing and covering. Since tubular flowers began to flower on June 20, 2019, the orientation of the flower heads of each deposited line was evaluated at the flowering stage F3.2 (F in Figure 3). In order to eliminate differences in water and sunlight conditions, the evaluation was conducted on only the sunflowers in the center of the furrows, excluding the sunflowers in the three rows at the ends of the furrows. The evaluation was based on the evaluation criteria for trait numbers 20, 21, 24, and 33. The results are shown in Table 2 below. Note that the orientation of the flower heads for trait number 33 can be seen in Figure 4. Comparative sunflower plants were cultivated and evaluated using the same methods as those for cultivating and evaluating individual plants of each deposited line.

[0218]

[0219] (3) Flower Stalk Inclination Angle of the Deposited Line The flower stalk inclination angle of the plant individuals of the deposited line was examined. Specifically, the flower stalk inclination angle (D) of the plant individuals of the deposited line (40 individuals) and the comparison sunflower plants (20 individuals) obtained using the same cultivation method as in Example 1(2) above was measured. The flower stalk inclination angle was measured based on the cultivation and measurement conditions used in the cultivation test for the upward flower stalk trait described above. At the flowering stage F3.2, the plant individuals of the deposited line and the comparison sunflower plants were photographed from the side, and the angle was measured using the Angle function in Image J. To eliminate differences in water and light conditions, the sunflowers in the three rows at the ends of the ridges were not evaluated, and only the sunflowers in the center of the ridges were measured. The results are shown in Table 3 below and Figures 5 and 6.

[0220] Figure 5 is a photograph comparing the inclination angle of the flower stalks of each sunflower plant. As shown in Figure 5, the inclination angles of the flower stalks of Takii34, SunRich Orange (Takii Seed Co., Ltd.), and Vincent Orange (Sakata Seed Co., Ltd.) were 14.81°, 68.14°, and 74.39°, respectively. From these results, it can be seen that the inclination angle of the flower stalk of Takii34 was 45° or less and the flower stalk was facing upward, whereas the inclination angle of the flower stalk of SunRich Orange and Vincent Orange was more than 45° and the flower stalk was not facing upward.

[0221]

[0222] Figure 6 and Table 3 are a diagram and a table comparing the inclination angle of the inflorescence stalks of each sunflower plant. In Figure 6, the vertical axis represents the inclination angle of the inflorescence stalk, and the horizontal axis represents the lineage of the sunflower plant. As shown in Figure 6 and Table 3, the inclination angle (D) of the inflorescence stalk of Takii34 was approximately 17.77° on average and approximately 17.50° on median, indicating that the inflorescence stalk was oriented upward compared to the comparison sunflower plants (Sunrich orange and Vincent orange). In addition, in the plant populations containing each sunflower plant, the proportion of individuals with inflorescence stalk angles of 0 to 45° was 15% for Sunrich orange, 10% for Vincent orange, and 100% for Takii34.

[0223] (4) Identification of the gene locus for the upward-facing inflorescence stalk The deposited line (hereinafter also referred to as "Takii34") exhibiting the upward-facing inflorescence stalk trait was crossed with the sunflower plant "VL" (Takii Seed Co., Ltd.) exhibiting the horizontal-facing inflorescence stalk trait to obtain an F1 generation. Next, the F1 generation was self-pollinated to obtain 103 seeds of the F2 generation.

[0224] The inclination angle of the flower stalks was measured for the 103 individuals. Specifically, this was performed using the same method as in Example 1(3). Whole genome analysis was performed on the F1s of seven F2 upward-facing bulks with inclination angles of less than 15°, eleven F2 sideways bulks with inclination angles of more than 75°, Takii34, and VL. Specifically, genomic DNA was extracted using the PureGene DNA Extraction Kit (Gentra). The extracted genomic DNA was subjected to whole genome sequencing using MGISEQ (BGI JAPAN). Using the fastq file obtained by whole genome sequencing, read cleaning was performed using Trimmomatic, mapping to reference sequences using BWA, and variant calling was performed using bcftools to obtain a vcf (polymorphism information) file. Next, SNPs and InDels in the vcf file were filtered using the following criteria. After filtering, QTL-seq analysis (Reference 8) was performed on the vcf file using the QTLseqr package (Reference 7), and G values ​​were compared between the two bulks. The results are shown in Figure 7 and Table 4.Reference 7: Mansfeld, Ben N, and Rebecca Grumet. “QTLseqr: An R Package for Bulk Segregant Analysis with Next-Generation Sequencing.” The plant genome vol. 11,2 (2018): 10.3835 / plantgenome2018.01.0006. doi:10.3835 / plantgenome2018.01.0006 Reference 8: Takagi, Hiroki et al. “QTL-seq: rapid mapping of quantitative trait loci in rice by whole genome resequencing of DNA from two bulked populations.” The Plant journal: for cell and molecular biology vol. 74,1 (2013): 174-83. doi:10.1111 / tpj.12105.

[0225] (Filtering criteria) (1) The number of reads (depth) for each upward and horizontal bulk, parental lines, and F1 individuals is 10 or more. (2) Based on the number of reads, the parental lines are estimated to be homozygous for REF (reference sequence allele) or ALT (alternative allele), and there is polymorphism between the parental lines. (3) Based on the same number of reads, the F1 individuals are estimated to be heterozygous.

[0226] FIG. 7 is a graph showing the G value, which represents the contribution of each SNP on chromosome 4 to traits as determined by QTL-seq analysis. In FIG. 7, the vertical axis represents G value, and the horizontal axis represents the physical location (Mb) on chromosome 4. In FIG. 7, each dot represents an SNP or InDel that exhibited polymorphism between the parental lines. In FIG. 7, the horizontal line (arrow) in the graph indicates the 5% threshold (genomic false positive rate of 0.05). As shown in FIG. 7, many dots exceed the 5% threshold throughout the entire length of chromosome 4, confirming the presence of an upward-pointing locus for the inflorescence stem.

[0227]

[0228] Table 4 shows the top 10 G values ​​on chromosome 4.

[0229] In order to obtain SNP information between Takii34 and VL, resequencing was performed on Takii34 and VL. Six SNP markers were constructed based on the SNP information obtained by resequencing and the upward locus region of the inflorescence stem. Table 5 below shows the correspondence between the constructed SNP markers and SNP (a), SNP (b), SNP (c), SNP (d), SNP (e), and SNP (f). In Table 5 below, the bases [N １ / N ２ ] indicates a single nucleotide polymorphism, and N １ is the polymorphism (base) of VL, that is, the polymorphism (base) of the horizontal flower stalk trait, and N ２ is the polymorphism (base) of Takii34, that is, the polymorphism (base) of the upward-facing flower stalk trait.

[0230]

[0231] Next, DNA was extracted from the F2 sunflower plants and analyzed for SNPs using the SNP markers. Furthermore, the F2 generation plants were self-pollinated to obtain 103 F3 generation seeds (hereinafter also referred to as "103 lines"). Each line was evaluated for the upward flower stalk trait using the same method as in Example 1 (3). The results are shown in Table 6 below.

[0232]

[0233] Table 6 shows the average inclination degree of the F3 flower stalk and the results of SNP analysis of the F2 plants. In Table 6, A indicates homozygous possession of the polymorphism for upward flower stalks, B indicates homozygous possession of the polymorphism for sideways (not upward) flower stalks, and H indicates heterozygous possession of each SNP. As shown in Table 6, when the SNP marker "Ha_chr04_181000331" or "Ha_chr04_200021302" was homozygous (A) for upward flower stalks, the F3 generation exhibited the upward flower stalk trait. From the above, it was found that the upward flower stalk gene is located between 181,000,331 bp and 200,021,302 bp on chromosome 4. In other words, this region was found to be the location region of the upward flower stalk gene locus. Furthermore, when Ha_chr04_172545117 is A, i.e., when the genotype is "AAAAAA," "AAAAAAH," "AAAAHH," or "AAAHHH" from the upstream SNP, the inflorescence stalk is also oriented upward. Furthermore, when Ha_chr04_208654314 is A, i.e., when the genotype is "AAAAAA," "HHAAAA," or "HHHAAA" from the upstream SNP, the inflorescence stalk is also oriented upward. These findings suggest that the inflorescence stalk oriented upward gene is located between 172,545,117 bp and 208,654,314 bp on chromosome 4 (approximately between SNP(a) and SNP(f)).

[0234] (5) Analysis of the distribution of inflorescence stalk tilt angle Next, the F2 plants were classified into three groups based on the SNP markers "Ha_chr04_181000331" (SNP(c)) and "Ha_chr04_200021302" (SNP(d)): Takii34 homozygous (hereinafter referred to as A or A type), which indicates an upward-facing inflorescence stalk; VL homozygous (hereinafter referred to as B or B type), which indicates a sideways-facing inflorescence stalk; and heterozygous (hereinafter referred to as H or H type), and the distribution of inflorescence stalk tilt angle was analyzed. These results are shown in Figure 8.

[0235] Figure 8 is a graph showing the distribution of inflorescence stalk inclination angles by genotype of the SNP marker for the inflorescence stalk upward trait. In Figure 8, the vertical axis represents the inflorescence stalk inclination angle, and the horizontal axis represents the lineage of the sunflower plant. As shown in Figure 8, when both SNP (c) and SNP (d) are A (F2-AA), the inflorescence stalk inclination angle (D) averaged approximately 16.92°, and all individuals exhibited the inflorescence stalk upward trait. Furthermore, when SNP (c) and SNP (d) were H and A or A and H, respectively, the inflorescence stalk inclination angle (D) averaged approximately 41.92°, and the sunflower plant population exhibited the inflorescence stalk upward trait. These results indicated that the region between 181,000,331 bp and 200,021,302 bp on chromosome 4 was the locus region for the inflorescence stalk upward trait. Furthermore, it was found that SNP (c) and SNP (d) were each sufficiently linked to the resistance locus, and that the resistance locus located in the locus region could be detected using one of the SNPs. In plant populations containing each sunflower plant, the percentage of individuals with inflorescence stalk angles of 0 to 45° was 100% for F2-AA, 50% for F2-HA / AH, 12% for F2-HH, and 0% for F2-BB.

[0236] (5) Analysis of SNPs in Commercial Varieties It was confirmed that the flower stalk upward locus possessed by sunflower plants exhibiting the novel upward flower stalk trait is not possessed by other sunflower plants.

[0237] DNA was extracted from each sunflower plant in Table 7 below, and SNP analysis was performed using SNP markers including Ha_chr04_181000331 and Ha_chr04_200021302, which are tightly linked to the inflorescence stalk upward gene. The results are shown in Table 7 below. In Table 7 below, A indicates that each SNP is homozygous for the inflorescence stalk upward trait, and B indicates that each SNP is homozygous for the inflorescence stalk sideways trait. Furthermore, as shown in Table 7 below, Takii34 possessed the upward flower stalk trait in homozygous form for all SNP markers Ha_chr04_172545117, Ha_chr04_175698294, Ha_chr04_181000331, Ha_chr04_200021302, Ha_chr04_204904126, and Ha_chr04_208654314. In contrast, sunflower plants other than Takii34 were homozygous for the sideways flower stalk trait for all SNP markers Ha_chr04_172545117, Ha_chr04_175698294, Ha_chr04_181000331, Ha_chr04_200021302, Ha_chr04_204904126, and Ha_chr04_208654314. These results indicated that the SNPs were specific to Takii34.

[0238]

[0239] Example 2 Further identification of a novel flower stalk upward locus in sunflower plants having the flower stalk upward trait was carried out.

[0240] (1) Identification of the inflorescence stalk-up locus Further characterization of the polymorphism at the inflorescence stalk-up locus was performed. Specifically, new leaves were collected from 40 individuals of each line of Takii34 and the sunflower plant "VL" that exhibits the horizontal inflorescence stalk trait. Ten grams of the collected new leaves were prepared, and DNA was extracted according to standard methods. After extraction, PacBio Revio HiFi read sequencing was performed. As a result, an insertion sequence specific to the inflorescence stalk-up locus (hereinafter referred to as an Indel marker) was found in the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene of the reference sequence HA412-HOv2.0 assembly in Takii34.

