The present invention is related to a recoverable block of function (RBF)
system for controlling transgene escape and transgene containment in
plants. The RBF-system comprises at least one blocking construct (BC),
wherein the BC comprises as the blocking gene a nucleotide sequence or
crtB gene encoding phytoene synthase, which is used alone or in
combination with other BCs. The crtB gene expresses under the control of
a germination specific promoter or a promoter constitutively repressed by
a Recovering construct (RC) and blocks the germination of a transgenic
seed. The blocked germination is recoverable by a user controlled
intervention including addition of an effective amount of gibberellin and
sugar and may involve so called recovering constructs (RCs), wherein the
recovering gene may encode ent-copalyl diphosphate synthase or
ent-kaurene synthase.