Abstract: The present invention provides a method for preparing two or more batches of material. A first batch is placed into a first container and a second batch is placed into a second container. A grinding media is added to each of the first and second containers. The first and second containers are placed into a movable body, which is moved to induce movement of the first and second containers at least under gravitational force in the movable body so that the grinding media grind the first and second batches inside their respective first and second containers. A system is also provided.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a plant vacuole targeting sequence X1X2X3PX4 wherein X1 is a hydrophobic amino acid, X2 is a basic amino acid, X3 is a hydrophobic amino acid, P is proline; and X4 is a hydrophilic amino acid, such as the sequences IRLPS, IKLPS, LRLPS and LKLPS. The vacuole targeting sequence may be present in a chimeric protein linked to an amino acid sequence of a heterologous protein to facilitate vacuole vacuole targeting of the expressed chimeric protein in a plant cell. The invention is applicable to production of expressed, chimeric proteins in monocots and dicots, and in particular monocots such as cereals and sugarcane.

Abstract: A method of producing a transgenic monocotyledonous plant includes culturing a thin section explant from a monocotyledonous plant, such as sugarcane, wheat or sorghum, in the presence of an auxin and, optionally, a cytokinin, prior to transformation. Optimally, the thin section is oriented during this pre-transformation culture period of 1-6 days so that a basal surface is substantially not in contact with the culture medium. The cultured explant is then transformed followed by a rest period of 4-15 days in a culture medium without selection agent but comprising an auxin and, optionally, a cytokinin. After this rest period, transgenic plants are selectively propagated from the transformed plant tissue in the presence of a selection agent such as paromomycin sulphate or geneticin. This system provides rapid, efficient generation of transgenic monocotyledonous plants from transformed, non-callus tissue and thereby reduces the likelihood of somaclonal variation among transgenic progeny.