[0241] (2) Analysis of the distribution of inflorescence stalk tilt angle. Next, Takii34 was crossed with "VL" to obtain the F1 generation. The F1 generation was then selfed to obtain 219 F2 generation individuals. The genotype and phenotype of each individual was obtained for the 219 F2 generation individuals using a primer set (SEQ ID NOS: 24-25) that detects Indel markers. The F2 generation was classified into a group with a homozygous Indel marker (F2-2-A group), a group with a heterozygous Indel marker (F2-2-H group), and a group without an Indel marker (F2-2-B group), and the distribution of inflorescence stalk tilt angle was analyzed. These results are shown in Figure 9.

[0242] Primer set for detecting indel markers Forward primer (SEQ ID NO: 24) 5'-AGTATGATCATCCACACAGTCTTC-3' Reverse primer (SEQ ID NO: 25) 5'-CACGCGTAAAGAATTATCTATTG-3'

[0243] Figure 9 is a graph showing the distribution of inflorescence stem tilt angles by genotype of the Indel marker, which is responsible for the upward-facing trait of the inflorescence stem. In Figure 9, the vertical axis represents the inflorescence stem tilt angle, and the horizontal axis represents the lineage of the sunflower plant. As shown in Figure 9, individuals from the F2-2-A group, which have homozygous Indel markers, exhibited an inflorescence stem tilt angle equivalent to that of Takii34. On the other hand, individuals from the F2-2-B group, which do not have Indel markers, exhibited an inflorescence stem tilt angle equivalent to that of VL. These results demonstrate that sunflower plants homozygous for Indel markers exhibit the upward-facing trait of the inflorescence stem.

[0244] (3) Presence or absence of Indel markers in commercially available varieties. The Indel markers possessed by sunflower plants exhibiting the novel upward-facing flower stalk trait were examined to determine whether other sunflower plants possessed them. Specifically, DNA was extracted from each sunflower plant in Table 8 below, and analysis was performed using molecular markers including Ha_chr04_181000331 and Ha_chr04_200021302, which were strongly linked to the upward-facing flower stalk gene in Example 1, as well as Indel markers. The results are shown in Table 8 below. In Table 8 below, A indicates that each molecular marker is possessed in a homozygous form for the upward-facing flower stalk trait, H indicates that each molecular marker is possessed in a heterozygous form for the upward-facing flower stalk trait, and B indicates that each molecular marker is possessed in a homozygous form for the horizontal-facing flower stalk trait. As shown in Table 8 below, Takii34 possessed the upward flower stalk trait in homozygous form for all molecular markers, Ha_chr04_181000331, Ha_chr04_200021302, and Indel markers. In contrast, sunflower plants other than Takii34 possessed the upward flower stalk trait in heterozygous form or the horizontal flower stalk trait in homozygous form for all molecular markers, Ha_chr04_181000331, Ha_chr04_200021302, and Indel markers. These results demonstrated that the molecular markers were specific to Takii34.

[0245]

[0246] (4) Identification of the gene controlling the upward-directed flower stalk trait. The genome sequence containing the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene was examined. Specifically, PCR was performed using a primer set (SEQ ID NOs: 26-27) for Takii34 and some of the cultivars listed in Table 8 to obtain a full-length amplified fragment of the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene. The amplified fragment was sequenced using Flongle from Oxford Nanopore Technologies (ONT) to determine the nucleotide sequence. The base sequence was compared with the region corresponding to HanXRQr2Chr04g0181821 gene (HanXRQChr04:187089837-187088778), which corresponds to the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene, and the region corresponding to 198407926-198409321 in Ha412-HOv2.0. As a result, it was revealed that Takii34 has an 855-base insertion sequence at position 198408790 on chromosome 4 of Ha412-HOv2.0. Furthermore, the insertion position was at position 187089296 on chromosome 4 of HanXRQr2, which corresponded to the third exon of the HanXRQr2Chr04g0181821 gene. In addition, a homology search using the amino acid sequence of the HanXRQr2Chr04g0181821 gene as a query revealed homology with QIG55756.1 (Tiller Angle Control 1: Chrysanthemum_x_morifolium), XP_023746513.1 (TILLER ANGLE CONTROL 1: Lactuca sativa), XP_043621825.1 (TILLER ANGLE CONTROL 1: Erigeron canadensis), and AGW17262.1 (TAC1: Prunus persica). The TILLER ANGLE CONTROL 1 (TAC1) gene is one of the genes that control gravitropism. In plants such as rice, loss of TAC1 function causes lateral branches to grow more upward, while excessive TAC1 function causes lateral branches to grow sideways.

[0247] Primer set for amplifying the full length of the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene Forward primer (SEQ ID NO: 26) 5'-TCGTTCAACAACACATACATAAAA-3' Reverse primer (SEQ ID NO: 27) 5'-TACGGATACATGTAATTTTTGAGG-3'

[0248] (5) Examination of the Expression of the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 Gene Next, we examined whether the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene was expressed in sunflower plants that exhibited the upward-facing flower stalk trait. Specifically, RNA-seq was performed on one Takii34 individual, two F5-A individuals homozygous for the upward-facing flower stalk trait (A) from a selfed progeny of an F4 in which the indel marker was heterozygous, and three F5-A individuals homozygous for the horizontal-facing flower stalk trait (B) from a selfed progeny of the F4, and the expression levels of the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene were compared. Stems from each individual were used for the RNA-seq. These results are shown in Figure 10.

[0249] Figure 10 is a graph showing the expression level of the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene in stems. In Figure 10, the vertical axis represents the average number of reads, and the horizontal axis represents the lineage of the sunflower plant. As shown in Figure 10, no significant difference was observed in the expression level of the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene among Takii34, F5-A, and F5-B. These results demonstrate that the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene is expressed regardless of the genotype.

[0250] (6) Examination of the loss of function of the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene Next, we examined whether normal Ha412HOChr04g0188691 protein was synthesized in sunflower plants that exhibit the upward-facing flower stalk trait. Specifically, we synthesized cDNA for the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene using RNA extracted from the stems of Takii34 as a template and determined its nucleotide sequence (SEQ ID NO: 22). As a result, we found an insertion sequence of 855 nucleotides after the 352nd base of the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene. The translated protein consists of 258 amino acids in the wild type, whereas in Takii34 it consists of 138 amino acids, indicating that the normal Ha412HOChr04g0188691 protein was not synthesized, but an incomplete Ha412HOChr04g0188691 protein was synthesized (SEQ ID NO: 23). These results suggest that in Takii34, the mutation in the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene causes the loss of normal Ha412HOChr04g0188691 function, resulting in the upturned flower stalk trait being deregulated and resulting in the upturned flower stalk trait.

[0251]

[0252] Amino acid sequence of incomplete Ha412HOChr04g0188691 protein (SEQ ID NO: 23) MKIFNWVHRRFHHKYEVSQDVKKAEFTANGKDNLSLLENEGMDGVFDGWKEGILAIGTFGFDPSLLKDFDHEDDDTYLCEYTRKELSIDHDEDNGGDQEEEEEEEVEFPLVFKACKYAVADPRIFPWGCETFLKILGP

[0253] From the above, it was found that by crossing the deposited line Takii34 as the first parent with a sunflower plant that does not exhibit the upward-facing flower stalk trait as the second parent, sunflower plants that exhibit the upward-facing flower stalk trait can be obtained from progeny lines. Furthermore, it was found that by using the SNP markers, sunflower plants that exhibit the upward-facing flower stalk trait of the present disclosure can be selected.

[0254] Although the present disclosure has been described above with reference to the embodiments and examples, the present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiments and examples. Various modifications that can be understood by those skilled in the art can be made to the configuration and details of the present disclosure within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0255] This application claims priority based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2023-173251, filed September 16, 2023, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety.

[0256] <Supplementary Notes> Some or all of the above embodiments and examples can be described as in the following supplementary notes, but are not limited to the following. <Sunflower Plant> (Supplementary Note 1) A sunflower plant comprising a mutant of the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene and having an upward-facing flower stalk. (Supplementary Note 2) The sunflower plant according to Supplementary Note 1, wherein the mutant of the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene comprises a base sequence in which one or several bases are deleted, inserted, substituted, and / or added in the base sequence of the normal Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene, and which expresses the trait of an upward-facing flower stalk. (Appendix 3) The sunflower plant according to Appendices 1 or 2, wherein the mutant of the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene consists of an amino acid sequence in which one or several amino acids are inserted, deleted, substituted, and / or added in the amino acid sequence encoded by the normal Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene, and comprises a nucleotide sequence encoding a protein that causes the flower stalk to orient upward. (Appendix 4) The sunflower plant according to any of Appendices 1 to 3, wherein the mutant is a mutant gene containing a missense mutation in the nucleotide sequence of the normal Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene, and causes the flower stalk to orient upward. (Appendix 5) The sunflower plant according to any of Appendices 1 to 4, wherein the mutant is a mutant gene containing a frameshift mutation in the nucleotide sequence of the normal Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene, and causes the flower stalk to orient upward. (Appendix 6) The sunflower plant according to any one of Appendices 1 to 5, wherein the mutant is a mutant gene comprising a splicing mutation relative to the nucleotide sequence of a normal Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene, and expresses an upward-facing flower stalk trait. (Appendix 7) The sunflower plant according to any one of Appendices 1 to 6, wherein the normal Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene is a gene comprising the polynucleotide of (P) below: (P) any one of the polynucleotides (P1) to (P7) below: (P1) a polynucleotide consisting of the nucleotide sequence of any one of SEQ ID NOs: 16 to 18;(P2) A polynucleotide consisting of a base sequence in which one or several bases are deleted, substituted, inserted and / or added in the base sequence of (P1), and encoding a protein that controls the upward trait of flower stalks; (P3) A polynucleotide consisting of a base sequence having an identity of 80% or more to the base sequence of (P1), and encoding a protein that controls the upward trait of flower stalks; (P4) A polynucleotide consisting of a base sequence complementary to a polynucleotide that hybridizes under stringent conditions to a polynucleotide consisting of the base sequence of (P1), and encoding a protein that controls the upward trait of flower stalks; (P5) A polynucleotide encoding a protein consisting of the amino acid sequence of any of SEQ ID NOs: 19 to 21; (P6) A polynucleotide consisting of an amino acid sequence in which one or several amino acids are deleted, substituted, inserted and / or added in the amino acid sequence of (P5), and encoding a protein that controls the upward trait of flower stalks; (P7) A polynucleotide consisting of an amino acid sequence having an identity of 80% or more to the amino acid sequence of (P5), and encoding a protein that controls the upward trait of flower stalks. (Appendix 8) A sunflower plant having an upward-facing inflorescence, the inflorescence comprising an inflorescence stalk-up locus on chromosome 4. (Appendix 9) The sunflower plant of Appendix 8, wherein the inflorescence stalk-up locus is identified by a molecular marker selected from the group consisting of Ha_chr04_172545117, Ha_chr04_175698294, Ha_chr04_181000331, an Indel marker in the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene, Ha_chr04_200021302, Ha_chr04_204904126, and Ha_chr04_208654314. (Appendix 10) The sunflower plant according to Appendix 8 or 9, wherein the inflorescence stalk-up locus is identified by a molecular marker selected from the group consisting of Ha_chr04_181000331, an Indel marker in the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene, and Ha_chr04_200021302. (Appendix 11) The sunflower plant according to any of Appendix 8 to 10, wherein the inflorescence stalk-up locus is identified by an Indel marker in the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene. (Appendix 12)12. The sunflower plant according to any one of Appendix 8 to 11, wherein the inflorescence stalk upward locus is identified by a polynucleotide selected from the group consisting of the following (a) to (g): (a) a polynucleotide of the following (a1), (a2), or (a3): (a1) a polynucleotide consisting of the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1; (a2) a polynucleotide in which the 101st base (A) of (a1) is conserved and the nucleotide sequence of (a1) is modified by deletion, substitution, insertion, and / or addition of one or several bases; (a3) ​​a polynucleotide in which the 101st base (A) of (a1) is conserved and the nucleotide sequence has 80% or more identity to the nucleotide sequence of (a1); (b) a polynucleotide of the following (b1), (b2), or (b3): ​​(b1) a polynucleotide consisting of the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2; (b2) a polynucleotide comprising the base sequence of (b1) in which the 202nd to 213th bases (TAAAAAAAAAAAAA) are conserved and one or several bases are deleted, substituted, inserted and / or added in the base sequence of (b1); (b3) a polynucleotide comprising the base sequence of (b1) in which the 202nd to 213th bases (TAAAAAAAAAAAAA) are conserved and which has an identity of 80% or more to the base sequence of (b1); (c) a polynucleotide of the following (c1), (c2), or (c3): (c1) a polynucleotide comprising the base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 3; (c2) a polynucleotide comprising the base sequence of (c1) in which the 101st base (T) is conserved and one or several bases are deleted, substituted, inserted and / or added in the base sequence of (c1); (c3) A polynucleotide consisting of a base sequence having 80% or more identity to the base sequence of (c1), in which the 101st base (T) of (c1) is conserved; (d) A polynucleotide of the following (d1), (d2), or (d3): (d1) A polynucleotide consisting of the base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 4; (d2) A polynucleotide consisting of the base sequence of (d1), in which the 101st base (C) of (d1) is conserved, in which one or several bases have been deleted, substituted, inserted, and / or added in the base sequence of (d1);(d3) A polynucleotide comprising a base sequence having 80% or more identity to the base sequence of (d1), in which the 101st base (C) of (d1) is conserved; (e) A polynucleotide of the following (e1), (e2), or (e3): (e1) A polynucleotide comprising the base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 5; (e2) A polynucleotide comprising the base sequence of (e1), in which the 101st base (G) of (e1) is conserved, in which one or several bases have been deleted, substituted, inserted, and / or added in the base sequence of (e1); (e3) A polynucleotide comprising the base sequence having 80% or more identity to the base sequence of (e1), in which the 101st base (G) of (e1) is conserved; (f) A polynucleotide of the following (f1), (f2), or (f3): (f1) A polynucleotide comprising the base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 6; (f2) A polynucleotide comprising a base sequence in which the 101st base (A) of (f1) is conserved and one or several bases have been deleted, substituted, inserted and / or added in the base sequence of (f1); (f3) A polynucleotide comprising a base sequence in which the 101st base (A) of (f1) is conserved and has 80% or more identity to the base sequence of (f1); (g) A polynucleotide of the following (g1), (g2), or (g3): (g1) A polynucleotide having a polynucleotide of 1 to 855 bases between a polynucleotide consisting of the base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 14 and a polynucleotide consisting of the base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 15; (g2) A polynucleotide comprising a base sequence in which the 1 to 855 bases of the polynucleotide of (g1) is conserved and one or several bases have been deleted, substituted, inserted and / or added in the base sequence of (g1); (g3) A polynucleotide that conserves the base sequence of the polynucleotide of 1 to 855 bases in (g1) and has an identity of 80% or more to the base sequence of (g1). (Appendix 13) The sunflower plant according to any of Appendices 8 to 12, wherein the inflorescence stalk upward locus is specified by the polynucleotide of (ga) below. (ga) A polynucleotide of (ga1), (ga2), or (ga3) below: (ga1) A polynucleotide consisting of the base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 13;(ga2) a polynucleotide consisting of the base sequence of (ga1) in which one or several bases have been deleted, substituted, inserted and / or added; (ga3) a polynucleotide consisting of a base sequence having 80% or more identity to the base sequence of (ga1). (Appendix 14) The sunflower plant according to Appendix 12, wherein the inflorescence stalk-up locus is specified by a polynucleotide selected from the group consisting of (c), (d), and (g). (Appendix 15) The sunflower plant according to Appendix 14, wherein the inflorescence stalk-up locus is specified by the polynucleotide of (g). (Appendix 16) The sunflower plant according to any of Appendices 8 to 15, wherein the inflorescence stalk ascending locus is located in a region on the chromosome between the sites of two molecular markers selected from the group consisting of Ha_chr04_172545117, Ha_chr04_175698294, Ha_chr04_181000331, an Indel marker of the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene, Ha_chr04_200021302, Ha_chr04_204904126, and Ha_chr04_208654314. (Supplementary Note 17) The sunflower plant according to Supplementary Note 16, wherein the inflorescence stalk-up locus is located in a region on the chromosome between the sites of the molecular markers Ha_chr04_175698294 and Ha_chr04_204904126, or between the sites of the molecular markers Ha_chr04_181000331 and Ha_chr04_200021302. (Supplementary Note 18) The sunflower plant according to Supplementary Note 17, wherein the inflorescence stalk-up locus is located in a region on the chromosome between the sites of the molecular markers Ha_chr04_181000331 and Ha_chr04_200021302. (Appendix 19) The sunflower plant according to any one of Appendices 1 to 18, wherein the sunflower plant is the sunflower plant identified by accession number FERM BP-22482 or a progeny line thereof. (Appendix 20) The sunflower plant according to any one of Appendices 1 to 19, wherein the angle of the inflorescence stalk is 0 to 45 degrees. <Plant Population> (Appendix 21) A plant population of sunflower plants, comprising sunflower plants whose inflorescence stalks face upward,A plant population, wherein the proportion of individuals having a flower stalk angle of 0 to 45° is 50% or more. (Appendix 22) A plant population according to Appendix 21, wherein the population of sunflower plants comprises the sunflower plants according to any of Appendices 1 to 20. <Part> (Appendix 23) A part of a sunflower plant according to any of Appendices 1 to 20. (Appendix 24) A part of a plant according to Appendix 23, wherein the part of the plant is a flower, stem, leaf, root, pollen, and / or seed. <Production Method> (Appendix 25) A method for producing a sunflower plant or a plant population of sunflower plants that exhibit the trait of upward-facing flower stalks, comprising the following steps (a) and (b): (a) crossing a sunflower plant described in any of Appendices 1 to 20 with another sunflower plant; (b) selecting a sunflower plant that exhibits the trait of upward-facing flower stalks from the sunflower plant obtained by step (a) or its progeny line. (Appendix 26) A method for producing a sunflower plant or a plant population of sunflower plants that exhibit the trait of upward-facing flower stalks described in Appendix 25, comprising the following step (x) prior to step (a): (x) selecting a sunflower plant described in any of Appendices 1 to 20 from test sunflower plants. (Appendix 27) The method for producing a sunflower plant or a plant population of sunflower plants according to Appendix 26, wherein the selection in step (x) is selection of a sunflower plant containing a mutant of the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene. (Appendix 28) The method for producing a sunflower plant or a plant population of sunflower plants exhibiting the flower stalk upward trait according to Appendix 26, wherein the selection in step (x) is selection of a sunflower plant exhibiting the flower stalk upward trait comprising a flower stalk upward locus on chromosome 4. (Appendix 29)29. The method for producing a sunflower plant or a plant population of sunflower plants exhibiting an upward-facing flower stalk trait according to Appendix 28, wherein the selection in the step (x) is selection of sunflower plants exhibiting an upward-facing flower stalk trait having an upward-facing flower stalk locus identified by a molecular marker selected from the group consisting of Ha_chr04_172545117, Ha_chr04_175698294, Ha_chr04_181000331, Indel markers of Ha412HOChr04g0188691 genes, Ha_chr04_200021302, Ha_chr04_204904126, and Ha_chr04_208654314. (Appendix 30) A method for producing a sunflower plant or a plant population of sunflower plants exhibiting the upward-facing trait of flower stalks according to Appendix 29, wherein the selecting in the step (x) is selecting sunflower plants exhibiting the upward-facing trait of flower stalks having an upward-facing locus of flower stalks identified by a molecular marker selected from the group consisting of an Indel marker in the Ha_chr04_181000331 gene, Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene, and Ha_chr04_200021302. (Appendix 31) A method for producing a sunflower plant or a plant population of sunflower plants exhibiting the upward-facing trait of flower stalks according to Appendix 30, wherein the selecting in the step (x) is selecting sunflower plants exhibiting the upward-facing trait of flower stalks having an upward-facing locus of flower stalks identified by an Indel marker in the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene. (Appendix 32) A method for producing a sunflower plant or a plant population of sunflower plants exhibiting an upward-facing trait of flower stalks according to any of Appendices 28 to 31, wherein the selection in the step (x) is a method for selecting a sunflower plant exhibiting an upward-facing trait of flower stalks having an upward-facing locus of flower stalks identified by a polynucleotide selected from the group consisting of the following (a) to (g): (a) a polynucleotide of the following (a1), (a2), or (a3): (a1) a polynucleotide consisting of the base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1; (a2) a polynucleotide in which the 101st base (A) of (a1) is conserved and in the base sequence of (a1) one or more bases have been deleted, substituted, inserted and / or added;(a3) A polynucleotide comprising a base sequence having 80% or more identity to the base sequence of (a1), in which the 101st base (A) of (a1) is conserved; (b) A polynucleotide of the following (b1), (b2), or (b3): ​​(b1) A polynucleotide comprising the base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2; (b2) A polynucleotide comprising the base sequence of (b1), in which the 202nd to 213th bases (TAAAAAAAAAAA) of (b1) are conserved, in which the base sequence of (b1) is modified by deletion, substitution, insertion, and / or addition of one or several bases; (b3) A polynucleotide comprising the base sequence of (b1), in which the 202nd to 213th bases (TAAAAAAAAAAAAA) of (b1) are conserved, in which the base sequence of (b1) is 80% or more identity; (c) A polynucleotide of the following (c1), (c2), or (c3): (c1) A polynucleotide comprising the base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 3; (c2) a polynucleotide consisting of a base sequence in which the 101st base (T) of (c1) is conserved and one or several bases have been deleted, substituted, inserted and / or added in the base sequence of (c1); (c3) a polynucleotide consisting of a base sequence in which the 101st base (T) of (c1) is conserved and has 80% or more identity to the base sequence of (c1); (d) a polynucleotide of the following (d1), (d2), or (d3): (d1) a polynucleotide consisting of the base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 4; (d2) a polynucleotide consisting of a base sequence in which the 101st base (C) of (d1) is conserved and has one or several bases have been deleted, substituted, inserted and / or added in the base sequence of (d1); (d3) a polynucleotide consisting of a base sequence in which the 101st base (C) of (d1) is conserved and has 80% or more identity to the base sequence of (d1); (e) A polynucleotide of the following (e1), (e2), or (e3): (e1) a polynucleotide consisting of the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 5; (e2) a polynucleotide consisting of a nucleotide sequence in which the 101st nucleotide (G) of (e1) is conserved and one or several nucleotides have been deleted, substituted, inserted, and / or added in the nucleotide sequence of (e1);(e3) A polynucleotide comprising a base sequence having 80% or more identity to the base sequence of (e1), in which the 101st base (G) of (e1) is conserved; (f) A polynucleotide of the following (f1), (f2), or (f3): (f1) A polynucleotide comprising the base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 6; (f2) A polynucleotide comprising the base sequence of (f1), in which the 101st base (A) of (f1) is conserved, in which one or several bases have been deleted, substituted, inserted, and / or added in the base sequence of (f1); (f3) A polynucleotide comprising the 101st base (A) of (f1), in which the 101st base is conserved, in which the base sequence of (f1) is 80% or more identity; (g) A polynucleotide of the following (g1), (g2), or (g3): (g1) A polynucleotide comprising a polynucleotide of 1 to 855 bases between a polynucleotide comprising the base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 14 and a polynucleotide comprising the base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 15; (g2) A polynucleotide that conserves the base sequence of the polynucleotide of 1 to 855 bases in (g1) above, and consists of a base sequence in which one or several bases have been deleted, substituted, inserted and / or added in the base sequence of (g1); (g3) A polynucleotide that conserves the base sequence of the polynucleotide of 1 to 855 bases in (g1) above, and consists of a base sequence that has 80% or more identity to the base sequence of (g1). (Appendix 33) A method for producing sunflower plants or a plant population of sunflower plants that exhibit the trait of up-facing flower stalks according to any of Appendices 28 to 32, wherein the selection in the step (x) is a method for selecting sunflower plants that exhibit the trait of up-facing flower stalks and have a flower stalk-up locus specified by the polynucleotide of (ga) below: (ga) Polynucleotides of the following (ga1), (ga2), or (ga3): (ga1) A polynucleotide consisting of the base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 13; (ga2) A polynucleotide consisting of a base sequence in which one or several bases have been deleted, substituted, inserted, and / or added in the base sequence of (ga1); (ga3) A polynucleotide consisting of a base sequence having 80% or more identity to the base sequence of (ga1). (Appendix 34)A method for producing a sunflower plant or a plant population of sunflower plants exhibiting the upward-facing trait of flower stalks according to Appendix 32, wherein the selecting in step (x) is selecting sunflower plants exhibiting the upward-facing trait of flower stalks that have an upward-facing locus of flower stalks identified by the polynucleotide of (c), (d), and (g). (Appendix 35) A method for producing a sunflower plant or a plant population of sunflower plants exhibiting the upward-facing trait of flower stalks according to Appendix 34, wherein the selecting in step (x) is selecting sunflower plants exhibiting the upward-facing trait of flower stalks that have an upward-facing locus of flower stalks identified by the polynucleotide of (g). (Appendix 36) The method for producing a sunflower plant or a plant population of sunflower plants exhibiting an upward-facing trait of inflorescence stalk according to any of Appendices 28 to 35, wherein the selection in the step (x) is selection of sunflower plants exhibiting an upward-facing trait of inflorescence stalk having an upward-facing locus of inflorescence stalk located in a region on the chromosome between sites of two molecular markers selected from the group consisting of Ha_chr04_172545117, Ha_chr04_175698294, Ha_chr04_181000331, Indel markers of Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene, Ha_chr04_200021302, Ha_chr04_204904126, and Ha_chr04_208654314. (Appendix 37) The method for producing a sunflower plant or a plant population of sunflower plants exhibiting the trait of up-facing flower stalks according to Appendix 36, wherein the selection in the step (x) is selection of sunflower plants exhibiting the trait of up-facing flower stalks having a flower stalk up-facing gene locus located in a region on the chromosome between the sites of the molecular markers Ha_chr04_175698294 and Ha_chr04_204904126, or between the sites of the molecular markers Ha_chr04_181000331 and Ha_chr04_200021302. (Appendix 38) The method for producing a sunflower plant or a plant population of sunflower plants exhibiting the trait of up-facing flower stalks according to Appendix 36, wherein the selection in the step (x) is selection of sunflower plants exhibiting the trait of up-facing flower stalks having a flower stalk up-facing gene locus located in a region on the chromosome between the sites of the molecular markers Ha_chr04_181000331 and Ha_chr04_200021302(Appendix 39) A method for producing a sunflower plant or a plant population of sunflower plants exhibiting the upward-facing trait of flower stalks according to any of Appendices 28 to 38, wherein the selecting in the step (x) is selecting sunflower plants having a flower stalk angle of 0 to 45 degrees. (Appendix 40) A method for producing a sunflower plant or a plant population of sunflower plants exhibiting the upward-facing trait of flower stalks according to any of Appendices 25 to 39, wherein the selecting in the step (b) is selecting sunflower plants containing a mutant of the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene. (Appendix 41) The method for producing a sunflower plant or a plant population of sunflower plants exhibiting an upward-facing trait for inflorescence stalks according to any of Appendices 25 to 40, wherein the selection in step (b) is selection of sunflower plants exhibiting an upward-facing trait for inflorescence stalks comprising an upward-facing locus for inflorescence stalks on chromosome 4. (Appendix 42) The method for producing a sunflower plant or a plant population of sunflower plants exhibiting an upward-facing flower stalk trait according to Appendices 25 to 40, wherein the selection in the step (b) is selection of sunflower plants exhibiting an upward-facing flower stalk trait having an upward-facing flower stalk locus identified by a molecular marker selected from the group consisting of Ha_chr04_172545117, Ha_chr04_175698294, Ha_chr04_181000331, Indel markers of Ha412HOChr04g0188691 genes, Ha_chr04_200021302, Ha_chr04_204904126, and Ha_chr04_208654314. (Appendix 43) The method for producing a sunflower plant or a plant population of sunflower plants exhibiting the upward-facing trait of flower stalks according to Appendix 42, wherein the selection in the step (b) is selection of sunflower plants exhibiting the upward-facing trait of flower stalks having an upward-facing locus of flower stalks identified by a molecular marker selected from the group consisting of an Indel marker of the Ha_chr04_181000331 gene, Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene, and Ha_chr04_200021302. (Appendix 44)44. The method for producing a sunflower plant or a plant population of sunflower plants exhibiting an upward-facing flower stalk trait according to Appendix 43, wherein the selection in the step (b) is selection of sunflower plants exhibiting an upward-facing flower stalk trait having an upward-facing flower stalk locus identified by an Indel marker in the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene. (Appendix 45) A method for producing a sunflower plant or a plant population of sunflower plants that exhibits the trait of up-facing flower stalks according to any of Appendices 25 to 44, wherein the selection in the step (b) is a method for selecting a sunflower plant that exhibits the trait of up-facing flower stalks and has a locus for up-facing flower stalks identified by a polynucleotide selected from the group consisting of the following (a) to (g): (a) a polynucleotide of the following (a1), (a2), or (a3): (a1) a polynucleotide consisting of the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1; (a2) a polynucleotide in which the 101st base (A) of (a1) is conserved and which consists of a nucleotide sequence in which one or several bases have been deleted, substituted, inserted, and / or added in the nucleotide sequence of (a1); (a3) ​​a polynucleotide in which the 101st base (A) of (a1) is conserved and which consists of a nucleotide sequence having 80% or more identity to the nucleotide sequence of (a1); (b) a polynucleotide of the following (b1), (b2), or (b3): ​​(b1) a polynucleotide consisting of the base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2; (b2) a polynucleotide in which the 202nd to 213th bases (TAAAAAAAAAAA) of (b1) are conserved and the base sequence of (b1) is modified by deletion, substitution, insertion, and / or addition of one or several bases; (b3) a polynucleotide in which the 202nd to 213th bases (TAAAAAAAAAAA) of (b1) are conserved and the base sequence has an identity of 80% or more to the base sequence of (b1); (c) a polynucleotide of the following (c1), (c2), or (c3): (c1) a polynucleotide consisting of the base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 3; (c2) a polynucleotide consisting of a base sequence in which the 101st base (T) of (c1) is conserved and one or several bases have been deleted, substituted, inserted and / or added in the base sequence of (c1);(c3) A polynucleotide comprising a base sequence having 80% or more identity to the base sequence of (c1), in which the 101st base (T) of (c1) is conserved; (d) a polynucleotide of the following (d1), (d2), or (d3): (d1) a polynucleotide comprising the base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 4; (d2) a polynucleotide comprising the base sequence of (d1), in which the 101st base (C) of (d1) is conserved, in which one or several bases have been deleted, substituted, inserted, and / or added in the base sequence of (d1); (d3) a polynucleotide comprising the base sequence having 80% or more identity to the base sequence of (d1), in which the 101st base (C) of (d1) is conserved; (e) a polynucleotide of the following (e1), (e2), or (e3): (e1) a polynucleotide comprising the base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 5; (e2) a polynucleotide comprising a base sequence in which the 101st base (G) of (e1) is conserved and one or several bases have been deleted, substituted, inserted and / or added in the base sequence of (e1); (e3) a polynucleotide comprising a base sequence in which the 101st base (G) of (e1) is conserved and has an identity of 80% or more to the base sequence of (e1); (f) a polynucleotide of the following (f1), (f2), or (f3): (f1) a polynucleotide comprising the base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 6; (f2) a polynucleotide comprising the base sequence in which the 101st base (A) of (f1) is conserved and has an identity of 80% or more to the base sequence of (f1); (f3) a polynucleotide comprising the 101st base (A) of (f1) and has an identity of 80% or more to the base sequence of (f1); (g) A polynucleotide of (g1), (g2), or (g3) below: (g1) a polynucleotide having a polynucleotide of 1 to 855 bases between a polynucleotide consisting of the base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 14 and a polynucleotide consisting of the base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 15; (g2) a polynucleotide that conserves the base sequence of the polynucleotide of 1 to 855 bases in (g1) above and has a base sequence in which one or several bases have been deleted, substituted, inserted, and / or added in the base sequence of (g1);(g3) A polynucleotide that conserves the base sequence of the polynucleotide of 1 to 855 bases in (g1) and has a base sequence that is 80% or more identical to the base sequence of (g1). (Appendix 46) A method for producing sunflower plants or a plant population of sunflower plants that exhibit the trait of upward-facing flower stalks according to any of Appendices 25 to 45, wherein the selection in the step (b) is a method for selecting sunflower plants that exhibit the trait of upward-facing flower stalks and have a flower stalk-facing locus identified by the polynucleotide of (ga) below: (ga) Polynucleotides of the following (ga1), (ga2), or (ga3): (ga1) a polynucleotide consisting of the base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 13; (ga2) a polynucleotide consisting of a base sequence in which one or several bases have been deleted, substituted, inserted and / or added in the base sequence of (ga1); (ga3) a polynucleotide consisting of a base sequence having 80% or more identity to the base sequence of (ga1). (Appendix 47) A method for producing a sunflower plant or a plant population of sunflower plants exhibiting the upward-facing trait of flower stalks according to Appendix 45, wherein the selection in step (b) is selection of sunflower plants exhibiting the upward-facing trait of flower stalks having an upward-facing locus of flower stalks identified by the polynucleotide selected from the group consisting of (c), (d), and (g). (Appendix 48) A method for producing a sunflower plant or a plant population of sunflower plants exhibiting the upward-facing trait of flower stalks according to Appendix 47, wherein the selection in step (b) is selection of sunflower plants exhibiting the upward-facing trait of flower stalks having an upward-facing locus of flower stalks identified by the polynucleotide of (g). (Appendix 49)49. The method for producing a sunflower plant or a plant population of sunflower plants exhibiting an upward-facing trait of inflorescence stalk according to any of Appendices 25 to 48, wherein the selection in the step (b) is selection of sunflower plants exhibiting an upward-facing trait of inflorescence stalk having an upward-facing locus of inflorescence stalk located in a region on the chromosome between sites of two molecular markers selected from the group consisting of Ha_chr04_172545117, Ha_chr04_175698294, Ha_chr04_181000331, Indel marker of Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene, Ha_chr04_200021302, Ha_chr04_204904126, and Ha_chr04_208654314. (Appendix 50) The method for producing a sunflower plant or a plant population of sunflower plants exhibiting an upward-facing trait for flower stalks according to Appendix 49, wherein the selection in the step (b) is selection of sunflower plants exhibiting an upward-facing trait for flower stalks that have an upward-facing locus for flower stalks that is located in a region on the chromosome between the sites of the molecular markers Ha_chr04_175698294 and Ha_chr04_204904126, or between the sites of the molecular markers Ha_chr04_181000331 and Ha_chr04_200021302. (Appendix 51) A method for producing a sunflower plant or a plant population of sunflower plants exhibiting the upward-facing flower stalk trait according to Appendix 50, wherein the selection in step (b) is a selection of sunflower plants exhibiting the upward-facing flower stalk trait having a flower stalk-facing locus located in the region on the chromosome between the sites of the Ha_chr04_181000331 and Ha_chr04_200021302 molecular markers. <Conferring method> (Appendix 52) A method for imparting the upward-facing flower stalk trait to a sunflower plant, comprising an upward-facing step of changing the function of the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene of the sunflower plant to make the flower stalks of the sunflower plant upward-facing. (Appendix 53) The method for imparting according to Appendix 52, wherein the upward-facing step comprises a suppression step of suppressing expression of the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene of the sunflower plant. (Appendix 54) The method of providing according to appendix 52 or 53, wherein the upward step comprises a mutation step of mutating the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene of the sunflower plant.(Appendix 55) The method of imparting according to Appendix 54, wherein the mutating step introduces a mutation into a normal Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene of the sunflower plant to produce an upward-facing sunflower plant that contains a mutant Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene and has an upward-facing flower stalk. (Appendix 56) The method of imparting according to Appendix 55, wherein the mutant contains a base sequence in which one or several bases have been deleted, substituted, inserted and / or added in the base sequence of the normal Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene, and expresses the upward-facing flower stalk trait. (Appendix 57) The method of imparting according to Appendix 55 or 56, wherein the mutant is a mutant gene containing a missense mutation in the base sequence of the normal Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene, and expresses the upward-facing flower stalk trait. (Appendix 58) The method of imparting according to Appendices 55 or 56, wherein the mutant is a mutant gene comprising a frameshift mutation in the base sequence of the normal Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene, and causes the inflorescence stalk to express an upward-facing trait. (Appendix 59) The method of imparting according to any of Appendices 55 to 58, wherein the mutant is a mutant gene comprising a splicing mutation in the base sequence of the normal Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene, and causes the inflorescence stalk to express an upward-facing trait. (Appendix 60) The method of imparting according to any one of Appendices 55 to 59, wherein the normal Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene is a gene comprising the polynucleotide of (P) below: (P) any one of the polynucleotides of (P1) to (P7) below: (P1) a polynucleotide consisting of any one of the nucleotide sequences of SEQ ID NOs: 16 to 18; (P2) a polynucleotide consisting of a nucleotide sequence in which one or several nucleotides have been deleted, substituted, inserted and / or added in the nucleotide sequence of (P1), and encoding a protein that controls the upward trait of the inflorescence stalk; (P3) a polynucleotide consisting of a nucleotide sequence having 80% or more identity to the nucleotide sequence of (P1), and encoding a protein that controls the upward trait of the inflorescence stalk;(P4) A polynucleotide which comprises a nucleotide sequence complementary to a polynucleotide which hybridizes under stringent conditions to a polynucleotide consisting of the nucleotide sequence of (P1), and which encodes a protein which controls the upward orientation of the flower stalk; (P5) A polynucleotide which encodes a protein which comprises the amino acid sequence of any of SEQ ID NOs: 19 to 21; (P6) A polynucleotide which comprises the amino acid sequence of (P5) in which one or several amino acids have been deleted, substituted, inserted and / or added, and which encodes a protein which controls the upward orientation of the flower stalk; (P7) A polynucleotide which comprises an amino acid sequence which is 80% or more identical to the amino acid sequence of (P5), and which encodes a protein which controls the upward orientation of the flower stalk. (Appendix 61) A method for imparting the upward orientation of the flower stalk to a sunflower plant, comprising an introduction step of introducing a flower stalk upward orientation locus on chromosome 4 into the sunflower plant. (Appendix 62) The method of providing the inflorescence stalk-up locus according to Appendix 61, wherein the inflorescence stalk-up locus is identified by a molecular marker selected from the group consisting of Ha_chr04_172545117, Ha_chr04_175698294, Ha_chr04_181000331, an Indel marker in the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene, Ha_chr04_200021302, Ha_chr04_204904126, and Ha_chr04_208654314. (Appendix 63) The method of providing the inflorescence stalk-up locus according to Appendix 62, wherein the inflorescence stalk-up locus is identified by a molecular marker selected from the group consisting of Ha_chr04_181000331, an Indel marker in the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene, and Ha_chr04_200021302. (Appendix 64) The method of providing according to Appendices 63, wherein the inflorescence stalk ascending locus is identified by an Indel marker in the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene. (Appendix 65) The method of providing according to any one of Appendices 61 to 64, wherein the inflorescence stalk ascending locus is identified by a polynucleotide selected from the group consisting of the following (a) to (g): (a) a polynucleotide of the following (a1), (a2), or (a3): (a1) a polynucleotide consisting of the base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1;(a2) a polynucleotide comprising the base sequence of (a1), in which the 101st base (A) of (a1) is conserved, and in which one or several bases have been deleted, substituted, inserted and / or added; (a3) ​​a polynucleotide comprising the base sequence of (a1), in which the 101st base (A) of (a1) is conserved, and which has 80% or more identity to the base sequence of (a1); (b) a polynucleotide of the following (b1), (b2), or (b3): ​​(b1) a polynucleotide comprising the base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2; (b2) a polynucleotide comprising the base sequence of (b1), in which the 202nd to 213th bases (TAAAAAAAAAAA) of (b1) are conserved, and in which one or several bases have been deleted, substituted, inserted and / or added; (b3) A polynucleotide comprising a base sequence having 80% or more identity to the base sequence of (b1), in which the 202nd to 213th bases (TAAAAAAAAAAA) of (b1) are conserved; (c) A polynucleotide of the following (c1), (c2), or (c3): (c1) A polynucleotide comprising the base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 3; (c2) A polynucleotide comprising the base sequence of (c1), in which the 101st base (T) of (c1) is conserved, in which one or several bases have been deleted, substituted, inserted, and / or added in the base sequence of (c1); (c3) A polynucleotide comprising the 101st base (T) of (c1), in which the 101st base (T) of (c1) is conserved, in which the base sequence has 80% or more identity to the base sequence of (c1); (d) A polynucleotide of the following (d1), (d2), or (d3): (d1) A polynucleotide comprising the base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 4; (d2) a polynucleotide comprising a base sequence in which the 101st base (C) of (d1) is conserved and one or several bases have been deleted, substituted, inserted and / or added in the base sequence of (d1); (d3) a polynucleotide comprising a base sequence in which the 101st base (C) of (d1) is conserved and has an identity of 80% or more to the base sequence of (d1); (e) a polynucleotide of the following (e1), (e2), or (e3): (e1) a polynucleotide comprising the base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 5;(e2) a polynucleotide comprising a base sequence in which the 101st base (G) of (e1) is conserved and one or several bases have been deleted, substituted, inserted and / or added in the base sequence of (e1); (e3) a polynucleotide comprising a base sequence in which the 101st base (G) of (e1) is conserved and has an identity of 80% or more to the base sequence of (e1); (f) a polynucleotide of the following (f1), (f2), or (f3): (f1) a polynucleotide comprising the base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 6; (f2) a polynucleotide comprising the base sequence in which the 101st base (A) of (f1) is conserved and has an identity of 80% or more to the base sequence of (f1); (f3) a polynucleotide comprising the 101st base (A) of (f1) and has an identity of 80% or more to the base sequence of (f1); (g) A polynucleotide of (g1), (g2), or (g3) below: (g1) A polynucleotide having a polynucleotide of 1 to 855 bases between a polynucleotide consisting of the base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 14 and a polynucleotide consisting of the base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 15; (g2) A polynucleotide that conserves the base sequence of the polynucleotide of 1 to 855 bases in (g1) above and consists of a base sequence in which one or several bases have been deleted, substituted, inserted, and / or added in the base sequence of (g1); (g3) A polynucleotide that conserves the base sequence of 1 to 3 bases in the polynucleotide of (g1) above and consists of a base sequence that has 80% or more identity to the base sequence of (g1). (Appendix 66) The method of imparting according to any one of Appendices 61 to 65, wherein the inflorescence stalk upward locus is specified by the polynucleotide (ga) below: (ga) Polynucleotides (ga1), (ga2), or (ga3) below: (ga1) A polynucleotide consisting of the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 13; (ga2) A polynucleotide consisting of a nucleotide sequence in which one or several bases have been deleted, substituted, inserted, and / or added in the nucleotide sequence of (ga1); (ga3) A polynucleotide consisting of a nucleotide sequence having 80% or more identity to the nucleotide sequence of (ga1). (Appendix 67)The method of claim 65, wherein the inflorescence stalk-up locus is identified by a polynucleotide selected from the group consisting of (c), (d), and (g). (Appendix 68) The method of claim 67, wherein the inflorescence stalk-up locus is identified by the polynucleotide of (g). (Appendix 69) The method of any one of Appendices 61 to 68, wherein the inflorescence stem upward locus is located in a region on the chromosome between two molecular markers selected from the group consisting of Ha_chr04_172545117, Ha_chr04_175698294, Ha_chr04_181000331, an Indel marker of the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene, Ha_chr04_200021302, Ha_chr04_204904126, and Ha_chr04_208654314. (Appendix 70) The conferring method according to Appendix 69, wherein the inflorescence stalk upward locus is located in a region on the chromosome between the sites of the molecular markers Ha_chr04_175698294 and Ha_chr04_204904126, or between the sites of the molecular markers Ha_chr04_181000331 and Ha_chr04_200021302. (Appendix 71) The conferring method according to Appendix 70, wherein the inflorescence stalk upward locus is located in a region on the chromosome between the sites of the molecular markers Ha_chr04_181000331 and Ha_chr04_200021302. (Appendix 72) The method of imparting according to any one of Appendices 61 to 71, wherein the inflorescence stalk-up locus is derived from the inflorescence stalk-up locus of a sunflower plant identified by accession number FERM BP-22482. (Appendix 73) The method of imparting according to any one of Appendices 61 to 72, wherein the inflorescence stalk-up locus on chromosome 4 is introduced by crossing with a sunflower plant identified by accession number FERM BP-22482. (Appendix 74) The method of imparting according to Appendices 73, wherein the sunflower plant is a sunflower plant identified by accession number FERM BP-22482 or a progeny line thereof. <Nucleic Acid> (Appendix 75)1. An isolated nucleic acid having a function of being able to identify an upward-facing flower stalk trait in a sunflower plant chromosome, the nucleic acid comprising a base sequence of 15 or more consecutive bases in a base sequence selected from the group consisting of the following (a) to (g): (a) a base sequence of the following (a1), (a2), or (a3): (a1) the base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1; (a2) a base sequence in which the 101st base (A) of (a1) is conserved and in which one or several bases have been deleted, substituted, inserted, and / or added in the base sequence of (a1); (a3) ​​a base sequence in which the 101st base (A) of (a1) is conserved and which has an identity of 80% or more to the base sequence of (a1); (b) a base sequence of the following (b1), (b2), or (b3): ​​(b1) the base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2; (b2) a base sequence in which the 202nd to 213th bases (TAAAAAAAAAAAAA) of (b1) are conserved, and one or several bases have been deleted, substituted, inserted, and / or added in the base sequence of (b1); (b3) a base sequence in which the 202nd to 213th bases (TAAAAAAAAAAA) of (b1) are conserved, and which has an identity of 80% or more to the base sequence of (b1); (c) a base sequence of the following (c1), (c2), or (c3): (c1) the base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 3; (c2) a base sequence in which the 101st base (T) of (c1) is conserved, and one or several bases have been deleted, substituted, inserted, and / or added in the base sequence of (c1); (c3) a base sequence in which the 101st base (T) of (c1) is conserved, and which has an identity of 80% or more to the base sequence of (c1); (d) a base sequence of (d1), (d2), or (d3) below: (d1) the base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 4; (d2) a base sequence in which the 101st base (C) of (d1) is conserved and one or several bases have been deleted, substituted, inserted, and / or added in the base sequence of (d1); (d3) a base sequence in which the 101st base (C) of (d1) is conserved and has an identity of 80% or more to the base sequence of (d1); (e) a base sequence of (e1), (e2), or (e3) below: (e1) the base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 5;(e2) A base sequence in which the 101st base (G) of (e1) is conserved and one or several bases have been deleted, substituted, inserted and / or added in the base sequence of (e1); (e3) A base sequence in which the 101st base (G) of (e1) is conserved and has an identity of 80% or more to the base sequence of (e1); (f) A base sequence of the following (f1), (f2), or (f3): (f1) The base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 6; (f2) A base sequence in which the 101st base (A) of (f1) is conserved and one or several bases have been deleted, substituted, inserted and / or added in the base sequence of (f1); (f3) A base sequence in which the 101st base (A) of (f1) is conserved and has an identity of 80% or more to the base sequence of (f1); (g) A base sequence of (g1), (g2), or (g3) below: (g1) A base sequence having a base sequence of 1 to 855 bases between the base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 14 and the base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 15; (g2) A base sequence in which the base sequence of 1 to 3 bases of the polynucleotide in (g1) is conserved and in which 1 to 854 bases are deleted, substituted, inserted, and / or added in the base sequence of (g1); (g3) A base sequence in which the base sequence of 1 to 3 bases of the polynucleotide in (g1) is conserved and which has an identity of 80% or more to the base sequence of (g1). (Appendix 76) The nucleic acid according to Appendix 75, comprising a contiguous base sequence of 15 or more bases in a base sequence selected from the group consisting of the following (ga) in a chromosome of a sunflower: (ga) a base sequence of the following (ga1), (ga2), or (ga3): (ga1) the base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 13; (ga2) a base sequence in which one or several bases have been deleted, substituted, inserted, and / or added in the base sequence of (ga1); (ga3) a base sequence having 80% or more identity to the base sequence of (ga1). <Detection Method> (Appendix 77) A method for detecting the upward-oriented trait of inflorescence stalks in sunflower plants, comprising a detection step of detecting whether the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene is mutated in a test sunflower plant. (Appendix 78)The detection method according to Appendix 77, wherein the detection step includes detecting whether a mutant of the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene is present in the test sunflower plant. (Appendix 79) The detection method according to Appendix 78, wherein the mutant comprises a base sequence in which one or several bases are deleted, substituted, inserted, and / or added in the base sequence of the normal Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene, and expresses the trait of an upward-facing flower stalk. (Appendix 80) The detection method according to Appendix 78 or 79, wherein the mutant is a mutant gene comprising a missense mutation in the base sequence of the normal Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene, and expresses the trait of an upward-facing flower stalk. (Appendix 81) The detection method according to any one of Appendices 78 to 80, wherein the mutant is a mutant gene comprising a frameshift mutation in the base sequence of the normal Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene, and causes the inflorescence stem to express an upward-facing trait. (Appendix 82) The detection method according to any one of Appendices 78 to 81, wherein the mutant is a mutant gene comprising a splicing mutation in the base sequence of the normal Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene, and causes the inflorescence stem to express an upward-facing trait. (Appendix 83) The detection method according to any one of Appendices 79 to 82, wherein the normal Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene is a gene comprising the polynucleotide of (P) below: (P) any one of the polynucleotides of (P1) to (P7) below: (P1) a polynucleotide consisting of any one of the nucleotide sequences of SEQ ID NOs: 16 to 18; (P2) a polynucleotide consisting of a nucleotide sequence in which one or several nucleotides have been deleted, substituted, inserted and / or added in the nucleotide sequence of (P1), and encoding a protein that controls the upward trait of the inflorescence stalk; (P3) a polynucleotide consisting of a nucleotide sequence having 80% or more identity to the nucleotide sequence of (P1), and encoding a protein that controls the upward trait of the inflorescence stalk; (P4) a polynucleotide consisting of a nucleotide sequence complementary to a polynucleotide that hybridizes under stringent conditions to a polynucleotide consisting of the nucleotide sequence of (P1), and encoding a protein that controls the upward trait of the inflorescence stalk;(P5) A polynucleotide encoding a protein consisting of the amino acid sequence of any of SEQ ID NOs: 19 to 21; (P6) A polynucleotide encoding a protein that controls the upward orientation of inflorescence stalks, consisting of an amino acid sequence in which one or several amino acids are deleted, substituted, inserted and / or added in any of the amino acid sequences of (P5); (P7) A polynucleotide encoding a protein that controls the upward orientation of inflorescence stalks, consisting of an amino acid sequence having 80% or more identity to the amino acid sequence of (P5). (Appendix 84) A method for detecting the upward orientation of inflorescence stalks in sunflower plants, comprising a detection step of detecting a inflorescence stalk upward orientation locus on chromosome 4 in a test sunflower plant. (Appendix 85) The detection method according to Appendix 84, wherein the detection step detects the inflorescence stem upward locus by detecting a molecular marker selected from the group consisting of Ha_chr04_172545117, Ha_chr04_175698294, Ha_chr04_181000331, Indel markers of Ha412HOChr04g0188691 genes, Ha_chr04_200021302, Ha_chr04_204904126, and Ha_chr04_208654314. (Appendix 86) The detection method according to Appendix 85, wherein the detecting step detects the up-pointing locus of the flower stalk by detecting a molecular marker selected from the group consisting of Ha_chr04_181000331, Ha412HOChr04g0188691 genes, and Ha_chr04_200021302. (Appendix 87) The detection method according to Appendix 86, wherein the detecting step detects the up-pointing locus of the flower stalk by detecting an Indel marker of the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene. (Appendix 88) The detection method according to any one of Appendices 84 to 87, wherein the detecting step detects the up-pointing locus of the flower stalk by detecting a polynucleotide selected from the group consisting of the following (a) to (g): (a) a polynucleotide of the following (a1), (a2), or (a3): (a1) a polynucleotide consisting of the base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1;(a2) a polynucleotide comprising the base sequence of (a1), in which the 101st base (A) of (a1) is conserved, and in which one or several bases have been deleted, substituted, inserted and / or added; (a3) ​​a polynucleotide comprising the base sequence of (a1), in which the 101st base (A) of (a1) is conserved, and which has 80% or more identity to the base sequence of (a1); (b) a polynucleotide of the following (b1), (b2), or (b3): ​​(b1) a polynucleotide comprising the base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2; (b2) a polynucleotide comprising the base sequence of (b1), in which the 202nd to 213th bases (TAAAAAAAAAAA) of (b1) are conserved, and in which one or several bases have been deleted, substituted, inserted and / or added; (b3) A polynucleotide comprising a base sequence having 80% or more identity to the base sequence of (b1), in which the 202nd to 213th bases (TAAAAAAAAAAA) of (b1) are conserved; (c) A polynucleotide of the following (c1), (c2), or (c3): (c1) A polynucleotide comprising the base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 3; (c2) A polynucleotide comprising the base sequence of (c1), in which the 101st base (T) of (c1) is conserved, in which one or several bases have been deleted, substituted, inserted, and / or added in the base sequence of (c1); (c3) A polynucleotide comprising the 101st base (T) of (c1), in which the 101st base (T) of (c1) is conserved, in which the base sequence has 80% or more identity to the base sequence of (c1); (d) A polynucleotide of the following (d1), (d2), or (d3): (d1) A polynucleotide comprising the base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 4; (d2) a polynucleotide comprising a base sequence in which the 101st base (C) of (d1) is conserved and one or several bases have been deleted, substituted, inserted and / or added in the base sequence of (d1); (d3) a polynucleotide comprising a base sequence in which the 101st base (C) of (d1) is conserved and has an identity of 80% or more to the base sequence of (d1); (e) a polynucleotide of the following (e1), (e2), or (e3): (e1) a polynucleotide comprising the base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 5;(e2) a polynucleotide comprising a base sequence in which the 101st base (G) of (e1) is conserved and one or several bases have been deleted, substituted, inserted and / or added in the base sequence of (e1); (e3) a polynucleotide comprising a base sequence in which the 101st base (G) of (e1) is conserved and has an identity of 80% or more to the base sequence of (e1); (f) a polynucleotide of the following (f1), (f2), or (f3): (f1) a polynucleotide comprising the base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 6; (f2) a polynucleotide comprising the base sequence in which the 101st base (A) of (f1) is conserved and has an identity of 80% or more to the base sequence of (f1); (f3) a polynucleotide comprising the 101st base (A) of (f1) and has an identity of 80% or more to the base sequence of (f1); (g) A polynucleotide of (g1), (g2), or (g3) below: (g1) A polynucleotide having a polynucleotide of 1 to 855 bases between a polynucleotide consisting of the base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 14 and a polynucleotide consisting of the base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 15; (g2) A polynucleotide that conserves the base sequence of the polynucleotide of 1 to 855 bases in (g1) above and consists of a base sequence in which one or several bases have been deleted, substituted, inserted, and / or added in the base sequence of (g1); (g3) A polynucleotide that conserves the base sequence of 1 to 3 bases in the polynucleotide of (g1) above and consists of a base sequence that has 80% or more identity to the base sequence of (g1). (Appendix 89) The detection method according to any one of Appendices 84 to 88, wherein the detection step detects the inflorescence stalk upward locus by detecting the polynucleotide (ga) below: (ga) Polynucleotide (ga1), (ga2), or (ga3) below: (ga1) A polynucleotide consisting of the base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 13; (ga2) A polynucleotide consisting of the base sequence of the base sequence of the (ga1) in which one or several bases have been deleted, substituted, inserted, and / or added; (ga3) A polynucleotide consisting of a base sequence having 80% or more identity to the base sequence of the (ga1). (Appendix 90)The detection method according to claim 89, wherein the detection step detects the up-direction locus of the inflorescence stalk by detecting a polynucleotide selected from the group consisting of (c), (d), and (g). (Supplementary note 91) The detection method according to claim 90, wherein the detection step detects the up-direction locus of the inflorescence stalk by detecting the polynucleotide of (g). (Appendix 92) The detection method according to any one of Appendices 84 to 91, wherein the detection step detects an inflorescence stem ascending locus located in a region between two molecular markers selected from the group consisting of Ha_chr04_172545117, Ha_chr04_175698294, Ha_chr04_181000331, an Indel marker of the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene, Ha_chr04_200021302, Ha_chr04_204904126, and Ha_chr04_208654314 on the chromosome. (Appendix 93) The detection method according to Appendix 92, wherein the detecting step detects an inflorescence stalk-up locus located in a region on the chromosome between the sites of the molecular markers Ha_chr04_175698294 and Ha_chr04_204904126, or between the sites of the molecular markers Ha_chr04_181000331 and Ha_chr04_200021302. (Appendix 94) The detection method according to Appendix 93, wherein the detecting step detects an inflorescence stalk-up locus located in a region on the chromosome between the sites of the molecular markers Ha_chr04_181000331 and Ha_chr04_200021302. <Screening Method> (Appendix 95) A method for screening sunflower plants, comprising a selection step of selecting, from test sunflower plants, test sunflowers having a mutation in the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene as sunflower plants exhibiting the trait of an upward-facing flower stalk. (Appendix 96) The screening method according to Appendix 95, wherein, in the selection step, test sunflower plants having a mutation in the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene are selected as sunflower plants exhibiting the trait of an upward-facing flower stalk. (Appendix 97)The screening method according to Appendix 96, wherein the mutant comprises a base sequence in which one or several bases are deleted, substituted, inserted and / or added in the base sequence of the normal Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene, and expresses the trait of an upward-facing flower stalk. (Appendix 98) The screening method according to Appendix 96 or 97, wherein the mutant is a mutant gene comprising a missense mutation in the base sequence of the normal Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene, and expresses the trait of an upward-facing flower stalk. (Appendix 99) The screening method according to any of Appendices 96 to 98, wherein the mutant is a mutant gene comprising a frameshift mutation in the base sequence of the normal Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene, and expresses the trait of an upward-facing flower stalk. (Appendix 100) The screening method according to any one of Appendices 96 to 99, wherein the mutant is a mutant gene containing a splicing mutation relative to the base sequence of the normal Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene, and causes the flower stalk to express an upward-facing trait. (Appendix 101) The screening method according to any one of Appendices 97 to 100, wherein the normal Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene is a gene comprising the polynucleotide of (P) below: (P) any one of the polynucleotides (P1) to (P7) below: (P1) a polynucleotide consisting of the nucleotide sequence of any one of SEQ ID NOs: 16 to 18; (P2) a polynucleotide consisting of a nucleotide sequence in which one or several nucleotides have been deleted, substituted, inserted and / or added in the nucleotide sequence of (P1), and encoding a protein that controls the upward trait of the inflorescence stalk; (P3) a polynucleotide consisting of a nucleotide sequence having 80% or more identity to the nucleotide sequence of (P1), and encoding a protein that controls the upward trait of the inflorescence stalk; (P4) a polynucleotide consisting of a nucleotide sequence complementary to a polynucleotide that hybridizes under stringent conditions to a polynucleotide consisting of the nucleotide sequence of (P1), and encoding a protein that controls the upward trait of the inflorescence stalk; (P5) a polynucleotide encoding a protein consisting of any one of the amino acid sequences of SEQ ID NOs: 19 to 21;(P6) A polynucleotide consisting of an amino acid sequence in which one or several amino acids are deleted, substituted, inserted and / or added in the amino acid sequence of (P5), and encoding a protein that controls the upward orientation of the flower stalk; (P7) A polynucleotide consisting of an amino acid sequence having 80% or more identity to the amino acid sequence of (P5), and encoding a protein that controls the upward orientation of the flower stalk. (Appendix 102) A method for screening sunflower plants, comprising a selection step of selecting, from test sunflower plants, sunflower plants that contain a flower stalk-up locus on chromosome 4 as sunflower plants that exhibit the flower stalk-up trait. (Appendix 103) The screening method according to Appendix 102, wherein in the selection step, sunflower plants having an inflorescence stalk upward locus identified by a molecular marker selected from the group consisting of Indel markers of Ha_chr04_172545117, Ha_chr04_175698294, Ha_chr04_181000331, and Ha412HOChr04g0188691 genes, Ha_chr04_200021302, Ha_chr04_204904126, and Ha_chr04_208654314 are selected as sunflower plants exhibiting an inflorescence stalk upward trait. (Appendix 104) The screening method according to Appendix 103, wherein in the selection step, sunflower plants having an up-direction locus of the flower stalk identified by a molecular marker selected from the group consisting of an Indel marker of the Ha_chr04_181000331 gene, Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene, and Ha_chr04_200021302 are selected as sunflower plants exhibiting the up-direction trait of the flower stalk. (Appendix 105) The screening method according to Appendix 104, wherein in the selection step, sunflower plants having an up-direction locus of the flower stalk identified by an Indel marker of the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene are selected as sunflower plants exhibiting the up-direction trait of the flower stalk. (Appendix 106) The screening method according to any one of Appendices 102 to 105, wherein in the selection, a sunflower plant having an inflorescence stalk upward locus identified by a polynucleotide selected from the group consisting of the following (a) to (g) is selected as a sunflower plant exhibiting an inflorescence stalk upward trait:(a) a polynucleotide of the following (a1), (a2), or (a3): (a1) a polynucleotide consisting of the base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1; (a2) a polynucleotide in which the 101st base (A) of (a1) is conserved and the base sequence of (a1) has one or more bases deleted, substituted, inserted, and / or added; (a3) ​​a polynucleotide in which the 101st base (A) of (a1) is conserved and the base sequence has 80% or more identity to the base sequence of (a1); (b) a polynucleotide of the following (b1), (b2), or (b3): ​​(b1) a polynucleotide consisting of the base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2; (b2) a polynucleotide in which the 202nd to 213th bases (TAAAAAAAAAAA) of (b1) are conserved and the base sequence of (b1) has one or more bases deleted, substituted, inserted, and / or added; (b3) A polynucleotide comprising a base sequence having 80% or more identity to the base sequence of (b1), in which the 202nd to 213th bases (TAAAAAAAAAAA) of (b1) are conserved; (c) A polynucleotide of the following (c1), (c2), or (c3): (c1) A polynucleotide comprising the base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 3; (c2) A polynucleotide comprising the base sequence of (c1), in which the 101st base (T) of (c1) is conserved, in which one or several bases have been deleted, substituted, inserted, and / or added in the base sequence of (c1); (c3) A polynucleotide comprising the 101st base (T) of (c1), in which the 101st base (T) of (c1) is conserved, in which the base sequence has 80% or more identity to the base sequence of (c1); (d) A polynucleotide of the following (d1), (d2), or (d3): (d1) A polynucleotide comprising the base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 4; (d2) a polynucleotide in which the 101st base (C) of (d1) is conserved and which consists of a base sequence in which one or several bases have been deleted, substituted, inserted and / or added in the base sequence of (d1); (d3) a polynucleotide in which the 101st base (C) of (d1) is conserved and which consists of a base sequence having 80% or more identity to the base sequence of (d1); (e) a polynucleotide of the following (e1), (e2), or (e3):(e1) a polynucleotide consisting of the base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 5; (e2) a polynucleotide consisting of a base sequence in which the 101st base (G) of (e1) is conserved and one or several bases have been deleted, substituted, inserted and / or added in the base sequence of (e1); (e3) a polynucleotide consisting of a base sequence in which the 101st base (G) of (e1) is conserved and has an identity of 80% or more to the base sequence of (e1); (f) a polynucleotide of the following (f1), (f2), or (f3): (f1) a polynucleotide consisting of the base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 6; (f2) a polynucleotide consisting of a base sequence in which the 101st base (A) of (f1) is conserved and one or several bases have been deleted, substituted, inserted and / or added in the base sequence of (f1); (f3) A polynucleotide in which the 101st base (A) of (f1) is conserved and which consists of a base sequence having 80% or more identity to the base sequence of (f1); (g) A polynucleotide of the following (g1), (g2), or (g3): (g1) A polynucleotide having a polynucleotide of 1 to 855 bases between a polynucleotide consisting of the base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 14 and a polynucleotide consisting of the base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 15; (g2) A polynucleotide in which the base sequence of the polynucleotide of 1 to 855 bases in (g1) is conserved and which consists of a base sequence in which one or several bases have been deleted, substituted, inserted, and / or added in the base sequence of (g1); (g3) A polynucleotide in which the base sequence of 1 to 3 bases of the polynucleotide in (g1) is conserved and which consists of a base sequence having 80% or more identity to the base sequence of (g1). (Appendix 107) The screening method according to any one of Appendices 102 to 106, wherein in the selection, a sunflower plant having an inflorescence stalk upward locus specified by the polynucleotide (ga) below is selected as a sunflower plant exhibiting an inflorescence stalk upward trait: (ga) a polynucleotide of the following (ga1), (ga2), or (ga3): (ga1) a polynucleotide consisting of the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 13; (ga2) a polynucleotide consisting of the nucleotide sequence of the nucleotide sequence of (ga1) above, in which one or several nucleotides have been deleted, substituted, inserted, and / or added;(ga3) A polynucleotide consisting of a base sequence having 80% or more identity to the base sequence of (ga1). (Appendix 108) The screening method according to Appendix 106, wherein in the selection step, a sunflower plant exhibiting the upward-facing trait of flower stalks and having an upward-facing locus of flower stalks specified by a polynucleotide selected from the group consisting of (c), (d), and (g) is selected as a sunflower plant exhibiting the upward-facing trait of flower stalks. (Appendix 109) The screening method according to Appendix 108, wherein in the selection step, a sunflower plant exhibiting the upward-facing trait of flower stalks and having an upward-facing locus of flower stalks specified by the polynucleotide of (g) is selected as a sunflower plant exhibiting the upward-facing trait of flower stalks. (Appendix 110) The screening method according to any one of Appendices 102 to 109, wherein in the selection step, sunflower plants having an inflorescence stalk-up locus located in a region on the chromosome between sites of two molecular markers selected from the group consisting of Ha_chr04_172545117, Ha_chr04_175698294, Ha_chr04_181000331, Indel markers of the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene, Ha_chr04_200021302, Ha_chr04_204904126, and Ha_chr04_208654314 are selected as sunflower plants exhibiting the inflorescence stalk-up trait. (Appendix 111) The screening method according to Appendix 110, wherein in the selection step, sunflower plants having an inflorescence stalk upward locus located in a region on the chromosome between the sites of the molecular markers Ha_chr04_175698294 and Ha_chr04_204904126, or between the sites of the molecular markers Ha_chr04_181000331 and Ha_chr04_200021302 are selected as sunflower plants exhibiting an inflorescence stalk upward trait. (Appendix 112) The screening method according to Appendix 111, wherein in the selection step, sunflower plants having an inflorescence stalk upward locus located in a region on the chromosome between the sites of the molecular markers Ha_chr04_181000331 and Ha_chr04_200021302 are selected as sunflower plants exhibiting an inflorescence stalk upward trait.

[0257] As described above, the present disclosure provides a novel sunflower plant, which is extremely useful in the agricultural field, for example, in breeding.

Claims

1. A sunflower plant that contains a mutant version of the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene and has an upward-facing flower stalk.

2. The sunflower plant of claim 1, wherein the mutant Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene comprises a base sequence in which one or several bases are deleted, inserted, substituted, and / or added in the base sequence of the normal Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene, and expresses the upward-facing trait of inflorescence stalks.

3. A sunflower plant according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the mutant Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene is composed of an amino acid sequence in which one or more amino acids have been inserted, deleted, substituted, and / or added in the amino acid sequence encoded by the normal Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene, and comprises a base sequence encoding a protein that expresses the upward-facing trait of inflorescence stalks.

4. A sunflower plant with an upward-facing flower stalk that contains a flower stalk upward locus on chromosome 4.

5. The sunflower plant according to claim 4, wherein the inflorescence stalk upward locus is identified by a polynucleotide selected from the group consisting of the following (a) to (g): (a) a polynucleotide of the following (a1), (a2), or (a3): (a1) a polynucleotide consisting of the base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1; (a2) a polynucleotide in which the 101st base (A) of (a1) is conserved and the base sequence of (a1) is modified by deletion, substitution, insertion, and / or addition of 1 to 20 bases; (a3) ​​a polynucleotide in which the 101st base (A) of (a1) is conserved and the base sequence has 90% or more identity to the base sequence of (a1); (b) a polynucleotide of the following (b1), (b2), or (b3): ​​(b1) a polynucleotide consisting of the base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2; (b2) a polynucleotide comprising a base sequence in which the 202nd to 213th bases (TAAAAAAAAAAA) of (b1) are conserved and 1 to 40 bases have been deleted, substituted, inserted and / or added in the base sequence of (b1); (b3) a polynucleotide comprising a base sequence in which the 202nd to 213th bases (TAAAAAAAAAAA) of (b1) are conserved and have an identity of 90% or more to the base sequence of (b1); (c) a polynucleotide of the following (c1), (c2) or (c3): (c1) a polynucleotide comprising the base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 3; (c2) a polynucleotide comprising the 101st base (T) of (c1) and the base sequence of (c1) having 1 to 20 bases deleted, substituted, inserted and / or added; (c3) a polynucleotide having a base sequence which has 90% or more identity to the base sequence of (c1) and in which the 101st base (T) of (c1) is conserved; (d) a polynucleotide of the following (d1), (d2), or (d3): (d1) a polynucleotide having the base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 4; (d2) a polynucleotide having the 101st base (C) of (d1) and in which 1 to 20 bases have been deleted, substituted, inserted and / or added in the base sequence of (d1);(d3) A polynucleotide having a base sequence which has 90% or more identity to the base sequence of (d1) in which the 101st base (C) of (d1) is conserved; (e) A polynucleotide of the following (e1), (e2), or (e3): (e1) A polynucleotide having the base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 5; (e2) A polynucleotide having the 101st base (G) of (e1) in which the 101st base (G) of (e1) is conserved and the base sequence of (e1) is modified by deletion, substitution, insertion, and / or addition of 1 to 20 bases; (e3) A polynucleotide having the 101st base (G) of (e1) in which the 101st base (G) of (e1) is conserved and the base sequence has 90% or more identity to the base sequence of (e1); (f) A polynucleotide of the following (f1), (f2), or (f3): (f1) A polynucleotide having the base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 6; (f2) A polynucleotide comprising a base sequence in which the 101st base (A) of (f1) is conserved and 1 to 20 bases have been deleted, substituted, inserted and / or added in the base sequence of (f1); (f3) A polynucleotide comprising a base sequence in which the 101st base (A) of (f1) is conserved and has an identity of 90% or more to the base sequence of (f1); (g) A polynucleotide of the following (g1), (g2) or (g3): (g1) A polynucleotide having a polynucleotide of 1 to 855 bases between a polynucleotide of the base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 14 and a polynucleotide of the base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 15; (g2) A polynucleotide comprising a polynucleotide of 1 to 855 bases in (g1) and comprising a base sequence in which 1 to 3 bases have been deleted, substituted, inserted and / or added in the base sequence of (g1); (g3) A polynucleotide that conserves the base sequence of the polynucleotide of 1 to 855 bases in (g1) and has a base sequence that has 90% or more identity to the base sequence of (g1); 6. The sunflower plant according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the inflorescence stalk upward locus is specified by the polynucleotide (ga) below. (ga) The following polynucleotides (ga1), (ga2), or (ga3): (ga1) a polynucleotide consisting of the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 13; (ga2) a polynucleotide consisting of the nucleotide sequence of (ga1) in which 1 to 85 nucleotides have been deleted, substituted, inserted and / or added; (ga3) a polynucleotide consisting of a nucleotide sequence having 90% or more identity to the nucleotide sequence of (ga1).

7. A sunflower plant according to any one of claims 4 to 6, wherein the inflorescence stem upward locus is located in a region of the chromosome between the sites of the molecular markers Ha_chr04_175698294 and Ha_chr04_204904126, or between the sites of the molecular markers Ha_chr04_181000331 and Ha_chr04_200021302.

8. The sunflower plant of any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the sunflower plant is the sunflower plant identified by accession number FERM BP-22482 or a progeny line thereof.

9. A sunflower plant according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the angle of the inflorescence stem is between 0 and 45 degrees.

10. A population of sunflower plants, comprising sunflower plants having upward-facing flower stalks, wherein a proportion of individuals in the population having flower stalk angles of 0 to 45 degrees is 50% or more.

11. The population of sunflower plants of claim 10, wherein the population of sunflower plants comprises the sunflower plants of any one of claims 1 to 9.

12. A part of a sunflower plant according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

13. The plant part of claim 12, wherein the plant part is a flower, stem, leaf, root, pollen, and / or seed.

14. A method for producing a sunflower plant or a plant population of sunflower plants exhibiting an upward inflorescence trait, comprising the following steps (a) and (b): (a) a step of crossing the sunflower plant according to any one of claims 1 to 9 with another sunflower plant; (b) a step of selecting a sunflower plant exhibiting an upward inflorescence trait from the sunflower plant obtained by step (a) or a progeny line thereof.

15. A method for producing a sunflower plant or a population of sunflower plants exhibiting the upward inflorescence trait according to claim 14, comprising the following step (x) prior to the step (a): (x) a step of selecting a sunflower plant according to any one of claims 1 to 9 from test sunflower plants.

16. The method for producing a sunflower plant or a plant population of sunflower plants according to claim 15, wherein the selection in step (x) is a selection of a sunflower plant comprising a mutant of the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene.

17. A method for producing a sunflower plant or a plant population of sunflower plants exhibiting the inflorescence stalk upward trait as described in claim 15, wherein the selection in step (x) is selection of a sunflower plant exhibiting the inflorescence stalk upward trait comprising a inflorescence stalk upward locus on chromosome 4.

18. A method for producing a sunflower plant or a plant population of sunflower plants exhibiting an upward trait of inflorescence stalks according to claim 17, wherein the selection in the step (x) is a method for selecting a sunflower plant exhibiting an upward trait of inflorescence stalks having an upward locus of inflorescence stalks specified by a polynucleotide selected from the group consisting of the following (a) to (g): (a) a polynucleotide of the following (a1), (a2), or (a3): (a1) a polynucleotide consisting of the base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1; (a2) a polynucleotide in which the 101st base (A) of (a1) is conserved and which consists of a base sequence in which 1 to 20 bases have been deleted, substituted, inserted and / or added in the base sequence of (a1); (a3) ​​a polynucleotide in which the 101st base (A) of (a1) is conserved and which consists of a base sequence having 90% or more identity to the base sequence of (a1); (b) a polynucleotide of the following (b1), (b2), or (b3): (b1) a polynucleotide consisting of the base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2; (b2) a polynucleotide consisting of a base sequence in which the 202nd to 213th bases (TAAAAAAAAAAA) of (b1) are conserved and the base sequence of (b1) has 1 to 40 bases deleted, substituted, inserted and / or added; (b3) a polynucleotide consisting of a base sequence in which the 202nd to 213th bases (TAAAAAAAAAAA) of (b1) are conserved and has an identity of 90% or more to the base sequence of (b1); (c) a polynucleotide of the following (c1), (c2) or (c3): (c1) a polynucleotide consisting of the base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 3; (c2) a polynucleotide consisting of a base sequence in which the 101st base (T) of (c1) is conserved and the base sequence of (c1) has 1 to 20 bases deleted, substituted, inserted and / or added; (c3) a polynucleotide having a base sequence which conserves the 101st base (T) of (c1) and has 90% or more identity to the base sequence of (c1); (d) a polynucleotide of the following (d1), (d2), or (d3): (d1) a polynucleotide having the base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 4;(d2) A polynucleotide consisting of a base sequence in which the 101st base (C) of (d1) is conserved and 1 to 20 bases have been deleted, substituted, inserted and / or added in the base sequence of (d1); (d3) A polynucleotide consisting of a base sequence in which the 101st base (C) of (d1) is conserved and has an identity of 90% or more to the base sequence of (d1); (e) A polynucleotide of the following (e1), (e2) or (e3): (e1) A polynucleotide consisting of the base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 5; (e2) A polynucleotide consisting of a base sequence in which the 101st base (G) of (e1) is conserved and has an identity of 90% or more to the base sequence of (e1); (e3) A polynucleotide consisting of a base sequence in which the 101st base (G) of (e1) is conserved and has an identity of 90% or more to the base sequence of (e1); (f) a polynucleotide of (f1), (f2), or (f3) below: (f1) a polynucleotide consisting of the base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 6; (f2) a polynucleotide consisting of a base sequence in which the 101st base (A) of (f1) is conserved and 1 to 20 bases have been deleted, substituted, inserted, and / or added in the base sequence of (f1); (f3) a polynucleotide consisting of a base sequence in which the 101st base (A) of (f1) is conserved and has an identity of 90% or more to the base sequence of (f1); (g) a polynucleotide of (g1), (g2), or (g3) below: (g1) a polynucleotide having a polynucleotide of 1 to 855 bases between a polynucleotide consisting of the base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 14 and a polynucleotide consisting of the base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 15; (g2) A polynucleotide that conserves the base sequence of the polynucleotide of 1 to 855 bases in (g1) above, and is formed by deleting, substituting, inserting and / or adding 1 to 3 bases in the base sequence of (g1); (g3) A polynucleotide that conserves the base sequence of the polynucleotide of 1 to 855 bases in (g1) above, and is formed by deleting, substituting, inserting and / or adding 1 to 3 bases in the base sequence of (g1) above, and is formed by having an identity of 90% or more to the base sequence of (g1); 19. A method for producing a sunflower plant or a plant population of sunflower plants exhibiting an upward inflorescence trait according to claim 17 or 18, wherein the selection in the step (x) is a method for selecting a sunflower plant exhibiting an upward inflorescence trait having an upward inflorescence trait identified by the polynucleotide (ga) below: (ga) Polynucleotides (ga1), (ga2), or (ga3) below: (ga1) A polynucleotide consisting of the base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 13; (ga2) A polynucleotide consisting of a base sequence in which 1 to 85 bases have been deleted, substituted, inserted and / or added in the base sequence of (ga1); (ga3) A polynucleotide consisting of a base sequence having 90% or more identity to the base sequence of (ga1).

20. A method for producing a sunflower plant or a plant population of sunflower plants exhibiting an upward-facing trait of inflorescence stalk described in any one of claims 17 to 19, wherein the selection in the step (x) is selection of a sunflower plant exhibiting an upward-facing trait of inflorescence stalk having an upward-facing inflorescence stalk locus located in a region on the chromosome between the sites of the molecular markers Ha_chr04_175698294 and Ha_chr04_204904126, or between the sites of the molecular markers Ha_chr04_181000331 and Ha_chr04_200021302.

21. A method for producing a sunflower plant or a plant population of sunflower plants exhibiting an upward-facing inflorescence trait according to any one of claims 17 to 20, wherein the selection in step (x) is a selection of sunflower plants having an inflorescence stalk angle of 0 to 45°.

22. A method for imparting an upward flower stalk trait to a sunflower plant, comprising an upward step of changing the function of the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene in a sunflower plant to make the flower stalk of the sunflower plant upward.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the upward step includes an inhibiting step of inhibiting expression of the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene in sunflower plants.

24. The method of claim 22 or 23, wherein the upward step includes a mutation step of mutating the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene of the sunflower plant.

25. The method according to claim 24, wherein the mutation step involves introducing a mutation into the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene of the sunflower plant to produce an upward-facing sunflower plant that contains the mutant version of the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene and has an upward-facing flower stalk.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the mutant comprises a base sequence in which one or more bases are deleted, substituted, inserted and / or added in the base sequence of the normal Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene, and expresses the upward-facing flower stalk trait.

27. An isolated nucleic acid having a function of identifying an upward-facing inflorescence stalk trait in a sunflower plant chromosome, comprising a base sequence of 15 or more consecutive bases selected from the group consisting of the following (a) to (g): (a) a base sequence of the following (a1), (a2), or (a3): (a1) the base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1; (a2) a base sequence in which the 101st base (A) of (a1) is conserved and 1 to 20 bases have been deleted, substituted, inserted and / or added in the base sequence of (a1); (a3) ​​a base sequence in which the 101st base (A) of (a1) is conserved and has an identity of 90% or more to the base sequence of (a1); (b) a base sequence of the following (b1), (b2), or (b3): ​​(b1) the base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2; (b2) a base sequence in which the 202nd to 213th bases (TAAAAAAAAAAA) of (b1) are conserved, and 1 to 40 bases are deleted, substituted, inserted and / or added in the base sequence of (b1); (b3) a base sequence in which the 202nd to 213th bases (TAAAAAAAAAAA) of (b1) are conserved, and the base sequence has 90% or more identity to the base sequence of (b1); (c) a base sequence of the following (c1), (c2) or (c3): (c1) a base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 3; (c2) a base sequence in which the 101st base (T) of (c1) is conserved, and 1 to 20 bases are deleted, substituted, inserted and / or added in the base sequence of (c1); (c3) a base sequence in which the 101st base (T) of (c1) is conserved, and the base sequence has 90% or more identity to the base sequence of (c1); (d) a base sequence of the following (d1), (d2), or (d3): (d1) a base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 4; (d2) a base sequence in which the 101st base (C) of (d1) is conserved and 1 to 20 bases have been deleted, substituted, inserted, and / or added in the base sequence of (d1); (d3) a base sequence in which the 101st base (C) of (d1) is conserved and has an identity of 90% or more to the base sequence of (d1); (e) a base sequence of the following (e1), (e2), or (e3): (e1) a base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 5;(e2) a base sequence in which the 101st base (G) of (e1) is conserved and 1 to 20 bases have been deleted, substituted, inserted and / or added in the base sequence of (e1); (e3) a base sequence in which the 101st base (G) of (e1) is conserved and has an identity of 90% or more to the base sequence of (e1); (f) a base sequence of the following (f1), (f2) or (f3): (f1) a base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 6; (f2) a base sequence in which the 101st base (A) of (f1) is conserved and 1 to 20 bases have been deleted, substituted, inserted and / or added in the base sequence of (f1); (f3) a base sequence in which the 101st base (A) of (f1) is conserved and has an identity of 90% or more to the base sequence of (f1); (g) a base sequence of (g1), (g2), or (g3) below: (g1) a base sequence having a base sequence of 1 to 855 bases between the base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 14 and the base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 15; (g2) a base sequence in which the base sequence of 1 to 3 bases of the polynucleotide in (g1) is conserved, and in which 1 to 854 bases have been deleted, substituted, inserted, and / or added in the base sequence of (g1); (g3) a base sequence in which the base sequence of 1 to 3 bases of the polynucleotide in (g1) is conserved, and which has an identity of 90% or more to the base sequence of (g1); 28. The nucleic acid according to claim 27, comprising a consecutive base sequence of 15 or more bases in a base sequence selected from the group consisting of the following (ga) in a chromosome of a sunflower: (ga) a base sequence of the following (ga1), (ga2), or (ga3): (ga1) the base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 13; (ga2) a base sequence in which 1 to 85 bases have been deleted, substituted, inserted and / or added in the base sequence of (ga1); (ga3) a base sequence having 90% or more identity to the base sequence of (ga1).

29. A method for detecting an upward inflorescence trait in a sunflower plant, the method comprising the step of detecting whether or not the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene is mutated in a test sunflower plant.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the detection step comprises detecting whether a mutant of the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene is present in the test sunflower plant.

31. The detection method described in claim 30, wherein the mutant contains a base sequence in which one or several bases are deleted, substituted, inserted and / or added in the base sequence of the normal Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene, and expresses the upward-facing flower stalk trait.

32. A method for detecting an inflorescence-up trait in a sunflower plant, comprising: a detection step of detecting an inflorescence-up locus on chromosome 4 for a test sunflower plant.

33. A method for screening sunflower plants, comprising a selection step of selecting, from test sunflower plants, test sunflowers having a mutation in the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene as sunflower plants exhibiting the upward-facing flower stalk trait.

34. The screening method according to claim 33, wherein in the selection step, a test sunflower plant containing a mutant of the Ha412HOChr04g0188691 gene is selected as a sunflower plant exhibiting the upward-facing flower stalk trait.

35. A method for screening sunflower plants, comprising a selection step of selecting, from test sunflower plants, sunflower plants that include an inflorescence stalk upward locus on chromosome 4 as sunflower plants that exhibit an inflorescence stalk upward trait.

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